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PRESENT: Robert Ganz, Ethel LaPier, Ginny LaJuene, Margie Morris, Lou Anne Lundgren, Barbara Kubli, Hank Kubli, Mary Fellows, Phil Ritter.

1. Call to Order – Ganz called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m., and everyone was introduced.

2. Minutes - The minutes of the meeting on October 2, 2002, were accepted as written.

3. Advocacy Network Concept – Mary Fellows updated everyone regarding this statewide effort of the NYLA Legislative Committee. Many people have written the Governor as requested, but more letters are needed. She suggested that this group spearhead encouraging library staff to visit their legislators by setting up a “buddy system.” In this system, a member of LAAC or UHLS management staff would agree to help coordinate and accompany member library delegations on legislator visits. It was the consensus that she should proceed in setting up such a system and then send a letter to each UHLS Member Library Director and Board President and encourage them to agree to make such visits. A goal was formulated stating that by June 2003 every UHLS Member Library would have made at least one visit to a member of their legislative delegation.

4. Albany County and Rensselaer County Funding – Ganz reported on the plan to send a letter to each County Legislator and the County Executive in the two counties along with the brochure of Library Services (see #5 below). The UHLS Board of Trustees approved this plan at their November 13 meeting, providing that Ganz consult with the members of the UHLS Directors Association. Ritter is to send out via email a copy of each letter and of the brochure and ask that any comments be sent to Ganz via email by 12 Noon on Tuesday, November 19, 2002. Ganz will then prepare the letters, and the staff of UHLS will prepare the brochures. The letters and brochures will then be mailed by Thursday, November 21, 2002.

5. Proposed Brochure of Library Services – Ritter presented a draft of the brochure, and the group expressed their opinions and suggestions. The brochure is to be revised as suggested and sent with the letters prepared by Ganz (see #4 above) as approved by the UHLS Board of Trustees.

6. Proposed Library Support Campaign – Ritter distributed drafts of the proposed bookmark and 3x5 card that could be distributed to the public in local libraries in order to encourage them to support their local library. It was agreed to use only the bookmark format. Questions were raised regarding the quality of the graphics, and all agreed that we needed to have crisp and clear graphics on the bookmark. It was agreed that they should be printed on colored paper with black ink. UHLS staff will produce bookmarks and send a small quantity to each library. Each library may then choose whether or not to use them and to request more copies. An electronic file of the bookmark will be provided to every library that asks for it so that they can customize it.

7. Other Issues –
a. Template of a Letter for Patrons – LaJuene said that it would be good if we could provide a template of a letter for patrons so that they could more easily write a letter of support. Fellows volunteered to work with LaJuene to develop such a template to be considered at the next meeting.

8. Next meeting – It was agreed that the LAAC would meet next on Wednesday, January 15, 2003, at 7:00 p.m.

9. Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m.