On the agenda: South Burlington meeting — Surveillance camera (May 14)

Library Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda
May 16, 2026

Participation Options
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In Person: 5:30 PM | 180 Market Street, Library 2nd Floor
Electronically: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83211085189
You can also dial in using your phone: Meeting ID: 832 1108 5189 Passcode: 337515

1. Call to order
2. Review of library exits
3. Comments and questions from the public not related to items on the agenda
4. Additions and deletions to the posted agenda
5. ACTION - Approval of minutes from the April 9, 2026 Board of Trustees Meeting
Documents:
04.09.26 LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES DRAFT MINUTES.PDF
6. Welcome and Chair Remarks
7. Friends of the South Burlington Library Report - Merry
8. South Burlington Library Foundation Report
9. Director's Report
10. Committee reports
10.A. Finance Committee
10.A.i. Review Finance Committee Meeting Minutes
10.B. Communications
10.C. Governance and Nominations
11. Strategic Plan Development
11.A. Review Top 25 of SWOT Analysis for Strategic Plan Development
Documents:
LBOT SWOT TOP 25.PDF

11.A. Review Top 25 of SWOT Analysis for Strategic Plan Development
Documents:
LBOT SWOT TOP 25.PDF
11.B. Vote on Top 25
11.C. Determine Key Areas of Strategic Plan Focus
12. Other business
13. Adjourn

Draft Minutes - South Burlington Library Board of Trustees - April 9, 2026
The Library Board of Trustees held a regular meeting on April 9, 2026 at 5:30 pm in the
Library Boardroom and by Zoom.
Members present: Whitney Kirzinger, Anne LaLonde, Holly Painter, Stacey Pape,
Rebecca Stazi, Margery Vagt, Ted Lenski, Brenda Withey
Absent: Donna Swartwout, Marty Reid
Also present: Bree Drapa, Library Director; Merry Jones, Friends of the Library President

1. Call to Order at 5:30 pm
2. Review of Library Exits
3. Comments and questions from the public not related to items on the agenda
None
4. Additions and deletions to the posted agenda
None
5. Approve regular board minutes of March 12, 2026 Board of Trustees Meeting
Upon a motion made by Stacey Pape and seconded by Brenda Withey, the
Trustees voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the March 12, 2026 Board of
Trustees Meeting.
6. Welcome and Chair remarks
We have a few policies to look at today. The staff brought an incident to our attention in
which a patron was filming in the Library and we are taking a look at our policies related
to the incident. The Governance & Nomination Committee recommends changes to
some of our policies after a respectful, robust discussion. Bree and the library team did a
good job of using our process and bringing this to us and Bree has conducted staff
training related to the incident.
7. Friends of the South Burlington Library Report - Submitted written report
March Bookshop totals –
Shop = $192.00
Kiosk = $603.91
Total = $795.91

Winter Concerts – Our next concert will held be on Saturday, April 18 at 12 noon. Ethan
Robbins is the featured performer, and he is known for his bluegrass music and raw,
earthy sound. On Saturday May 16, John Hughes will be performing traditional music
played on the African Kora. This concert was rescheduled due to bad winter weather in
February.
StoryWalk Project – Working with Erin Davison, SBPL’s Children’s Librarian, we have
selected our first book to be featured in the StoryWalk - Over and Under the Pond by
Kate Messner. The Foundation has generously offered to buy the large size laminator
that will be needed to protect the individual book pages before they are placed in the
posts along the StoryWalk. The laminator will also be available for Library and City
personnel use. The StoryWalk grand opening is now scheduled for Tuesday, July 7 at
5:15 p.m. at City Center Park, coordinating with an event put on by the Rec Department.
Bookshop News – We have cleaned out our shop closet and now have 3 new storage
racks for book storage. The library is currently sorting out some of their book collections
to make room for new books, and we are helping to find new homes for them. The
brunch that the Friends were going to provide for Library staff during Library Appreciation
Week is being rescheduled to a more workable date.
Upcoming Book Sales – The Friends will be having a mini book sale during Illuminate
Vermont on April 24 and 25 from 5:00 – 9:00 downstairs in the library.
Our Annual Fall Book Sale will be held on Fri. Oct 9, Sat. Oct. 10 and Sun. Oct. 11th.
8. South Burlington Library Foundation Report - Anne
Ferene Paris finished her March residency at the Library and it went very well. The teen
event was really well-attended and the final story slam had some great stories. The
Foundation is going to try to bring her back to the library.
The Trustees are all invited to a donor thank you event tomorrow night at 4:30 at the
Library. Bree is going to speak and give tours.
The Foundation is looking for a couple more members for its board and Trustees can let
any Foundation board member know if they have suggestions.
9. Library Director’s Report – Submitted written report
We had our first big deadline in Koha migration 3/20/26 – they now have our marc
records and other catalog data for data mapping in the new system. Prep work for
switching over continues – weeding, cleaning up barcodes, records, etc. Our go live date
is 9/23/2026. Other card catalog we have until 10/31/2026. Patrons will have to log into
Libby again and will have to reset their passwords. Patrons will be able to see the
catalogs for other libraries in the Homecard system.
Attended Public Library Association meeting 3/31-4/5 in Minneapolis, MN. 6000 librarian
attendees!
Upcoming National Library Week – April 19-25. Wrote an article for The Other Paper.
Here are the highlighted events:
April 19 - Kick off the week with the classic “Libraries Fight Censorship Film”, Storm
Center (1956), at noon in the auditorium.

