The NMRLS Executive Board met at Stevens Memorial Library, North Andover on Thursday, March 17, 2005. The Board met despite the fact that a quorum of members was not present.
Business:
Barbara Lachance, President, requested that NMRLS staff send out these documents to allow the Executive Board to take action without a meeting according to Section 5.8 of the NMRLS Bylaws.
Section 5.8 Action without a Meeting Any action required or permitted to be taken at any board meeting may be taken without a meeting if consent in writing, setting forth the action as taken, shall be signed by all of the directors with respect to such subject matter. Such consent, which may be signed in counterparts, shall have the same force and effect as a vote of the Executive Board.
Board members were asked to signify their consent to make this decision without a meeting and their approval or disapproval of the following recommendations.
Action Item: #1: Acceptance of a One-Time Waiver Application from Winthrop Middle School
Recommendation to accept the one-time waiver request from the Winthrop Middle School: Susan Babb, NMRLS Consultant/Trainer, has been in contact with the librarian at the school in question and encouraged them to submit the waiver request. Their application indicates that Faith Carpenter, the current librarian at the school, will complete her coursework in pursuit of her library teacher certification from the Department of Education on 5/13/05. They have submitted appropriate documentation to support their application.
The Executive Board accepted, by fax vote, the One-Time Waiver Application from Winthrop Middle School. All were in favor, with no opposition.
Action Item: #2: Approval of Changes to NMRLS ILL Policies
Recommendation to Approve Changes to NMRLS ILL Policies: In FY2003, NMRLS received a 24% budget cut. Consequently, the NMRLS ILL Centers received a 10% cut. At that time ILL polices were created to help reduce the costs on the ILL Centers. After two years, the Centers have rescinded many of the new policies that limited services. After a recent meeting, the ILL Centers suggested further restoring some services (please see items 10 & 11 at http://www.nmrls.org/ill/ILL_FAQ.shtml).
Change to FAQ Item #10: The ILL Centers will borrow instructional and training videos/DVDs from lenders in-state or nationally.
Change to FAQ Item #11: In the spirit of the NMRLS ILL Best Practices, the ILL Centers will borrow videos/DVDs only for libraries that practice reciprocity and lend videos/DVDs to other libraries (see: NMRLS ILL Best Practices & Code - http://www.nmrls.org/ill/ILL%20Manual.htm).
The Executive Board approved, by fax vote, the Changes to NMRLS ILL Policies. All were in favor, with no opposition.
Action Item: #3: Approval of MassCat Revised Fee Structure for FY2006
Recommendation to Approve the MassCat Revised Fee Structure for FY2006: Scott Kehoe summarized the proposed MassCat Pricing Schedule for FY2006, based on an anticipated total cost of $3,050 per library. Actual costs have risen from original estimates. After polling several MassCat members on new fees, he recommended the following fee schedule with small increases to members.
| Proposed Member Fees for FY06 - 10% increase (rounded) over FY05 fees |
| Library holdings | FY2005 Annual Fee | Proposed FY2006
Annual Fee | FY2006
% of total cost Paid by Member |
| under 10,000 | $275 | $300 | 10% |
| 10,001 - 25,000 | $700 | $770 | 25% |
| 25,001 - 49,999 | $1,400 | $1,500 | 50% |
| 50,000+ | $2,200 | $2,400 | 80% |
The Executive Board approved. by fax vote, the MassCat Revised Fee Structure for FY2006. All were in favor, with no opposition.
Discussion Items:
Strategic Planning Update - Greg provided an overview of planning documents: The Strategic Plan will be complete by this year's NMRLS Annual Meeting on November 16th. We hope to have facilitated breakout groups to brainstorm and, perhaps, develop and prioritize action items.
Reference Committee Update - Susan Babb reported that the Reference Committee met on March 2, 2005, and reviewed recent database evaluations and began the decision process for dealing with a significant budget shortfall in database funding for fy2006. The recent database evaluations looked at: Grolier Multimedia and New Book of Knowldge, World Book, elibrary, Ebsco Topic Search, SIRS Discoverer, Informe, Ebsco Salud para Todos, Newsbank, and ProQuest Newspapers. The Committee reviewed the evaluations in groups: General Search, Spanish language, Encyclopedias, and Newspapers.
