VLA Council Meeting
September 5, 1997
Northside Branch, Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Charlottesville


Present: Lis Chabot, President; Tom Hehman, Vice President; Caroline Parr, Past-President and Interim Treasurer; Pat Howe, Secretary; Linda Hahne, Executive Director; Steve Helm,
Webmaster; Cy Dillon, Virginia Libraries; Sue Trask,  VLA Newsletter; Lisa Bachelder, Region I; John Twombly, Region IV; Susan Hastings, Region VI; Donna Pletcher, NMRT; Gail Tatum,
NMRT Co-chair; Neal Wyatt, Intellectual Freedom; Sue McFaden, Paraprofessional Forum; Carol Sinwell, Personnel Practices; Ruth Kifer, Personnel Practices Chair-elect; Jeff Clark, Media
Roundtable; Linda Gosnell, CYART; Chuck Koutnik, Public Library; Virginia Dunn, Library Instruction; Karen Dillon, Awards and Recognition; Rebecca Laine, Publications; Robin Benke,
College and University; Mary Clark, Public Documents; Oakley Pearson, Outreach; Christina Verilla, Volunteer Management; Spencer Watts, Legislative Committee; Rosemary Green, LIF;
Carol Creager, ILL Forum; Juleigh Clark, Continuing Education; Karen Cary, TSAR.


1.   With a quorum present, the meeting was called to order at 10:10 A.M.

2.   Caroline Parr moved, with Oakley Pearson seconding for approval of the minutes.      

Pat Howe announced that each section needs to send her a 1997 Annual Report before the Conference.

3.   Treasurer's report: Caroline stated that reports from the Executive Director are accurate, timely and legible. VLA has spent  43% of its budget so far. Expenditures total $108,906.41 which leaves a balance of $144,325. Currently the operating budget shows a $2069 deficit when actual earned income is calculated. The conference budget shows a profit of $15,338. However, expenditures will begin shortly for the conference. The Paraprofessional Forum shows a profit of $73.00 to date and programs and continuing education workshops show a profit of $1000. Grand profit to date equals $14,343. Cash on hand in both accounts total $14,737 and investment values equal $53,839 for a total of $68,576 net worth.  All revenue is passed through the checkbook. Although some money
is shifted, income reflects what is passed through the checkbook. (Filed)  This is the first year we have accurate figures and are still waiting to see how this year works out. 

4.   Executive Director's report: Linda announced that current membership stands at 1205 and requests are still coming in, however she is suggesting that people wait until after the Conference and apply for 1998 membership. The ballots for Executive offices are at the printer and will be sent out in the mail next week. Linda demonstrated how the new forms work. The ballots will also include candidates' statements. Linda still needs names for incoming chairs for Continuing Education, Ethnic Librarians Forum,  Microcomputers Interest Forum, Outreach Forum, Region III, Region V, Scholarship Committee, VEMA
Representative and  ILL Forum. She needs names, addresses, and phone numbers of incoming chairs so she can invite them to the VLA Conference luncheon with current chairs. Outgoing chairs should present the VLA Manual and Bylaws to incoming chairs
at the Annual Conference unless they want to keep them.

Lis announced that there will be a different structure at the luncheon so information is given to incoming chairs early on and she encouraged everyone to attend.

5.   Conference Committee report: Linda announced that 64 exhibitor's booths have been sold and she contacted previous vendors who exhibited last year but had not responded. The Conference Program flyer, which is a preliminary program, will be mailed next week. Call or e-mail Linda if there are any problems with the program sessions. Linda still needs a few speakers' addresses  so she can send them confirmation letters.

     Registration will be different this year. Receipts will not be mailed out. Registrants will receive a postcard confirming receipt of registration. Receipts will be in the Conference packet at the Conference. There will be another Conference meeting on September 17. Lis announced that the Local Arrangements Committee has put together a nice package for Conference goers.

6.   Finance Committee report: There was no report because the committee did not meet in the summer, but it was announced that Terry Sumey is receiving financial reports from the Executive Director in a timely manner.

7.   Publications Committee report: Becky Laine reported that the committee met in June and  recommended that an Advertising Manager receive commission. The Executive Director is in a good position to function  as an Advertising Manager. The Publication's Committee would like to work with the Executive Director and the Finance Committee in reviewing stipends for  the Webmaster, and editors of the VLA Newsletter and Virginia Libraries. 

Elizabeth Roderick has set up an unmoderated list (vla-l@leo.vsla.edu) on the LOV's server. The Committee also recommended format delivery for the following publications: Shipping List, electronic; Publications Manual, VLA Web page access with print by request; Virginia Libraries, print for all members and electronic for selected content; VLA Newsletter, print for all members, current calendar and back issues on VLA Web pages; VLA Manual, same as Publications Manual in the future; Directory, print only. The committee is meeting to interview for a Newsletter editor since Sue is stepping down. 1998 co-chairs for the Publications Committee are Barbara Selby and Sue Trask.

     Lis announced that the Executive Committee decided that the Executive Director will assume the duties of an Advertising Manager through her current contract and this matter will be reviewed next year.
 

8.   Legislative Committee report: Iza had to step down as chair. Spencer Watts from Roanoke County Public Library and Linda Krantz from Rockbridge Regional Library will be co-chairs of the State Legislative Committee. Spencer announced two legislative goals: full-funding and that  VIVA receives the funding it needs. Development of a position paper describing needs for full funding was drafted by Iza, reviewed by a number of people then revised by Spencer, will go to the legislators and campaign staff members of gubernatorial candidates. In  August, Iza, Phil Abraham and Spencer met with members of the gubernatorial campaign parties to get some kind of commitment to the three-year plan for full funding. A possible postcard grassroots campaign was discussed where VLA would assume the cost of postcards with a library slogan and template of a fact sheet provided by the LOV about full funding. Patrons would write on the card what they could benefit from full-funding and then mail to their legislators.

