Summary April 12th, 2007

 

WESTCHESTER LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Summary of the Meeting of the Board of Directors
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Scarsdale Public Library

 

Present: Tim Baird, Zahra M. Baird, Tata Canuelas, Ann-Marie Cutul, Lois Herzberg, June Hesler, Cathy Paulsen, Jennifer L. Ransom, Srivalli Rao, Sara Rodgers, Judith Rovenger, and Karen Zielinski

 Excused: Marci Dressler, Harriet Huang, Tracey Jackson, Dulce Juarbe, Opal Lindsay, Kathleen Mannino, John Monahan, Janet Murphy, John Smith, and Ellen Tannenbaum

 The meeting commenced at 10:10 A.M. Motion (Z.M. Baird/Canuelas) to approve the summary of the meeting from March 15, 2007, passed.

 President’s Report:

  • WLA Slate for 2007-2008: Ransom reported that Jim Leftwich of Berkeley College has agreed to run for the position of Vice President/President-Elect. A separate sheet with names, biographies and pictures of the slate candidates will be prepared and added to conference packets. Deadline for submitting pictures for inclusion is May 1.
  • Privacy statement: Ransom commented on unidentified calls to Rao regarding the use of WLA members’ e-mail addresses.  She proposed the formation of an ad hoc committee to formulate a privacy statement. Ransom, Rodgers and Canuelas will form such a committee with Rao who is already working on a privacy statement.
  • WLA Bylaws: Ransom has submitted the final version of the proposed changes to the Bylaws to Rao who has e-mailed them to the members. Ransom noted that the Bylaws state that WLA should have a WALDO representative, and she has contacted  Rick Palladino, WALDO President.  The next two WALDO meetings are scheduled for May 8 (Executive Board Meeting) and June 12 (General Meeting).  Ransom hopes to hear from Rick by July 1.

 Treasurer’s Report:

  • Rodgers will e-mail bank statements to Board members including a revised February report.
  • Please request honorarium checks for the Conference by May 1st.
  • WLA has new checks from Chase Bank

 Membership Report:

WLA has over 260 members for 2007.

On April 10, Rao forwarded the following documents she received from Ransom:

  • Final Conference program to all 2006 and 2007 members with e-mail addresses.
  • Final Conference program via U.S. mail to 2007 members without e-mail addresses.
  • Proposed revisions to WLA Bylaws to all 2007 members via e-mail or U.S. mail
  • Proposed slate of WLA officers for 2007-2008 to all 2007 members via e-mail or U.S. mail.

 Web Administration Committee:

  • T. Baird demonstrated the use of the WLA Board Wiki. User names and password have been sent to all Board members.  Z. M. Baird urged Board members to check the Wiki and participate.

 Reference Section:

  • Hesler cautioned the Board that the honorarium would be increased for Conference speaker Fujiuchi in view of increased gasoline prices.
  • Hesler reiterated the need for a Co-Chair for the Reference Section when she steps down July 1.

 Youth Services Section:

  • Canuelas alerted the Board that the Section might need a new Co-Chair since Dressler most likely will not be able to continue serving. Herzberg will contact Aili Whelan to see if she is interested in joining Canuelas.

 Support Staff Section:

  • Ransom will contact Siobhan Reardon of WLS to nominate a Support Staff representative.
  • Rovenger will contact Colleen Carpenter of WLS as a possible Co-Chair.

 Legislation Committee:

  • Jackson was excused and submitted her report via e-mail. The New York State Legislature has included an increase of $5 million in additional Library Aid for the recently passed 2007-08 State Budget. The estimated Adopted Budget 2007-2008 increase is $136,082 for Westchester Public Library System, $33,525 for the Westchester School Library System and $80,000 for METRO.
  • Jackson will send letters inviting the legislators to the WLA Annual Conference shortly. Once confirmations have been received, she will ask Board members to buddy up with a legislator at the Annual Conference.

 Professional Development Committee:

  • Zielinski reported that she has not received any applications yet for the Professional Development award.

 Annual Conference:

Speakers:

  • Lindsay needs to contact WLS about the person who will pick up Warren Graham at the airport.
  • Z.M. Baird will design a speaker registration form (also to be used for legislators)

 Exhibits:

  • Have Library Schools been contacted?  The Board encouraged Ransom to ask Lisa Mecca, Exhibits Committee Co-Chair to look into this.

 Raffle prizes:

Cutul reported that:

  • Jacob Burns Film Center will donate a dual membership.
  • Owner of Reading, Writing and Wrapping has donated the book The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman.
  • Zuppa Restaurant in Yonkers will donate a dinner for two. Herzberg has been in touch with the owner and will also contact the Pier View since both restaurants donated gift certificates last year.  Herzberg will also get in touch with Peter Kelly, the owner of Xavier restaurant which is scheduled to open in May at the Yonkers Riverfront.
  • Z.M. Baird has been in touch with the Mamaroneck store Chocolations and owner Maria Valente who has offered to donate a gift certificate and a basket of chocolates.

 

Equipment:

  • Herzberg needs program facilitators to submit AV equipment needs A.S.A.P.

 

Registration and packets:

  • Cutul, Paulsen, Rodgers, Jackson and Herzberg will take turns manning the Registration Desk at the Conference.
  • It was suggested that a sheet be inserted in the registration packets asking for volunteers for the vacant positions on the Board.
  • Fee for on-site registration will be the same as pre-registration, but on-site registrants may not get a lunch ticket.
  • Herzberg will make up a handout sheet for lunch spots near the Yonkers Riverfront Library.

 

Publicity:

  • Z.M. Baird would like to engage the Journal News for the Conference.
  • She stressed the need for someone to take photographs at the Conference that can be posted on the WLA Web page.  Ransom asked T. Baird to take photographs at the Conference.  She will also ask Kathy Mannino.
  • Z.M. Baird will distribute Conference flyers to Library Schools and LARC, as well as to Long Island and Connecticut library associations.
  • Ransom will send the Conference announcement to WALDO, METRO, NYLA and ACRLNY.

 Miscellaneous:

  • Ransom asked program facilitators to make an announcement before each program to turn off all cell phones.

 

Meeting adjourned (Herzberg/Rodgers) at 12:00 noon.

 

Respectfully submitted by Ann-Marie Cutul

 

Next WLA Board meeting:

Date: Thursday, June 7, 2007
Time: 1 P.M. to 3 P.M.
Place: Mamma Francesca, 636-1229
414 Pelham Road, New Rochelle
 (4 blocks north of Weyman Avenue
Exit 15 on I-95 in New Rochelle
RSVP jransom@cnr.edu by Monday, June 4.