The Nominating Committee is pleased to announce that Carolyn Barkley has been elected as Vice President-President Elect of the Virginia Library Association for 1999 and Nancy Newins has been elected as VLA Secretary for 1999/2000. Life membership was approved for Dennis Robison. The Nominating Committee would like to thank all of the candidates who stood for office this year.

Incoming and outgoing Council members met at the VEMA/VLA Joint Conference in Virginia Beach on Thursday, October 15, 1998. Linda Hahne, Executive Director, reported that 1,151 people pre-registered for the joint conference and that about 200 were expected to register on site. Linda also reported that the VLA membership for 1999 is now at 1,215 and that renewal notices will soon be mailed as reminders to those who have not yet renewed.

VLA Treasurer, Terry Sumey, reviewed the financial year. VLA began the year with a $16,000 projected deficit but with the excellent cooperation of its committees and forums it may be able to end the year with a balanced budget. Terry cited the Paraprofessional Forum and the Publications Committee in particular for helping to reduce the deficit. The VLA Paraprofessional Conference was a great success and made up approximately half of the deficit. The Publications Committee strove to produce its usual number of publications and a membership directory while under strict budget guidelines. Although too soon to tell, it appears that the VEMA/VLA Joint Conference will also make a profit, helping to further reduce the deficit. Next year, the Finance Committee intends to present a balanced budget to Council, and then, any receipts over expenditures may be applied to a reserve fund. Terry thanked Linda Hahne for her timely management of financial information and Tom Hehman, VLA President, thanked Terry for his leadership throughout the past year.

Neal Wyatt presented an action item to Council concerning the new ALA intellectual freedom document, Libraries: An American Value, which is to be presented to the ALA Council for adoption at the 1999 Midwinter Meeting. Tom Hehman noted that the Executive Committee found it to be a very positive document. A motion was made that VLA endorse this statement, and the motion carried.

Pat Howe, Secretary, mentioned that she is still collecting annual reports and that the Executive Committee uses these reports to plan for the coming year. In closing, Tom recognized and thanked outgoing members of Council. The meeting was then adjourned and Council members joined VEMA Board members for a joint luncheon.

The Library of Virginia Board met on Monday, September 21, at 10:30 with Vice-Chair Bobbie Hudson opening the meeting. New members on the board are Mr. Lenwood Clark of Poquoson, Mrs. Sharon McCamy of Summerduck and Mr. Robert Light, Jr. of Lynchburg. After some housekeeping and the adoption of the agenda and minutes with minor amendments and the adoption of resolutions, Mr. Serf Guerra, past chair of the library board, gave a copy of the Chair’s Award in recognition of an outstanding Virginia library to Susanna Collins, Director, and Art Hicks, board chairman, of the Lancaster Community Library.

Tom Hehman, president of VLA, announced the upcoming VLA convention to be held in October in Virginia Beach. Cindy Church of SNUAB reported that they had met in the spring and passed a resolution which she was now presenting to the Board opposing "... state-level requirements to use filtering software in general and HB348 and HB1317 in particular...," and commending Librarian of Virginia, Nolan Yelich, for his cautious and reasoned approach to this issue as expressed in his letter of March 5, 1998 to Senator Chichester.

The Legislative and Finance Committee reported that Nolan Yelich was allowed to add to this year’s LVA budget only $161,000 to cover costs of operating the Record Center and to deal with Y2K issues at the library. Mr. Yelich reported that in a letter submitted with his budget he strongly supported the need for the increase in state aid and for funding the technology plan. He expressed to the Board his belief that the LVA Board and the public library community must come together on this issue. He said that the three most important budget issues this year are the Records Center, the full funding of state aid, and the technology plan. When asked by Mr. Guerra to prioritize these issues, Mr. Yelich said they were all number ones.

Mr. Gilbert Butler expressed his concerns about the complex issue of Internet access policies and his desire that the Board come to a consensus on their role and then communicate this to the legislature. He stated that he wanted "no unfunded mandates" if state moneys for libraries come tied to new oversight and purchasing requirements in regards to Internet access. New administrative money should be in any technology plan proposed by the LVA.

