NAHSL Executive Board Meeting

Lamar Soutter Library - Chancellor’s Board Room

UMass Medical Center, Worcester

June 8, 2001

Present: Marj Anderson, Happy Copley, Janet Crager, Lida Douglas, Sydney Fingold, Patty Kahn, Karen Odato, Alice Reed, Tovah Reis, Debbie Sibley, Mary Ann Slocomb

Mary Ann called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m.

Chair’s Report

Mary Ann announced that the University of Massachusetts has been awarded the RML contract for the next five years. She offered from NAHSL a warm thank you to the University of Connecticut for all their wonderful service of the last ten years, and extended congratulations to the University of Massachusetts on this new contract. Elaine Martin is the new Director, with Debbie Sibley as Associate Director. The University of Connecticut’s transition contract will last until August 31, 2001.

Elaine Martin would like to give a slide presentation at the next NAHSL Board meeting (September 7, 2001) on what the RML plans during this new five year contract. The Board approved this presentation, and Mary Ann will add this to the agenda for September 7, 2001.

Elaine would like to sponsor a reception at the NAHSL 2001 Conference, “get to know your RML.”

The NEHSL-L and NAHSL-EXEC lists, and the NAHSL website will be moved to the new server at U Mass very soon. The RML will be happy to host other websites of chapters (i.e.: HSLIC, etc.), however negotiations with the U Mass Information Services Department are in process to discuss access for chapter webmasters to perform their own updates.

Jeanene Light has received a promotion to Associate Library Professor.

Marj Anderson and Joanne Aspri have rechecked the financial figures for the NAHSL 2001 Conference, and Rhode Island actually made $9,883.54.

Karen Odato moved that NAHSL should donate $500 to sponsor a consumer health educational session at the NAHSL 2002 Conference, in memory of Cecelia Durkin of the National Library of Medicine, who died this spring. The motion was carried.

Mary Ann submitted her annual report at MLA, which should be on the website. Mary Ann also attended the Chairs meeting at MLA. On Monday night, she attended the President’s Reception at the Orlando Museum of Art.

Minutes/Secretary’s Report

Action: Minutes of the March 16, 2001 meeting were accepted as submitted. Mary Ann thanked Happy for taking minutes for Kathy.

Discussion: Tovah asked if the minutes could be placed in the body of an email for distribution to the Board; everyone agreed that this would be easier for those who are unable to open attachment files. It was recognized that the minutes run several pages.

Treasurer’s Report

Discussion: Marj passed out the proposed budget for 2001.

Action: Debbie moved that the Board approve the 2001 Budget as submitted. Motion carried.

Discussion: Marj noted that interest payment on our investments are beginning to add up. She is investigating putting the NAHSL account into a bank that has branches in all six states. With online banking, having a treasurer in another state will no longer be an issue. The Finance Committee will look into and recommend a bank that would meet this criteria, in anticipation of the end of Marj’s term.

Marj discussed the Rhode Island 2000 Conference profit: profit is $9,883.54. This does NOT include the continuing education deficit.

Marj reported that NAHSL received an extension for filing its income tax; the income tax is in process, and should be completed soon.

Marj will compile the 2000 Annual Report, and send to Mary Ann for distribution to the Board.

Committee Reports

Archives

Discussion: Sydney reported that this is her last Board Meeting. Seven boxes containing the NAHSL Archives are being picked up by the Harvard Depository on June 11, 2001. Each box is barcoded and a copy of the barcode and contents will be kept by all Archives Committee members, the NAHSL Secretary, Treasurer and Chair. The new Archives Committee met on June 6, and will meet once again this summer to determine the immediate needs for website archives. Carol will email each current NAHSLcommittee chair about which print items need to be sent to the Archives Committee at the end of each year (for retention purposes). Sydney will remain on the Committee for a few months to ensure continuity.

Action: Mary Ann thanked Sydney profusely for her long service as Archives Chair to NAHSL. The Board gave Sydney a round of applause.

Bylaws

Discussion: Debbie had no updates. Patty suggested that there be something added to the NAHSL Policies and Procedures about the NAHSL Achievement Award.

