2/14/2011 BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES Minutes

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ti TOIL OF AS H P E BOARD of LIBRARY TRUSTEES Minutes of the Meeting of Monday, February 14, 2011 Mashpee Town Hall, Conference Room 3 � Board Members Present: Also Present: David Burton, Chairman Amelia Bingham, I ampa oag Tribe Member John Kowalski P.J. Bingham, 1 ar panoag Tribe Member Patricia Gamache Sandy Lahart, Library Trustee-Elect Carlo D'Este John eahaiane, Board of Selectmen Nancy Soderberg Bridget Bontrager, Interior Library Director Jane Dolan CALL To ORDER Chairman David Burton called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM. NEW BUSINESS 1. Displaying of cultural Artifacts at the Library David Burton welcomed IVIS. Aurelia Bingham and her grandson, P.J. Bingham, to the Board meeting. David Burton stated that the purpose of inviting Ms. Bingham to the meeting was to address the concerns stated in a letter from Ms. Bingham to the Town Manager, the Board of Selectmen, and to the Library Trustees. Ms. Bingham stated in the letter that she is in possession of many historic Wampanoag artifacts, and was rudely rebuffed by the Library Director, Helene DeFoe, when she requested display space in the library, which had been promised. Amelia Bingham, stated that It had been her impression that space was to be made available for the Mashpee Wampanoag in the new library, and she was waiting for that space to be assigned. Amelia stated that her idea was not to place artifacts in the library, but rather to display copies of historic documents that she has collected over 50 years: of anything that pertains to the Mashpee 11 ampanoag in the State of Massachusetts. Aurelia stated that she has 14 file cabinets full of documents, and has loads of artifacts as well, with many ancient pictures of Warnpanoag people that she would like to display. David Burton stated that the Library Trustees recognize that the original fabric of Ma,shpee is its native inhabitants and their descendents. l ir. Burton added that he understood that Mils. Bingham felt she had been treated impolitely, as a respected tribal leader having lived and grown in Mashpee, but that this was never the intention of anyone on the library staff. Mr. Burton stated that "There is No Room for Hate" in the Town of Mashpee, and asked Ms. Bingham to forgive the perceived slight to her. Mr. Burton stated that the library is new to taking in valuable and/or spiritual collections: and that security of such collections is of great concern to the library. John Kowalski stated that Amyelia Bingham's letter has served a greater purpose, in that the library has begun research on the process of setting up a foundation and an endowment. It is a work in progress, but down the-road this is the bans for being able to accept valuable artifacts for display. John added that the library has a large Events Room available for special programs, and the Library Trustees would very much like to 1 F