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Members Present:
Chair Mark McKenney, Alice Barrows, Donna Good, Deborah Barchi, Rose Ellen Reynolds, Tovah Reis, Leslie McDonough, Jay Litman, Phyllis Harnick, William Allen, Donald Deignan

Members Absent:
Cristina Amedeo, Peter Deekle, Joan Ankner, Joshua Teverow, Mary Cummings

Present from the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS):
Anne Parent, Donna DiMichele, Karen Mellor, Laurie Scialabba

Observers:
Joan Ress Reeves; Dale Thompson, Providence Public Library; David Macksam, Cranston Public Library

The meeting convened at 4:35 p.m.

I. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the February 24, 2003 meeting were unanimously approved.

II. REPORT OF ADMINISTRATION

A new Museum & Library Services bill (S-888) has been introduced in the Senate by Republican Senator Gregg of New Hampshire to reauthorize LSTA. This bill, if appropriated at the level authorized, would double the base grant for Rhode Island and, in all, bring an additional half million dollars for library services to Rhode Island. This bill takes the place of S-283 by Senators Reed and Kennedy, and they have both signed on to the new version.

American Library Association National Library Legislative Day will take place May 13, 2003 in Washington, D.C with a training day on May 12. Representatives from the Library Board of Rhode Island, COLA, RIEMA, RILA, CLAN, Providence Public Library, and OLIS will attend. In addition to national library issues, support for funding legislation for “Live Homework Help,” from tutor.com, a service that will provide after-school online academic support for every student in Rhode Island, will be a discussion point with Congressman Kennedy. The Library Board will write a letter of support for this project that will be presented to Representative Kennedy. Again this year, COSLINE will sponsor a luncheon for Senate aides, and Elyse Wasch of Senator Reed’s office and David Morgenstern of Senator Chafee’s office, have accepted. Additionally, during the training day, Ms. Parent representing OLIS and David Macksam, representing RILA, will present a special plaque of commendation to Elyse Wasch for all of her work on LSTA.

The House Finance Committee held a hearing on H-6147, the library construction appropriations bill, introduced by Rep. Betsy Dennigan, on April 2. Laypersons, library trustees and users testified. OLIS has responded to questions from the House Finance Committee with information about the derivation of the figures for the appropriation request and administration of the program. Attempts by the RILA Legislative Action Committee to have mirror legislation introduced in the Senate have not fared well so far.

Ms. Mellor reported that construction projects at Middletown Public Library, Hope Library, and South Providence and Rochambeau branches of Providence Public Library should be completed soon. East Greenwich will start construction this week. Exeter needs additional funding, and is expected to start construction in June. Library construction projects for consideration by the new administration are a new Riverside branch in East Providence, and forthcoming applications for three projects in Providence, Knight Memorial, Wanskuck and Smith Hill. Ms. Parent thanked Ms. Mellor for her hard work.

The Reorganization Team has moved into the 4th floor at the Department of Administration. The Chief Information Officer position was posted on Sunday, April 13, 2003 as an unclassified position with no requirement for an M.L.S., but with a working knowledge of statewide planning and library services.

Seven staff members from library services and one from information technology attended the State Library Training Program sponsored by the Gates Foundation on March 31 and April 1, in Seattle, Washington. Two staff members from OLIS and some staff of the Providence Public library will attend further technological training.

An outstanding letter written by Hope Houston at Johnson & Wales to Governor Carcieri about the impact of OLIS Library Services will be included in the packet of letters of support.

III. CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Chair McKenney reported that Robert J. Higgins, Director of Administration, has cancelled the scheduled meeting between himself, Ms. Parent, and Mr. McKenney. Chair McKenney and Ms. Parent wished to discuss the future of Library Services, the public library construction program, and the inclusion of the M.L.S. in the job description of the Chief Information Officer.

Chair McKenney will attend National Library Legislative Day sponsored by the American Library Association, May 11-13, 2003 in Washington, D.C.

In accordance with the bylaws, Chair McKenney has asked Ms. Reynolds to serve as Vice Chair of the Library Board, with approval of nomination of a Vice Chair to take place under New Business. Joan Ress Reeves and Mr. Deignan will review the bylaws.

IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee on Public Relations
The list of members and the reports of the February 24 and March 17 meeting were distributed. Ms. Reis reported that a press release about the Gates Foundation has been distributed. Press releases about the state delivery system and the public library construction program are planned. The use of a bookmark or magnet to promote the state delivery system is planned. Libraries would be asked to put the bookmark or magnet at service points in the library and in books delivered through the system. The committee discussed development of “Quotable Facts about RI Libraries”, based on the ALA model for “Quotable Facts about American Libraries.” Public relations about the Library Board and OLIS for residents as well as for library staff working in Rhode Island is a concern. Suggestions for recipients of the Library Board Award will be taken.

Committee on Legislation
A meeting has been scheduled for Friday, April 25, with Representative Paul Sherlock, Chair of the House Finance Committee, to discuss the public library construction reimbursement legislation. The Chair of the Library Board is invited to attend. The committee and RILA are seeking support in the full Senate for the legislation, since it may not go to a Senate committee. The Library Board will write a letter to Rep. Sherlock to support the legislation to attach to the informational sheet about the legislation that has been prepared by Ms. Parent and Ms. Mellor, of OLIS Library Programs staff. The Library Board will write a letter to Senator Reed commending Elyse Wasch for her hard work and support for library issues.

Committee on Planning and Budget
No report.

V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

The letter sent to Chair McKenney from Donald L. Soucy, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Cranston Public Library dated April 8, 2003; the response letter to Mr. Soucy from Chair McKenney dated April 10, 2003; and the letter to Mr. Soucy from Ms. Parent dated April 11, 2003 were distributed. David Macksam, Director of Cranston Public Library, explained that funding for the library includes state funding, city funding and library general revenue, which includes fines, endowment money and proceeds from fundraising. Cranston is experiencing difficult financial times. The City of Cranston is considering deducting the amount of carryover funds, derived from the library general revenue, from the next year appropriation. The Cranston Library Board of Trustees does not support this action, and Mr. Soucy seeks clarification under R.I.G.L. 29-6-3. The clarification sent to Mr. Soucy from Ms. Parent addressed the use of non-tax based appropriations in combination with tax-based appropriations; specifically that these cannot be used as a substitute for the minimum amount of operating tax based appropriations needed to match those of the preceding year to maintain eligibility for state grant-in-aid funds.

It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that the Library Board support the response sent by Chief of Library Services Anne Parent to Chair of the Cranston Public Library Board of Trustees Donald Soucy.

The letter dated April 11, 2003 sent to Mr. Soucy from Ms. Parent will be attached to the minutes of the meeting.

Donna Good reported on the changing role of the school librarian. Declining budgetary resources, and in some cases, the nonexistence of funding in public school libraries and the resulting impact on the public and academic library networks was discussed. Public school libraries are operating under 1963 standards. The standards have been revised, but are not mandatory.

It was moved and seconded to send a letter to the Board of Regents in support of mandatory compliance of the new standards for school libraries.

Discussion followed.

The motion to send a letter to the Board of Regents in support of mandatory compliance of the new standards for school libraries was tabled.

Ms. Good, Mr. Litman and Mr. Deignan will serve on an Ad Hoc Committee to study the issue and to report back to Library Board at its next meeting.

Ms. Reeves requested that the Library Board consider approval of issuing a press release in recognition of the election of Rose Ellen Reynolds to the Chairmanship of the White House Conference on Library and Information Services Taskforce (WHCLIST). The press release was read to the Library Board.

It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved to issue a press release in recognition of the election of Rose Ellen Reynolds to the Chairmanship of the White House Conference on Library and Information Services Taskforce (WHCLIST).

It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved to elect Rose Ellen Reynolds as Vice Chair of the Library Board of Rhode Island.

Ms. Reis invited Library Board members to the 50th anniversary celebration of ARISHL on June 18, at the Watson International Bldg, Brown University, 2:00 – 5:30 p.m. Lectures will include the future of hospital libraries and on public health given by a faculty member. The LORI Committee will also be invited.

VII. PUBLIC COMMENT

None.

VIII. AGENDA FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

The Library Board canceled the next meeting that had been scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, 2003. The next Library Board meeting is scheduled on Monday, June 16, 2003.