The Friends of the Merrick Library would like to thank the following local businesses for their support:

2016 List of Business Sponsors:

Bagel Plaza

Bridgehampton National Bank

Children’s Nest Early Childhood Education Center

CSM Engineering

Dime Savings Bank

Expedia Cruise Ship Centers/Merrick

Grace Christian Academy

Holms Service Station --- Mobil

Keats Tax & Financial Service

La Strada of Merrick

Merrick Community Nursery School & Day Camp Merrick Flower Shoppe & Fruiterers

Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic

Printing Emporium Roslyn Savings Bank

Scott Hermann State Farm Insurance Agency

Teachers Federal Credit Union

Weightloss with Lisa.com

May 2016 Minutes

Friends of the Merrick Library

Minutes of Meeting May 10, 2016

The meeting was called to order at 4:30 PM by Chairperson, Karen Tusa.

Present: Karen Tusa (President), Howard Schwartz (Vice-President),  Joan Sculli (Publicity Chairperson), Marion Ormsten (Correspondence Chairperson), Ellen Firer (Library Director), and Sandra Mintz.

Minutes:  The minutes of the April meeting were approved as emailed.

Treasurer’s Report: The report was read by Karen Tusa in the absence of Diane Christie.  The total in the Savings account is $7,900.60 and checking is $67.71. Income total was $530.35 of which $97.80 was book sale, Better World Books share $185.36,  $82 raffle, $6 tote bags, $17 sale of USB flash drives, $40 residential membership, $50 business membership, $2.19 was accrued interest, and a $50 donation was received in memorial.  There were expenditures from the checking account in the amount of $15 for bookmark printing. The Treasurer’s report was accepted.

Sandra  mentioned that the Better World Books’ bins continue to overflow.  She has emailed them several times.

Library Director’s Report and Discussion: The library would welcome activities for the community sponsored by the Friends.  Book and CD collections are not needed because of internet availability. There were between 960-1000 people at the library birthday event. Merrick historical society materials are being digitized and available online. The Business Center has been closed since it did not generate enough revenue to be self-sustaining. The Mintz 3D printing center is very successful.  All staff is trained to provide assistance. A “Cricket” cutting machine is being added.  Staff is very proficient in providing programs, especially in the children’s area.

Membership Report: There are 56 residential memberships. Also, there are 18 business memberships; one of which was secured in May. The Friend’s blog and bookmarks citations are current.  Thank you letters /emails will be sent to business sponsors this month.

Old Business: None

New Business:  Maureen Garvey will assume the role of secretary beginning July. Jan Sanseverino and Marian Hart are scheduled to sell raffles and membership before the Sunday, May 15^th library program from 1-2PM.  The Friends 2015 tax return has been filed.  The craft and vendor fair  has been scheduled for Saturday, December 3^rd.  Howard is collecting business cards from which he will contact a variety of vendors. A discussion took place regarding the type of activity Friends might sponsor. It was decided that giving a series of meditation sessions would be explored.

Next Meeting Dates: Tuesday 4:30 PM  June 14th.  There will be no July or August meeting. 

Meeting was adjourned at 5 PM 

Respectfully submitted by Joan Sculli, Acting Secretary

April 12, 2016 Minutes

Friends of the Merrick Library

Minutes of Meeting April 12, 2016

Meeting was called to order at 4:35 PM by Chairperson, Karen Tusa.

Present:  Karen Tusa (President), Howard Schwartz (Vice-President), Diane Christie (Treasurer).

Minutes:  March minutes were reviewed and accepted as emailed.

Treasurer’s Report: 

Total Savings:	$7,370.25
Total Checking:	$82.71
	Income
Book Sale	$106.25
Business Membership	$185.00
Employee Giving	$50.00
Raffle	$19.00
Residential Membership	$75.00
Tote Bags	$12.00
USB Flash Drives	$23.00
2015 Year End Adjust.	$1.86
Total:	$472.11
	Expenses
Gifts	$100.00
Postage	$24.50
Bookmarks	$32.75
Record Book	$6.99
Raffle Tickets	$1.97
Cellophane	$11.38
Total:	$177.59

Membership Report: There are 56 memberships in total; a few expire in a couple of months. We will pursue those members next year for renewal.  Ad for membership/volunteers sent weekly to Merrick Herald.

Business Membership:  Received 1 new business sponsor (17 in total).

Old Business:  Thanks to volunteers for participating Sunday, April 10^th at the Library—Karen, Diane, Marian, Marion, Jan, Judith and Marilyn.

New Business:  Volunteers needed to sell raffles & membership on Sunday May 15^th at Library 1-2PM.  Possible Friends sponsorship ideas for the Library were discussed.  Tax return numbers completed; to be submitted to CPA for a 5/15 filing due date.  Acting Secretary will be volunteering starting July.  Possible fall craft fair date was discussed.

Next meeting dates:  Tuesday at 4:30 PM-May 10, June 14, and July 12.  There will be no August meeting.

Meeting was adjourned at 5:15 P.M.

