WLTA BOARD MEETING

The first 2007 board meeting for WLTA was held in Portage on 2/17/07. The following are highlights of that meeting:

• The new Chairperson welcomed this year's mix of old and new board members.
• The President of the Friends of the Portage Library greeted the group and gave a history of their great library.
• Minutes of the November meeting were reviewed.
• Status of WLTA finances was provided by the Executive Director of WLA.
• Absorption of FOWL into WLTA was discussed. It was decided not to change the organization's name at this time. Rather, an aggressive program of inclusion of Friends activities into WLTA & WLA functions and publications was agreed to.
• WLA DIRECTOR'S REPORT - WLA will be the only group to have By-Laws. All subsidiary units will change theirs to a Policies & Procedures format. Copies of our existing By-Laws were distributed for discussion regarding modification at the next meeting. The Director suggested WLTA consider re-doing their brochure to reflect the new makeup of their constituency.
• COLAND REPORT - WLTA has two representitives on this committee. A report will be issued clarifying the purposes and programs of this group for our new board members.
• LD&L REPORT - None submitted at this meeting.
• ADVOCACY REPORT - Letter from Co-Chair of Library Legislative Day was distributed. Key issues for WLTA were that only 30 non-professional people were in the 160 who attended the session. We will work toward getting more Trustees and Friends to the 2008 session. Program was also outlined to identify the legislative representatives for each of the State's libraries. We will work toward getting board members from all support and monitoring groups to attend so no legislator will be "lonely". We will also work toward providing a "Tool-Kit" for libraries to hold their own LLD events, inviting their representatives to visit them on the library's home turf. Writing letters to the Governor's office were encouraged, to thank him for his budget proposals relating to libraries.
• TRUSTEE EDUCATION REPORT - A one page summary of the first section of the DPI's Trustee Manual was distributed. This report covers the "Job Description" of a Trustee or Board member. The summary was prepared by the Director of Wisconsin Valley Library Service. It will be included in the WLTA newsletter and this blog. We will encourage going to the DPI website and reading/downloading the complete section for review.
• FRIENDS OF LIBRARIES REPORT - A report on running effective meetings will be distributed. A report on comparison of duties/responsibilities of Library Directors, Trustees, & Friends will also be distributed. Information on obtaining free DVDs and brochures from the Gates Foundation regarding Friends groups advocating in their own communities will be published in newsletters and on blogs. Information on buying books with CDs from FOLUSA (Friends of Libraries - USA) regarding advocating activities for Friends Groups will also be published in newsletters and on blogs. WLTA will investigate holding Friends Conferences annually in a different quadrant of the State. These would be similar to the the Northwoods Conference held recently in the Northern part of the State.
• CONVENTIONS REPORT - WLTA will present a session at the Wisconsin Association of Public Library (WAPL) convention in Eau Claire in May, regarding "Top Ten Things" learned at the recent Friends conference. The group voted to co-sponser a session on Intellectual Freedom at the WLA convention in Green Bay in October. They also voted to present a session regarding Statistical Process Control in libraries.
• WLA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT - An extensive reporting of activities at the WLA headquarters was given. A report on current status of all legislative issues pertaining to libaries was distributed. Segments of the report, available at the WLA web-site will also be published on this blog. The Director agreed that WLTA should consider re-doing their brochure.
• DPI REPORT - A written report was distributed which highlighted activites in the Trustee Education area and the ten "Greener Pastures: Rural Library Sustainability" workshops which will be conducted in 2007 around the state. The Gates Foundation recently announced a second round of hardware grants for computers to areas with 10% poverty rates. Local matches will likely be required this time. DPI will also be incuded in a 2008 program to distribute resources, training, and information to assist in service to Spanish speaking communities.
• NEW BUSINESS - A proposal was made by the Chairperson to consider changes to our Policies and Procedures at the next meeting, including a specified level of attendance performance to remain a board member. The Chairperson also suggested that no one be sent to the National version of Library Legislative Day this year, and that we should use the monies for programs such as new brochures and other activities related to our re-organization. The WLA director suggested the possibility of adding Friends leaders to a list-serv currently distributing information to Trustees, Board Members and other library leaders. The Vice-Chair will investigate establishment of a "wiki" allowing Board Members to discuss key issues between the scheduled meetings.
• CONCERNS AND COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS: Information on the Eau Claire multi-million dollar library addition program was distributed. Several board members reported on new library directors in their areas, and continued searches for directors for libraries who currently have voids. Activities at the Janesville library were presented. A seasoned representative from the Portage Library Board talked of activities at that library and his thoughts on acceptance of new programs. Discussion was held regarding "All Politics Is Local" in relation to Friends groups. The Vice-Chair told several lame jokes.
• Next meeting, Saturday May 19th, 2007, Portage Public Library, 10:00 AM.