Document #07-24

LIBRARIES OF MIDDLESEX AUTOMATION CONSORTIUM

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

LMxAC Office

March 22, 2007

MINUTES

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:

Robert Belvin - New Brunswick

Mary Faith Chmiel – Spotswood

Margery Cyr – Old Bridge

Irene Goldberg - Monroe

Lewis Ostar - Middlesex College Library

Anne Roman – Piscataway

 

LMxAC STAFF PRESENT:

Eileen M. Palmer

Elisa Bash

 

GUEST:

Joe DaRold - Plainfield

 

The meeting was called to order at 10:05am by Vice President Mary Faith Chmiel.

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: (Document#07-13)

Irene Goldberg moved to approve the agenda of the March 22, 2007 LMxAC Executive Board Meeting. Margery Cyr seconded the motion. All members were in favor. The motion carried.

 

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING:

Irene Goldberg moved to approve the minutes of the February 15, 2007 LMxAC Executive Board meeting (Document #07-14). Bob Belvin seconded the motion. All members were in favor. The motion carried.

 

TREASURER'S REPORT:

Lewis Ostar presented the detailed Financial Statements for February 28, 2007

(Document#07-15). Lewis noted nothing out of the ordinary to report. The revenue and expenditure percentages were routine for this time of the fiscal year. The report was reviewed and filed for audit.

 

FINANCIAL POSITION STATEMENT

Balance as of 2/28/07:

Accounts Receivable                                                                   $     72,680.26

Checking                                                                                     $   115,312.50

Cash Management                                                                       $   690,506.32

Development Fund                                                                      $   312,803.54

Cash Assets Total:                                                                       $1,191,302.62

Liabilities:

Accounts Payable 3/22/07                                                           $    52,445.86

 

APPROVAL OF BILL LIST: (Document #07-16) Eileen highlighted some invoices on the bill list. Margery Cyr moved to approve the Bill List for March 22, 2007. Bob Belvin seconded the motion. All members were in favor. The motion carried.

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT: (Document #07-17)

Eileen M. Palmer presented her report to the Executive Board and discussed several issues including: Federated Searching; Sirsi Super Conference and News; Office Space; Activity Report and Meetings. Eileen reported that the Reference Committee met and scheduled vendor demos of the Federated Searching product on May 14, 2007. Two vendors have already confirmed the date. The demos will be open for all interested members. Liz Oliu and Allan Kleiman , Reference Committee members, are organizing discussion items for the evaluation process as well as seeking other vendors. Eileen spoke about the Sirsi Super Conference. She explained that very little information was given about the departing CEO. Eileen mentioned the introduction of Rome on Unicorn system and the significant impact it would have on those libraries using Horizon. Eileen spoke briefly about her attendance at the World Cultures Conference.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE:

The Finance Committee reported that they have been reviewing the Assessment formula and trying to revise it, in a manner of not trying to do a disservice to any one member. The committee wanted to implement small changes where no equity is lost. The Committee reviewed numerous scenarios and current issues. Some scenarios were based on the percentage of libraries budget used on technology and a library’s ability to pay. Some scenarios provide to be too much of an inequity to certain members. The Committee recommends dropping Cataloging charges and finding improved methods of bringing records into database. It will help lower costs and provide a more shared resource database. One possibility would be to purchase records from Baker & Taylor. Another recommendation is to base the Workflows charges on concurrent users and set limits. The cost of a WorkFlows login will be $2,400. They also recommended freezing the current PAC charges while we examine alternatives. The Board agreed that the purpose of the PAC charges have now become far removed from its original intention. Margie Cyr made the recommendation to rename the PAC fees. The Board agreed to rename the PAC fees to iBistro charges. The Board thanked Eileen for all her hard work and in developing all the scenarios used to assist the committee with the review and revision of the assessment. As a report of a Standing Committee, it is moved to approve the three recommendations made by the Finance Committee with the amendment to rename the PAC charges to iBistro charges. All members were in favor. The motion carried.

 

REPORT OF THE REVISION OF THE PERSONNEL MANUAL: Eileen reported that the personnel manual revisions have been completed. She is waiting for a referral from the LMxAC Attorney, Evelyn Hartmann.

