Board of Directors Meeting
Friday, Oct. 29 2004, 12 noon
4th floor Conference Center
Present: Pat Van Alyea, Ewa Barczyk, Tom Bliffert, EJ Brumder, Gil Church, Deborah Conta, Scott Enk, Bruce Fetter, Donn Haglund, John Koethe, Norman Lasca, Robert Meldman, Martine Meyer, Alderman Michael Murphy, Jill G. Pelisek, Bob Pietrykowski, Gwenn Plunkett, Lolita Schneiders, Gov. Martin Schreiber, Prescott Wurlitzer.
Guests: Dawn Lee-Vue, Krystyna Matusiak, Susan Modder.
The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m.
1. Welcome and introductions.
2. Minutes of the 27 February, 2004 Board meeting were approved as submitted.
3. President’s report:
Fetter reported the Libraries had a number of successful events. The Fromkin lecture had an all time high attendance. Drs. Aims McGuinness and Jasmine Alinder presented, Socialism in the City: The Original "Milwaukee Idea." Mordecai Lee will be speaking on October 29 at the Scholar and the Library series. Announced that the Milwaukee Public Library added John Koethe to the Wisconsin Writers Wall of Fame. The Executive Committee met and discussed updating the membership dues as well as the possibility of a membership drive that the Communications Committee could take up.
4. Treasurer’s report (President reported for Silberg):
The current balance as of October 29, 2004 was $85,092.88. The amount from the Friends booksale was transferred for the purchase of library materials. The report was accepted by the Board as submitted.
5. Interim Director of Libraries’ report:
The Chancellor visited the Libraries for an extended tour. A small reception was also scheduled for the Chancellor to meet with the staff. A very rare volume on Puerto Rico was dedicated to him as Chancellor of UWM and will be added to the Libraries’ collection. The Chancellor was also presented with a READ poster featuring him. There was also a brief Power Point presentation pulled together by the staff for the Chancellor to see who we are and what we are about. The event was followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony at the coffee shop located in the East Wing of the library. In response to requests from students, the Libraries has installed wireless throughout the building. Barczyk shared a quote from a faculty member in Prague from an international paper whose experience at the Libraries was excellent. Fetter reminded the Board to attend the UWM Authors event which recognizes the faculty and staff who have published works in the past two years.
6. Proposed Membership Categories:
Fetter would like to see the Friends increasing membership. Pelisek mentioned that at the Chancellor’s society luncheon, the Chancellor had talked about the capital campaign and the importance of funding for UWM. Barczyk mentioned that the Chancellor is very knowledgeable of the Libraries and that he understands that the Libraries need to grow along with the campus. Lasca added that state support of the UW System is currently only at twenty-nine percent of its operating budget, forty percent by indirect costs and thirty percent is tuition. He stated that outside research funding is important in maintaining research. Pelisek mentioned that the Foundation is actively working on the campaign. The Board was asked to consider some changes to the membership categories and dues structure as discussed by the Executive Committee. The individual membership will remain the same but it was suggested that the Sponsor category be increased from $100 (to $150) since this includes Interlibrary Loan privileges. Since we do not have any organizational or corporate members at $1,000, it was suggested it should be reduced to $500. The Alumni users could be assessed a $10 card handling fee since they have free access. Parts of the proposal were approved but at the end the entire proposal was tabled and sent to the Executive Committee for further work before the next Board meeting.
7. Committee Reports:
Nominating Committee:
- Lolita Schneiders announced that Stanley Miller II would fill the remaining vacancy on the board.
Program Committee:
- Deborah Conta reported that the booksale was successful. Book sales had reached a record amount of $5,312. Noted the importance of having Board members volunteer and thanked them for their support. Currently working with the Historic Milwaukee, Inc. on a book-reading program, slideshow and Q&A session with Will Fellows about his new book regarding building preservation in February 2005.
Communications Committee:
- Bruce Fetter introduced Scott Enk who will be the new chair for the Communications Committee. Scott noted that he hopes to meet with the Committee to expand the number of Friends members specific groups such as emeritus, emerita, active faculty as well as people in the sciences. Meldman suggested to include the lecturers on campus as well in their recruitment for new members.
Development Committee:
- Robert Meldman is working on a campaign to obtain new comfortable furniture for the libraries coffee shop. Barczyk added that the libraries could use an enhanced look with more group study areas as well as comfortable furniture. Meldman mentioned a cruise to the Baltics a possible fund raising event in 2006. The target is 50 people (25 cabins) that should raise $25,000.
8. Featured Library Service
Krystyna Matusiak, Associate Academic Librarian from the Digitization Projects Unit, talked briefly about three digital collections that are available from the Libraries' web site:
· The Milwaukee Repertory Theater Photographic History: Mark Avery Collection 1977-1994 provides a visual chronicle of the artistic productions of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in the years 1977-1994. The digital collection includes 1,800 images documenting 195 performances. The images were selected from the Mark Avery Collection housed at the Archives at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries (UWM Libraries).
· Transportation Around the World: 1911-1993 presents a wide variety of transportation methods used in 79 countries across the globe. The 650 images contained in this digital collection were selected from three separate photographic collections: the Harrison Forman Collection, Harold Mayer Collection, and American Geographical Society Library Print Collection.
· Milwaukee Neighborhoods Photos and Maps 1885-1992 presents images of Milwaukee neighborhoods from the far northwest side to the far south side. The digital collection provides a visual documentation of the development of the city of Milwaukee from the mid-1880s to the early 1990s. It includes images of residential and industrial facilities, local businesses, historic buildings, churches, and numerous Milwaukee parks.
9. The meeting was adjourned at 1:40 p.m.