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Attending: Jeff Cannell (APLM); Ginny LaJuene (ALTM); Nancy Pieri (BETH); Carol Trager (BRUN); Deborah Canzano (COHS); Bob Jaquay (COLN); Pat Nonamaker (EGRN); Barbara Nichols Randall (GUIL); Carol Gaillard (HOOF); Lenny Zapala (MEND); Pat Sahr (NASS); Margie Morris (POES); Judy Felsten (RCSC); Paul Hicok (TROY); Phil Ritter (UHLS); Bobbi Crowther (VAFL); Gail Sacco (VOOR); Barbara Schoen (WVLT)

Visitors: Jo-Ann Benedetti (UHLS); Mary Fellows (UHLS)

Meeting convened at 9:04am.

Minutes:

Motion: (Cannell, Trager) to approve April 5, 2002 minutes. Carried.

UHLS: Phil Ritter

• State Report – Berne has still not submitted a report. It is expected that someone will be coming to UHLS on Monday, May 6th, to complete the report. If this does not happen, Phil will take the issue to the services committee to see what action should be taken.
• Annual report – This will not be published by the annual dinner, as the reports have not been approved by the state. Four libraries have still not submitted a narrative.
• State Aid for Construction Projects-$32, 306 – The projects need to be presented to the UHLS Board by May 8th. The project can be completed by June 2003 instead of June 2002.
• State Aid for Technology Projects-$4,815 – As this is a small amount of money, Phil suggested UHLS use it to pay for the new email system/server.
  
  Motion: (Sacco, Felsten) UHLS should use the State Aid for Technology Projects to pay for the new email system/server. Carried.
  
• Books by Mail – Sara & Phil attended a meeting to discuss the Books by Mail program. SALS (Southern Adirondack Library System) is probably going to phase out this service by next year. Sara will bring a report next month with information as to who is using this and how to serve the patrons that are currently using it.
• LSTA Grants-
  • Jo-Ann Benedetti presented Library Leadership Development Center. This grant would allow UHLS to establish a teleconferencing center for training. A website would also be developed.
  • Mary Fellows presented Storytelling Camp. This would be a pilot program for four libraries (two in each county) to partner with a middle school to develop a storytelling unit.
  • Rachel also presented Tech Valley/Tech Libraries. This grant would have four libraries (two in each county) partner with local Chamber of Commerce, RPI, Rensselaer Tech Park, etc. to develop information and online research that will assist residents with access to resources in technology areas. A website would be developed.

Motion: (Cannell, Schoen) UHLS should move ahead with the applications for the three LSTA grants presented. Carried.

Information on these grants will be sent out to all libraries within the next two weeks. There was a brief discussion about sending information, such as the grant proposals, out prior to the Directors’ Association meeting so that everyone has a chance to look them over and formulate questions and comments.

• Classification Study – Information is coming in very slowly. The Singer Group may not be able to put things together until the end of May.

UHLS Administration: N. Pieri

• Discussed Task Force
• Trustee of the Year Awards were determined. Decided on and implemented a Lifetime Trustees list to be read at the Annual Meeting. (There was discussion at the Directors’ Association meeting regarding the guidelines. As there is no money attached to this honor, the guidelines should be less stringent.)

Motion: (Pieri, Canzano) Request that the UHLS Board of Trustees revise the requirements for the Lifetime Trustees to: any Trustee that has served two (2) full terms and has the second term expiring in that calendar year, with the list for the first year only to include Trustees retiring in the previous calendar year. Carried.

Services: J. Felsten (Barbara Kubli attended as a substitute but was not present today to give a report)

• Appointed new members of the Outreach Advisory Council
• Approved Adult Literacy Grant for Guilderland.

Automated Services Committee: N. Pieri (Pat Nonamaker reported)

• Email server. Nancy Pieri expressed concern about the speed of Roadrunner, especially during the afternoon.

Central Library: J. Cannell

• Vote for school district library will be held on May 21st. The effort has been good for the library.
• The steering committee for NOVELL met at the library. Jeff is on that committee.
• Commissioner Mills invited Jeff to be a guest on his monthly TV show. The topic was libraries in the future and their cooperation with schools. Jeff will let everyone know when it will be aired.

Nuts & Bolts:

TROY: Received a call from someone complaining that although the building is handicap accessible, the programs are not as they are held on the second floor. This person would like all programs to be stopped until they are accessible to everyone. It was suggested that Paul contact the library’s lawyer and someone in a community development group. He needs the opinion of someone with expertise in this area.

VOOR: 1. Gail is concerned about her budget passing. 2. They are starting to interview a needs assessment consultant for a building project. It will be 5 years before they break ground. She said that they hope to have a document storage facility in the new building.

COHS: 1. COHS & WVLT have submitted a grant to work with Even Start for Book Start classes. 2. The Center for the Disabled will be moving into the downstairs of the library building.

BRUN & POES: Received absolute charters from State Ed on April 23rd.

BRUN, POES, GRAF: School ballot vote in Brittonkill School District on May 21st. Lat year it went down by one vote.

BRUN & SNLK: Received a $10,000 grant from Howard & Bush to purchase 6 desktop computers and a laptop. Carol Trager wrote this grant and had offered to add any Rensselaer County library that was interested to it. Only SNLK was interested or in need.

BRUN: Starting Planning for Results. Received $2050.00 from Community Foundation.

TROY & BRUN: Pulled plans to go to Troy City School District for a school ballot due to the serious financial difficulties the district is having.

ALTM: Had Roadrunner installed yesterday.

GUIL: George Washington exhibit there until June 6th. A former trustee portrayed G.Washington at the opening day event for the exhibit.

COLN: Town approved contracts for building projects.

BETH & COLN: Concerns about DVD’s and damage. There is a product to help repair them. COLN sent 3 of its worse DVD’s to be repaired and will let everyone know how it worked.

Old Business:

• Nominations for Officers – Pat Sahr reported that Pat Nonamaker has been nominated for President; Margie Morris for secretary; and there is someone considering the position of Vice President. The vote will be held next month.
• Pat Nonamaker updated the issue of the UHLS committee liaisons having a vote. UHLS Board stated that no one on a committee votes. They just make recommendations to the Board.

New Business:

• Directors’ Conference – It was decided that this will be held on the first Friday in October. Paul Hicok, Carol Trager, Gail, Sacco, and Pat Nonamaker will work on the plans.

Motion: (LaJuene, Gaillard) Meeting adjourned 10:45am.

Next meeting June 7, 2002 at UHLS.