 

JAMESBURG LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP:

Eileen reported that she and Ann Macdonald visited with Cindy Yasher, Director of the Jamesburg Public Library for an orientation session. The library and municipality have signed the ILSA agreements. Bob Belvin moved to accept Jamesburg Public Library membership in the Consortium. Lewis Ostar seconded the motion. All members were in favor. The motion carried.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

OPEN BORROWING AND MERCER COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM (Document#07-19) Eileen reported that she met with Jinny Baeckler, Director of Plainsboro Public Library to discuss the possibility of extending the Open Borrowing program to the Mercer County Library System. The Mercer County Library System consists of the following libraries: West Windsor; Laurence; Ewing; Hopewell; Twin Rivers; Hickory Corner; Hollowbrook; Washington and Hightstown. Eileen spoke to Robert White, Director of BCCLS about the possibility of the joint reciprocal borrowing program with Mercer County. He said that any library system is eligible as long as there is sponsorship of a major borrowing partner. Eileen mentioned that the Directors of Monroe and South Brunswick Libraries are also supportive of gaining Mercer County as part of the Open Borrowing program. Margie Cyr suggested extending a letter of interest to the Monmouth County Library System since we have several participating libraries in Monmouth County. The Board agreed that taking steps to gain reciprocal borrowing between these counties would be another positive step towards statewide borrowing. Irene Goldberg moved to allow Eileen M. Palmer to contact Mercer and Monmouth County Library systems to determine interest in the Open Borrowing program. Margie Cyr seconded the motion. Five members were in favor. One member abstained. The motion carried.

 

ST. PETER’S HOSPITAL (Document#07-20) Eileen reported that she had been contacted by the hospital librarian about the possibility of joining LMxAC.  The Board had a discussion regarding special libraries. Anne Roman mentioned a previous member, the New Jersey School for Boys. The Board agreed that it would provide growth potential within our organization and add a different dimension to our services. It was important to find out the level of support and availability of materials that this medical library would be willing to share with our member libraries. Some member library patrons often seek answers for medical reference questions and it may potentially be a great resource for our aging population. It was agreed to develop a quote using the existing fund formula. The Board agreed that Eileen can present Jeannine Creazzo, Manager of Library Services at Saint Peter’s University Hospital Medical Library with a quote for membership as well as an invitation to the next meeting.

 

OFFICE SPACE (Document#07-21) Eileen reported that she and Ann Macdonald looked at various sites with in Edison, Piscataway and Woodbridge with Weichert Realtor, Pat Masi.  The renewal rental rate will increase to $23/sq ft for our current office space. One site located across from the Piscataway Public Library offers $16/sq ft. Lewis Ostar recommended the purchase of property over renting. He suggested seeking office condos. Eileen indicated that a purchase would likely take longer and recommended we consider renewing our existing lease if the Board wants to more closely investigate a purchase. A Board member recommended mentioning our office space needs when we next met with the County.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CIRCULATION PROTOCOLS COMMITTEE: (Document#07-22) The Circulation Protocols committee submitted to the Board recommendations on proposed database maintenance guidelines. The guidelines focus in the area of discard items, in transit items, lost items, missing items, and expired users/no transactions.  Bob Belvin moved to accept the database maintenance guideline recommended by the Circulation/Protocols Committee. Irene Goldberg seconded the motion. All members were in favor. The motion carried. The guidelines will be presented to the membership at April’s General Membership meeting.

 

COMMUNICATIONS:   The Communications include: a copy of a letter send to MCC to encourage resource sharing partnership; LMxAC 2006/2007 Budget Projection; and LMxAC Reciprocal Borrowing Report from July 2006-February 2007.

 

OTHER: The Board reviewed the LMxAC Reciprocal Borrowing Report from July 2006-February 2007.This report shows total loaned and borrowed by each member library over an 8 month period. Bob Belvin moved to present the LMxAC Reciprocal Borrowing report to the Membership at the April meeting. Anne Roman seconded the motion. All members were in favor the motion carried.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

Bob Belvin moved to adjourn the meeting. Mary Faith Chmiel seconded the motion. All members were in favor. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 12:15pm. The next meeting is scheduled for April 19, 2007 at 10:00am at the LMxAC Office.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

Margery Cyr

Recording Secretary