Action: Debbie will write up a draft on the NAHSL Achievement Award and send to Tovah and Patty to critique. Patty volunteered to Chair the Bylaws Committee, as Debbie will be serving as RML representative. Mary Ann thanked Debbie for her service as Bylaws Chair.

Chapter Council

Discussion: Mary Ann read a note sent by Janie Kaplan. Chapter Council met on Saturday at MLA; they received new council manuals and there were reports from all chapters and committees. A list of all CE courses offered in 2000 was distributed. As a result of the Vendor Taskforce, MLA will be distributing tips on how to deal with vendors at Chapter conferences. They reviewed Chapter articles that appeared in the MLA News during the past year, and encouraged everyone to distribute information about their Chapter meetings (an article scheduled for June-July 2001). Information should go to Karen Albert. Roundtables continue to be popular at MLA and MLA will continue to respond to new topic suggestions.

The MLA Benchmarking educators also met in Orlando. Specific issues will be distributed to educators to share with their regions at Chapter meetings; this will be forthcoming. It is hoped that each chapter will have a benchmarking booth for information on the survey tool and the topic. There is also a list being set up for benchmarking questions and sharing of information. The National Network news will have an article on the project and when the tool will be released for all to use: stay tuned.

Debbie mentioned that Tovah Reis was chosen for MLA Nominating Committee slate by Chapter Council. NAHSL members are urged to vote for her!

The President-Elect of MLA came to the Chapter Council meeting to discuss the agenda for the upcoming year. There was discussion of starting a mentoring program, for new MLA members; a program that would function throughout the year. It was suggested that this might evolve into recruitment of librarians.

Action: Look at mentoring as a NAHSL goal for next year; possible tie-in between Marketing and Membership committees. Tovah reported that there was an MLA Taskforce on mentoring as it is one of the current hot topics.

Conference ‘01

Discussion: Ed Donnald sent a report. Postcards were sent out this month (June). Registration mailing is being prepared. A Planning Committee meeting will be held in New Haven on Monday, June 11, with representation from NY-NJ Chapter as well. The early registration amount will be $130, same as Conference 2000. There are eight paid exhibitors to date. The website is up and running.

Action: Motion was made to accept the $130 early registration fee; motion carried.

Conference ‘02

Discussion: Karen Odato reported that her committee had their second meeting in early May. The proposed theme for Conference 2002 is “NAHSL 2002Summit @titash” (play-on-words on “summit” and “Attitash”). The committee is proposing a new format of three main topics in blocks: “Information Overload” (Monday morning), “Digital Resources” (Monday afternoon), high tech stuff (Tuesday morning). They are proposing traditional CE courses on Sunday, only. The Sunday evening reception will be an informal BBQ with live entertainment, held at the base lodge. The tentative schedule calls for the NAHSL Business meeting to be held during lunch on Monday, attempting to get more solid programming for Tuesday morning. There is a possibility that there will be a Tuesday afternoon CE. Karen also mentioned that there may not be a poster session for Conference 2002, since programming will be in blocks, and breaks will be hard to structure. Lida is looking into web-based registration via credit cards. The dates for NAHSL Conference 2002 are: Sunday, September 22 to Tuesday, September 24, 2002.

Mary Ann suggested that the committee build in time for checkout from the hotel, when scheduling the programs and possible CE on Tuesday.

Action: Karen will contact Len Levin to see who his Program Chair is and get that person to help with the NAHSL 2002 Programming Committee.

Education

Discussion: Janet Crager reported that March CE attracted about 20 people, and they lost about $800 on the course (“Hot Trends to Energize Library Service Delivery” with speaker Steve Arnold, President of Arnold Information Technologies). The Committee is not sure that piggy-backing onto the ILL meeting helped to attract attendees. The course received very good feedback on content from participants.

The Education Committee is looking for a representative from Massachusetts. Janet will check with Ann Fladger (MaHSLIN Education) to see if there is anyone on her committee who would be willing to serve on the NAHSL Education Committee.

The NAHSL 2002 Conference will have CE on Sunday, only. All classes will be half-day, 4-hour courses. They are looking at offering six classes:

Creating Web-based Workshops

Access Management: Linking Patrons to Electronic Resources

Well-Kept Secret: Health-Related Government Organization and Think-Tank

Concepts in Cardiology for Health Sciences Librarians

Hand Held Devices, 101

Networking for Health Sciences Librarians (talking to the IT Department, etc.).

