FOPPL BOARD MEETING: July 5, 2025

Friends of the Portsmouth Public Library, Inc.

July 5, 2025

Board Meeting

Board members present:  Amanda Taft, Deborah Gallagher, Ellen Franke, Toby Pennell, Mia Taft

Call to Order:  The meeting was held at the Churchland Public Library Book Nook. Amanda called the meeting to order at 4:00.

Minutes:  The previous meeting’s minutes were reviewed. 

Correspondence:  None

Financial Report by Treasurer:  Ellen reported the Operating Account has a balance of $86,673.45.

Unfinished Business:  Mia will claim our money at the t-shirt site. The wording is “grant” in their records but it means “sale”. $1134 was spent on the Author Expo and $86 was donated from the authors to FOPPL. We discussed that the Portsmouth Author Expo is usually on the first Saturday in June. This year it coincided with Harborfest so we would like to ask Rachel to check the “Hampton Roads calendar” so as to not try and compete with another large event. 

New Business:  Amanda would like to replace our coffee station furniture as part of book sales improvements. We voted and approved a replacement for up to $150. Mia will create a sign for the Main Library basement door window that will say “book sale is open” and “book sale is closed” on the other side. Toby will laminate the sign. Debbie will check with the Beasley Center and see if we can put our FOPPL info there for more publicity, volunteers and donations. Amanda said we had been approached to provide a local author book signing event for King David Smith who wrote a crime thriller. We voted and agreed on supporting this with up to $50 for beverages. Toby will check with the author and Rachel to find a date for the Main Library basement area either early Aug or end of July. Toby will also ask for Rachel to publicize the event and make sure we can use one of their folding tables. We are looking to do it on a Saturday from 10-2 (the same as the book sale to maximize “traffic”. Amanda will check for details with Rachel on another author “talk and paint” program. The author wrote an inspirational book and her name is Rocz.

Library Director’s Report:  None

Meeting was adjourned at 5:00. 

_________________________________________Toby Pennell, secretary

_________________________________________Amanda Taft, president