April 2006 Commission Meeting Minutes

April 12, 2006
State Library of Iowa
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
East 12th and Grand
Des Moines, IA
                                                                                                                                                                     

Present:  Dale Ross, Paul Roberts, Monica Gohlinghorst, Jann Freed, David Boyd, Rita Martens

Absent:  Pam Bradley and Frank Sposeto

Guest:  Bonnie McKewon

Staff:  Mary Wegner, Steve Cox, Annette Wetteland, Sandy Dixon, Alan Schmitz, Carol Simmons, Marie Harms, Barbara Corson, Gerry Rowland, Beth Henning

Ross called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.   

1.0   Set Agenda
“Action items” moved to after “Approve Minutes.”  Agenda set with change.

2.0   Approve Minutes
Roberts moved to accept minutes of December 13, 2005 meeting as written, Gohlinghorst seconded.  Motion carried.

3.0   Action Items

     A.  Appointment to Northwest LSA board
Dixon presented the name of Valerie Haverhals, director, Hawarden Public Library, as a potential appointee to the Northwest LSA board to fill Joyce Amdor’s unexpired term.  Gohlinghorst moved to appoint, Roberts seconded.  Motion carried.

     B.  Appoint Commission bylaws review subcommittee
Ross asked that Martens and Sposeto serve with him on the subcommittee.  Martens accepted.  Ross will contact Sposeto.  Meeting arrangements will be made at a later date.

    C.  Appoint subcommittee to evaluate State Librarian
Ross requested that Freed and Gohlinghorst work with him to evaluate the State Librarian.  Both accepted.  Meeting arrangements will be made at a later date.

4.0   Financial Report
Cox reported that the State Library is on target with both state and federal spending.   The State Library received notice in January that it will receive an increase of $51,500 in federal funds this year.   Cox said that he plans to explain in detail portions of both the state and federal budget reports at upcoming meetings; his focus at this meeting was on appropriations. 

5.0   Communications

A.  Special Reports         

     1.  Tour of new State Library Web site
Harms gave an overview of the new State Library Web site, and received a very favorable response from Commission members.   Schmitz explained the new Web site’s content management system, PLONE, and its advantages to users.   Wegner thanked the staff for all the hard work they’d done to get the site up and running on time.

B.  Commission Reports
    Martens reported meeting with First Lady Christie Vilsack regarding information literacy and the model core curriculum project that she is working on for the Department of Education.       
    Gohlinghorst reported that the All Iowa Reads committee is taking suggestions for the 2007 book.
    Roberts attended the open house for the Davenport Public Library branch and shared a flier for the upcoming Dubuque Area Library Information Consortium meeting, Disaster Preparedness, and Response and Preserving Treasured Family Memorabilia.
    Boyd said lobbyists threw a surprise party for Law Librarian Linda Robertson in honor of her retirement later this year.  Boyd also asked Wegner to present at the June 21 quarterly meeting of the District Court Administrators.  Wegner will check her schedule and get back to him.
    Freed said she enjoyed reading the news stories about the new Des Moines Public Library.
    Ross reported on national issues including whether teacher librarians are considered part of a school’s “instructional” expenses, and a move to merge the National Commission of Library and Information Science into the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  This merger would include moving public library statistics, which are handled through NCLIS, to IMLS. 

C.  State Librarian’s Report
Henning provided Commissioners with two data profiles that she and Gary Krob developed – The Status of African-Americans in Iowa and Women in Iowa.
     Corson reported that the State Library celebrated National Library Week by providing a variety of courses to state employees.  There were 14 classes and 108 students.  Sixty-five people attended a Lunch and Learn session on Avian Bird Flu provided by Dr. Russell Currier.  Corson said three Bulgarian librarians were visiting Iowa libraries and that three Iowa librarians will go to Bulgaria in May.  On May 4, Karon King, who runs the State Library’s Patent & Trademark Depository Library, will host two people from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office who will provide training for Iowa inventors on patents and trademarks.  On May 5, they will instruct librarians and lawyers on how to help people get patent and trademark information.  May 9, Corson said the State Library will host the SirsiDynix users group.
     Dixon said will ask Michele Leininger, continuing education consultant, to talk to the Commission in the future about the changes she has made to the Public Library Management program.  Dixon, Leininger and Cameron attended an Outcome Based Evaluation session at IMLS in Washington, D.C. which focused on continuing education.    Dixon announced that the State Library is launching the Gates-funded Rural Sustainability Grant, and said there will be five two-day Rural Sustainability training sessions across Iowa in July.  These workshops are intended to provide tools to help public library directors sustain public access computing.  Dixon said that the Gates Foundation’s goal is that  80% (411) of Iowa rural library directors will attend.  The grants allow the State Library to reimburse attendees for mileage and overnight accommodations, and meals will be provided at no charge.
     Wegner discussed proposed legislation which would require teacher librarians in each school district.  The Iowa Library Association (ILA) is urging members to continue contacting their legislators in support of this provision. 
     Wegner explained the different parts of the Gates Staying Connected Grant, including public library Web site development and e-mail hosting.  The project is called PLOW (Putting Libraries on the Web).  The Web sites will be preloaded with local information specific to each library, like hours, location, trustees; library customers will be able to access statewide resources such as the Iowa locator and EBSCOHost databases; and participating libraries will be able to offer a virtual as well as a physical library.  Information packets were mailed and on March 17 an informational session was held on the ICN.  So far, 209 letters of intent have been received. 
     Wegner said awards for this year’s Iowa Letters About Literature contest winners were presented last week at the annual Iowa Reading Association conference.  The top three winners in each of the three age groups were recognized and read their letters.  Wegner said Iowa’s winner in the 4-6th grade level was a semifinalist in the national competition.  In the three years that the Iowa Center for the Book has participated in this program, there has been one national winner from Iowa and two semifinalists.   The Iowa Center for the Book advisory council will meet early next month at the new Des Moines Public Library. 
Wegner said she would provide the Commission with a brief monthly update of State Library activities.  The report will also go to State Library staff and the LSAs.

D.  Library Service Area (LSA) Report, Bonnie McKewon, administrator, Northwest Iowa Library Services
    McKewon gave a slide presentation on the LSAs and their specialties.   McKewon showed Commissioners the LSA Web site and all that it offers to help Iowa public libraries.  McKewon said she was impressed with the new State Library Web site and will be using the same software to redevelop her LSA Web site.  She also discussed a new initiative she’s taking with libraries in her area:  the Special Project Consultants Group will use the talents of local librarians who will work as field consultants helping other public librarians.
 
6.0   Public Comment
None

7.0   Discussion Items

A.  Enrich Iowa funding issues
    Dixon and Rowland presented a scenario in which an Iowa town that contracts for library services is unhappy with the cost of the contract and considers opening its own library, asserting that its residents could continue to use the services of the library it formerly contracted with, at no charge, through Open Access.  There was discussion about the role of the Open Access program in such a scenario.  Access Plus issues were also discussed.  Commissioners directed State Library staff to prepare new language for the Open Access letter of agreement which would require all public libraries established after July 1, 2006 to meet at least Tier 1 of the Iowa public library standards in order to be eligible to participate in the Open Access program. 

8.0   Adjournment
Gohlinghorst moved to adjourn the meeting, Roberts seconded.  Meeting adjourned at 2:04 p.m.

NEXT MEETING:  June 20, 2006 (location to be announced)