The Moorestown Library’s board of trustees had its first meeting for 2022 on Jan. 26, when Deanne Bertino was sworn in as board president, Jamie Boren as secretary and Caroline Joyce as treasurer.
Library board Director Joan Serpico discussed the library’s accomplishments for the new year, including a self-checkout machine.
“We did replace the public computers and we added a switch which has improved the performance,” Serpico said. “We’re hoping to be able to add a cable connection, since the cable would be free if we can just get some cables.”
“I’m hoping that that will be something we can do in 2022, which would increase our reliability and the speed,” she added.
Serpico noted that construction on the Friends of the Library book room has yet to begin, but drawings are almost complete.
“No ground has been broken, as they say, but it’s on its way,” she noted.
The next item on the meeting agenda was a discussion of the library’s programs.
“In terms of implementing new programs, we have done quite a few of them outside and virtually for all ages,” Serpico explained, “Kind of adjusting to what people wanted to do online versus outside, and we’ve made a concerted effort to diversify our offerings.”
She also announced that library members can access the Northstar Digital Literacy platform through September. Later in the meeting, the board discussed the library going fine-free.
Serpico noted the pros of going without fines, namely to decrease barriers to access for anybody reluctant to come in, reluctant to check out items and reluctant to check out a lot of items because of the possible fines.
“A number of people worry that the books won’t come back if you don’t have fines, but actual experience of libraries has been that that isn’t the case …” Serpico said. “The books do come back at about the same rate.”
Certain fines will still be implemented.
“One would be inter-library loans, because that’s not really ours to decide what the fee for late fees would be,” Serpico advised. “That’s really the individual library that’s loaning it to us and we’ll probably just keep it at $1 a day, because we can’t try to figure out everybody’s fine-free policy in New Jersey.”
The library board decided to hold discussions on going without fines at a later date.
