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Members Present:;
Chair Mark McKenney, Tovah Reis, Donna Good, Deborah Barchi, Rose Ellen Reynolds, Phyllis Harnick, Alice Barrows, Mary Cummings, Cristina Amedeo, Leslie McDonough

Members Absent:
William Allen, Peter Deekle, Joan Ankner, Joshua Teverow, Donald Deignan, Jay Litman

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

Observers:
Joan Ress Reeves; Regina Connor; Kathryn Hopkins, Providence Public Library; Tom O’Callaghan, Jamestown; David Macksam, RILA, Elaine Heebner, Kaitlin Morris, Patricia Raub, Linda Kushner, Library Reform Group

Reporting:
Laurie Scialabba

The meeting was convened at 4:21 p.m.

I. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the February 28, 2005 meeting were moved, seconded and unanimously approved.

II. REPORT OF ADMINISTRATION

The following will attend the American Library Association’s National Library Legislative Day in Washington, D.C.: Anne Parent will represent OLIS; David Macksam will represent RILA; Suzanne Costa will represent RIEMA; Joan Ress Reeves will represent the Library Board; William Allen will represent COLA and Kathryn Hopkins will represent Providence Public Library.

Last year OLIS submitted a five-year commitment to funding caps for the Public Library Reimbursement Program to the Director of the Department of Administration. A review of costs for recent and proposed projects will need to be done. Any increase in the caps may affect available funding for projects already in process.

It was the consensus of the Library Board that Library Services staff should be located together, and Chair McKenney will write a letter to the Director of the Department of Administration.

Chair McKenney will draft a letter to the Director of the Department of Administration regarding the vacant librarian position in the Talking Books Plus library. Individual members are also encouraged to write a letter.

CLAN is considering migrating from the DYNIX/Horizon platform for automation to the Innovative Interfaces, Inc. platform utilized by the hospital and academic libraries.

Legislative appointments have not yet been made to the LibFutures Committee. A meeting to discuss the status of school libraries will be held on March 29, with OLIS sponsoring the facilitator.

III. CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Chair McKenney reported that the congratulatory letter to Elyse Wasch, newly appointed Legislative Director for Senator Reed’s Washington Office, will go out. Chair McKenney introduced newly appointed Chief Information Officer, Tracy Emerton Williams.

IV. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Committee on Planning and Budget
Ms. Barrows would like to schedule the meeting at which caps are to be discussed to accommodate the schedule of Dale Thompson of Providence Public Library. Ms. Barrows will be in contact with Anne Parent to schedule the date.

Committee on Legislation
Due to illness and vacation plans, the last meeting was cancelled. Library Board Committee members include Mary Cummings, Joan Reeves, Donna Good, Peter Deekle, Bill Allen, Mark McKenney, Debbie Barchi and Rose Ellen Reynolds. Three public members include Dale Thompson and Frances Farrell Bergeron. David Macksam has a new email address. Jay Litman has been invited to serve. Ednor Larsen and Anne Crawford resigned from the committee. The next committee meeting is scheduled on April 20 at 4:00 p.m. RILA has not come forth with their view on the Open Meetings Legislation, H-5170 and S- 0242. The committee will postpone a decision until the next meeting.

Committee on Public Relations
Facts About Rhode Island Libraries is published on the LORI website. A letter from the Library Board will be drafted for National Library Week.

V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that the Library Board of Rhode Island support S-0759, OLIS, Chief of Library Services.

No action was taken on H-5170/S-0242, Open Meetings Law; since the Committee on Legislation was unable to meet. Chair McKenney moved to the Public Comment agenda item.

VI. NEW BUSINESS

None.

VII. PUBLIC COMMENT

Anne Parent has copies of testimony presented by Kathryn Hopkins of the Providence Public Library, on behalf of Mary Olenn and by Linda Kushner of the Library Reform Group. Ms. Parent sent email to public library directors (23 municipal libraries and 26 non-municipal libraries) inquiring about compliance under the Open Meeting Law. Results are seven municipal libraries replied that they are in full compliance. (It is assumed that all the municipal libraries are in full compliance.) 16 non-municipal libraries replied; 13 comply in spirit, two do not comply and one library, Providence Public Library, has a problem with the legislation. Ms. Parent will provide comments to the Library Board in advance of the meeting. Discussion followed.

Ms. Kushner stated that when so much public money is given to an entity, its meetings should be open. The open meetings law provides for executive session under certain circumstances. The R.I. Constitution gives the legislature particular interest in libraries, and the legislature should follow its money. Providence Public Library Board has made no movement to openness. Mr. O’Callaghan noted that the Providence Public Library Board should be accountable to public and its users.

Ms. Hopkins pointed out that the legislation refers to public bodies, not private.

Ms McDonough (whose library is non-municipal) stated that it was appalling that any public library be opposed to open meetings law; her Board is in compliance. It was suggested that compliance with the Open Meetings Law be part of the Minimum Standards for Public Libraries.

Chair McKenney asked that Ms. Reynolds take all this information back to the Committee on Legislation for consideration.

There was no other public comment.

VIII. AGENDA FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

The next Library Board meeting is scheduled for April 25, 2005 at the Department of Administration.

Future meetings of the Board are tentatively scheduled as follows:

April 25
May 23
June 20
Sept 19
October 17
November 21
December 19

The meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m.