Friends of the Golda Meir Library
Minutes
Meeting of 6 January 1999
12:00 p.m.
Library Room W301
Present: N. Lasca, Chair; N. Balthasar, C. Benson, T. Bliffert, B. Fetter, E. Hinshaw, S. Miller, B.
Silberg, L. Schneiders, S. Tolan, P. Watson-Boone
Excused: H. Winter, K. Basquin, F. Chaney
Guests: E. Barczyk, C. Maass
Lasca called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m.
The Minutes of the meeting of 12 October 1998 were approved as submitted.
Announcements: Lasca announced the appointment of 5 new board members
Norm
Balthasar, Kit
Basquin, Clayborn Benson III, Tom Bliffert, and Michael Lord.
Treasurer s report: Lasca presented and discussed the
report. FoL balance stands at $45,311.74.
President's report: Lasca sent a letter on behalf of the FOL to UWM Chancellor Zimpher and Governor
Thompson supporting the UW budget request for
$12M
to
augment library acquisitions
budgets.
There
has been no increase in
state funding
in 10 years. A response from Zimpher indicating her desire to
meet with the Board has been received.
Negotiations with the Milwaukee Art Center to share membership lists and other cooperative ventures
have been suspended.
Miller and Lasca reported on discussions with the UWM Alumni Association. Alumni Association
members receive library privileges. The cost to the library run between $1,500 and $2,000 annually.
Discussions are exploring a reimbursement to the Library for the costs incurred. Regret there is little
progress on this. The
president
of the Alumni Association
board
is amenable to discussing this, but
wants the FOL to discuss the matter with the UWM Foundation.
The By-laws change of 1998 has expanded the board to 10 members. Five new board members have
been appointed, five more will be elected at the 1999 annual meeting. Lasca discussed the makeup of
the board, which is not specified in the bylaws.
Directors Report: Watson-Boone commented that
he hopes
the board
will
continue in the direction of
change; he is looking forward to a very productive relationship. Thanked Lasca and the Board for
letters supporting the UW System Budget request for libraries; also thanked Schneiders and Bliffert
who sent individual letters in support.
The library is embarking on the largest change in library automation in years. A
new
online catalog
is
being implemented. The new system will increase access to users via the worldwide web. It is a
major change internally for library staff as well as for patrons.
Watson-Boone discussed Chancellor Zimpher s initiative The Milwaukee Idea. Campus and
community
planning
groups
discussed
health and welfare questions, global perspectives, economic
opportunity, physical environment, and frontiers of research and
knowledge.
The plan will be
announced by
the
Chancellor
at her inauguration on Friday 26 March. The inaugural is planned as a two day series of
events. A seminar on the engaged university, and a series of events that surround the inaugural. The
Friends will have two representatives on the Platform Party at the Inauguration to present a book to be
added to the in the Chancellor s name to commemorate the event. The Board also discussed planning
an event on Thursday 25 March. The Board authorized expenditures up to $1,000 for a reception.
Watson-Boone offered to conduct a tour after the meeting for interested Board
members. Balthasar,
Tolan and Bliffert accepted.
Program Committee: Seay announced that the Annual Booksale will be on 29, 30, and 31 March. Set
up will be on 29 March. After discussion, the Board decided to expand hours, to ensure more time
available for students only, and revised the pricing structure. Set up will be on Monday 29 March, the
sale will open that night from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for students only, and from 10:00 a.m. to Noon on
Tuesday 30 March for students only. Then the sale will be opened to the public. The revised pricing
structure is: $3.00 for books in jackets; $2.00 for hardcover books; and $1.00 for softcover books.
Records will be $2.00.
Fetter will be on the Committee to plan the annual meeting program. Seay will act as assistant.
Possible programs were discussed.
The Nominating Committee for Board membership was selected. Hinshaw will chair. Other Committee
members are Lord and Basquin. Watson-Boone will serve as ex officio.
Committee Chairships: A funding strategies committee
was
appointed.
Tolan will chair. Bliffert,
Balthasar and Miller are the other committee members. Watson-Boone is ex officio.
Board Membership. Lasca read a list of possible candidates for the board. Members present
discussed issues including a student member on the board, coordinating efforts with the Chancellor s
initiative to serve the community better, fund raising options, incentives for joining at the corporate
level. The Nominating Committee was asked to consider these issues and possible other goals.
Other: Discussion of plans for the inauguration. Hinshaw moved that on the behalf of the Friends of
the Library the first edition of Moby Dick be purchased as a gift from the Friends to the library in the
Chancellor s honor. Schneiders seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
The next meeting was scheduled on 21 April.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:40 p.m.
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