Goshen Library Board to Revisit Requirement that it Approve All Programs
5/20/2026 4 PM
Present: Chair-Patricia Sanders, Kristen Durso, Anne Green, Henrietta Horvay, Rebecca Prause, Marianne Arancio Stilson
The Library Board opened its regular monthly meeting with Chair Patricia Sanders welcoming new member Marianne Arancio Stilson to her first meeting. The Board approved the minutes of its April meeting without changes.
Library Director, Philip Armentrout, reported on ongoing efforts to weed books from the collection and noted concerns about shelving height in the Children’s Room. He also discussed a possible future reorganization of the library’s youth spaces, describing a “dream” of switching the Children’s and Teen rooms to better accommodate patrons and collections. Addressing recent discussions about intergenerational programming, Armentrout said, “I don’t think the seniors are terribly interested in playing games with teens or younger kids at the Library.” Board member Henrietta Horvay responded that broader input from town seniors should be sought. Armentrout also highlighted a recent adult program that drew approximately 60 attendees.
Questions were raised about upcoming programs, including a Dungeons and Dragons group and an Escape Room activity. Armentrout said both would take place at the library and noted that liability concerns related to Dungeons and Dragons could be addressed by making it an official library program. Board member Kristen Durso also asked about social media outreach and the teen council, to which Armentrout responded that he had discussed the matter with Children’s Coordinator Courtney Murray.
During the Treasurer’s Report, Horvay said she was returning financial reporting to a format used before changes made by her predecessor. Discussion followed regarding procedures for accessing funds from the Harmon Fund and a separate Book Fund established after a 1989 fire. Horvay agreed to research questions about allowable uses of the funds, stating, “Someone has come back in the last couple of months and said it’s different” than what she recalled. Stilson emphasized the importance of all board members understanding library policies and procedures.
The board also discussed a 2024 motion requiring board approval of all library programs. Armentrout said he had been unaware of the requirement. During public comment, former board member Josephine Jones provided background on the vote and expressed opposition to that level of board oversight. The board voted to revisit the motion at its next meeting.
