Jones Trustees Ask Who Will Raise the Money?

The Jones Library, Inc. Board of Trustees ratified an agreement with the town to take custody of Amherst’s Civil War tablets, began planning the renovated library’s grand reopening, and had a candid, and unusually divided exchange about how future fundraising should be structured at its virtual meeting on Thursday, October 15. The board then moved into executive session to discuss litigation strategy and did not return to open session.

All six trustees — Austin Sarat (President), Tamson Ely (Vice President), Lee Edwards (Vice Treasurer), Eugene Goffredo (Clerk), Farah Ameen, and Nat Larson were present, as was Library Director Sharon Sharry. The previous meeting’s minutes were not in the packet, so approval was put off.

Civil War Tablets Come to the Library
Sarat announced a memorandum of agreement with the town, signed September 28, under which the tablets will be in the library’s custody. The agreement licenses the tablets from the town to the library for 99 years, though either party may end it with 60 days’ written notice. The library will manage the exhibit and care for the room; the town will transport and install the tablets and keep them insured. The town will “at least consider” requests for additional staffing, Sarat said, and the library may suspend access if staffing is inadequate. The tablets will go in a garden-level room named for Deborah Bridges of Ancestral Bridges. Trustees ratified the executed agreement unanimously.

Planning the Grand Reopening
With the library renovation-expansion nearing completion, Sarat urged the trustees to prepare for a grand reopening ceremony. He recalled the March Topping Off Ceremony which reportedly drew about 30 people and said the event “didn’t reflect as fully as it might the spirit of what we’re trying to do.”

Sharry shared that reopenings at other libraries have featured dignitaries, members of the community, a ribbon-cutting and a speech by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. “And then the doors are opened and people just spend the afternoon wandering and oohing and aahing,” she said.

Edwards suggested that the reopening should be the first of a series of events throughout the year which she described as “kind of a librarypalooza.”

Sarat proposed shifting the spotlight. “I wonder if we could decenter a little bit us and the dignitaries and center users and the staff,” he said, pointing to an inspiring English-language learner who spoke at the groundbreaking as a model.

The opening is expected in July 2027, which prompted a gentle disagreement. Edwards noted that “July is not a great month for a ceremonial event” for a college town on vacation, and suggested a ceremonial soft opening followed by a big fall celebration. Sharry replied that the state’s library board “requires that we open as soon as is humanly possible,” so the doors can’t stay closed for a better time. The decision was made that Sarat and Ameen, the trustee representatives to the Jones Library Building Committee, would seek input from trustees and staff and carry planning of the reopening forward.

Friends, Fundraising, and Who’s in Charge?
A lengthy discussion concerned a new memorandum of understanding between the trustees and the Friends of the Jones Library System. Larson, who with Goffredo represents trustees on the development committee, said the group has met several times. With the endowment likely to shrink because it is funding the building, Larson said, the library needs more annual support and a way to rebuild the endowment. Ideas so far include dropping the 80/20 split of annual-fund gifts from the 2018 agreement as “cumbersome” and placing two trustees and the library director on the Friends board, so fundraising staff would report to a board rather than to a committee. A draft could emerge after another meeting in a few weeks.

Sarat pressed for caution. “Before signing on to any agreement which offshores the future of the library to another group,” he said, “we need to understand what we’re doing.” He asked whether bringing fundraising back inside the library had been considered. Larson said it had, but hiring flexibility is greater at the Friends, a separate 501(c)(3) organization. Edwards explained that the Friends were chosen partly because Jones Library, Inc. trustees are considered town officials who are subject to the state Open Meeting Law. Assigning fundraising to a private group makes confidential donor solicitation possible. Edwards added that hiring professional fundraisers is more easily handled privately.

Sharry said she has “a huge stake in this.” She has no full-time position to assign and the town will not provide one, she said, and she credited the Friends with raising about $150,000 a year for the annual fund and $1.6 million annually for the capital campaign. “That toothpaste is out of the tube,” she said. Ameen likewise doubted that staff could take on more. Goffredo said making endowment fundraising a permanent Friends function “is kind of interesting.” Sharry noted that putting all trustees on the Friends board would raise open-meeting problems.

Larson then moved that trustees express gratitude and support for the Friends’ efforts to build on their fundraising platform, both for contributions to the capital campaign and a foundation for future fundraising. Sarat objected to the final clause, arguing that the fundraising structure was not yet decided. “Nothing I said should be interpreted as a criticism,” he said. “I’d like the trustees to do our jobs.” An attempted amendment to drop the clause got no second.

Committee and Director Reports
Development: Edwards reported $13,533.74 in annual-fund gifts from 45 donors through September 30, up from $9,870.78 from 49 donors a year earlier. The capital campaign took in $109,965.95 in new cash gifts plus a $1,000 pledge payment. The endowment stood at about $9.48 million and the Woodbury fund at about $343,000. No Capital Campaign September report was included in the packet, so there was no report of fundraising expenses or any disbursements to the Town.
Audit and budget: The recently completed FY25 audit drew praise. Larson said a question about construction costs between FY24 and FY25 was resolved: architects’ and engineers’ work came earlier. Edwards said FY26 closed with a small surplus and FY27 is on track.
JEDI: Ameen said Dr. Pat Romney will present findings from the community outreach sessions on October 21 and a report will follow next month.
Director: Sharry highlighted a teen gaming group of about 30 and the “We Read” campaign. At Sarat’s request, she will ask other libraries’ directors whether they run comparable efforts.
Construction: Sarat said the building is “a little bit behind schedule,” but crews are working to make up time.

Votes
Ratify the Civil War tablets MOA: passed unanimously, 6–0.
Thank and support the Friends’ fundraising efforts: passed 5–0–1, with Sarat abstaining.
Approve the FY25 audit: passed unanimously, 6–0.
Enter executive session (litigation strategy): passed 6–0 by roll call.

What Happens Next
Larson and Goffredo will return with a draft Friends MOA to trustees and the Friends, after another meeting in a few weeks.
Sarat and Ameen will begin planning the grand reopening, with the capital campaign committee, trustees and staff.
Sharry will survey other library directors on reading campaigns.
The JEDI committee meets October 21, and trustees meet next on November 12 at 4 p.m. on Zoom.