Office Server & Security Upgrades - Susan Grabski reported that NMRLS is investigating options for upgrading our network server and improving the security of our data/computers. The NMRLS server hardware has not been upgraded since we moved to our Danvers location in 1999. We are working with TIC Business Consultants to come up with an operating system that meets our needs and provides a secure environment for data, as well as options for virus and Internet security software, spyware/malware protection, and email programs options. We hope to have changes implemented this fiscal year and are examining the budget closely to allow this purchase.
Long Range Planning - Mary Behrle reported that NMRLS staff will be working with a number of libraries this Spring and Summer to assist them in facilitating their long range planning process. Twenty-five library plans are due to expire with the MBLC in September. We currently have meetings scheduled with seven member libraries and have requests from six more. NMRLS staff normally facilitates three meetings per library in order to assist with this process.
Update on NMRLS Grants - Mary Behrle reported on the following projects:
Imagining History collections are online! Our scanning and image-processing vendor, Back Stage Library Works (BSLW) of Orem, Utah, worked all Fall on uploading the digital images and metadata from five of our participating institutions: Beverly High School; Lawrence Public Library; Lynn Public Library; Peabody Institute Library, Peabody; and The Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House, Salem. Some metadata work is ongoing with collections from Lawrence Public Library, Lynn Public Library, and The Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House, Salem. All metadata and image processing work for the above collections should be completed by mid-March.
Currently NMRLS is coordinating BSLW visits to the Northeast Region in the Spring to work with our remaining participating libraries: Essex Agricultural & Technical High School, Danvers; Lowell National Historic Park; and Saugus Public Library. BSLW will scan on-site and complete image/metadata processing and uploading back at their offices. The scanning session this second year of the grant will involve using a large-scale scanner to accommodate maps and books. Other unique items types will be 35mm color slides and 8"x10" glass plate negatives.
There are over 1,700 images available online from these collections through NMRLS' Northeast Massachusetts Digital Library (nmrlsdli.cdm.oclc.org). Take a look at the site and download and save a page of your favorite images!
The Library Experience: Older Citizens
This second year will see the launching of a Lifelong Access eXchange that will be part of the NMRLS web site. Susan Grabski, NMRLS Operations Manager, has designed a draft site for the project. Libraries for the Future is supplying content for the site. Participating libraries will contribute additional content ideas to NMRLS staff, who will maintain responsibility for updating the pages after the grant period is over.
We are spreading the word. Five Lifelong Access Institute alumnae have agreed to speak on a panel at the Massachusetts Library Association Conference in May to discuss Lifelong Access programs and services that their libraries have introduced for the grant audience (55+ active adults). The Program entitled, "Ready or Not, Here they Come!: The New Older Adults in Your Library," will be held on Wednesday, May 11.
Enhancing Archival Access in Northeast Massachusetts
For the first year of our "Roving Archivist" grant, NMRLS has matched an archival collection with a project archivist at four participating libraries: Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton; Lowell General Hospital Medical Library; Reading Public Library; and Swampscott Public Library. A fifth project at Governor Dummer Academy is awaiting an archivist's hand. Five more projects will be completed next fiscal year.
Two archives training sessions are required of libraries participating in the grant - one on Collection Policies (held on February 2) and one on Arrangement & Description (March 16). Peter Parker, of InLook group, Portsmouth, NH, is the trainer for these workshops. Attendance is open to any member library.
Serving Spanish Speaking Patrons in Northeast Massachusetts
Yolanda Cuesta will return in March and April to continue training and discussion on serving diverse library users. Her focus will be: Programs, Services and PR (March 30), Management and Diversity (April 12), and Front Line Staff and Diversity (April 13 -- this is a repeat of a December workshop).
Upcoming Meetings
Susan Grabski discussed the upcoming schedule of meetings. The proposed 2005 calendar is as follows:
| Date | Location | Time |
| Thursday, May 19, 2005 | Stevens Memorial Library, North Andover | 2:30 - 4:30 PM |
Membership Update by Susan Grabski
Current membership: 339 Libraries (Academic: 13, Public: 53; School: 224; Special: 39)
Membership as of 7/1/2004: 312 Libraries (Academic: 13, Public: 53; School: 205; Special: 41)
