Library Conference Room
4 p.m.

Members present: Ann Coker, Miriam Dunbar, Anne Benson, Tulli Kerstetter, Cathy Seibert, Laurie Webster

1. Call to order at 4:04 pm
2. Minutes from April meeting as emailed – Miriam moved to approve the minutes, and
Ann seconded. All approved
3. Guest requests – none
4. Proxy/e-mail votes – none
5. Correspondence – none
6. Financial report – No changes in savings from last month of $4328.57. Charge of $35 on
Paypal Echeck is still being investigated – maybe Dana bought a print and a refund didn’t go through (Paypal was not working at the time)? Laurie deposited $21.85 from online book sales (one book), nearly $2000 altogether from memberships and donations, and other sources of revenue from donation box, hat sale, and in-library book sales. A check was made out to the library last month for Stanley Steemer of $1129.04. Membership revenue has been rather good lately. Total in checking of $11,072.60, for an overall balance of $15,401.17. Tull moved to approve the financial report, and Miriam seconded. All approved. Laurie also presented an annual income and expenses summary which is required by accountant Heidi Trainor to do the 990 postcard for nonprofits. Three categories are numerated: Income, Expenses, and Friends’ Donations to the Library. The last page compares the last three years. Since 2020 was a covid year, income and expenses were way down from 2021 and 2022. Laurie commented that Friends is getting more unsolicited funds from foundations (e.g., $2500 from Bechtel). Book sales increased in 2022 as well as Englehart print sales. Amazon Smile is no longer in existence, so that revenue, though meager, is gone. Jersey Jim income about same each year, ditto hats. Management refers to office-related items. Amy asked about how many remaining Englehart prints are in existence, but since Silvia (who was not present) is taking care of these, no one was sure how many are left.
7. Library Director’s report – The Director’s report was read into the record by Anne in
Jared’s absence (see report attached).
8. Membership report – Cathy made some corrections that Anne had sent her to the reports
she printed out for members in attendance last month. Ann requested an updated membership list for her records. Ilga and Amy had called some people who did not give their email addresses to Friends as reminders to re-up; a few responded and sent in dues. Cathy estimated that there are currently somewhere around 90 adult memberships.
9. Book Maven report – Miriam has gone through some 10 boxes that Tulli had hauled to
the zircon in her absence, but another big group of coffee table books (mostly photography) had recently arrived, most of which she sent on to Better World Books. There will be a nice collection of books for Friends’ annual sale in July. Connie Fox had donated a number of Great Courses DVDs which will be in the sale.
10. Old business –
Jersey Jim auction – Tulli will distribute flyers in Cortez, Amy took some flyers to
Durango, and Miriam distributed same around Mancos. Dana made the auction information live on Monday, May 1, with bidding to officially run from the 8th to the 14th.
11. New business
July meeting (Monday the 3rd?) – All present agreed that the next monthly meeting should be postponed to the 11th rather than the 3rd.
Mancos Days Book Sale and Social – Anne had some frustration getting the community room scheduled with the new scheduling system, but Friends does get priority as a library function. The room has been reserved from noon Thursday through closing on Saturday for the sale.
12. Adjourn at 4:55.
Next meeting: June 6, 2023 – Conference Room

(As submitted)

Library Conference Room
4 p.m.

Members present physically and on Zoom: Cathy Seibert, Ann Coker, Anne Benson, Tulli Kerstetter, Jared Boudreaux, Laurie Webster, Amy Welden, Ilga Vise

1. Call to order at 4 pm
2. Minutes from March meeting as emailed – Ann moved to approve, and Laurie seconded. All approved
3. Guest requests – none
4. Proxy/e-mail votes – none
5. Correspondence – none
6. Financial report – Laurie transferred $100 to savings in order to keep the account active. Interest earned on savings was $1.59 for a total of $4328.57. Checking deposits were for sale of baked goods before the event was canceled of $22, hat sale of $20, and $20 in-library book sales. A payment to Anne for shipping costs via Amazon for $10.10 was the only withdrawal except for the $100 to savings mentioned above. There seems to be an issue with the Paypal account, which Dana is trying to fix. Checking account balance is $10,278.50. Total funds at the end of March were $14,607,07. Laurie added that she deposited $1100 in checks the day before this meeting, which included an annual $275 donation from Gallagher. Tulli moved to accept the financial report and Cathy seconded. All approved.
Amazon sales tax issue (Anne) — There was a brief discussion about sales tax being charged automatically to Amazon customers by Amazon, which Friends is not responsible for (some concern was brought up about Friends’ nonprofit status vis-a-vis same.)
7. Library Director’s report (see emailed report for details)– Jared reported work on a new project titled Letters of Encouragement, which would be sent to those libraries having frustrations and hardships in the current political climate. SW Directors meetup in Durango dealt with local area issues, while on May 2, a Rural Library meetup will be held in Durango. Lee Hallberg, the library’s prior director, has built a cubby for kids’ jackets and other items. School-library meetings with the superintendent and principal are being undertaken to understand how the library can work more closely with the schools. Discussions focused on such items as a drop box in front of the school, class visits, workshop for teachers, library cards. For repair/replacement of the HVAC system the library needs three quotes but so far only one has been submitted from Trane Heating and Air. Volunteer applications have been updated and now include a background check ($4 per check) for any volunteers. Phones were down for nearly three weeks due to the decrepitude of the old system. The library therefore decided to upgrade through FastTrack in Durango, with which the library is under contract, though Jared is trying to find a new provider. Although the phone system upgrade cost about $1000, phone bills will not be going up a lot.
Jared requested that Friends consider paying for some/all of the steaming/cleaning bill of Stanley Steemer for $1129.04. There is more cleaning to do (children’s room), but Ryan can do so with rented equipment. A motion to pay all of the Stanley Steemer bill was made by Amy and seconded by Tulli. All approved. Laurie promptly wrote a check to the library.
Amy asked Jared if the new volunteer forms were available on the website. They are not currently available, stated Jared, but will be soon.
8. Membership report –Cathy printed out a member list covering from 2020 into 2023. Members are on the list several times due to their being three years worth of data.
Phone calls – Amy, and possibly Earlene, had previously volunteered to call prior members as a reminder to re-up, but no one could remember who else volunteered (no record in the minutes). Anne will send out an email to members, along with suggested talking points and a list of names for each caller.
9. Book Maven report – Tulli will fill in for Miriam during her absence in April to remove donated books from the library to the Zircon.
Anne sold another Amazon book but had to issue a refund because the book wasn’t signed as promised. Some 30 books are now on Amazon with new ones coming in.
10. Old business – none
11. New business
Jersey Jim auction– Silvia had suggested early in spring, like May, and for a week for
the auction period, so that folks could plan their vacations. Dana is willing to set it up again, and Anne will work with Dana to advertise and put the data online.
New fundraiser option – Anne had sent members an idea received from someone known to Midge Kirk which involved framing illustrations from old children’s book to sell at
book sales. Discussion which ensued involved: where get the illustrations, what about
copyright, where find old books, how labor intensive. Jared looked online re: public domain for children’s books and found that there are no copyright issues if published before 1923, but
problematic after 1923 (it is 70 years after death of the author for current books) The issue was tabled for later until either the right book(s) comes along or people are found who are willing to do the work.
12. Adjourn at 4:43.
Next meeting: May 2, 2023 – Conference Room (Jared will be out of town)