Minnesota Library Association

ARLD/ACRL Minnesota Chapter

Board Meeting

February 25, 2005

Attendees: Karen Docherty, Julie Kelly, Linda Eels, Robin Ewing, Kim Clarke, Stephanie McConnell (via video). Jim Newsome appeared briefly, but needed to leave before the meeting began.

Karen Docherty called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. January 2005 minutes were approved and will be posted to the web site.

Old Business

  1. MLA Planning Update – Victoria Peters was unable to attend, but e-mailed an update. We have several MLA proposals that came via Jim Newsome and one from Stephanie McConnell. Jim Newsome said that the University of St. Thomas Google Scholar presentation will be tweaked and updated before the conference. A session for the urban librarian will be co-sponsored by us; Tammy Bobrowsky is working on this. We should repeat the call for proposals soon.
  2. Volunteering at ACRL 2005 – Karen Docherty and Julie Kelly reported there are 10 volunteers for hosted dinners so far. Jim Newsome brought us a downtown dining guide. A call to the section chairs has gone out; people can sign up the day before. We will provide parking tips, too. Karen Docherty mentioned that there are three other events in downtown Minneapolis the evening of April 8: Twins, Timberwolves, and Orchestra Hall. Chris Olson (CLIC) will send out a call for bag stuffers the day before the conference begins.
  3. @ your Library Update – Anne Mackereth reported that while she was vacationing recently, Karen Docherty, Mary Parker’s staff, and Susan Motin (SCSU, presenter) made much headway in getting the details of the program together. The workshop will be at SCSU from 9AM to 3PM on March 23. Minitex is providing clerical help for nametags, registration, and materials, as well as morning refreshments. Lunch will be on your own to allow attendees to mingle and move about. Stephanie McConnell announced the program on the ARLD list and Linda E. will place it on our web site. We should probably announce the event again in a week or two.
  4. ARLD Dialogues Update – Karen Docherty reported that we have 14 people signed up for the Dialogue on March 4 in Mankato. The topic of cutting edge technologies might be good for a webinar in the future, too. We will discuss that possibility next time when Victoria Peters is in attendance.
  5. ARLD Procedures Manual – Julie Kelly is working on a draft table of contents and will divide the various sections among Board members to complete.
  6. Interest Groups/Collegial Groups/Learning Groups – Kim Clarke reported that the group has yet to meet. Karen Docherty has visited some two-year colleges with mixed reactions thus far. Julie Kelly suggested an online survey instrument could be useful to ascertain what groups would be most useful to those schools. Julie Kelly will check into what kinds of software could be used for that. Julie would also like to see an interest group focused on instruction. After community colleges, we could reach out to other colleges and universities within Minnesota. There was some discussion about a possible web presence for these groups.
  7. ARLD Day substitute needed? Karen Docherty proposed that we might have a lunch to substitute for the lack of ARLD Day this year. Attendees suggested that with so many meetings in the near future (NASIG, ACRL Annual Conference, Minitex Collection Development Symposium, ARLD Dialogues, MLA Leadership Institute, Minitex Annual ILL Conference) that people would have plenty of opportunities to interact outside of the workplace. Stephanie McConnell will draft an announcement for the ARLD list to raise awareness of these various opportunities.

New Business

  1. Karen Docherty gave an MLA Board update. Alison Schaub’s last day was February 18; she will work with a contract if needed for two months. Her assistant is also leaving, so there will be no one in the MLA office for awhile. An Interim Director will be hired soon.
  2. Robin Ewing attended Library Legislative Day on February 24. She attended a committee hearing for the first time. We should be sure to make appointments ahead of time to see legislators. One on one contact can have a greater impact.
  3. Julie Kelly reported on the MEMO/MLA information literacy group. They have met in a small group to discuss research strategies. MEMO has done some things for K-12 groups. Schools with education programs should be sure to stress information literacy. Perhaps some new tactics are in order, such as LSTA-funded of initiatives. We were reminded that MEMO recently approved information literacy standards. A suggestion was made to test freshmen to see what kinds of info. lit. they have been exposed to before college. We wondered if media specialist programs stress info. lit. It was mentioned that media specialists aren’t mandated to be in MEMO. Perhaps it’s time for an instruction interest group composed of joint MLA/MEMO members.

The next meeting is at MLA on March 25, 2005 at 12:30 p.m..

The meeting adjourned at 1:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted.

Anne Mackereth, Secretary Pro-tem