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Members Present:
Chair Mark McKenney, Alice Barrows, Donna Good, Deborah Barchi, Joshua Teverow, Mary Cummings, Tovah Reis, Jay Litman, William Allen, Peter Deekle, Phyllis Harnick, Cristina Amedeo, Rose Ellen Reynolds

Members Absent:
Donald Deignan, Joan Ankner, Leslie McDonough

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

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

The meeting was convened at 4:37 p.m.

I. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the June 16, 2003 meeting were unanimously approved.

Chair McKenney moved the presentation by Karla Harry under NEW BUSINESS to this time. Ms. Allen introduced Karla Harry, Librarian at Gordon School and Chair of the Rhode Island Children’s Book Awards Committee, to the Library Board. Ms. Harry stated that about 8,000 school children vote from a list of twenty books to select the winner of the Rhode Island Children’s Book Award. Ms. Harry created an event called the Rooster Games to encourage the children to read many of the books on the list. According to Ms. Allen, who serves as permanent adviser to the Award committee, this project is a good example of multitype cooperation, involving schools and public libraries. It also demonstrates how technology can support reading, as children on Rooster Game teams from different schools email each other, and submit comments on the books to a web site. A videotape of the Rooster Games was shown.

It was suggested that the Ms. Harry submit an application for the John Cotton Dana Award for the Rooster Games. Ms. Parent will obtain the necessary information. On behalf of the Library Board, Chair McKenney thanked Ms. Harry for the presentation.

II. REPORT OF ADMINISTRATION

The statewide Summer Reading Program administered by OLIS through the public libraries has been named the "Best Way to Get Kids to Read" by Rhode Island Monthly magazine. Ms. Allen showed the plaque that was awarded. Over 15,000 children participated in 2002, and over 18,000 parents and children attended performances by storytellers and other special events. OLIS had a booth at the Best of Rhode Island Party on August 28, at the Rhode Island Convention Center where a large number of visitors stopped to chat about books they or their children have known and loved, and to vote for their favorites.

On August 1, 2003 the Senate passed the Museum and Library Services Act, which would reauthorize LSTA at $238 million. The Senate amended the original H.R. 13 that was approved by the House, so it returns for House approval. All indications from the ALA Washington Office are that it will be passed. Senator Jack Reed introduced an amendment that would have added $18 million to the LSTA budget lines and $15 million to the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program. This amendment would have raised the budget for state LSTA grants to the level necessary to trigger the new funding formula in the LSTA reauthorization bill that would have doubled the baseline to $680,000. It was defeated. Senator Chafee voted against the amendment, however, aides in his office assured Ms. Parent that Senator Chafee continues to remain supportive of libraries and education issues.

2003 LSTA Sub-Grants, a listing of LORI resource-sharing and literacy grants, was distributed. Ms. DiMichele reported that the following 2003 LORI resource-sharing grants were awarded: $36,100 to ARISHL for “The Heart of the Matter: Improving Health Information Access in Rhode Island,” to provide funding for ARIHSL to participate in the HELIN network, thereby making health information resources more widely available; $15,800 to the Rhode Island Historical Society for “Digital Conversion of 20th Century Negative Collection” which will improve access to its heavily used 20th century image collection; and $13,000 to RILINK for “Reaching RILINK,” to fund additional new school library members and to begin the database migration to a completely web-based system available to teachers, students, and others. Ms. DiMichele reported that the following 2003 Literacy Grants were awarded: $5,700 to Literacy Volunteers of Kent County for the program at Coventry Public Library which helps ABE and ESL learners improve literacy skills through one-to-one volunteer tutoring; and $59,300 to The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI), an intergenerational English-as-a-Second Language literacy program based at seven public libraries.

OLIS Library Services Announces Fall CE Schedule was distributed. Thirty programs on a wide variety of subjects are open to library staff, and in some cases to all interested parties. Highlights include an evening public relations program featuring Dave Layman, a well-known former TV and radio personality; “Librarian as Personal Information Shopper,” will be offered by a Connecticut librarian who presented to a standing room only crowd at ALA; “Developing Spanish Language Collections” presented by a speaker involved with issues in serving Spanish language patrons at national and local levels; “Creating and Sustaining a Digital Collection” by Brown University Digital Initiatives Librarian Patrick Yott, and “Preservation Planning: Striking the Balance between What Should Be Done and What Can Be Done,” an all-day workshop presented by Northeast Document Conservation Center staff. Some of the Providence Public Library’s computer classes will be offered for the first time at other locations, in Newport and in West Warwick. Two new computer offerings are on Microsoft FrontPage, a web-page-making program, and on Adobe Photo Elements, learning to enhance scanned or digital camera images.

