Welcome to the Bell Memorial Library home page! We are a public library serving the greater Nunda area. We are also a part of the OWWL Library System, a conglomeration of forty-two local libraries in the Western New York area. With your library card you can browse our catalog online and also check out what’s available at other libraries in the OWWL Library System.
In addition to having a wide selection of books, movies, and periodicals for you to choose from, we offer a variety of other programs and services. Our calendar will also keep you up to date on what events are happening at the Bell Memorial Library this month!
Our Staff:
Library Manager – Patricia Galbraith
Library Clerk – Carrie Pepe
Library Clerk – Jill Pepe
Library Page – Jocelyn Feulmer
Volunteer – Margaret Grosse
Board of Trustees:
Jeff Long – President
Julie Simone – Vice-President
Ellyn Hotchkiss – CFO
Margaret Grosse – Secretary
Carol Thompson
Pete Piraino
The Board of Trustees meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30pm.
Bylaws of the Bell Memorial Library
Article 1: Name. The name of this library shall remain as the “Bell Memorial Library”.
Article 2: Place. Location to remain at Nunda, Livingston County, New York.
Article 3: Object. It’s object shall be to maintain a circulating library and reading room for the public use. The inhabitants of Keshequa Central School District shall be given priority for loan of library materials. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the library is organized exclusively for the purpose of literary and educational purposes and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, or participating in, or intervening in (including the publication or distribution of statements) and political campaign on behalf of and candidate for public office.
No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of any member, trustee, director, officer of the corporation, or any private individual except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the corporation, and no member, trustee, or officer shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the corporate assets upon dissolution of the corporation.
Upon the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding section of any future Federal Tax code, or shall be distributed to the Federal Government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.
Article 4: Meetings. The regular meeting of the trustees shall be held each month at the library. Schedule of meetings will be established at the first meeting of the fiscal year. The annual meeting shall be held following the regularly scheduled June meeting. Quorum. Four (4) trustees shall constitute a quorum at regularly scheduled, annual, and special meetings.
Attendance. If any trustee shall fail to attend three (3) consecutive meetings without an excuse accepted as satisfactory by the Board, trustee shall be deemed to have resigned and the vacancy shall be filled (Education Law S226).
Special meetings may be called by the president or any two (2) trustees. Five (5) days notice of each meeting shall be give to the secretary.
Article 5: Officers. From the residents of the Keshequa Central School District, there shall be six (6) trustees to serve on the board. They serve for a five (5) year term and may serve unlimited successive terms.
At the July meeting, the trustees shall elect from their number, to hold office for one year, a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer of the organization. Any vacancy occurring during the term of a trustee shall be filled at a regular meeting by vote of the remaining trustees. At the next regularly scheduled library election vacancies shall be filled by vote of the residents of the Keshequa Central School District.
Article 6: Powers and Duties of Officers. The trustees shall have the general management of the library and its property and shall provide way and means for it maintenance and operation. The president may appoint ad hoc committees. Non-board members may be appointed to such committees to brinq special capabilities to the resolution of problems confronting the Board. All committee actions are subject to approval by a majority of the board.
The treasurer may not be required to furnish bond.
Article 7: Amendments. This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the members present at any annual meeting, if written notice of the proposed amendment was contained in the call of the meeting.
These Bylaws, in their entirety, will be reviewed every five (5) years for currency and relevancy.
Article 8: Declaration. These Bylaws are not intended to supersede any New York State Laws or Regulations of it Commissioners.
Adopted: 3/21/1911
Revised: 12/17/1987
Revised: 12/15/1994
Revised: 12/17/1997
Revised: 6/3011998
Revised: 6/17/2000
Revised: 11/19/2020
Bell Memorial Library’s Long Range Plan
2021-2023
SECTION ONE: PLANNING SUMMARY
In April of 2020, we began the process of creating a strategic plan. We were unable to conduct a focus group of community members or to do a community survey due to the Covid pandemic. The Library Board of Trustees will monitor the Long Range Plan.
The Board has decided that our goals remain the same in 2020 and have extended the same goals into our next Long Range Plan.
SECTION TWO: MISSION STATEMENT
Bell Memorial Library’s mission is to provide a full range of library services to all residents of the 1989 chartered service area without discrimination to one’s race, creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation or disability. The library will provide materials, services, and programs to all.
SECTION THREE: GOALS
1) Evaluate library space and utilization.
Project Leader: Library Manager
Purpose: To make sure the library space and its contents are in the scope of what the community
desires/needs.
Measurement: Compile comments/questions/ideas for the annual board meeting to report what the community has responded.
Action steps:
- Action Step One- Survey the community
- Leader: Library Manager
- Deadline/Timeline: Annually
- Action Step Two- Create a comment box/section on the website
- Leader: Library Manager
- To make sure the library space and its contents are in the scope of what the community desires/needs
- Deadline/Timeline: Post pandemic
- Action Step Three – The Board of Trustees reviews policies and schedule based on the community responses.
- Leader: Board of Trustees
- Deadline/Timeline: Annually
2) Maintain upkeep of building and grounds
Project Leader: Library Manager
Purpose: Consistency in the upkeep of our building and grounds
Measurement: Ongoing
Objectives:
- Objective One- Form a building committee
- Leader: The Board of Trustees
- Deadline/Timeline: Post pandemic
- Objective Two- Set up a way to assess/upkeep/ plan projects for library building and grounds
- Leader: Building Committee
- Deadline/Timeline: Post pandemic
3) Financial Stability
Project Leader: The Board of Trustee’s President
Purpose: To increase the tax levy annually.
Measurement: To provide an opportunity for the residents of the Keshequa School District to vote on
the tax levy.
Adopted: 11/16/1965
Revised: 1/17/2000
Revised: 12/17/2020
2022 Bell Memorial Library Budget
