Maine Library Commission Minutes, January 14, 2013

Meeting called to order at 1:00PM.

In attendance: Beth Edmonds (Chair), Joyce Rumery (Vice Chair), Charlie Campo, Dick Thompson, Art Turley, Mike Kennedy, Michael Hays, Deborah Clark, Barbara McDade, Debe Averill, Molly Larson

Absent: Karen Baldacci, Elisabeth Doucette, Steve Podgajny

Also present: Linda Lord, James Ritter, Janet McKenney, Mamie Ney, Stephanie Zurinski, Valerie Osborne, and James Jackson Sanborn

  • Minutes from the November 26, 2012 meeting were approved.

Strategic Plan Update:

  • Various members of MSL staff provided updates on all items of the strategic plan and there were no follow-up comments from Commission members

James Jackson Sanborn - Maine InfoNet

  • Overdrive e-Books and Audio Books now have approximately 10,000 items in the collection and circulate about 20,000 items per month. 231 libraries are members.
  • Two more libraries, Northeast Harbor and Freeport were added to SOLAR. Next, Farmington and Wilton will be added.
  • Minerva MOU is completed and signed. In the next few months an additional library could be added.
  • Triple I contract extended for one year with two further years of renewals and/or extensions.
  • Triple I is also prepared for a meeting with Maine Contingent to discuss next generation system. This meeting will be held January 25, 2013 in Seattle, WA.

Access to Justice:

  • Barbara McDade provided an update. May 1, 2013 will be Law Day and various libraries will host lawyers to discuss how individuals can access various legal services (and lawyers) through their library.
  • Goal is to have at least two libraries in every Maine county participate.

IMLS Grant Partnership UMaine and MSL:

  • J. Rumery reported that MSL and UMaine would collaborate on a grant project to address school readiness and grade level reading proficiency
  • Grant is due at the end of January 2013 and it is a planning grant that would allow grantees to begin working with parents in the community
  • Valerie Osborne is working with University staff on this grant.
  • Question: How would this mesh with family literacy?
    • A: Literacy Maine is represented on the grant writing committee.
    • A: Old Town Schools are in the discussion and planning.

IMLS Grant Maine Historical Society and MSL:

  • Grant would support individuals to upload personal family histories and photographs into Maine Memory Network therefore creating new collections, versus traditional Organizational collections.

Friends of Maine State Library:

  • M. Kennedy provided an update. Indicated that the target base for development would be Book Clubs willing to become members and make contributions to the FoMSL that would support literacy efforts
  • Early Childhood Literacy is to be a primary focus and Book Clubs can help define literacy needs and provide structure to potential volunteers to promote literacy efforts
  • A. Turley presented with a FoMSL Tote Bag for his contribution.
  • Question: How do you find the Book Clubs?
    • A: Word of mouth/snowball effect, listservs, press releases

State Librarian Report:

  • Maine Policy review articles submitted.
  • Snapshot 2012 distributed to all participating libraries, legislators, attached to PUC Report for Network Maine Board Meeting
  • Ellen Wood awarded Employee of the Year
  • E-rate discussion history reported that Senator Snowe and J. Rockefeller were major supporters. In current environment Senator Angus King has been approached as a potential supporter.
  • Legislation (LD 532) submitted to clean up Title 27.
  • Meeting with Governor's Office January 15, 2013 to discuss BePress / Digital Commons for State Documents
  • DOE School Library Media Center Liaison position attracted one application.Position is being re-advertised.
  • Income Tax Check-off working very hard to get word out. L. Lord asked Commission to begin to think as to how funds could be used and indicated that future discussions would take place regarding that topic.

Consultant Reports:

V. Osborne

  • NMLD received grant to help fund a leadership program.
  • Wrote article describing libraries as 3rd Place.
  • Looking into expanding Janet Cotes Book Gear which was put together for an Island Readers program in which the program was packaged into a carrying case and traveled from library to library for after school programs.

S.Zurinski:

  • Marvelous Marvel Invitational had 109 people participate at some level and 67 people complete. Program deemed a huge success.
    • Will pull comments about the program from the blog that was associated and will distribute comments and ideas to database vendors in Marvel.

M. Ney:

  • Offering two Adobe Connect Meetings
    • One meeting will focus on supervisory - Be A Great Boss
    • Another for School Librarians Advocacy: Who Are Stakeholders
  • SMLD recruited Bill Wood for the SMLD Board Executive Committee

Other Business:

  • A. Turley indicated that Maine Library Standards will be presented as 95% complete at the March 25, 2013 Commission Meeting
  • Allow for comment and finalize by end of 2013

Motion made to adjourn, meeting adjourned at 2:20 pm.

Next meeting is March 25, 2013 at 1:00 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Acting Secretary
James Ritter
MSL, Director of Reader and Information Services