Minutes January 8th, 2009

WESTCHESTER LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Minutes of the Board of Directors Meeting
January 8, 2009
Chappaqua Public Library

 

Present: Zahra M. Baird, Francene Costello, Aurora Cruz, Ann-Marie Cutul, Ed Falcone, Harriet Huang, James Leftwich, John Monahan, Cathy Paulsen, Srivalli Rao, Carolyn Reznick, and Judith Rovenger

Excused: Tim Baird, Diane Batemarco, Kate Colquitt, Karyn DeLuca, Jodie Hopkins, Dulce Juarbe, Marybeth Kendrick, Opal B. Lindsay, Sharon Rothman, and Karen Zielinski

The meeting came to order at 10:25. Motion (Monahan/Reznick) to accept the Minutes from December 4, 2008, passed with minor corrections.

President’s Report:
·    Leftwich announced that Dulce Juarbe has resigned as Chair of the Legislation Committee.
·    Leftwich has also set up a P.O. Box in White Plains. The address is 170 Martine Avenue, White Plains, N.Y. 10602. The box no. will be assigned shortly. Fee is $29 for six months.

Treasurer’s Report:
·    Falcone reported that as of December 31, 2008, the WLA Checking Account had $17,395.67 and the Savings Account $19,860.22.

Membership Report:
·    Rao reported that, as of yesterday, we have 49 members. She suggested we lower the membership rate for retired persons to $10, the same fee as for library school students. The Board agreed, and this suggestion will be brought up at the Annual Membership meeting in May.

Web Administration Committee:
·    Zahra M. Baird reported for Tim Baird who was excused. T. Baird will post the updated membership form today and also the new deadline for the Professional Development Award.
·    Pictures of Conference speakers should be forwarded to T. Baird to be posted on the WLA home page.

Reference Committee:
·    Paulsen reported on possible speakers for the Annual Conference: Pam Schiller Socolow (creator of Family Life Organizer & Planner), Carrie Mason-Draffen (“151 Quick Ideas To Deal With Difficult People,”) and Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Lee Rainie has a number of presentations, and we could choose more than one.

Youth Services Committee:
·    Zahra M. Baird reported that the Mock Awards Program will be held next Thursday, 1/15, at the Scarsdale Public Library. The WLA/WLS Showcase will be sometime in March. The Committee is working on programs for the Annual Conference, may be with an author/illustrator theme.

Public Relations Committee:
·    The Chair position is currently vacant. Cruz and Falcone offered to contact a coworker for the position.

Legislation Committee:
·    Cutul offered to ask a colleague if he would be interested in the position left vacant by Juarbe.

Professional Development Committee:
·    The deadline for applying for the Professional Development Award has been extended to April 17, 2009.
·    The winner of the Robert Trudell Scholarship is Melissa Iamonico. She will receive the award at the O’Malley’s Winter Social. Leftwich will urge James Mahoney, administrator of the award, to make December 1 the official application deadline.
·    Monahan offered to investigate if WLA could cosponsor a Spanish language learning award with the Westchester Hispanic Coalition or any other similar organization.

O’Malley’s Winter Social:
·    Reznick reported that all is in order for the February 5 Social. 
·    The Trudell Scholarship will be presented 7 p.m., followed by storytelling by Marianne McShane.
·    Reznick needs to let O’Malley’s know how many people will be attending by January 30.
·    Rao will send out a reminder if sign-ups are few and at the same time announce that the event will be held rain or shine.

Bowling Night:
·    Paulsen and Z. M. Baird have made arrangements for a Bowling Night at the AMF White Plains Lanes, Friday, March 6, 6 – 8:30 p.m. 
·    Motion (Paulsen/Monahan) for a $400 budget passed. The fee to attend will be $20 which will include two hours of bowling, appetizers and soft drinks, as well as shoe rental. Checks will be sent to Paulsen. Non-bowlers will be charged $10 per person. A flyer has been prepared by Z. M. Baird and Paulsen.

Annual Conference:
·    Leftwich will ask Rothman to produce a “Save the Date” flyer.
·    Cruz will meet with Rothman to work out the time slots and fee schedule. She will report back at our next meeting.
·    Leftwich will prepare the follow-up survey.
·    The Committee unanimously agreed to make February 5 the deadline for lining up Conference speakers.

The meeting was adjourned (Reznick/Paulsen) at 11:30 a.m.
                        Respectfully submitted by Ann-Marie Cutul

Upcoming Meeting:
Date: February 5, 2009
Place: Yonkers Will Library
Time: 10 A.M. – Noon