April 20 is the National Right to Read Day. We don’t have anything specific planned to
celebrate this day – we celebrate your right to read every day at SBPL! One of my
favorite authors, Kate Quinn, recently stated in her new book The Astral Library,
“[Libraries] are living, breathing spaces for living breathing people, and all the messy,
complicated problems people carry on their backs: one of the few public places where a
purchase is not necessary if you wish to linger, a refuge for children and the unhoused, a
place where information and free access to it are elevated over all.” Talk about Library
Joy!
April 21 is National Library Worker’s Day. I’ve always liked the slogan for this day,
“Libraries Work because We Do”. Library workers take great pride in their work. We are a
community of generous helpers. I am so lucky to manage such a dedicated staff. Stop by
the library and say “thank you” to our wonderful staff.
April 22 – Another classic library film Desk Set (1957), posing the question “will
computers replace librarians?” Well, they haven’t yet, but you can check out this goodhearted Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn film in the auditorium at 5pm.
On April 23 (4-5pm) and April 24 (1:15-2:15), cap off the end to National Library Week
with a tour of the library led by Ilona Blanchard, Community Development Director and
me. Even the most frequent library user is bound to learn something new!

The Library is very busy, as you can see from the statistics:

Also discussed at the meeting: The Library now has an outreach tent branded with the
Library’s logo. Also the library staff got a group picture and individual pictures taken by a
professional photographer at the staff retreat.
The Library is getting estimates on re-doing the walls for the Hangout Space for middle
schoolers. They’ve done phase one already with a grant from SB3C. The goal is to make
a cozy space for the tweens and allowing them to make a lot of choices on what they
want.
10. Committee Updates

A. Finance Committee
Nothing to report. Bree would like to get together with the committee and start a budget
conversation.
B. Communications
Holly sent out the spreadsheet for everyone to sign up for tabling. Whitney wrote a great
piece that appeared in the Other Paper about the Library department heads.
C. Governance and Nominations
The Trustees first discussed the new Circulation Policy, which was written by Sue Meyer
with Bree’s help. Upon a motion made by Brenda Withey and seconded by Whitney
Kirzinger, the Trustees voted unanimously to accept the new policy with a small clarifying
edit.
Before discussing the next policies, Ted explained that the Governance and Nominations
Committee had had conversations about the First Amendment and tried to balance
concerns about access, privacy, free speech, and safety. The Library is a public space
and we cannot restrict people from recording patrons. However, as a limited public forum,
the Library can place some restrictions on behavior. While people may be able to record
the staff because they are municipal workers, patrons can ask others not to record them.
If the person continues to film patrons, they are violating the Patron Code of Conduct by
being harassing and disruptive. Patrons should go to library staff for assistance with this
type of behavior. Staff has had training after the filming incident on what to do and has
long been trained on de-escalating many different circumstances. The Committee is also
looking to develop a separate recording and photographing policy. Our process with all of
the policies is to make iterative improvements as needed.
We discussed the Privacy Policy and then Anne LaLonde moved to table the discussion
and Stacey Pape seconded. The Trustees unanimously voted to table the Privacy Policy
while we discussed the other two policies.
We discussed the Child Safety Policy and then Stacey Pape moved to table the
discussion and Margie Vagt seconded. The Trustees unanimously voted to table the
Child Safety Policy while we discussed the last policy.
We discussed the recommended changes to the Patron Code of Conduct Policy. Upon a
motion made by Margie Vagt and seconded by Holly Painter the Trustees voted
unanimously to approve the updated Patron Code of Conduct Policy and to have the City
Attorney review the policy.
Upon a motion made by Whitney Kirzinger and seconded by Stacey Pape, the Trustees
voted unanimously to un-table and discuss the Privacy Policy. Anne suggested an edit to
clarify a paragraph about library use of patron images in publicity and marketing and that
was accepted. Upon a motion made by Ted Lenski and seconded by Stacey Pape the
Trustees voted unanimously to approve the updated Privacy Policy as edited and to have
the City Attorney review the policy.
Upon a motion made by Stacey Pape and seconded by Holly Painter, the Trustees voted
unanimously to un-table and discuss the Child Safety Policy. We discussed adding a
provision in that policy about what happens if an unaccompanied child gets hurt or needs
medical attention. Bree noted that it would be permissible for staff to give the patron’s