Respectfully submitted by Karen Tusa

March 2016 Minutes

Friends of the Merrick Library

Minutes of Meeting March 8, 2016

The meeting was called to order at 4:35 PM by Chairperson, Karen Tusa.

Present:  Karen Tusa (President), Howard Schwartz (Vice-President), Joan Sculli (Publicity Chairperson), and Ellen Firer (Library Director).

Minutes:  The minutes of the February meeting were approved as written.

Treasurer’s Report:  Savings $6,948.14. Checking $210.30.  Savings total income was $493.13 of which $184.15 was book sale, $88.98 Better World Books, $24.00 raffles, $6 tote bags, $15 sale of USB flash drives and $175 residentialmembership. There were no expenditures. The Treasurer’s report was accepted as submitted.

Membership Report: There are 63 residential memberships of which 21 are overdue for the current year. A volunteer/membership outreach notice was published in the Merrick Herald on 2/28 and 3/4.  One email requesting information was received in response.   The notice will be resubmitted with a request to keep running it.   Howard has continued to make renewal solicitations by phone.

Of the 158 business membership mailings, 16 have resulted in sponsorship so far for a total of $960.  The Friend’s blog linked to the Merrick Library web page was updated with the business sponsors’ names. Bookmarks were updated with the business sponsor names and were printed by Debbie Jones of the library staff.  Another business mailing was made to 42 additional sites on 2/27.   

Old Business:  Karen, Diane and Howard participated in staffing the Friends table prior to the Sunday library concert event on 2/28.

An acting Secretary has not been appointed yet.

Thank you to Liz Kranz, who has been calling Friends  members who do not have email to inform them of meeting times and Friends’ events.

New Business: Ellen will provide list of possible library programs Friends can sponsor.

Joan and Karen will staff a Friends’ table for an hour before the Sunday March 13^th music program.

Diane and Karen will staff a membership table at the 10 year Anniversary of the New Library Event on April 10^th.  Additional volunteers will be scheduled.

The annual financial audit of the books of treasurer will be on 3/15 by Karen, Howard, Marion and Diane.

Tax return numbers will be submitted to our CPA by 4/15 for a 5/15 filing deadline.

A discussion of the suggestion to change the meeting time to 6 PM was tabled.

A motion was made and passed to send a “thinking of you” card to David Stayer.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:14 PM.

Next Meeting Dates: Tuesday at 4:30 PM on April 12^th, May 10^th, June 14^th and July 12^th.

Respectfully submitted by Joan Sculli

February 2016 Minutes

Friends of the Merrick Library

Minutes of Meeting February 9, 2016

Meeting was called to order at 4:35 PM by Chairperson, Karen Tusa.

Present:  Karen Tusa (President), Howard Schwartz (Vice-President), Diane Christie (Treasurer) Marion Ormsten (Correspondence Secretary), Sandra Mintz.

Minutes:  January minutes were reviewed and accepted as emailed.

Treasurer’s Report:  Savings $6,455.01.  Checking $210.30.  Total Income to savings was $915 of which Residential Membership was $90.00 and Business Membership was $825.00.  There were no expenditures this month.

Membership Report: Thirty one renewals have been received to-date of 58 members. Three new memberships have been received for the year.   Most of the phone calls for the status of membership renewal were completed.   Karen will publish ad for membership/volunteer with Friends in local paper.

Business Membership:  Mailed 158 requests and received 14 for a total of $825.  Two business members had indicated a desire to volunteer on the brochure.  Karen contacted them; one responded with no availability at this time.  Karen will contact the second business sponsor again. Maureen Garvey will update Friends Blog with business sponsors on a monthly basis.  Bookmarks will be updated and printed with business sponsors.  ”What Friends Do” and application will be maintained on front of bookmark.  In March, Karen will provide Marion with a list of the remaining businesses to contact for consideration of a Friends membership.  Karen will provide Howard with an additional list of approximately 50 local businesses to address envelopes.

Old Business:  Spare change jar was replaced with velcro at the circulation desk.  Thank you to Diane for selling raffles at the Library Sunday program on 1/10 and for participating in the Library’s author visit on 1/13.

New Business:  Howard or Diane will volunteer for Sunday 2/28 at the Library to sell raffles from 1-2 PM.  Karen, Diane, Howard and Marion will review the Books of the Treasurer on March 15th at 4:30 PM.  An Acting Secretary is needed for Friends.  Any Friend member interested may contact Karen at karentusa2@gmail.com.

Next meeting dates:  Tuesdays at 4:30 PM- March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14, and July 12.

Meeting was adjourned at 5:00 P.M.

Respectfully submitted by Sandra Mintz

Friends of the Merrick Library

Minutes of Meeting January 12, 2016

Meeting called to order at 4:30 PM by Chairperson, Karen Tusa.

Present: Karen Tusa (President), Howard Schwartz (Vice-President), Diane Christie (Treasurer), Sandra Mintz and Ellen Firer (Library Director).

Minutes:  December minutes were reviewed and accepted as emailed.