Proposed Library of Rhode Island (LORI) Standards was distributed. Ms. DiMichele reported that a public hearing on the new LORI Standards that regulate participation in the LORI network would be held on October 14, 2003 at 1:00 PM in Training Room B, (ground floor) of the Department of Administration building. Standards are developed, promulgated, and administered by OLIS in order to insure that LORI member libraries have sufficient organization of materials, publicly available holdings information, service policies, and trained staff to participate fully in the network. The Library Board will be asked to vote on the standards at its meeting in October. The proposed standards can be found on the LORI website.

Proposed change to the regulations for public library construction / renovation reimbursement funding under 29-6-6 of the Rhode Island General Laws was distributed. Ms. Mellor reported that a public hearing is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on the same day as the public hearing on the LORI Standards, to change the final audit process for construction reimbursement. This change was recommended by the state’s Bureau of Audits and designates who would perform the final audit. The library submission of an independent audit would be changed to the Department of Administration or its designee to perform the audit. At its next meeting, the Library Board will need to reaffirm the vote it took at the June 10, 2002 meeting, as the vote must be taken after the hearing, and then filed with the Secretary of State so that it will then have legal standing.

On September 4, Ms. Mellor and Ms. Parent, together with Thomas Collins, met with Budget Director Rosemary Gallogly to give a PowerPoint presentation on the construction program; its history and current concerns. The Director of the Department of Administration has delegated the authority to approve construction reimbursement to the state budget office. Ms. Mellor stated that four libraries would be seeking funding approval soon. Construction Updates (9/15/03) was distributed.

OLIS will apply for an interim grant of $7,800 offered by the Bill & Melissa Gates Foundation to be used for training for public access computing. If received, funding will provide training for those with Gates computers in using the Spanish language profile, possibly in conjunction with Services to Spanish speaking clients and publicity. A second part would provide training statewide, employing videoconferencing, on topics related to providing public access computing. For choosing these topics we are eliciting the assistance of the public library community using Fast Response Surveys, listing training topics related to public access computing. There is also a committee planning for the Gates Staying Connected grant, which is due in 2004, and would provide up to $74,000 for training, upgrades.

III. CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Chair McKenney reported that the Library Study Steering Committee met this summer. Mr. Macksam reported that the Steering Committee will continue to meet to discuss a study of the future of libraries in Rhode Island. A presentation by a nationally-recognized speaker on “Futures” issues will be held in November at URI-GSLIS. A Futures Conference is planned for the spring, and will be sponsored by the LORI Committee. It is hoped that a legislative commission will be formed in the next legislative session, to begin its deliberations next summer.
Chair McKenney will follow up informally since no response has been received from the letter sent to the Board of Regents in support of mandatory compliance of the new standards for school libraries entitled School Library and Information Literacy Framework.

IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee on Public Relations
Ms. Reis reported that media coverage for the Gates Grants was not very good. The Continuing Education program, “The Top 10 Reasons Libraries Fail to Get Media Attention,” featuring Dave Layman, library trustee and former television and radio personality, was developed by the Committee to assist the libraries in getting media attention. The committee would like to publish a “Quotable Facts about Rhode Island Libraries.” Board members are encouraged to contribute facts and general items about Rhode Island libraries at the October Library Board meeting.

Committee on Legislation
No report.

Committee on Planning and Budget
No report.

V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

Chair McKenney introduced Thomas B. Collins, recently appointed Chief Information Officer, to the Library Board. Mr. Collins indicated that he is a library user and avid reader, and that he is supportive of library initiatives and OLIS Library Programs. Discussion revolved around the need for libraries during difficult financial times, support for libraries on a grassroots level and access to information. Mr. Collins thanked the members of the Library Board and Ms. Reeves for their time and commitment.

An open letter to the Rhode Island Library Community, July 2003, written by the LORI Committee was distributed. Ms. DiMichele stated that the time for development of a virtual library catalog in Rhode Island is now. A virtual catalog has been promoted previously in the Rhode Island library community. Technology has evolved to a new level that a virtual library would be possible with fewer resources than ever before. A virtual library catalog would allow the search of all library catalogs from a personal computer. CLAN and HELIN have met and discussed the feasibility of a virtual catalog for their networks. ARIHSL will join the HELIN libraries.

It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that the Library Board send a letter of support to the LORI Committee for its efforts in encouraging the establishment of a virtual library catalog for Rhode Island residents and libraries.

A copy of the letter will be sent to ARIHSL, CLAN, COLA, CRIARL, HELIN, RIEMA, RILA, RILINK, SLA/RI AND URI-GSLIS.

VII. PUBLIC COMMENT

None.

VIII. AGENDA FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

A list of proposed meeting dates was distributed for review and discussion at the next Library Board meeting.

The next meeting of the Library Board is scheduled on Monday, October 20, 2003.

The meeting adjourned at 6:12 p.m.

PROPOSED LBRI MEETING DAYS, FY 2004

Monday, October 20, 2003
Monday, November 17, 2003
Monday, December 15, 2003
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Monday, February 16, 2004
Monday, March 15, 2004
Monday, April 19, 2004
Monday, May 17, 2004
Monday, June 21, 2004