name to emergency services under the Privacy Policy because there would be exigent
circumstances. The Governance & Nominating Committee will look at adding a provision
in the policy covering this situation. Upon a motion made by Margie Vagt and seconded
by Holly Painter, the Trustees voted unanimously to approve the updated Child Safety
Policy and to have the City Attorney review the policy.
11. Review Top 25 of SWOT Analysis for Strategic Plan Development
Ted consolidated all of the items listed by the Trustees as strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats into 25 areas of focus. At our next meeting, we will each get 20
votes (including Bree) and can use those to vote for whichever areas we feel the
Trustees should focus on in the new strategic plan.
12. Other Business
We are not going to try to replace Ashley Sandy Haefele on the board because it’s too
close to the City Council choosing the next set of board members. It is unclear what the
role of the Governance and Nominating Committee in working with the city in
recommending new board members.
13. Adjourn at 7:01 pm

Respectfully submitted,
Anne LaLonde
Acting Secretary, SBPL Board of Trustees

CIRCULATION & BORROWING POLICY
The South Burlington Public Library’s circulation policy is designed to help patrons access
materials and ensure the smooth and equitable circulation of Library resources to all.
Authorized Users
The Library upholds privacy and confidentiality for all patrons. No one other than the cardholder
will be able to use a library card unless the cardholder has expressly listed them on their library
card application as an authorized user.
Who Can Get a Library Card
South Burlington (SB) residents age 5 and over and SB property owners may get a library
card at no cost with proof of a South Burlington address. Acceptable forms of proof include a
driver’s license, lease, tax bill, mail, online bill, etc. Cards are issued for a period of 5 years for
adults age 18 and over. Residents receive full access to physical & digital resources, museum &
parks passes, Homecard privileges, purchase requests, and interlibrary loans. Individuals age 16
and over may check out items from the Library of Things with a signed waiver. See the Library of
Things Borrowing Policy.
Cards for children ages 5-11 require the signature of a parent or guardian who is a SB
resident. Their cards expire on their 12th birthday.
Cards for youth between the ages of 12-17 do not require an adult’s signature and expire on
their 18th birthday. Pursuant to Act 150, Sec. 3. 22 V.S.A. § 172 of the Vermont Statute, youth
12 and over also have the right to decide if their parents or guardians may access their library
activity.
Individuals residing in SB on a temporary basis may be issued a card good for 6 months.
These cards have a limit of 4 items checked out at any given time. These cardholders do not
have access to interlibrary loans or Homecard privileges.
Individuals who work in SB may get a card good for one year with proof of employment. This
card permits full access to physical & digital resources, but no passes, interlibrary loans,
purchase requests, or Homecard privileges.
Nonresidents who don’t live in a town included in the Homecard system may purchase a library
card for $35 for one year for access to physical materials only. They are not eligible for digital
services, passes, interlibrary loans, or Homecard privileges.
Organizations such as childcare centers and group residential settings may get a card good for
one year for organizational use with proof of SB location. The card allows for borrowing physical
materials only. It is not eligible for digital services, passes, interlibrary loans, or Homecard
privileges.

Patrons Should Bring their Library Cards to the Library
The Library prefers that patrons bring their library card every time they visit the Library. Library
staff may ask for ID if the card is not available. If a library card has been lost, a new card can be
made for a $1 replacement fee.
The Homecard System
South Burlington Public Library (SBPL) is a member of The Homecard System, a cooperative
lending program of 30 libraries in northwestern Vermont. Eligible SB residents may use their
valid SBPL card at any member Homecard library for access to library collections, programs,
and services. Materials must be returned to the library from which they were borrowed and are
subject to the lending policies of that library.
Borrowers with Homecard privileges from other Homecard libraries may borrow materials from
SBPL by presenting a valid, unexpired card that includes a Homecard code from their home
library.
Loan Periods & Limits
Most physical items are loaned for a period of three weeks, with the following exceptions:
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Museum & Parks passes – 1 day
Telescope – 3 days
Cookbook Club book – 3 days
Library of Things items – 2 weeks
Book Club Kits – 6 weeks