Treasurer’s Report: Savings $5,540.01 and Checking $210.30.   Total Income to savings:  $1.21 interest. Total Income to checking was $328.25 of which $169.25 was from book sale, raffle $28, membership $115, tote bags $9, USB (flash drives) $7. Total expenditures were $153.10 of which $13 was for balloons for craft fair, $40 for business brochures, $21.70 gifts, and $78.40 for postage.

Holiday Craft and Vendor Fair Info Report: Total Income was $1,289 of which $1,155 was from table fees, $20 membership, $58 raffles, $53 spare change, and $3  totes. Total Expenditures were $117.27 of which $13.00 was for balloons, $86.77 for display board, $17.50 for posters.   Total profit for the fair: $1171.73.

Membership Report:  27 renewals received of the 58 memberships, 2 new memberships have been received to date.   Need 2-3 volunteers to contact remaining 31 members on their renewal status.  Diane Christie, Howard Schwartz and Sandra Mintz volunteered for this activity. Karen will pursue publishing an ad for membership outreach to the local community.

Business Membership: Mailed 158 requests to businesses on 1/2/16; 4 memberships have been received. They are: Printing Emporium, Dime Savings Bank, Expedia Cruise Ship Centers, and Keats Tax & Financial Service.   Friends’ Bookmarks will be updated in February to include all Names of Business Sponsors received to date.   Ellen commented that contributing businesses cannot be printed in the Library Newsletter but Friends blog can maintain a listing.  Karen will contact Maureen Garvey to assist on this.

Old Business: Earbuds were purchased by the Library and will be sold for $2 (rather than $3).  Proceeds will be given to Friends.  New jar for spare change has been provided; Diane is working on design of jar.  Recommendation to use velcro to attach the jar to prevent loss was approved by Ellen.

New Business: The By-Laws state that an audit of the treasurer’s books should be done within 60 days at close of fiscal year. Discussion ensued on the history of this Article.  Karen will contact Friends member Maureen Garvey on this matter.  

Next meeting dates:  Tuesdays at 4:30 PM-- February 9, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14, and July 12.

Meeting was adjourned at 5:00 P.M.

Respectfully submitted by Sandra Mintz

December 2015 Minutes

Friend of the Merrick Library

Minutes of Meeting December 8, 2015

The meeting was called to order at 4:33 PM by Chairperson, Karen Tusa.

Present: Karen Tusa, (President), Howard Schwartz (Vice-President), Diane Christie (Treasurer), Joan Sculli (Publicity Chairperson), Marion Ormsten (Correspondence Chairperson), Jesse Just (Volunteer),  Sandra Mintz and Ellen Firer, (Library Director).

Minutes:  The November minutes were corrected to read “Stop and Shop” instead of “Shop Rite” in the Holiday Craft Fair report.  The minutes were approved as corrected.

Treasurer’s Report: Savings $5,538.80.  Checking $35.15. Total income was $807.24 of which $45.70 was book sale, $71.00 raffle, $450 membership, $3 tote bags, $35.00 craft fair, $53.00 spare change, and $149.54 Chipotle fundraiser.  Total expenditures were $58.48 of which $5.98 was for envelopes for the business membership drive and $52.50 for brochures printed by the library.  The Treasurer’s report was accepted as read.

Membership Report:  Twenty-three renewal memberships have been received.  Two additional new memberships were received.  A request was made to have the new brochure posted to the link on the library web-site. An ad for outreach will be edited by Howard.

Holiday Craft and Vendor Fair Report:  $169.00 was raised on the day of the fair in addition to the earlier income from the vendor tables sold. Response to a survey responded to by vendors was reviewed and discussed. Thank you letters were sent to Bagel Boss, Bagel Plaza and Stop and Shop. Fair volunteers Howard Schwartz, Diane Christie, Sandra Mintz, Marion Ormsten, Marion Hart, Marty Epstein, and Karen Tusa were thanked for their participation.

Old Business: The Chipotle fundraiser successfully brought in revenue.  Sandra Mintz, Marion Ormsten, and Karen Tusa were thanked for volunteering

Progress was made on the business membership drive.  Marilyn Ziser folded 160 brochures and Howard Schwartz addressed envelopes using the Merrick Chamber of Commerce list.  Karen Tusa will finalize the draft  of a letter which will accompany the brochure.  It was decided that recognition given to businesses for their contributions through membership or donations  would be listed on the Friend’s bookmarks.

New Business:  The “spare change jar” maintained on the circulation desk counter of the library is missing.  A replacement will be made.

A holiday gift of cookies will be provided to the library staff by the Friends.

Marian Ormsten will send a get well card from Friends to David Stayer.

At the request of the library, Karen Tusa will purchase 20 earbuds as a service to library patrons.  They will sell for $3.00.

A discussion was held about a Mother’s Day craft & vendor fair.  No suitable dates could be identified for a spring fair. It was decided that only 1 fair would be held in 2016 in the Fall.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:14 PM. 

Next Meeting Dates:   Tuesdays at 4:30 PM on January 12, February 9, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14 and July 12.

Respectfully submitted by Joan Sculli