Annual Meeting of the Trustees as an Administrative Agency (1st Meeting)

A.    Welcome remarks                                                                                                         

B.    Roll Call of Board       

C.    Approval of the Meeting Minutes of March 18, 2025

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve to accept Mayor Michelle Wu’s FY26 Recommended Operating and Capital Budget.”

A.    Governance Direction Update

B.    Committee Structure & Appointments

A.    Introduction of Logan Hughes, Programs and Services Evaluation Analyst

B.    Executive Summary of Accomplishments and Goals 2025-2026 

C.    Strategic Plan– Implementation Planning Update

D.    Key Operational Updates

E.    Research & Special Collections Department Updates

Beth Prindle, Director of Research & Special Collections

                 1 .    Revolutions: 250 Years of Art & Activism in Boston

                 2.    Central Library Services, Operations, and User Experience Study RFP

A.    Review/Approval of Appropriate Use Policy

Audrey Wynne, Policy Advisor and Legal Liaison 

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve to accept the BPL Appropriate Use Policy as presented.”

B.    BPL Naming Policy for Rooms/Buildings (introduction of topic)

C.    Roxbury Branch Naming Proposal (introduction of topic)

A.    Votes for Approval

Jonathan Eshel, Chief of Operations

1.    Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Contract

VOTED:  “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the contract with EMCOR Services Northeast, Inc, 80 Hawes Way, Stoughton, MA 02072 for a three-year contract in the amount of Eight Million Nine Hundred Seventeen Thousand Six Hundred Twelve Dollars and Eighty Cents ($8,917,612.80 for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing service and maintenance.”

1.    Fire Alarm Contract

VOTED:  “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the contract with American Services Company LLC, 35 Hanna Street, Quincy, MA 02169 for a three-year contract of Two Hundred Forty Thousand Two Hundred Ninety-Four Dollars and Zero Cents ($240,294.00) for fire alarm service and maintenance.”

2.    Elevator ContractFire Alarm Contract

VOTED:  “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the contract with United Elevator, 165 Enterprise Drive, Marshfield, MA  02050 for a three-year contract of Six Hundred Twenty-One Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($621,000.00) for elevator service and maintenance.”

B.  Award of  Annual Contracts

May be Taken as a Full Slate if there are no objections for topics B 1&2, C, or D)

1.    Contract or Contracts for Various Goods or Services relating to the Critical Repair Operating Budget for FY26

VOTED:    “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston authorize the President, or designee, on behalf of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston, to enter into a contract or contracts for various goods or services relating to the Boston Public Library Critical Repair Budget for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 provided that each contract entered into pursuant to this authorization shall have been estimated to be less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00).  In no event will the contracts cumulatively exceed three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00).”

2.    Contract for the Purchase of Books and Certain Other Library Bibliographical Acquisitions Materials 

VOTED:    “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston enter into a non-advertised contract, as authorized under G.L., c.30-B, Section 7(a), referred to as a “Procurement of Library Books,” between the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston (a Corporation under Chapter 114 of the Acts of 1878), and the vendors listed therein (including any subsidiaries or agents), for the acquisitions of books and for certain other library bibliographical acquisitions materials, in an amount not to exceed the amount appropriated in the Library Department budget for books and other related bibliographical acquisitions materials, during the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.”

C.    Trustees Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Advisory Committee/Trust Fund FY26 Expenditure (Estimated)

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the estimated expenditure from the Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Fund in an amount not to exceed One Hundred Three Thousand Six Hundred Seventy Four Dollars and Forty Nine Cents ($103,674.49) to support the Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Fund Programmatic Plan for FY26 as recommended by the Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Advisory Committee and to be presented at an upcoming meeting.”

D.    Review of delegation of certain contract approvals for the Board of Trustees

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston delegate approval of any contract deemed to be of a critical nature by the President of the Library during the period between May 2025 and September 2025 to the Finance and Audit Committee.”

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the proposed schedule of Trustees meetings for 2025-2026 as noted below, such meetings to be full meeting of the board or alternately of the executive committee, on occasion.”

• Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 8:30-10:30 am, Central Library
• Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 3:00-5:00 pm, West Roxbury Branch
• Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 3:00-5:00 pm, Codman Square Branch
• Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 8:30-10:30 am, Central Library
• Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 8:30-10:30 am, Annual Meeting, Central Library  
• Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 8:30-10:00am, (via Zoom) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ONLY
• *All Meetings dates/times/location are subject to change; see BPL website for details

*Members of the public may sign up for public comment in-person or via chat on Zoom by 9am. Participants will be called in the order they were received. Each person will be allowed for up to two minutes to speak.  Public comments can also be emailed to the Clerk of the Board up to 24 hours in advance of the meeting. All comments and/or questions given at this time will be documented and/or answered accordingly later. (Comments left in the zoom chat will not be acknowledged)

*Purpose is to discuss Collective Bargaining Updates under Exemption 2.

*Executive Session will be held at the conclusion of the 2^nd meeting.  The Board of Trustees will not  reconvene in a public session.

VOTED:   “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve to enter into Executive Session for the purpose to discuss collective bargaining updates.”