CE classes will be $70 for NAHSL members, $100 for non-members, per CE. If taking two CEs, the classes will be $120 for NAHSL members and $180 for non-members.

None of the CE courses will be MLA classes, so we will have to certify all for CE credits. The Education Committee found that prepackaged MLA classes ran too high on costs (travel, etc.). Janet is happy to report that all courses are set up and speakers confirmed.

Action: Janet will ask Laura Larsson to include medical/health examples in her PDA course.

Electronic Communication

Discussion: Lida discussed credit card billing on the Website. We would need a secure server, like “PayPal” to do payment; would also need shopping cart concept for conference registration, as there are choices to be made (CE courses, meals, etc.). Lida researched various companies and prices.

Action: Lida recommended acquisition of “PayPal”. A motion was made that we try PayPal for next year’s membership fee, at 2.2% + 30 cents per transaction. If it works smoothly during for the membership renewals, than we could try it for NAHSL 2002 registration. Motion was carried.

Discussion: Debbie asked if we could change the name of NEHSL-L listserv to NAHSL-L when it moves from UCONN to U Mass.

Action: Motion was made by Debbie and carried by the Board.

Finance

Discussion: Marj Anderson will investigate with the Finance Committee changing to a bank that has business in all New England states.

Action: For informational purposes.

Government Relations

Discussion: Barb Ingrassia sent a report. Barb went to the MLA Governmental Relations meeting at MLA in Orlando. Goals for MLA’s Governmental Relations Committee this year include: continue educating Congress about importance of fair use in the digital environment in support of healthcare; to continue to involve MLA membership in Congressional copyright debate and implementing intellectual property policy within their own institutions, related to UCITA, database legislation, and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998; address the issue of electronic publishing.

Barb urged everyone to examine the newly updated MLA Governmental Relations webpage, and recommended checking it regularly (http://www.mlanet.org/government).

Action: For informational purposes.

Marketing

Discussion: Len Levin was unable to attend. He sent a second “top ten list” to distribute during the NAHSL 2001 Conference business meeting. The Marketing Committee has also created a postcard to send out to non-NAHSL members, library schools, etc. Marj raised the question about mailing postcards within the proposed Marketing budget ($50). Karen mentioned that if the Marketing Committee wanted to leave the postcards at colleges, or other institutions, a postcard format would not be needed.

Action: The Board recommended developing a one-sided card to “leave around” and a postcard for mailings. The Membership Chair’s address would be used as the return address on the postcard. The Board approved the postcard and the top ten list.

Action: Debbie proposed that the Board increase the Marketing budget by $250 to help pay for postage on mailing postcards. Motion carried.

Membership

Discussion: Jeanene Light sent report that NAHSL has 196 paid members as of the week of June 4th.

Nominating Committee

Discussion: Patty Kahn reported that she has been working on finding a Chair for NAHSL following Conference 2002. Karen herself has talked to many folks in NH as has Patty. No definite candidate to date. In the meantime, Karen has agreed to let her name be placed on the slate and said she will serve as Chair if no one else volunteers.

Tovah proposed that NAHSL look at the way we rotate responsibilities.

Patty requested some help with language on requesting nominees for the NAHSL Achievement Award. The nominating form should be on the NAHSL website and in the newsletter. Sydney volunteered to check the Archives for language, and Debbie offered to help with final language of the announcement. Sydney gave Patty a copy of the language for framed Award.

Action: No action taken.

Program

Discussion: No report.

Scholarship

Discussion: Mary Ann for Kathy: Kathy asked the Board to look at the language concerning attesting to eligibility on the Scholarship request form. She is concerned that the language is too prohibitive and might discourage members from applying for scholarships. The Board discussed this concern: should we place barriers in our application that might make people hesitate to apply for scholarship out of confusion?

Action: Karen Odato moved that we NOT change the language on the Scholarship application. Motion carried.

IFLA

Discussion: Tovah Reis reported that there are 1100 registrations and they are hoping for 3500. There are a record number of exhibitors; Libraries and national associations are exhibiting. A one-day pass just to the exhibits is $10. Single day registration is $150, and includes receptions. They have 300 volunteers lined up. Check the Hospitality section of the website for more details on events surrounding the IFLA Conference.

