Friends of the Russell Library Minutes
Executive Committee Meeting
February 5, 2026
Russell Library Annex Building

Present: Sandy Becker, Barrie Robbins-Pianka, Makiko Shinjo, Cathy Boone, Laura Taft,
Jeff Dickey-Chasins, Christina Trier, and Tisha Ferguson
Recorder: Tisha Ferguson

Call to Order 10:00 AM
Approval of agenda, with additions.
Approval of January 2026 minutes.

President’s Report
● The approved book sale dates for 2026 are: March 27-28, June 12-13, September 11-12.
● The Finance Committee has approved the library’s wish list for this year, and has approved the increased donation from the Friends.
● The request was made to provide the library’s annual wish list to all the Executive Committee members, with some context about how it is developed by the library staff.
● The Finance Committee will resume in-person meetings, schedule TBA.
● The 2026 November/December book sale dates are not decided, due to the conflict with the library’s scheduled rehearsal and performance dates of the holiday play. Sandy will meet with Ramona to discuss, and determine if we can find alternate location or dates.

Outreach
● The monthly lobby tabling days have been successful. The February and March dates are scheduled, and April-June will be set up soon.
● One goal of the table events is to highlight the Book Nook, with free book coupons and signage.
● Volunteer opportunity emails sent to the Friends at large, to encourage members who are not active to get involved by doing a short stint at a table.

Newsletter
● The next issue will go out about two weeks prior to the March book sale.
● One feature will be an interview with a library staff member.
● The Book Sale notice will include featured or special collections.
● There will be a question or invitation to comment that readers can respond to.
● Content from the Executive Committee members is due by March 1st.

Treasurer’s Report
● The membership renewals continue to come in, and we have 10 new members.
● The CDs have been renewed for 3 months, to allow for the year end library donation.

Discussion and new business
● Discussion of ways to increase sales, and how to advertise special collections.
● Discussion about classified sections and pricing in Booksalefinder.
● Discussion about looking into the Cheshire Friends bookstall discards. Do we need to bring in more books? How else might we do that?
● Initial planning for the Annual Meeting, and proposed date of 6/16th.

Action Items
● Tisha will work on the next newsletter.
● Volunteers will get in touch with the Cheshire Friends about looking at their sale discards.
● Jeff will organize the tabling volunteers and setup.

Meeting adjourned at 11:05 AM
Next Meeting: Thursday, March 5 2026, 10:00 AM, Russell Library Annex Building

Respectfully submitted,
Tisha Ferguson

Friends of the Russell Library Minutes
Executive Committee Meeting
January 8, 2026
Russell Library Annex Building

Present: Sandy Becker, Makiko Shinjo, Cathy Boone, Laura Taft,
Jeff Dickey-Chasins, Christina Trier, and Tisha Ferguson
Recorder: Tisha Ferguson

Call to Order 10:00 AM
Approval of agenda, with additions of outreach and newsletter reports
Approval of December 2025 minutes

President’s Report
● The approved book sale dates for 2026 are: March 27-28, June 12-13, September 11-12.
● The monthly lunch at a downtown spot for sorters and volunteers will be on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, from 11:30-12:45. The next one will be held this month, on January 21st, at Brew Bakers.
● An acquaintance of Laura’s has forwarded an offer of a modern poetry collection, which will be arriving on Saturday, Jan. 10th in the morning. Volunteers will be on hand to accept it. Outreach
● There are 3 monthly lobby tabling days scheduled in January, February and March. Two ‘table sitter’ volunteers have signed up for each event. Jeff will be sure that volunteers are familiar with the ‘how-to’s’, and arrange for the supplies, etc. Newsletter
● The next issue will go out about two weeks prior to the March book sale. Ideas for new content include member interviews, photos and notes from the library history vault (on the website), history of the Friends. Mack volunteered to try to get in touch with some of the Friends past members. Another idea is a survey, to let members share their ideas and thoughts. Possibly a ‘share your story’ feature.
● Content from the Executive Committee members should be sent to Tisha by March 1st.

Treasurer’s Report
● 135 membership renewal letters were mailed out, and approximately 50% have renewed so far.
There was discussion about the tracking of dues payment dates.
● Discussion continued about using Zeffe Software vs. Paypal and /or Square for both membership dues, the Book Nook, and book sales. The comparative fees, ease of use, and buyer’s comfort with the software were the issues. The decision was made to stay with our current PayPal and Square methods of accepting payment.
● The current Square device is no longer supported, and the decision was made to replace it with a new one before the March book sale.
● The decision was made to recommend to the Finance Committee that the Friends’ annual contribution to the library this year be increased.

Discussion and new business
● Discussion of ways to increase sales, at the Book Nook and at the big book sales, and to advertise special collections. Are there alternatives to BookSaleFinder, or other places to list our sales? Other ways to find buyers for special collections?

Action items
● Tisha will work on the next newsletter.
● Jeff will organize the tabling volunteers and setup.

