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New Business | Future Meetings

Members Present:
Chair Joan Ress Reeves, Donald Deignan, William Shuey, Ann Crawford, Deborah Barchi, Donna Good, Joanne Aspri, Mark McKenney, Dennis Cheek

Members Not Present:
Rose Ellen Reynolds, Mary Cummings, Joshua Teverow, Artemis Kirk, Anne Kayarian, Madelyn Rumowicz, Jay Litman, Phyllis Harnick

Present from the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS):
Beth Perry, Donna Longo DiMichele, Laurie Scialabba

Observers:
Kathy Ellen Bullard, Providence Public Library

Chair Reeves convened the meeting at 4:40 P.M.

The meeting was called to order at 4:35 P.M. Barbara Weaver was testifying at a budget hearing. Beth Perry will stand in for Ms. Weaver

I. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the February 26, 2001 were distributed. The minutes stood as circulated. Comments are welcome.

II. DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Ms. Perry reported that the Library Directors' meeting is scheduled for Friday,
March 30, 2001. On Wednesday, Ms. Weaver will meet with some of the public library directors about the issue of state support in the amount of 25% based on local city and town expenditures.

III. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Ms. Perry reported that Library Board members have received the Federal Program Budget for FY 2002 incorporating the two changes that the Library Board voted and approved at the February 26, 2001 meeting. Gary Nichols, Maine State Librarian, and Ms. Weaver will work on a proposal for evaluation.

It was moved and seconded that the Library Board of Rhode Island approve the Federal Program Budget for FY 2002.

Personnel, the Literacy and Library of Rhode Island (LORI) grants, and public relations were items discussed.

The Library Board of Rhode Island unanimously approved the Federal Program Budget for FY 2002.

IV. CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT

Chair Reeves reported that she has been in contact with Representative Fox. There has not been any movement yet on legislation for the Library Linx Project. A public relations piece is being written, and funding will be needed for printing.

V. COMMITTEE REPORTS

The Committee on Legislation, the Committee on Planning and Budget and the Committee on Public Relations have not met.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Deignan commended Ms. Perry for the focus group on public library services for individuals with disabilities held on March 7, 2001 at Tech Access in Warwick, Rhode Island. Mr. Deignan reported that one of the items brought up during the discussion was how people with disabilities access information and services at local branch libraries and how they get access to the Internet. Mr. Deignan asked Library Board members to think about these issues for future legislative proposals or future actions to be taken by the Library Board. Adaptive software programs and the universalization of software programs are important issues. Ms. Perry reported that a survey was sent to public library directors about library services to individuals with disabilities in their communities. The Rhode Island Gates Public Library Coalition will be looking at the compatibility of Gates computers with adaptive software and hardware.

Ms. Perry reported that Tech Access is available to host a meeting of the Library Board. The Library Board will plan to hold its May 21, 2001 meeting at Tech Access. Directions will be sent out.

Ms. DiMichele reported that NELINET is interested in exploring a regional delivery system. Ms. DiMichele will attend a meeting on April 19, 2001 as the representative for library services in Rhode Island.

Ms. DiMichele reported that the LORI Committee has started developing the following topics for working groups: grant projects from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), interlibrary loan (ILL), and ways to learn what the library community would like for databases. Robert Aspri and Dorey Conway have been invited to serve on the working group for databases. Ms. DiMichele also noted that one of the advantages of these databases is that they are sources of information that do not need to be filtered. They are preselected and "safe".

The Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) is supporting the Child Internet Protection Act teleconference on April 11, 2001 at 3:30 P.M. It may be held at Bryant College. The American Library Association (ALA) is joining with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in opposition to the Child Internet Protection Act.

Chair Reeves announced that during March and April, a series of mid-day interactive discussions would take place using case studies. It is called "Academic Libraries of the 21st Century Announces Live Chat Session Series." Registration is free and limited to 100 seats. Contact Ms. Scialabba for further information.

Architecture and Libraries: Designing the Seattle Public Library, a lecture by Dan Wood, Architect and Project Director, will be given on Sunday, April 8, 2001, at 3:00 P.M., at the Bayard Ewing Building, Rhode Island School of Design. This lecture is cosponsored by RILA.

April 30 and May 1, 2001 are ALA's National Library Legislative Day and Briefing in Washington, D.C. Library Board members are welcome to join the group and lobby Rhode Island congressional legislators.

VII. AGENDA FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 23, 2001 at 4:30 P.M. at the Department of Administration.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 P.M.