Mary Ann thanked Tovah for her wonderful service to the NAHSL Board and organization over the years. The Board gave her a round of applause.

MLA Credentialing

Discussion: Joan Yanicke sent no report.

MLA Membership

Discussion: Marybeth Edwards sent no report: she was unable to attend MLA this year.

RML

Discussion: Debbie Sibley reported that she and staff have moved to the Worcester Foundation campus, part of UMass. Javier Crespo is the new consumer health coordinator; Javier conducted his first class for the Rhode Island Library Association group on June 7^th. The Technology Coordinator has been hired: Shawn Klejmont. Shawn has already gotten architecture done for the new RML website. All three staffers, plus Elaine, went to the RML Coordinators’ meeting at the MLA Conference, and were able to meet their peers. Ed Donnald has been very helpful with moving over the listservs, and the move will take place sometime toward the middle of next week. Websites hosted by the RML have already been moved, and Debbie is working on accessibility questions with her IS department. Ed’s last day at UConn is Wednesday, June 13. Debbie asked that NAHSL be patient with the transitions. UConn’s transition contract runs through August 31, 2001. Debbie mentioned that there will be many subcontract opportunities under this new contract and folks should stay tuned...

State Reports

ARIHSL Kim Lavoie sent a report: ARIHSL’s annual meeting will be held on June 20. Slate of officers:

William Anger, President; Cynthia Bouchard, VP/President-Elect; Patricia Padula, Secretary; Janice Schuster, Treasurer.

CAHSL No report.

HSL NH/VT Alice Reed reported that HSL NH/VT had their Spring Meeting recently and elected a new Executive Board: Nancy Bianchi (UVT), President; Sam King, VP; Claire LaForce, Secretary; Cindy Sloan, Treasurer. The New Board will meet on July 17. The RML will be invited to the Fall HSL NH/VT meeting.

HSLIC Happy Copley reported that the Spring meeting was held June 1 at Central Maine Medical Center. Karen Hersey gave a terrific educational presentation on licensing of electronic resources. Patty Kahn presented ideas about forming a state-wide network for purchasing electronic resources , similar to the Arizona Health Information Network. A task force is looking into this plan.

MaHSLIN Debbie Sibley reported that their first Board meeting for this year was June 7. Anne Fladger is the new Education Chair. Their annual conference in April was highly successful. The MaHSLIN Board is brainstorming ideas for CE: a course on molecular biology for librarians, a course on how databases work. The project for the year is to perform a survey on “unaffiliated” hospitals, to see if there is some way to identify needs for electronic resources, group buying, etc. (This might be a way for the RML to assist through subcontracts). MaHSLIN is also thinking of creating a marketing video to promote medical libraries.

Old Business

Nominating Committee

The question of the Nominating Committee becoming a standing committee will be tabled until the September Executive Board meeting.

Other

Timeline: Mary Ann did not get any response on her request for timelines from Committee Chairs. Mary Ann requested that all Committe Chairs send that in to her as soon as possible. This timeline will be kept in the NAHSL Chair’s handbook and the Policy and Procedure Manual.

New Business

Review Goals

1. Investigate secure server for credit card payments: in progress.

2. IFLA participation: financial support and volunteers - in progress.

3. Review structure of committees: need to work on getting committee members for various committees. Suggestion by Janet that Committee Chairs put notices on the NAHSL listserv, explaining what they committee does and asking for members to participate.

4. Conference organization & structure: the Board discussed changing the rotation of the conference - Janet Crager reported that people she spoke to in Rhode Island were not interested in combining with another state to host a conference. The Board needs to look at changing the way the succession rotates for the Chair?

5. Timeline Calendar for committees: Mary Ann will follow up with the Committee Chairs.

6. Web Membership List with Access database: Lida, Shawn and Jeanene will coordinate this. This should eliminate the problem of past members not appearing on the website.

Other Business

None.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:40 p.m. - the next meeting scheduled for Friday, September 7, 2001 at 222 Maple Street, Shrewsbury, MA (the new RML office). Directions will follow.

Submitted by: Happy Copley for Kathy Brunjes