Meeting adjourned at 11:00AM
Next Meeting: Thursday, February 5, 2026, 10:00 AM, Russell Library Annex Building

Respectfully submitted,
Tisha Ferguson

Friends of the Russell Library Minutes
Executive Committee Meeting
December 4, 2025
Russell Library Annex Building

Present: Sandy Becker, Barrie Robbins-Pianka, Makiko Shinjo, Cathy Boone, Laura Taft,
Jeff Dickey-Chasins, Christina Trier, and Tisha Ferguson
Recorder: Tisha Ferguson

Call to Order 10:04 AM
Approval of agenda, with additions
Approval of November 2025 minutes

President’s Report
● Outreach: The lobby tabling event next event will be on December 13th, with more scheduled in 2026. Jeff will organize volunteers. More brochures, a Book Nook sign and ‘free book with purchase’ coupons will be printed up (Tisha). The table will have a tally sheet to collect numbers and information, and we will have some kind of give-away or treat.
● Discussion of Common Council session with vote on Russell Library staff salary increases, which was passed. Many library supporters attended, and several gave testimony in support of the library to the community, and shared personal stories about the importance of Russell Library in their lives.
● The updated book sale dates for 2026 are: March 27-28, June 12-13, September 11-12, December 4-5. (Changes are still possible.)
● The monthly lunch at a downtown spot for sorters and volunteers will be on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, from 11:30-12:45. The first one will be held this month, on December 16th, at Brew Bakers.

Treasurer’s Report
● Book Nook sales have continued steadily, and online sales have been very good, especially with the addition of the RJ Julia books.
● Laura presented a payment option, as an alternative to PayPal, Zeffe Software, which specializes in non-profit sales and fundraising.
● Membership renewals are arriving following the mailing last month, approximately 48 thus far. Most renewing members added a donation to their dues.

Discussion and new business
● Discussion of ways to increase sales, at the Book Nook and at the big book sales.
● Discussion and agreement to offer ‘BOGO’ book coupon for use at the Book Nook, initially as an
 xperiment to run through the end of this year. The coupons will be distributed at lobby tabling events.

Action items
● Tisha will create sign for Book Nook and BOGO coupons.
● Library events calendar for Friends to have a table- Jeff will organize.

Meeting adjourned at 11:01AM
Next Meeting: Thursday, January 8,10:00 AM, Russell Library Annex Building

Respectfully submitted,
Tisha Ferguson

Friends of the Russell Library Minutes
Executive Committee Meeting
November 6, 2025
Russell Library Annex Building

Present: Sandy Becker, Barrie Robbins-Pianka, Makiko Shinjo, Cathy Boone, Laura Taft,
Jeff Dickey-Chasins, Christina Trier, and Tisha Ferguson
Recorder: Tisha Ferguson

Call to Order 10:00 AM
Approval of agenda, with additions
Approval of October 2025 minutes, with updates to ‘big’ book pricing

President’s Report
● Outreach: The next lobby tabling event next event will be on December 13th. The table will have a tally sheet to collect numbers and information, and we will have some kind of give-away or treat.
● Sandy will ask Mary Datillo to continue headlining the upcoming book sale in the library’s newsletter, and to feature the holiday book collection.
● R.J. Julia /Wesleyan Bookstore has now donated two batches of ‘slightly damaged’ books to the Friends. The sorters have identified many for shipping to resellers. This seems to be a very good partnership, and we will publicize the donations.
● The updated book sale dates for 2026 are: March 27-28, June 12-13, September 11-12, December 4-5. (Changes are still possible.)
● Christina Trier has accepted the nomination to be the next Vice President of the Friends Executive Committee, and this will be voted on at the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Treasurer’s Report
● Book Nook sales have continued steadily, and book shipments have been very good, especially with the addition of the RJ Julia books.
● Signage for the BookNook in the lobby, and larger signs for the Book Sale days were discussed.

Discussion and new business
● New items for the agenda should include 1) the newsletter and 2) outreach activities.
● Sandy suggested that the Friends have a monthly lunch for the sorters and volunteers, location TBD. The proposed date is the third Tuesday of the month.
● The newsletter content is needed by the end of the week, so that the newsletter can go out prior
to the book sale. The invitation to members to the Pre-sale will be in the newsletter.
● Upcoming Book Sale: volunteer sign-ups are doing well, and preparation for the setup is under control. There will be a holiday book cart, as well as more coffee table, gift, and collectible books.
● Christina will make her folded Christmas trees to sell at the Book Sale.

Membership Renewal Mailing
● The Committee stayed following the business meeting to fold, stuff and address the membership cover letters and envelopes. Many hands made quick work!

Action items
● Send newsletter content by November 7th (to Tisha)
● Library events calendar for Friends to have a table- Jeff will organize.