The Public Library Development Committee reported on discussions between LVA and VIVA, investigating which databases in the VIVA project would be valuable to public libraries.

Mr. Broadbent reported for the Internet Access Committee, presenting a document which included points the Committee had agreed upon. The two most controversial issues in the document; "VLA’s Intellectual Freedom Vision Statement of June 12, 1998, calling for no restrictions on public library access to the Internet regardless of unlawful or harmful content, should not be the policy for public libraries in Virginia" and "the draft recommendation on acceptable use policies under consideration for inclusion in the Technology Plan for Public Libraries and calling for local policies on Internet use, should be strengthened to make such policies mandatory and establish policies for adults as well as policies for minors" focused much of the discussion. Assistant Attorney General Alison Landry questioned Mr. Broadbent on several issues, including what responsibilities LVA would have regarding the local libraries’ policies; what procedures would go into place to deal with non-compliance; and what constitutes adequate protection of minors. No further action was taken by this committee which will meet again before the November 16 LVA Board meeting.

In further action, the Board voted, with one negative, to allow Cumberland County Public Library to dispense with evening hours during the months they are in temporary quarters, with inadequate parking and lighting, while their new building is under construction.

Mr. Kneebone reported from the Publications Committee that volume 1 of Dictionary of Virginia Biographies will be available this fall.

In the report of the Librarian of Virginia, Mr. Yelich spoke of the importance of the Technology Plan, created at the request of the General Assembly, to provide for universal access to 21st century information. The Board had a draft copy of the plan and there were some questions about the funding amounts. They asked for more substantiation of these figures.

Bees Haile, director of Essay Public Library and a guest in the audience, was asked by Mr. Cabell to share her library’s Internet policies. She explained the tutorial role library staff plays in the community, particularly as regards Internet use, and that the library’s policies require all users to interview with library staff and sign a statement that they understand something of the nature of the Internet and will use it only for legal purposes. A parent or guardian must attend the interview with all minors and must also sign their child’s access agreement. Parents of children under 13 must remain in the (very small) library while their children are using the Internet. She then expressed how glad she was that her community was able to develop Internet policies that suited its particular needs.

A set of goals for the Library of Virginia Board was formalized and adopted after the State Librarian’s report. The top three items on the list were: to develop guidelines for minors’ access to the Internet, to increase the General Assembly’s awareness of LVA’s needs, and to open the Records Center.

--Bess Haile, Essex Public Library

Below are listed the newly elected VLA officers followed by continuing officers and chairs of VLA units.

