Goodall Library’s new circulation desk
Photo: Goodall Library
By Lawrence Furbish
Progress has been made on renovations to the Goodall Memorial Library, but some challenges remain. Most of the work has been completed and the interior is spacious and bright. A new young adult room has been added as well as an additional community meeting room, and new office space for staff. An updated circulation desk, redesigned computer stations, and colorful rugs and walls will now greet patrons.
However, the doors to the renovated library won’t be opening soon. Tentative plans are for movers and staff to discuss the move this month and for the actual move to take place in June. Movers will need approximately two weeks, and then the staff will have two weeks to complete the setup.
The library closed altogether on Sept. 5, 2023, for a month while staff set up its temporary home at the Center for Shopping. Construction on the $3 million renovation was initially expected to take one year, but cash flow problems arose, delaying work and the subsequent reopening.
Meanwhile, the library’s board of trustees had dwindled due to departures and terms limits. The last two members with experience, the vice chair and treasurer, are now leaving. The board began an active recruitment campaign and added 10 new members. According to the new board chair, Jordan Godin, to make up for the loss of institutional memory, the board intends to leverage the expertise of several longstanding patrons and board members with substantial nonprofit experience.
The library has also been without a director since the departure of Ann Thomas last October.
The board decided to hire a general manager for the interim until the move could be completed and a search conducted for a new director. Julie Norsworthy, who had been the board president, was selected for that role. According to Godin, at its March meeting, the board established a hiring committee to start a search for a new director and assistant director.
During budget workshops in March on the city appropriation for libraries, several city councilors raised concerns about the situation at Goodall Library. These included the amount of fundraising the library had done, number of library users, board experience and governance, and expenditures. Godin says that the board is fully aware of these concerns and is committed to addressing them proactively. According to the library board’s February minutes, a closed-door meeting with the city regarding the library building will take place but has not yet been scheduled.
Another challenge facing the library involves its endowment, which is made up of six separate funds. The problem is that many of these funds are restricted in terms of what the library can withdraw. For example, the library receives only interest from the Reando Memorial Children’s Fund of $297,000. Two trusts managed by H.M. Payson are shared with other city entities, and the library receives 20% of that interest annually. The Thomas Goodall Trust restricts the library to a withdrawal of 5% of the principal each year.
The post Still More Chapters in Goodall’s Moving Story appeared first on Sanford Springvale News.
