The Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library in Cold Spring is overseen by a six-member board that meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. The trustees are Judy Meyer, Candy Zgolinski, Heidi Wendel, Deb Dichter and Dennis Gagnon.
Here are highlights from its 2024 and early 2025 meetings.
■ Assembly Member Dana Levenberg, whose district includes Cold Spring, provided a $15,000 grant for a Butterfield Book Bike that will include an iPad and laptop for mobile checkout. The bike will be electric, assisted by solar panels, and stored in a small enclosure next to the shed. It will be used for programs and events, to fill the Little Free Library at the river, to sign people up for library cards and to deliver books to homebound patrons. (June)
■ Two commemorative plaques without sentimental, personal or historical value were recycled by Gagnon at a scrap yard, which paid $50 for them. (July)
■ Rain Lee, the newly appointed student liaison from Haldane High School, made a presentation. She suggested making the library “a livelier” space by hosting more live music; creating a “more diverse and inclusive atmosphere” by showing foreign films such as Slum Dog Millionaire, Wadjda and Children of Heaven; switching the exhibit of past presidents in the bathroom to one highlighting local artists or a mural; and starting a young writer’s program hosted by professionals. (July)
■ The library received a state construction grant of $45,240 to install heat pumps to replace its oil burner. Once the oil is used up and tanks are removed, the area could be used for quiet study. (September)
■ It was suggested a no-parking sign be installed in the back lot because people park there after hours or when they are not using the library. (September)
■ The Friends of the Butterfield Library’s annual tag sale raised $1,000. (October)
■ The Autumn Reception raised $5,000. (November)
■ The board accepted a $125,000 Dormitory Authority of the State of New York accessibility grant to make an entry door ADA-complaint, build a path, make parking lot improvements and add a handrail. (November)
■ High school students continue to digitize the Julia Butterfield Archives with staff member Reed Gillen. (November)
■ The board decided to request $98,000 from voters on the Haldane school ballot in May. During a discussion, trustees noted that many staff members do not earn a “living wage” (calculated by MIT at $33.57 an hour for a single person in Putnam County), which needs to be addressed to achieve Sustainable Library Certification. In addition, while state funding is flat, the demand for e-books, which are more expensive than print and licensed rather than purchased, has skyrocketed. (The library expects to spend about $9,000 in 2025.) Heating and snow removal costs have increased because of extreme weather and the 100-year-old library needs modifications for disability access and structural repairs. (January)
■ The revenue from passport assistance is expected to decrease as more libraries offer the service. The director and a newly hired librarian will become certified agents to increase appointments. (January)
■ Email for board members will be discontinued because it was not being used. Members can use personal addresses knowing their emails are subject to Freedom of Information Law requests. (January)
■ The outside flag was taken down because it repeatedly gets caught in the cherry tree. The board will consider other spots for the pole. (January)
■ There was a discussion on installing an elevator, but there is no clear place for it to go. The same applies to a stair lift, which would require a grant. (January)
■ Holiday additions in 2025 will be Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the July 4 weekend, which is typically slow and can be difficult to schedule staff. (January)