     Tom Hehman spoke with Lacey Putney who has agreed to help and has scheduled a meeting with the Appropriations House Committee in September.

     Earlier in the year Iza recommended the formation of separate state and Federal Legislative Committees. Since Sally Reed has agreed to be VLA's Federal Legislator Coordinator, the matter will be reviewed at a later date.

9.   Scholarship Committee: The recipients for the VLA scholarships were announced: Sara Brazelton, Children's Associate at Purcellville Branch of the Loudon County Public
Libraries, is attending the University of Tennessee Distance program. 

     Sheila Chimento, Children's Assistant at the Reston Regional Library of the Fairfax County Public Libraries, is attending Catholic University.

10.  Awards and recognition: Karen Dillon distributed a copy of the nominees for VLA Awards. (Filed) Karen moved, with Mary Clark seconding, approval of the committee's recommendations. Approved.
 

11.  Action item - review of VLA Organizational structure and activities: Lis distributed copies of the Association's structure and structures of other library associations. (Filed) She announced that the purpose was not to initiate any changes now, but to gather
information for the coming years. Units have not been reviewed for a number of years and as an Association we need to discuss what the Association does, the financial picture, time and people involved, what dues can provide members, and other sources of revenue for services provided.

     General comments included: Conference structure needs to be reorganized since it is sometimes difficult to get committee members; possible consolidation of sections/forums; possible dissolving of a unit; are committee formations hampered by geographical locations and  types of libraries; extend the length of office to 2 or 3 years; and a focus for discussion at each meeting is positive. 

     Cy Dillon moved to have VLA's President form a task force to review VLA's existing organizational structure and regulations governing the units and to report to the Executive Committee next January for presentation to Council at a 1998 meeting. It was amended to include a representative from each region on the task force. Lis seconded.  Passed. The task force will be co-chaired by Juleigh Clark (Continuing Education) and Carolyn Barkley (Administrative Services). Please send comments to them.

     Lis asked if the 1998 Conference Planning workshop which was held in March 1997 was too late.  Discussion then led to the topic of Conferences. Any review of Conferences cannot be reported until the end of this year. VLA is committed for the next two years with the 1998 VEMA/VLA joint conference and the Homestead for 1999. Room blockage was decreased at the Homestead. VLA is still learning about conferences this year, so it
may not be until 2000 that  any definite changes can be made.

     Tom has met with Chuck Anderson for the 1998 Conference. Tom discussed plans for the1998 Conference and the differences between VEMA and VLA conferences which may benefit VLA.

     Sue McFaden thanked VLA Council in that the Paraprofessional Forum is a part of VLA, unlike New York and New Jersey which have separate associations. It supports the fact
that we are all part of libraries.
 

Unit reports/Announcements:

1.   Personnel Practices - Carol Sinwell announced that they will jointly sponsor Scott Brandt from Purdue University, at the Conference with the Community College Forum and the
College and University Section; she introduced incoming chair Ruth Kifer; the forum will review the job classification scheme for librarians at the request of a librarian from the LOV.

2.   Paraprofessional Forum - Sue McFaden announced their October  6 mini-conference about library resources on the Internet to be held at ODU jointly with Region III; they will sponsor a library advocacy session at the Conference with Sally Reed as one of the speakers.

3.   NMRT - Donna Pletcher announced that NMRT and the Media Roundtable will co-sponsor a session on Internet filtering software at the Conference.

4.   Virginia Libraries - Cy Dillon announced that directions for VLA's listserv will be in Virginia Libraries; he discussed last year's Conference reports published in  Virginia Libraries and announced that reports are due two weeks after the Conference.

5.   Volunteer Management Roundtable -  Chris Verilla announced they will sponsor a session on dealing with common problems in working with volunteers and the awarding of VLA's Library Volunteer of the Year at the Conference. 

6.   CYART -  Linda Gosnell thanked Steve Helm for putting CYART information on VLA's web site.
 

7.   Continuing Education - Juleigh Clark announced that a needs assessment form will be inserted in the next VLA Newsletter. She asked everyone to fill it out and return it. She also suggested circulating a copy throughout one's library. There will be a discussion group at the Conference to discuss what members would like in the future.

8.   Administrative Services - Lis announced that the committee conducts a membership survey every two years and Carolyn Barkley has a form ready to be distributed.

9.   VLA Newsletter - Sue Trask announced that the August newsletter will be mailed next Monday due to vacations.

10.  VLA Webmaster -  Steve Helm announced that Conference information is on the website and the form can be filled out online, but the page must be printed  and mailed to Linda Hahne; CYART information is on the website.

11.  Public Library -  Chuck Koutnik announced their Conference program on developing leadership in the libraries presented by Maureen Sullivan. 

12.  Region IV - John Twombly said he is still receiving positive responses to their June 6th program.

13.  Intellectual Freedom - Neal Wyatt distributed a Banned Book Week display form. She replaces Virginia Johnson as Chair.

14.  Library Instruction -  Rosemary Green announced a joint session with Microcomputers Forum  and LIF/DCLA on  teaching the teachers how to evaluate web resources. She introduced Ginny Dunn, the incoming chair.
 

Caroline Parr moved for adjournment at 12 P.M.
 

Patricia Howe
Secretary, Virginia Library Association