July 12, 2018

STEWART LIBRARY BUILDING PRESERVATION GROUP
Meeting Minutes
July 12, 2018


The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM.

Attending: Gary Dorman, Roland Dorman, Ken Dow, Jackie Emerson, Colleen Grover, Lee Kaufman, Jim Louder, Galen McKenney, Sylvia Miholovich, Carl Smith, Linda Smith

The meeting minutes from June 7, 2018 were approved.

Financial Balances Report
Jim reported the following balances:
 Funds reported by the Town Office as of 07/12/2018:
 Library Preservation Account (Donations) $67,192.73
 Private Library Grants Account (Davis) $6,481.82
 Maintenance Endowment payout from MCF $2,871.25

 Funds at the Maine Community Foundation
 SLB Designated Maintenance Endowment $285,106.07


SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

Construction Subcommittee
Special Collections Room
ABM Mechanical will install the built-in dehumidifier within the next month. After that is done we can begin setting up the room, preparing to move items into the room.

Nickerson O'Day and Levant Welding have looked at the railing outside the atrium and both agree there is a problem with rusting. The problem was acknowledged before the warranty expired. They will devise a remedy.

Private Library Subcommittee
The World In Your Library speakers program:
About 40 people attended the first session. Nine attended the second.
The next speaker in the series will be Dr. Darren Ranco, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Coordinator of Native American Research, University of Maine, Orono. On July 31, at 6:00 PM he will speak on Protecting and Preserving Native American Basket Making Traditions.

Evaluations from those attending have been very positive. The facility has worked well for this program.

The Private Library Subcommittee has reviewed the Advisory Committee Formation plan. They had no objection to the plan and supports further development.

 

OTHER BUSINESS
A reminder to members not yet sworn in, please visit the Town Office to do so.

The group decided to host an open house in the building on the following dates:
CUA Alumni Banquet, August 11 (1:00 to 3:00 PM)
Corinna Fall Festival, September 22 (10:30 AM to Noon)

The building will be open with SLBPG members stationed in the private library, the public library rooms, the hallway, the atrium, the auditorium, and the basement to guide visitors.

Ken will put out announcements on Facebook, in the local free papers, and the Coffee News. Jackie will inform the two organizations of the plan.

Donor recognition
 All donor naming plaques have been mounted
Update of donor recognition display in August - At least one new naming plaque and a change on the donor recognition display are needed. Ken will order those items from Welch Sign.

Other Business

- Lee suggested that the group consider making a donation to the Levi Stewart Community Theater campaign to raise money to purchase new chairs for the auditorium. Ken thanked him for the suggestion. However, the LSCT has exceeded the $10,000 goal for the chairs, raising $13,500 so far. The LSCT is planning to develop proposals to make other improvement in the auditorium and the theater facility. Ken expressed the hope that the SLBPG or the Town of Corinna might consider a donation to those efforts.

- Lee said that the Select Board is considering the purchase of a road-side announcement sign to be placed beside route 7 near the bridge. The proposal will be in the town warrant for next year.  He suggested that the SLBPG might consider helping with the cost.

- Gary raised the issue of what should be done with the antique furniture that was in the Private Library. It was suggested that we do not know that it belonged to Levi. While it looks nice on display in the auditorium, there is no good place to store it. It was suggested that the Town should consider selling it.

- The antique gown, worn at the first ball held in the building, should be cared for. It would be best for it to be kept in a glass case on display, perhaps in the second floor lobby.

- The Civil War quilt, given by Mim King was recently examined. It should be appraised and cared for.

- Ken suggested that it would be good to develop a report to our donors, a booklet with information and pictures showing progress, highlighting plans for the future, and thanking donors for their gifts. Jim offered to help in the development.
 
Scheduled meetings
 Advisory Committee Formation Subcommittee - July 17, 8:30 AM
 Private Library Subcommittee - July 24, 10:00 AM
 Next meeting of the SLBPG – August 2, 2018 at 6:30 PM

Adjourned at 7:20 PM