Administration Report | Chairperson's Report | Committee Reports |
New Business | Future Meetings

Members Present:
Chair Mark McKenney, William Allen, Alice Barrows, Rose Ellen Reynolds, Peter Deekle, Donna Good, Leslie McDonough, Phyllis Harnick

Members Absent:
Joan Ankner, Jay Litman, Tovah Reis, Joshua Teverow, Cristina Amedeo, Deborah Barchi, Mary Cummings, Donald Deignan

Present from the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS):
Anne Parent, Beth Perry

Observers:
Cheryl Space, Children’s Coordinator, Providence Public Library; Joan Ress Reeves; Reverend Thomas F. Conboy, Jr., Chair, Board of Trustees, Cumberland Public Library

Reporting:
Laurie Scialabba

Materials Distributed:

• Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds in Rhode Island help support…
  This handout was used during the national Legislative Day visits to Congress.

The meeting was convened at 4:26 p.m.

Celeste Dyer, Assistant Director, Cumberland Public Library, welcomed the Library Board and offered a tour of the library after the meeting.

I. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the March 15, 2004 meeting were approved.

II. REPORT OF ADMINISTRATION

Ms. Parent reported that the Futures Conference, held on May 7, was deemed a success with 203 participants representing various types of libraries as well as non-librarians. Sarah Long, keynote speaker and former President of the American Library Association, emphasized collaborations and partnerships.

OLIS is seeking nominations of any type of library providing a notable consumer health program within the last two years. Nominations will be sent to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science Board. One library from each state will be awarded a blue ribbon from NCLIS, will receive national publicity and a check for $150 to provide refreshments for a celebration.

Karen Mellor, OLIS staff member, has been appointed to Library Program Specialist III/Construction Specialist, effective May 16, 2004. This position replaces a former Library Program Specialist I position.

III. CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Chair McKenney reported that those attending National Library Legislative Day were well received by our congressmen in Washington, D.C. Ms. McDonough wrote an outstanding summary of public access computing, which was published in the Providence Journal, and will be entered into the minutes. Ms. Reynolds added that the White House Conference on Library and Information Services Taskforce (WHCLIST) held it 25th anniversary reception at the Library of Congress. WHCLIST is still influencing libraries in 2004, especially with children’s initiatives, and also in the development of local and statewide Friends groups.

Chair McKenney attended the conference, Navigating the Future of Libraries: A Rhode Map, and commented on the excellent speakers and interesting programs. He hopes that more Library Board members and non-librarians will attend future conferences. The idea of a Library Foundation for the state was discussed. With reference to a quote from the keynote speaker, Chair McKenney would like to re-examine the role of the Library Board. Thanks to Donna DiMichele, Anne Parent and Beth Perry for a job well-done.

IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee on Legislation
No report.

Committee on Planning and Budget
No report.

Committee on Public Relations
No report.

V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

Peter Deekle, as President of CRIARL, brought up the issue of significant funding problems for the R.I. Historical Society and the public college and university libraries. Mr. Deekle will forward a letter of information to Chair McKenney and Ms. Parent for review, prior to sending a letter to the Governor.

VII. PUBLIC COMMENT

Reverend Conboy would like to advocate for all library trustees. Library trustees are a forgotten group, and he feels that trustees are not really wanted. Ms. Reeves concurred with Reverend Conboy and noted that RILA has dropped attention to trustees from its priority list. OLIS once provided some programs for library trustees, and perhaps COLA or the Library Board should review this situation. Reverend Conboy noted that inviting trustees when the Library Board held meetings at libraries would be a good idea. With regard to a statewide Library Foundation, he noted that whenever the library raised additional funding; public, namely state, funding diminished.

VIII. AGENDA FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

The Library Board meeting scheduled for June 21, 2004, has been tentatively canceled unless there is pressing business.

Meetings scheduled in the fall are as follows: September 13, 2004 at the Department of Administration, and October 25, tentatively at the Narragansett High School Library

The meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.