Meeting adjourned at 10:55AM
Next Meeting: Thursday, December 4, 2025,10:00 AM, Russell Library Annex Building

Respectfully submitted,
Tisha Ferguson
Russell Library Annex Building

Friends of the Russell Library Minutes
Executive Committee Meeting
October 2, 2025

Russell Library Annex Building
Present: Sandy Becker, Barrie Robbins-Pianka, Makiko Shinjo, Cathy Boone, Jeff Dickey-Chasins,
Christina Trier, and Tisha Ferguson
Recorder: Tisha Ferguson

Call to Order 10:00 AM
Approval of agenda, with additions
Approval of September 2025 minutes, with changes

President’s Report
● Week of October 20th is Friends of Library week, there will be refreshments for the sorters in the staff lounge on Tuesday, October 21.
● Sandy will ask Mary Datillo to continue featuring our bookstalls in the library newsletter, with the book sale date in the email subject line.
● Friends newsletter has 4 new signups. The next issue will be sent a week prior to the November book sale.
● The membership renewal mailing & emails to be coordinated with the newsletter and other members emails.
● Ramona has invited the Friends to have a table at any library event. Jeff proposes that we set up at least once a month.
● The library card crawl was very successful. At the Friends lobby table, 40+ brochures were distributed, a couple of new members signed up. Next time, have some kind of treat or goodie to hand out.
● Proposed book sale dates for 2026: March 27-28, June 12-13, September 11-12, December 4-5. All to be confirmed.

Treasurer’s Report
● The September book sale was very successful, close to best results for a 2-day sale. Discussion about setting a goal for sale income, and about new ways to increase interest and income, including holding a raffle for a library t-shirt.
● Constant Contact has been prepaid for a year.
● CT Friends of Libraries membership renewal was approved.

Discussion and new business
● Discussion of book inventory, how to increase donations, and whether to keep books circulating for sale after they are ‘double xx’d’. Cart of these books should be reviewed for re-shelving, rather than discarding.
● Book Nook organizing and presentation. More ‘face-outs’, special collection carts. We should compare our prices with that of other library friends groups.
● Increase of Book Nook prices, adding $1.00 to hardcover and paperback adult and YA books, was approved. Also, increasing the price of big books, aka. coffee table books, to $3.00. (Increased Book Nook prices will be lowered to match big book sale prices on sale days.)
● Updating the Friends web page to reword book donation language…Sandy will discuss with Mary D.
● Sandy suggested that the sorters and volunteers gather for a (monthly?) lunch, as used to happen.

Action items
● Send newsletter content by November 7th (to Tisha)
● Jeff and Mack to coordinate membership emails and renewal mailing.
● Library events calendar for Friends to have a table- Jeff will organize.

Meeting adjourned at 11:00 AM
Next Meeting: Thursday, October 2 2025,10:00 AM, Russell Library Annex Building
Respectfully submitted,
Tisha Ferguson

Friends of the Russell Library Minutes
Executive Committee Meeting
September 4, 2025

Russell Library Annex Building
Present: Sandy Becker, Barrie Robbins-Pianka, Makiko Shinjo, Cathy Boone, Jeff Dickey-Chasins,
Christina Trier, and Tisha Ferguson
Recorder: Tisha Ferguson

Call to Order 10:00 AM
Approval of agenda, with additions
Approval of August 2025 minutes

President’s Report
● Discussion of Jeff’s ideas for participation library’s holiday fundraiser. Ramona has approved of the Friends having a table at the event, but not a membership drive linked to ticket sales. Of the seven performances, which ones would be the best for the Friends to be at?
● Constant Contact newsletter: the first issue went out ahead of the September book sale. Continuing Constant Contact, with a 12 month subscription at a discounted rate, was approved. A QR code for newsletter signups can be used in print an online; those signing up will be a separate list from the Friends membership list. Printed copies of the newsletter can be made available. The next newsletter will go out the week prior to the November book sale, by the 14th. Submissions and photos will be needed by Friday, November 7th.
● Library card crawl: event on Saturday, September 20th. Friends will have a table in the lobby, as will other groups. Jeff will organize volunteers for the table, and will look into getting a banner with the Friends logo for the table display. Extra copies of the membership brochure will be needed.

Treasurer’s Report
● (Laura was absent, but the report was emailed in advance; accepted as presented.) Discussion and new business
● Discussion of book collections and purging of older, unsold books,; currently, these include classics and biography.
● How to improve organizing titles across categories; how to improving sorting, and assignment of books that can be in more than one category…how to balance categories. Sandy will write a newsletter piece on how the sorters establish the value of donated books.
● For book sale marketing, arrangement matters…’face-outs’ make titles more visible, and books should not be packed too tightly on a shelf. Cathy will print up a list for the sale of the current sorting categories.
● Book sale volunteers should be able to provide help to buyers looking for particular subjects.
● Further discussion of membership fees… discussion of ‘free will offering’, rather than a fixed rate.

Action items
● Create category list for book sale (Cathy)
● Library Crawl table volunteers, 11:00-1:00 on Saturday, September 20th.
● Send newsletter content by November 7th (to Tisha)

Meeting adjourned at 11:00 AM
Next Meeting: Thursday, October 2 2025,10:00 AM, Russell Library Annex Building
Respectfully submitted,
Tisha Ferguson