There are no limits to the number of items a patron may borrow, with these exceptions:
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Library of Things – maximum of 3 items checked out to a patron at any given time
Museum & Parks passes – one pass checked out per family per day
Interlibrary Loans – maximum of 3 checked out to a patron at any given time

Renewals
With the exception of the items listed above that have different loan periods, materials may be
renewed up to three times, provided no one else has placed a hold. Items will be automatically
renewed on their due date if there are no holds requested for the item. Patrons may choose to
renew in person, by phone, or by emailing [email protected]. Patrons may also
renew online by logging onto their account using their barcode and password.
Returns
Materials may be returned to the main Circulation desk or the outside drop box. Interlibrary
Loans, Library of Things items, Yoto players and cards, and Playaways must be returned directly
to the Library at the Circulation Desk.

Holds/Reserves
Patrons may place a hold on an item by phone, email, in person, or by logging into their online
account for material that is currently checked out to another patron. Patrons may also place
holds on currently available titles to be held for pick up. Patrons will be contacted when the item
is ready for them using the contact method specified in their library card account. The item will
then be checked out and placed on the holds cart for 7 days, at which point the hold expires. If it
is not picked up before that time, library staff will check it back in.
Museum & Parks passes may be reserved by SB residents for a specific day by calling, emailing
or stopping by the Library. Passes must be returned before the Library opens the next day.
Interlibrary Loan
SB residents may request materials published more than 6 months ago and that SBPL does not
own through the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) program. Nonresidents will be referred to their home
library for this service. A maximum of three ILL requests at one time is allowed for each patron,
and it may take up to two weeks to receive the items. These requests can be made via the
online form under Services > Interlibrary Loan or in person at the Library.
New Materials Request
SB residents may request that the Library consider purchasing a new item published in the last 6
months. Requests may be made in person or by phone or email. A request does not guarantee
the Library will obtain the item, and new requests that are purchased may take several weeks to
arrive.
Overdue/Lost & Damaged Items
South Burlington Public Library does not charge overdue fines for any materials except for
Museum & Parks passes. For those, patrons will be charged $5/day if a pass is not returned on
time and $50 if the pass is lost.
The Library charges patrons for unreturned, lost or damaged materials. The cardholder is
responsible for all costs associated with their borrowed items. Patrons are sent a reminder 3
days before an item is due and are notified again when the item is 7 and 14 days overdue.
Patrons with items overdue by more than 21 days will have their accounts restricted at SBPL
and at Homecard libraries until items are returned. Items overdue more than 60 days are
considered lost and will result in the patron being billed for the replacement cost plus a $3
nonrefundable processing fee per item. Once lost items are returned or paid for, the patron’s
account will be cleared and unrestricted.
The Library accepts payment in cash, check (payable to South Burlington Public Library), or
credit card. Payment may be made in person, by mail (checks) or over the phone by credit card.
The Library is unable to accept online payments. Payments for lost items cannot be refunded if
they are found later. Replacement copies of lost or damaged materials are not accepted in lieu
of payment unless prior arrangements have been made.

PRIVACY POLICY
The Library is committed to your privacy and confidentiality in accordance with the
American Library Association’s Code of Ethics, http://www.ala.org/tools/ethics. In order
to set up a library account, we must obtain certain information and authorized Library
staff may access it for the purpose of performing library work. We make every effort to
avoid collecting personally identifiable information. We do not sell or lease user
information.
Pursuant to Vermont law (22 V.S.A. § 172), except under limited circumstances, all
information about individual South Burlington Public Library users shall be strictly
confidential. https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/22/004/00172
Public libraries are considered to be limited public forums under First Amendment law.
This means that they are open for specific expressive activities rather than unrestricted
public discourse. Public libraries may therefore impose reasonable, viewpoint-neutral
regulations consistent with their intended purpose of providing quiet study and access to
information. To protect the First Amendment rights of all users of the Library, the
Library’s policies place time, place, and manner restrictions to maintain safety and
continuous library operations.
A. In pertinent part, Vermont law provides: A library's patron registration records and
patron transaction records shall remain confidential. Unless authorized by other
provisions of law, the library's officers, employees, and volunteers shall not disclose
patron’s records except:
(1) with the written permission of the library patron to whom the records pertain;
(2) to officers, employees, volunteers, and agents of the library to the extent
necessary for library administration purposes;
(3) in response to a valid and enforceable court order, subpoena, or other binding
legal demand; or
(4) to custodial parents or guardians of patrons under age twelve.
B. Decisions regarding disclosure of information and records will be made by Library
leadership and legal counsel as needed. Information about library patrons and how they
use the library is not made available to law enforcement agencies unless a proper court
order in good form has been presented to the library or officers claim exigent
circumstances and take legal responsibility.
C. Library staff will generally not provide information about library users’ physical
presence in the library, including information about youth and children.
D. Surveillance cameras are used only to enhance the physical security of the library, its
property, staff, and patrons. Footage shall not be disclosed excepting the limited
circumstances outlined in section “A” of this policy.
E. Library staff will only use recognizable images of patrons in library publicity and
marketing with the patrons’ permission.

