Minutes Maine Library Commission Minutes, December 8, 2010

The Maine Library Commission met at the Maine State Library on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 at 1:02 PM.

Members present: Debe Averill, Charlie Campo (phone), Beth Edmonds, Inese Gruber, Mike Kennedy, Molly Larson, Elizabeth Moran, Steve Podgajny, Joyce Rumery, Art Turley

Members absent: Barbara McDade, Jamie Ritter

Also present: Kathy Brunjes, Dean Corner, Liz Doucett, Pam Goucher, James Jackson Sanborn, Linda Lord, Janet McKenney, Peggy OKane, Valerie Osborne, Stephanie Zurinski

Introductions

Kathy Brunjes and Liz Doucett were introduced as posted nominees to the Commission along with Dick Thompson who was unable to attend. Joyce Rumery was appointed to a second four-year term.

Advocacy Meeting

  • Chair Edmonds reported that the attendees discussed the differences between marketing and advocacy. Many good ideas were brainstormed. She met with Liz Doucette to discuss advocacy efforts.

Friends of Maine State Library

  • Mike Kennedy reported that the group has adopted by-laws and is applying for a bulk mail rate. The groups goal is to reach out to the public on behalf of the State Library and libraries throughout the state. Based on recommendation by counsel, the incorporators will select five directors. Mike Kennedy, Elizabeth Moran, and Gary Nichols will service as directors and two more people will be invited to join this policy-making group.

State Librarians Report

  • Linda Lord reported that she has met with the library directors and the legislative delegations from Lewiston and Hampden. She is working with the Reference staff to provide Representative Cushing, Hampden with a response to his questions about how much money the Marvel databases save a library if it was to subscribe to the resources independently. He also wanted to know what it costs the state to meet the LSTA maintenance of effort requirement.
  • Future meetings with the South Berwick and Farmington delegations are in progress.
  • The State Library is in the process of contracting with TGS from South Portland to be the project manager for the BTOP grant.
  • Linda has been appointed as a member of the State Literacy team.

Maine InfoNet

  • James Jackson Sanborn reported that MIN has restructured a former position to that of systems librarian and that it will be advertised in December.
  • One of MINs strategic initiatives is to convene meeting for groups of libraries on single issue topics. The last meeting was held in November for library directors on collection collaboration. MIN is also investigating expanding the reach of MaineCat by adding the holdings of smaller libraries in the state.
  • The aging MaineCat hardware and software is scheduled for replacement in the first quarter of 2011.
  • The Download Library has successfully added e-books to its catalog; there are now 1,500 e-books and 1,800 audio books in the system. Twelve new libraries are scheduled to join as members in the very near future. The Download Library has received two funding grants: $15,000 from the Davis Family Foundation and $5,000 from the Maine Community Foundation.

Reference and Research Services

  • Peggy OKane reported that our project with the Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) is linking librarians and libraries with the dissemination of health information. The CDC has Maine regional administrative boards and they have requested that one librarian serve on each board.
  • This project also includes working with the National Libraries of Medicine network to provide articles from scientific journals to professionals in the state.
  • The Maine Writers database has been announced. This resource is a searchable database by authors name, time period, genre or gender.

Library Consultants

  • Valerie Osborne highlighted the continuing education opportunities for library staff, especially some recent webinars.
  • Stephanie Zuriniski reported on Snapshot Day. Although fewer libraries participated this year than last, library visits increased, program offerings were up 20%, computer use was up 37%, job searches were up 11%, and people doing school work increased 34%.

Rulemaking

  • Chair Edmonds read the proposed rule for public libraries. On a motion by Art Turley, second by Elizabeth Moran, it was unanimously approved.

Strategic Plan

  • Chair Edmonds read each goal, objective and action step. Lengthy discussion ensued on many of the action steps with additions and corrections offered. The amended plan will be presented to the Commission for a final vote at the January 24, 2011 meeting.
  • There was a sense of the Commission that a methodology to measure progress is needed. Evidence of semi-annual or annual progress on selected action steps will be forthcoming from the State Librarian.

Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:05 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Dean Corner
Director, Reader and Information Services