The Friends of the Golda Meir Library

University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee

1. The minutes of the Board meeting of 21 April 1999 were approved as submitted.
   
2. Announcements, by Lasca.
   
   Welcomed new members attending their first meeting: Lois Blinkhorn, Gilbert Church, Leigh Sherman, Pat Van Alyea, and David Tucker.
   
   Introductions around the table.
   
   Congratulated L. Schneiders on her appointment as a Regent of the University of Wisconsin System and L. Blinkhorn on her induction to the Milwaukee Press Club Hall of Fame.
   
   Lasca and Watson-Boone were guests on The Barry Silberg Show which aired on Sunday, 17 October. The program discussed the Golda Meir Library and the Friends organization.
   
   UWM Chancellor Nancy Zimpher will attend the next Board meeting on 22 February 2000.
   
   Circulated a committee sign up sheet. Standing Committees are Communication, Nominating, Development and Program.
   
   The Board currently has two vacancies. Lasca asked that suggestions for nominations to the board. be submitted to Hinshaw who is chair of the Nominating Committee. The By-laws allow for the President to appoint members to the Board with the concurrence of the executive committee.
   
   Lasca summarized the history of the Friends. Began as a small group of “library associates” in 1962 and grew to 120 members in the mid 1980's. In the late 1980's President Virginia Haas raised membership, and started fundraising and programming activities. Currently there are over 600 members. It is an appropriate time to involve the community more. The Golda Meir Library is a resource for Southeastern Wisconsin. The purpose of the Friends is to strengthen the library, enhance its collections and increase the awareness of this superb resource in the community. Approximately 10% of the library’s users are from the community. The Friends co-sponsor the Fromkin lecture series and the Holzheimer Lecture series on Maps and America in the American Geographical Society Collection. The AGSC is the largest collection of maps, atlases, globes, etc. outside of the Library of Congress on this continent. The Archives have a formal relationship with the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, and is also interested in acquiring local collections: recently it acquired the archives of the Milwaukee Press Club.
   
   The role of the Board of the Friends is to assist in developing memberships, enhance library resources, and raise funds to enhance collections and be an advocate for the library. Increasing the number of corporate memberships is a major goal since more corporations are drawing on the library's resources.
   
   Discussed the fact that the Alumni Association gives library privileges to their members and the Friends are not reimbursed for this. A new Assistant Chancellor for Development & Alumni Relations has been appointed by Chancellor Zimpher. Silberg and Lasca will meet with him to discuss options for reimbursement to the Friends.
   
   Directed Board members’ attention to the display of items purchased by the Friends.
   
   
3. Treasurer’s Report.
   
   Silberg presented the statement dated 19 October 1999. Drew attention to the transfer item. For the first time funds will be in an interest bearing account.
   
   After discussion Hinshaw moved that expenditures in excess of 10% of the funds available to the Friends be authorized by the full Board. Lord seconded the motion. Expenditures less than 10% will be handled by the Executive Committee of the Board. The motion carried unanimously.
   
   
4. Director's Report.
   
   Watson-Boone welcomed the members of the Board and emphasized that the Library values the involvement of its Friends. This has been a very good year for the library. The automated system has been completely changed. The State budget contains increased acquisitions funding. He thanked the Friends who helped by contacting officials. An agreement was recently reached with UW System Administration for matching funding to convert manual records of the AGSC materials to the computerized database. This project will take 7 years.
   
   
5. Demonstration of the Friends Web Site by C. Maass, Assistant to the Director.
   
   
6. Proposed Amendments to the Bylaws.
   
   Several revisions to the Friends Bylaws were discussed. Sherman moved to accept the proposed changes and recommend them to the membership as a whole. Hinshaw seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
   
   
7. The Friends role in the UWM Capital Campaign. Few details of the UWM capital campaign have been released. It is likely that the campaign will be structured around the Milwaukee Idea. Library uses of funds could include: strengthening the collections in specific fields like humanities, etc. Planning is beginning for phase IV of the Library, an expansion which will also incorporate interdisciplinary space for information technology.
   
   

1. The consensus is that lunch meetings work out best for Board members.
   
   
2. Historically the annual meeting has been held on a Sunday. For many, this is not a particularly convenient day; Lasca asked everyone to think about a more appropriate time. The Executive Committee will prepare some options. Ideas for the annual program are being considered.
   
   
3. Please think about suggestions for other programs during the year.
   
   
4. Watson-Boone distributed an invitation to attend the Moebius Employee of the Year award ceremony on 7 December.
   
5. Van Alyea asked where to bring in books for the book sale. Watson-Boone suggested bringing them to the Library Circulation Desk. Van Alyea suggested contact other bookstores to let them know about the booksale. Lord reported that he represents Sotheby's; he suggested this may be a way to sell things.
   
   
6. Lasca asked for ideas for the meeting with the Chancellor. Zimpher will address the board, and there will be a question and answer session before she leaves. The Board will then conduct a normal business meeting.