F. Public computer records will not be saved after a computer session is closed down. In
the event that any future changes in Vermont law conflict with this policy, the law will
supersede those portions of the policy that conflict. The Library also endorses the
American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights,
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill. Questions or concerns should be
directed to the Library Director in writing.

PATRON CODE OF CONDUCT
Show respect for everyone around you: Behavior that is harassing or disruptive,
unwelcome by other patrons or staff, infringes upon the rights of others using the
library, or disturbs the proper activities of its staff and patrons, is not permitted.
Respect everyone’s right to use the library. Please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Enjoy the library and leave it as you found it: All drinks should have lids and meals
should be eaten elsewhere unless authorized by prior arrangement. Snacks are
permitted in the library as long as surfaces are cleared and trash disposed of.
Use the Internet responsibly: Changing settings, damaging computers or systems,
installation of software is not allowed. Be respectful: Your screen is visible to
others.
Be safe: Keep your shoes on. Avoid running. Keep common walkways clear.
Animals are not permitted in the library, with the exception of service animals or
those authorized by prior arrangement.
Stay with your children: The Library assumes no responsibility for the care and
supervision of children. Children ages 9 and under must be accompanied by a
caregiver who is at least sixteen years old. Parents and/or caregivers are
responsible for the safety, supervision and conduct of their children and youth
while in the building or on library property regardless of whether they accompany
the child to the library. See our Child Safety Policy.
The library assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen items.
Abide by federal, state, and local laws and policies.
This Code of Conduct encourages behavior that supports the library’s mission to
strengthen our community with resources, information and opportunities to learn,
share and grow. Behavior becomes unacceptable when it impinges on the rights
of others, causes damage to buildings or equipment, or is hazardous to self or
others. For code of conduct violations, library staff have the authority to suspend
library privileges, ask patrons to leave, and may summon police if necessary.
Offenders may be banned from the library.

CHILD SAFETY POLICY
The South Burlington Library welcomes patrons of all ages to enjoy library facilities and
services. Parents and/or caregivers are responsible for the safety, supervision and
conduct of their children while in the building or on library property regardless of whether
they accompany the child to the library.
• Children ages 9 and under must be accompanied at all times by a parent or
caregiver who is at least 16 years old and able to attend to the child’s needs.
Patrons ages 10 and up may use the library unaccompanied by an adult or
caregiver.
• Children of all ages are subject to the Patron Code of Conduct.
• Parents/caregivers are responsible for monitoring use of the Internet and library
collections for their children.
• Library staff will not provide information about the physical presence of children or
youth in the library as noted in the Library Privacy Policy.
If a child age 9 or under is alone within the library building at closing, library staff will
attempt to call a parent/caregiver. If staff cannot reach a parent/caregiver, and a period
of 15 minutes after the library has closed has elapsed, the person in charge will call the
South Burlington Police to assume responsibility for the child. Two staff members will
remain with the child inside the library until a parent/caregiver or police arrive. Library
policy will be explained and a copy of the written policy will be given to the
parent/caregiver. Under no circumstances will library staff transport or take a child away
from the library building.

25 Key Focus Areas for Library Board of Trustees

Library Space and Building

Library Card Accessibility

Youth/Teen Engagement

Support for those in need (food, housing,
information)

Library of Things

Marketing Strategy and Vision

Social Service Needs for Patrons

Reaching out to underserved through
programs

Digital Collections

Sta Turnover and Workload

Budget Constraints limiting growth

Partnerships

Expanded Hours

Website Functionality

Federal Government Intervention

AI

Engaged Community - Positive Feelings for
Library Value

City Growth/Paid Parking

Restrictions on Access and Content

Signature Event

Sta Competence and Leadership

City Support and Engagement

Evolving Community Needs

Internships

Sustainability

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