NOBLE Executive Board Meeting--Minutes

Thursday August 24, 2006

 

Call to Order: Meeting was called to order by Vice President Linda Hummel-Shea at 2:15 pm.

 

Attending: Linda Hummel-Shea, Mary Rose Quinn, Dennis Kelley, Doug Rendell, Ron Gagnon, Karen Pangallo

 

Minutes: Minutes of the May 2006 meeting were reviewed. Linda Hummel-Shea motioned for approval of the minutes; Mary Rose Quinn seconded the motion; approved unanimously.

 

Treasurer’s Report: Ron Gagnon commented on items in the budget that appear to be paid for twice due to billing delays; this will be amended in audit process. Dennis Kelley questioned the umbrella policy which Ron clarified as being additional insurance. Dennis Kelley questioned PEP; Ron will clarify.  Ron also clarified that surplus rolls into following budgets. Discussion was held about NELINET’s new pricing structure and how it will impact NOBLE. Other issues involving the Treasurer’s Report:

  • One of two 1-year CDs at DanversBank rolled over. Interest was $16,196.91. Dennis Kelley motioned for moving the interest to capital; Mary Rose Quinn seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
  • Discussion of E-rate reserve fund. Given that there is a contingency fund, Ron suggested rolling E-rate reserve of $100,000 to the general contingency fund. Dennis Kelley motioned for moving the funds; Mary Rose Quinn seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.
  • Quick discussions on the following;

1.       Question was raised regarding using money in accounts to offset membership fees. Cannot be done as this is allocated to operating capital, capital and contingency.

2.       CPI Plus 2 guidelines has been abandoned in recent years.  Goal of increasing capital with controlled increases was met.

3.       No unexpected large expenditures anticipated for the upcoming year.  

4.       NOBLE signed 5 year lease renewal.

5.       NOBLE in excellent fiscal shape compared to other networks.

 

Executive Director’s Report: 

 

Super Search Rollout occurred in mid-July.  Saugus, Phillips, and Gordon using customized version with additional databases.  Handout is being designed by Tom Macy.

 

Digital Library Grant was submitted to Danversbank via Doug Rendell in July, to cover server cost of $13,000. Under serious consideration, but bank did ask if NOBLE would accept less money, to which Ron said yes. No date has been confirmed for bank’s reply.

This will allow for a larger server with an additional benefit being improved email service.

MBLC funding subsidy had 72% more funds are available in FY2007 for the two network programs of the MBLC, resource sharing and telecommunications.  The actual amount NOBLE receives will depend on the combined requests of the networks, but we are likely to receive $80,000 to $90,000 more than last year, which was $128,864.  Money received this year is traditionally applied to the FY2008 budget.  Won’t have a firm number for NOBLE budget discussions, since the MBLC meeting to discuss the distribution is scheduled for September 18.

 

New Millennium Release 2005 was upgraded on June 27th and had a few circulation bugs which NOBLE staff worked with Innovative to correct.

 

Martha upgraded Brightmail anti-spam system. The new version over the past week has caught 79% as spam. 

 

Twelve libraries opted for the group purchase of Envisionware.  All are doing the PC reservation function and seven are also doing print management.  The total purchase price was $41,610.  Training is scheduled for the first week in October.  The software has been provided to libraries for experimentation, and PC Support Specialist George Lally has been installing it.

 

Beverly Public Library secured funding to join the PC Support program, adding 65 PCs to the 618 currently covered. Dennis had concern for amount of work this entails for George. Consideration given to hiring another part-time person. Linda suggested using college students in networking programs who could do an internship or practicum.

 

Two meetings have been scheduled to highlight some alternatives for libraries for museum pass systems and outsourcing scanning:

On September 19, Backstage Library Works will be here to discuss options for outsourcing scanning.  Backstage did the work for NMRLS last year, and they were very pleased.  The outsourced scanning can be a cost effective way for libraries to get digitizing done, running between $1-$3 per scan, with files returned in both web and archival formats. 

On October 12, NOBLE will host a morning session with demos from two remotely hosted museum pass systems.  First will be Plymouth Rocket and second will be Library Insight. This is not a group purchase.

 

Meetings:   Ron attended the NMRLS digital library committee meeting at Gloucester in July.  The meeting was in Gloucester to see their scanning facilities and Roger Brisson was welcomed as a member of the committee, which is chaired by Mary Rose.  Ron also attended the July Commissioners meeting at their offices in Boston.  The highlight of the meeting was the awarding of grants, including several to NOBLE libraries which Ron sent out in an e-mail.

 

III Consortium Partners Meeting, the fourth meeting of large independent consortia users of Innovative systems, will be held on September 26 and 27 in Berkeley, CA. This is near III"s offices in Emeryville, and the trip will include some time there.  Ron is on the planning committee. Elizabeth and Ron will be attending. Flying out on Sept. 25th and taking the redeye back on the 27th, arriving very early the 28th.

 
Ron will attend E-rate Conference for two days on Sept. 12 & 13 at the Logan Hilton.

 

First grant reports for NOBLE server and federated search grants were submitted.  Next are due in October.

 

Elizabeth will return from China the day after Labor Day.  George and Ron were off last week; Martha is off this week, the Morgans and Ron will be off next week.

 

An electrician upgraded the conduit that connects NOBLE space with the central telephone/electrical room on August 9th. 

 

ILL dropped Pitney Bowes postage machine and is now using Endicia, an online service which provides library rate.

 

Meeting Schedule for FY2007:             Executive Board                           Members

                                                               September 7                           September 14

                                                               October 11                             October 19

                                                               November 8                           November 16

                                                               December 13                          December 21

                                                               January 10                             January 18

                                                               February 7                             February 15

                                                               March 14                               March 22

                                                               April 5                                   April 12

                                                               May 9                                    May 24

                                                               June 13                                  June 21

 

Working Groups: Board reauthorized the 2 ad hoc working groups—Electronic Resources & Databases Working Group and Resource Sharing Working Group. The Collection Management Working Group is not ad hoc, and did not required reauthorizing. Mary Rose Quinn motioned for the authorization; Dennis Kelley seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.                                                    

Salary Schedule Revision: Ron proposed changing NOBLE salary schedule from 12-step to 6-step with additional cost of living increases (cost of living percentage to be determined by Boston CPU).  After reaching step 6, salary increase will only include COLA.  Discussion included salary and job description comparisons with other networks; consideration of costs of benefits; alternatives to the step schedule (dropping first step and adding new step at high range); capping COLA. Discussion will be continued at the Sept. 7th meeting to include missing members.

 

Strategic Plan: FY2007 ends current strategic plan and annual action plan is due to MBLC for FY2008. Ron recommended using same process used for last strategic plan—hire Marshall Keyes to facilitate the large group session; issue a report of needs identified by the group; bring to Executive Board to formulate goals and objectives; present goals and objectives to the membership.  Recommended and agreed that there should be fewer goals and objectives. Ron will contact Marshall Keyes and will report back at the September 7th Executive Board meeting.

 

MOTOR Database: Ron shared information about the MOTOR database which sends updates on book titles being discussed on TV and radio. This is coordinated with WorldCat and is searchable.  Cost is $1360/year, for the site license for all of NOBLE.  Unanimously agreed that Ron should pursue.  Linda identified as a hero as she told about being at the Daily Show. Hero status immediately dropped when she admitted to watching the O’Reilly Factor.

 

Adjournment: Karen Pangallo motioned and seconded for adjournment at 4:40; unanimously approved.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Karen Pangallo, Secretary Pro-Tem