President - Sandra Heinemann

President Elect - Carolyn Barkley

Second Vice President - Stella Pool

Secretary - Nancy Newins

Treasurer - Terry Sumey

Past President - Tom Hehman

Executive Director - Linda Hahne

Region I - Jay Stephens

Region II - Stephen Preston

Region III - Pearline Harmon

Region IV - Keith Weimer

Region V - Maggie Zarnosky

Region VI - Jennifer Keach

Academic Library Section Co-Chair - Craig Gibson

Academic Library Section Co-Chair - Jacque Dessino

Administrative & Management Forum - vacant

Awards & Recognition Committee - Lis Chabot

Collection Management Forum - vacant

Conference Committee - Mary Mayer-Hennelly

Continuing Education Committee - Louveller Luster

Federal Relations Committee - Sally Reed

Intellectual Freedom Committee - Neal Wyatt

Legislative Committee Co-Chair - Janis Augustine

Legislative Committee Co-Chair - Linda Krantz

Local History, Genealogy & Oral History - Gail Tatum

Multi-Cultural Forum - Sarah Wiggins

New Member Forum - Wayne Modlin

Paraprofessional Forum Co-Chair - Don Socia

Paraprofessional Forum Co-Chair - Suzanne Leacy

Public Documents Forum - Janet Justis

Public Library Section - Tina Massengale

Public Services Forum - Jane Schillie

Publications Committee Co-Chair - Barbara Selby

Publications Committee Co-Chair - Sue Trask

Scholarship Committee - Sydney Simpson

School Library Section - Donna Betts

Special Library Section - vacant

Technical Services & Technology Forum - Elaine Day

Trustee & Friends Forum - Brent Frank

Volunteer Management Forum Co-Chair - Alice Anne Ellis

Volunteer Management Forum Co-Chair - Nancy Schiff

Youth Services Forum - Diantha McCauley

ALA Councilor - Lynn Scott Cochrane

LOV Observer - Alan Bernstein

Virginia Libraries Editor - Cy Dillon

VLA Newsletter Editor - Mary Hansbrough

Webmaster - Steve Helm

The Urban Libraries Council will offer four dynamic workshops titled "The Future’s in the Balance" in 1999. Based on public opinion research done by the Benton Foundation, the workshops are designed to help public library directors, public relations professionals, trustees, and others who speak for the library understand the gaps between the public’s perception of the public library and library professionals’ understanding and communication about the work of the library. The workshop will identify these "disconnects" and, more importantly, help participants identify new language and arguments to gain public understanding and support of library goals. The four regional workshops will be held in the following cities: San Diego, February 6 and 7; Atlanta, March 6 and 7; Pittsburgh, April 10 and 11; and Denver, May 15 and 16. Registration information is available from ULC, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1080, Evanston, Illinois 60201, (847) 866-9999 or ulc@gpl.glenview.lib.il.us.

SOLINET is soliciting applications from staff of small and medium-sized public libraries serving rural populations in the Southeast to attend a week-long institute this winter to develop rural public library leaders in the management of new information technologies. The purpose of the institute is not to offer a course in technology, but rather to help rural librarians who are already demonstrating community leadership to become more comfortable with the management of new technological capabilities. The goal of the project is to provide rural public librarians with the critical skills to lead their libraries into the future. Project funds will cover expenses for two rural public librarians to attend from each of the seven participating states (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia). The institute will be held February 17-22, 1999 in Atlanta. For application information, call SOLINET at 1-800-999-8558, ext. 226.

Martina Foster, Media Specialist at Tidewater Park Elementary School in Norfolk, won the Business Technologies, Inc. 35mm camera drawing at the VEMA/VLA Joint Conference.

Taylor Fitchett is the new Assistant Director of the University of Virginia Law School Library. She joined the staff in May. She was formerly the head of the University of Cincinnati Law Library and is a native Virginian.

Carol Hunter is the new Assistant Documents Librarian at the University of Virginia’s Alderman Library. Carol has been a part time reference librarian at Piedmont Community College.

Phil Hearne was named director of the Rockingham Public Library in Harrisonburg.

Andrew C. Morton was appointed access services manager for the Tompkins-McCaw Library at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The Williamsburg Regional Library and the Williamsburg Community Hospital have formed a partnership to develop a cancer resource center for the community. A specially designed home page will provide links to high quality cancer-related Internet sites as well as to local support groups and health services. Materials from the National Cancer Institute’s Cancerfax program will be available on demand via fax. Books and videos will circulate and magazines, newsletters and reference books will be available for in-library use. The public library will house the center and open houses for the general public are planned for December 1998.

Alderman Library at the University of Virginia has opened a new exhibit, "Sublime Anxiety: The Gothic Family and the Outsider," which explores the themes that appear in Gothic literature and horror tales to the present day. Among items on display are rare works of Edgar Allan Poe and rare editions of the novels Dracula and Frankenstein. Works of the 19th century English Romantic writers, detective and mystery novels that have their roots in the Gothic, and illustrations from Punch, the English satiric magazine, also will be shown. The exhibit will run through April 1999.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for November 16.

Sponsor: Regions I & II and SWING

Place: Roanoke, Marion

Contact: Ellen Bell

(540) 632-7125, ext. 224

ebell@vsla.edu

Sponsor: College of Library and Information Services, University of Maryland

Place: Richmond, College Park

Contact: Robin Albert

(301) 405-2057

ra67@umail.umd.edu

Sponsor: College of Library and Information Services, University of Maryland

Place: College Park, Richmond

Contact: Robin Albert

(301) 405-2057

ra67@umail.umd.edu

Sponsor: College of Library and Information Services, University of Maryland

Place: College Park, Richmond

Contact: Robin Albert

(301) 405-2057

ra67@umail.umd.edu