FRIENDS OF THE POINT ROBERTS LIBRARY AGM MINUTES, DECEMBER 13, 2020

Attendees, via ZOOM: Board Officers (Stephen Falk, Jane Donaldson, Judy Ross, Ann Crew, Louise Cassidy, Rose Momsen), WCLS staff  (Christine Perkins, Rose Momsen, Kris Lomedico) and members of the public (Margot Griffith, Holly Robinson, Arthur Reber, Margo Getsinger, Kandace Harper, Don Falk, Heidi Baxter, Paul Ferry, Barb Wayland, and Rhiannon Allen.

The meeting was called to order at 2:03pm.

Judy Ross reviewed the minutes from the last AGM (2019). Motion was proposed, seconded and approved unanimously.

Louise Cassidy gave a treasurer’s report which will be filed in the library. We have $18,769.32 in the bank and $163 in petty cash.

Election of new officers: P/S/Unanimous

Judy Ross, President

Stephen Falk, Vice President

Rose Momsen, Secretary

Louise Cassidy, Treasurer

Kris Lomedico, WCLS representative

Jane Donaldson, representative from the Support Committee

Old Business:

Judy reported that the Commons has new shelving and seating and is ready to go once public spaces are open. Rose showed pictures.

Rose Momsen gave a slide presentation of activities this year during quarantine:

• The new Little Free Library which is now installed outside Saltwater Café.
• Books in the library were consolidated during shut down
• The outside of the building looks ‘fabulous’ thanks to volunteers’ efforts and contributions.
• A new Park Bench has been installed outside near the rear door of the library.
• WCLS Programs are now via  ZOOM, have included a Rocket talk by a NASA representative, a Zentangles drawing program, handing out coloring pages and ‘take and make’ projects for kids
• The library had a Halloween trick or treat stand.
• We were given 8 brand new sets of Christian TV DVDs, which Rose sold on Ebay for $426.51
• Another donation of a doll house and dolls was given to a new family on the Point.

Stephen Falk reported on the final stages of the new building, back in 2019 and early 2020. The building project was wrapped up with the installation of a generator, financed by FOPRL, WCLS, and the Parks Board. The generator can run everything except the building air conditioning.  Landscaping has been done by volunteers. Some of the California Lilacs may be replaced or moved to better hide the parking lot of the car repair business next door. 

Judy reported that weeding this past summer was done by volunteers and was been facilitated by The Parks Board getting a string trimmer. Next summer there is a need for volunteers. A memo should be put out to this effect.  Kris Lomedico suggested we should consider hiring a monthly landscaping service. The Support Committee will discuss this idea in 2021; we are all getting older and we have the funds to pay for this.

Judy reported that the important Friends documents have been moved from the FOPRL website set up during raising funds for the building to the FOPRL Blog online location: foprl.blogspot.com.

New Business:

Stephen proposed that we delete the by-law which states that a member of the Parks and Rec Board be a board member/representative on the FOPRL Board. P/S/Unanimously approved.

From Christine Perkins:

• The library system has been adapting to the Covid-19 crisis. The Point Roberts Library has recently remained open because of our low Covid numbers, although all the other libraries in the system have drive-by service only. She doesn’t know when the restrictions will ease
• The libraries are focusing on calling people who have not been getting out.
• She thanked our staff for the activities online.
• (Judy said the Guardian in England suggested that libraries there should close. Christine said that she doesn’t see that happening here.)
• Christine said that they are doing a library survey and so far it suggests that libraries are important here.
• One of the casualties of the virus has been the building of new libraries in Blaine and Birch Bay. There is a strong feeling in Blaine that voters won’t support a new building, so the project has been de-coupled with the Birch Bay Library project. Birch Bay is hoping to match funding from the State and will hopefully put something on the April ballot to do this.

Heidi Baxter has suggested a new projects for us, to include posting photographs of seasonal changes in PR for those who only live here part-time as well as sharing pictures of ‘stacks of books.’  The idea is to have an interactive, visual discussion on Social Media to keep the Friends all connected cross-border.

Member dues are usually paid at the AGM. This year members are being asked to take $5.00 in an envelope to the library and  include their current email address on the envelope.

Publicity: A volunteer is needed to take on this task. Judy and Rose will provide all the information to the volunteer.  Please contact them.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:54pm.