Summary of Trustees Meeting of March 26, 2024

Priscilla Douglas, Chair, opened the meeting and acknowledged the passing of activist and WBZ journalist, Sara Ann Shaw.

Strategic Planning

BPL President David Leonard introduced guest Tim Ritchie, who has served as President of the Museum of Science (MOS) since just before the pandemic. Ritchie was invited to share the MOS’s strategic process.

*Museum of Science President, Tim Ritchie*

Ritchie described shared public infrastructure such as libraries and museums as “palaces for the people,” and proffered three guiding principles for their stewardship: (i) honor, don’t worship, (ii) give yourself permission, and (iii) keep it simple. He acknowledged the temptation to worship the past but warned that constant change calls for continuing innovation and permission to become something new. He highlighted that offerings need not all be in person.

MOS’s Vision 2030 strategic plan was deliberately kept simple to enable widespread support. It identified two initiatives: (1) bringing science at the pace of change, not the pace of exhibits, and (2) reaching 100 million people with science education (the goal has since been reset at a half billion, as MOS reached 200 million + this year). Under the plan, MOS committed to providing high quality, equitable access while remaining financially sustainable in carrying out its mission of inspiring a lifelong love of science in all.

Ritchie opined that the role of leadership is to set an organization’s over-arching direction and principles, and to engage talented people to carry out day-to-day operations. He described MOS task forces formed to manage content and reach a broad audience through digital offerings, connections with schools, and in-person visits. MOS formed five Centers for Public Science Learning, all focused on a key theme – for 2024, the environment (key question: will we survive?), and for 2025, on being human (key question: who will we become?).

“Perspective is important,” Ritchie said. “You’re just the next link in the chain since 1848. Be the strongest link that stands up to the problems/challenges. Look at reality as a friend and be more powerful than ever before.”

In response to questions from the Trustees, Ritchie advised the BPL to “organize around [its] unique assets and combine them in unique ways.”

Asked about financial sustainability, Ritchie explained that because MOS’s earned revenue has not been covering its expenses, it will shift over the next decade from a 50% earned revenue/50% contributions model to a 33.3% endowment/33.3% contributions/33.3% earned revenue model, with cost reductions achieved through investments in technology.

Ritchie noted that MOS still struggles with its equitable access goals and that the in-person population is not as diverse as it should be, but MOS reaches out to underserved, underrepresented members of the community through in-person heritage sites, digital offerings, and partnerships with schools. It has also implemented changes to signage, staff, and training to make the Museum more culturally relevant to a broader range of visitors.

Strategic Plan Update

After thanking Ritchie, Leonard acknowledged Trustees Westra and Masso as Chair and Co-chair of the Strategic Planning Committee and welcomed members of Gensler, the design and strategy firm hired to assist in the development of the new strategic plan. Patricia Nobre, Erin Corcoran, and Margaret Sullivan were introduced and shared their process and initial work. They have begun planning a series of workshops to engage with BPL staff, leadership, and Trustees this spring, which will inform the creation of a plan by summer. Refinement of the plan will take place in the fall, with Strategic Planning Committee and board updates along the way.

President’s Report

Hiring and onboarding continue to be the BPL’s biggest challenges, President Leonard said. To date in in FY ’24, 14 people have been hired, with more than 40 positions still open.

Other items addressed by Leonard included the following:

· The Transit Stop program encourages people using public transport to sign up, browse, and borrow.

· Providing nationwide access to banned books continues in collaboration with several major libraries, such as Seattle, LA, Brooklyn, and San Diego.

· The visit by Dennis Lehane, author of Small Mercies, in Rabb Hall was a big success with a full crowd as well as online participants.

· The visit by Malia Lazu, consultant and author of From Intention to Impact: A Practical Guide to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in conversation with David Leonard filled the Commonwealth Salon early in February.

· Boston Public Schools are continuing to reinvest in their libraries; the recent gathering of BPS schools and BPL librarians was a great success and will be continued.

· The Faneuil Hall Branch will be reopening soon; staff and the Friends group are involved with programming plans.

· Literary Lights will be held again in April/May.

· Next year’s annual focus will be revolutionary music and social change.

· Construction on the Field’s Corner Branch will start in a few months.

· The South End Branch is in an accelerated Programming Study phase.

· The Eggleston Branch is moving into Design phase.

· Chinatown, West End, and Upham’s Corner are mixed use projects, and their processes continue.

· The McKim project has been submitted to the City and is awaiting inclusion in the Mayor’s 5-year budget in early April.

· Simmons’ Women’s Leadership conference will be held on April 3rd.

Finance & Audit

CFO Emily Tokarczyk managed the process of obtaining the Trustees’ approval of two contracts: one to replace network switches with e-Rate and the other to procure security guard services from Allied Universal Security Services.

New Business

Each of the following was touched upon briefly:

Leventhal Maps – Getting Around Town

New Chef in Residence, Glorya Fernandez at the Nutrition Lab at the Roxbury Branch

Harriet Hayden exhibit at the Boston Athenaeum

April is National Poetry Month

Public Comments

Amber DiAngeles spoke about online and in-person opportunities for researching local and family history using BPL’s Genealogy resources.

Yvette Jarreau, President of the Friends of the South End Library, expressed delight that the Branch’s renovation is in the Programming Phase and advocated for key program elements favored by community members including:

· A full kitchen for education and hospitality

· A café

· A drop-in senior area for connecting, reading, and other activities

· An appropriate space for built-in compost bins

· Space for daily storage of patrons’ belongings

· Storage space for teens and children’s toys and art materials.

The next BPL Trustees meeting will be on May 21st at the Central Library.