Maine InfoNet Board Minutes, February 27, 2009
The Maine InfoNet Board met at the Colby College Library on Friday, February 27, 2009 at 9:35am.
Members present: Richard Boulet, Director, Blue Hill Public Library; Cora Damon, Librarian, Maine General Medical Center; Judith Frost, Director of Library Services, CMCC; Clem Guthro, Director, Colby College Libraries; Linda Lord, Deputy State Librarian/Acting State Librarian; Barbara McDade, Director, Bangor Public Library; David Nutty, Director of Libraries at USM; Steve Podgajny, Director, Portland Public Library; Elizabeth Reisz, Director of Library Media Services, York Schools; Joyce Rumery, Dean of Libraries at UM.
InfoNet staff present: James Jackson Sanborn, Executive Director, Maine InfoNet.
Members absent: Ralph Caruso, CIO University of Maine System; Richard Thompson, Chief Information Officer, State of Maine.
Minutes:
On a motion by Clem, seconded by Joyce, the minutes of the January 14, 2009 meeting were unanimously approved.
MIN Position Approval:
Position exemption request was approved with permission to pick up hiring process where left off in the fall rather than re-advertise. Both candidates are still interested and interviews have been scheduled on Friday, March 6. James, Judith, Linda and Clem will serve as the interview committee. Once this position is filled, an exemption request will be submitted for the other vacant position. If approved it will be necessary to advertise and post that position.
Executive Director Report:
General Activities:
James reported to the Maine Library Commission at their regular meeting on February 2, and gave testimony before the Joint Appropriations Committee on February 26.
Staffing:
Jonathan Williams will be on paternity leave shortly. Bonnie Collins has retired and Ellen Conway has picked up the additional cataloging hours.
Contract Update:
Contract has cleared purchasing and has gone to III for signing.
Audiobooks Update:
Download Audiobooks is going live on March 9. Still waiting for some libraries to submit patron numbers for authentication. Libraries that have not been authenticated when the service goes live will be locked out until May. Delays to going live have been primarily due to getting a demo site up and the authentication process.
Service Updates:
Minerva – exploring framework for simplifying loan rules. SOLAR – investigating how Michigan DCB works to help with addressing needs. MaineCat – due to recent hardware issues need to consider replacing server. Would prefer to migrate to virtual as other systems already have. URSUS – work with directors on system and IT centralization.
Upcoming travels:
James will be on leave March 13 – 17. Upcoming meetings include MLC, Minerva Executive Board, Minerva/SOLAR Catalogers, ICOLC in April and IUG in May.
Executive Director Evaluation Timeline and Process:
James will present a written report to the Board for response to complete the six-month evaluation.
Monthly business meeting adjourned at 10:10am.
Retreat Report -- Summary
- Organizational statement:
- Maine InfoNet is a Collaborative of public, academic, school and special libraries that provides leadership in promoting resource sharing, cost-effective solutions for quality library information services, and supports the economic development in the State.
- Mission:
- Connects the people of Maine to information and ideas through library cooperation.
- Vision:
- Maine libraries. Maine citizens. Connected.
Outcomes:
Organization optimization (Steve, Barbara and James)
- Membership
- Committees
- Board practice
- 501c3
System Infrastructure (Rich, Judy, Cora, Clem and James)
- SOLAR
- Future commitment – MaineCat
External Communication (David & Steve)
- Web
- Marketing/PR
- Advocacy
Collaborations
- Collection Development – Summit (Joyce & Clem)
- Last Copy Center– back to committee
- Databases (part of Collection Development Summit – Linda & James)
Rich moved, and Barbara seconded, that we accept in principal the organizational statement, mission and vision as drafted and formally vote at next Board meeting. Motion passed. We agreed to share the organizational statement, mission and vision with our constituency via MELIBS prior to formally adopting at our next meeting.
Retreat – Additional Notes:
Review Mission
To define what Maine Info Net is, need to identify our constituencies, our primary audience(s), and what we do. Web site makes MIN look like a group of services but we see ourselves as something more than a service provider. Collaborative denotes a totally different concept. Need to add leadership concept. Mission should focus on people not institutions.
Organizational structure
On a motion by Barbara, second by Judy, the Board unanimously approved that we pursue establishing a 501c3 to support the mission of MIN. Steve, Barbara and James will pursue.
Define Issues
SOLAR is not working the way it should to bring MaineCat to more libraries to provide patrons with access to greater resources than available in their local library. A committee of Rich, Judy, Cora or someone from the medical group, and Clem will develop proposal with initial report on potential technologies and those that can be ruled out. Need a policy about how records will be accepted into SOLAR. James agreed to work on a proposal by May/June 2009.
Maine Last Copy Center
Barbara moved that Last Copy Center be for monographs and request that the committee provide policy recommendations by May 1, 2009. Judy seconded the motion. Motion passed with 1 abstention.
Cooperative Collection Development
Joyce and Clem will convene summit of staff responsible for collection development in June to work on protocol.
Databases
Concern that the selection process has not been an open process. Even though funding won’t increase, may need to evaluate current selection. While monies haven’t changed our users’ interests have.
Board retreat adjourned at 3:30pm.
Respectfully submitted
Elizabeth Reisz, Recording Secretary
