Lakeville — At a Nov. 24 meeting at the Lakeville Library, the Lakeville Highbury Board of Trustees approved three formal actions affecting library operations and capital work.

The trustees voted to accept a $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York after Director Jennifer Jones told the board she received an email confirming the library’s eligibility for the commemorative grant. Trustee Nancy Louvay moved to accept the Carnegie award and asked that the motion be reaffirmed on the December agenda; Ruth Gross seconded. The board approved the acceptance by voice vote. "I move that we accept the Carnegie Grant Corporation of New York's gift of $10,000," Louvay said when making the motion.

Trustees also approved the library’s emergency-preparedness plan after Jones reported a recommendation from Chief O’Brien to add a clarifying instruction: evacuate immediately and then call 911 from outside. "Do not delay evacuation," Jones said she was instructed to add to the plan. Louvay moved to accept the plan “including staff instructions,” Gross seconded, and the trustees adopted the plan by voice vote.

On building improvements, the board voted to accept a quotation for furnishings and shelving for a new teen space and authorized the director to use her discretion on painting and installation costs, including electrical work. Ruth Gross moved to accept the vendor quote (identified in the packet as Tim Coe/Demco); Louvay seconded and the motion passed on a voice vote. Board discussion noted the packet included a printed Demco figure of $1,111,004.36 (as presented in the materials), but Jones and trustees discussed that the realistic total — once installation, painting and electrical work are included — would be much lower and estimated near $13,000–$15,000 to complete the project using funds from a Chase account held for the library.

All three actions were adopted by voice vote; trustees did not conduct a roll-call vote and individual votes were not recorded in the minutes.

Next steps: Jones said she will work with town staff (Andrew, the Town Administrator) to complete any required paperwork for the Carnegie gift, start the vendor coordination and schedule the teen-space work so programming can expand into the renovated area next spring or summer.