NOBLE

MEMBERS OF THE CORPORATION MEETING

AT READING PUBLIC LIBRARY

MAY 16, 2002

 

Present: Eighteen libraries were represented at the meeting, attendance sheet attached.

 

1.  CALL TO ORDER /WELCOME – Deborah Abraham was unable to attend the meeting, therefore vice president, Tom Cesarz, chaired the meeting.  Tom called the meeting to order at 10:05. 

 

2.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Minutes from the March 21st and April 18th meetings were voted on. Linda Shea made a motion to accept both Minutes, Barbara Lachance seconded the motion.  The Minutes were approved by unanimous vote with no further discussion.

 

3.  TREASURER’S REPORT – Thomas Scully.  Tom reported that the spending is on target as of April 30th .  Hugh Williams made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report, Bob Rice seconded the motion.  The vote was unanimous. 

 

4.  MANAGERS’ REPORT – Ronald Gagnon.  Ron passed around the Member Directory for updating.

 

Innovative’s User Group Conference - Ron and Elizabeth attended IUG at the end of April.  Elizabeth presented three sessions on Millennium Create Lists that were well received.  Ron and Elizabeth met with our Sales Rep and the Product Manager regarding Millennium Media Management, the catalog linking software for the MBLC grant-funded image digitization project.  NOBLE had budgeted for the old version in our contract, but a new Millennium version was coming out and was more costly.  We were able to get the easier-to-use Millennium version at no extra charge.  Ron and Elizabeth also met with the Product Manager of Millennium Cataloging.  NOBLE staff has been beta testing MilCat.  III and EBSCO have been working together on downloading MARC records from EBSCO.  We’ve also been asked to beta test a statistics package.

 

Mass. Library Association – Ron and Martha attended the MLA conference.  Martha was a speaker along with Debbie Abraham, Mary Rose Quinn, and Diane Young, on Wireless in NOBLE libraries. 

 

Ron attended the MBLC Long Range Plan meeting.  Some highlights were formalizing the 60% ceiling for system upgrades, focus for a digital library, and more support for children’s services.

 

Brochures - Ron reported that all libraries have received some of their brochures.  In conjunction with the brochures the Web site has been redesigned to match the brochure colors.

 

Personnel Committee – Ron reported the Committee has approved a request by Elizabeth Thomsen to take vacation from July 1st – Labor Day to teach English in China. 

 

Elizabeth Thomsen –

 

Roundtable Sessions -  At the Collection Management for Colleges roundtable, some issues discussed were Choice, and budgets.  There was a Summer Reading Lists session in which public libraries discussed ways to manage their required reading lists, including using course reserves.  Also a page will be set up that has links to all the different schools’ reading lists, whether it’s on NOBLE or a school’s web site.  Goal is to get the lists available on-line.  Also held recently was a Centralized Cataloging for Tech Services session.  The acquisitions and imaging projects were discussed.  Coming up are OCLC Library Tech Services on May 23rd, and Collection Management for Public Libraries May 22nd.  On May 20th and June 4th will be the Children Services roundtable.  On June 6th will be the annual Web Sites Showcase where library staff can come and do a presentation of their library’s web site, whether it is hosted by NOBLE or not.

 

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May 16, 2002

 

Acquisitions and Imaging - Elizabeth has been meeting with libraries individually to train staff on these two projects.  Lynn and Gloucester came to NOBLE, scanning and linking pictures using the imaging workstation.  Elizabeth will be posting all the updates for the digital imaging project on a link on the main page of the Staff Information System. 

 

Tom Cesarz asked Elizabeth to elaborate further on her teaching assignment in China.

 

Martha Driscoll - On June 1st our network monitoring and maintenance vendor will be switching from Dimension Data to Atrion Networking.  On May 29th there will be an Introductory meeting with Atrion for local technology reps and directors.  Martha and Michele visited all NOBLE libraries to get equipment inventory and serial numbers for the maintenance contract and inventory.  Atrion will be handling the changeover of our Internet Service Provider from UMass to Genuity.  Two T-1’s are installed and we have new IP addresses.  Martha will assign the numbers to each library.  She will also update the region database vendors and EBSCO.  There will be some routing changes for Middlesex, NECC, and Endicott. 

 

Training – Holds Training sessions are coming up.  These will be a hands-on refresher course, and review enhancements.  Martha and George will be doing Windows 2000 Security sessions in June. 

 

Long overdue material from 1992-1996 will be purged on June 1st.  A report was sent out last month with these items.  Martha provided additional reports as requested by libraries,  some libraries have cleared the charges and purged the item.  If Martha doesn’t hear from your library, the items will be purged and the charge will remain on the patron record.  You can clear it at that time.  This summer, items from 1997-1998 will be purged according to policy.

 

Ron stated that the MBLC reported that the House Budget has restored state aid to prior levels for public libraries.  The telecommunications and resource sharing line item, which was cut 51%, is now decreased 12.3%.  This is approximately a $25,000 decrease in funds to NOBLE.

 

Bob Rice of Revere introduced their children’s librarian, Suzi Lord. 

 

Marjorie Hill-Devine asked if other libraries knew about the Hines Amendment.  There was a brief discussion.

 

Tom Cesarz brought up some concerns about Minuteman, the courier service.  There was some discussion.  Ron stated any concerns should be directed to Greg Pronevitz or Susan Grabski at the Region.

 

5.  NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT - Linda Shea reported that Tom Scully has been nominated for treasurer, and Kim Lynn for secretary/clerk. 

 

6.  ELECTIONS OF OFFICERS -  Carol Gray made a motion to elect Tom Scully as treasurer, and Kim Lynn as secretary/clerk for FY 2003.  Mary Rose Quinn seconded the motion.  The vote was unanimous.

 

7.  PRESENTATION OF DRAFT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES – In Deb Abraham’s absence, Tom Cesarz opened the floor to any discussion.  Ron explained the goals and objectives are based on a five-year plan.  In addition to being a management tool, this document is required by the MBLC to receive grant funding.  It also is used in conjunction with the technology plan we file with MBLC to get e-rate funding.  The new  Strategic Plan will be voted on at next month’s meeting.

 

Barbara Lachance complimented the Committee for their work on this.

 

 

 

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8.  WORKING GROUP UPDATES -                              

 

Brochure Committee – Marjorie reported the brochure is done and been delivered to libraries.  She thanked everyone involved.

Electronic Resources Working Group – Elizabeth reported they are working on sending out a survey to members on web site cataloging.  Jeff Klapes will serve as chairperson since Camilla Glynn, the current chairperson, is retiring.  

Database Quality Working Group – Tom Scully stated they haven’t met since the last Member’s meeting.

Holds Committee – Tom Cesarz stated they haven’t met recently.  Martha reported they are working on many enhancement requests.  Ron said he spoke to the vice president of product development at IUG to let her know he will be sending the enhancement requests.  Ron will meet with her at ALA to discuss it.

 

Sue Koronowski asked if there is anyway to search the Staff Information System.  Elizabeth said that is coming soon and should be all set before she leaves July 1st. 

 

Library directors gave an update on their library budgets.

 

Ron reminded everyone that after next month’s meeting will be the annual luncheon at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead.  Bonnie Strong will be sending more details.

 

9. ADJOURNMENT.   The meeting was adjourned at 11:15.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Mary Rose Quinn

Secretary