Minerva Users’ Council Nov. 17, 2010

Topsham Public Library
November 17, 2010

Meeting Called to order at 10:10

Reports:

Minerva Executive Board: Kevin Davis

Working on long term issues

Maine InfoNet Representative: Judy

InfoNet has continued to work on the 501C3 process.

There have been 2 major summits.The discussion has been around collection development.There is a third summit scheduled Friday.

Delivery costs for next year will be approximately $15.00 per delivery.Judy recommends budgeting for a little more to ensure funds.

Conversations surrounding MaineCat have been ongoing with regard to OCLC and/or KOHA.

One Search is in place.

A request was made for current information that could be utilized with local governing agencies and boards to demonstrate the many benefits and services in a user-friendly format.

Maine InfoNet Director: James Jackson Sanborn

Vacant position at the University has become Library Support Technician.This position will be an entry-level systems librarian.This should free up some time for our current technology people.

Currently looking for funds for MaineCat server upgrade.Cost is approximately $25,000.Hopefully the upgrade will ensure better connectivity.

September meeting with Innovative was a positive experience.We have been promised a roadmap for adding new libraries/new sites to delineate costs.

Download Library and ebook expansion is going well.Email invoices have been sent to libraries that have pledged for annual fees.

Friday’s Symposium will feature a morning presentation by R2 Consulting that helps with coming up with new ways to handle technology.Afternoon will be discussion of issues surrounding running a library – how to enforce rules, etc.

Advocacy for Marvel.While authenticating, a page will open explaining how this resource is funded.James asked for feedback.Majority seemed to feel it was a valid way to advocate this resource.

James has created a Maine InfoNet Twitter account (twitter.com/maineinfonet).Designed to be used for information that goes out to libraries.Allows information to be sent when university servers are down.

Lyrasis regional meeting for consortiums demonstrated that there are very few states that have the consortium resources that we have in Maine.We need to keep this value in the forefront of our communities to ensure their continued support.

Minerva Technical: Alisia Revitt

Overdrive Numbers: All Titles 2741 Copies 3112.Every single title has been circulated at least once.Usage is steady with wide demographic range.There is a download library listserve.Libraries involved should be on this listserve.If there are technical issues with this service: support@libraryreserve.com.

Marc records for audio/ebook will be loaded into Minerva for all libraries that subscribe to Overdrive.

When libraries close for longer than a week, a best-case scenario has been worked out.At least one month before you are going to be closed let Minerva Tech know by submitting a ticket.They are asking that libraries set items aside, put item into transit, but hold the item until the library is open again to help the delivery service not have to store items.

Ticketing system has been updated: Support.maineinfonet.org.Logins have been updated and remain the same.

Delivery: Dean Corner

Freedom Express wanted to charge libraries for days they are closed due to library administrative reasons.School closings, holidays, snow days will not incur charges.

Costs currently: $13.00 per delivery.July 1 will begin $15.00 charge.Maine State Library will not be picking up the additional $2.00 charge starting in July – so libraries will need to budget an additional $4.00.

Maine State Library becoming a part of Minerva – Dean has been working on collection development.There are state mandates for collection development.Dean has been trying to develop collections of items that have not been collected by Minerva libraries.He has also opened up many collections that were for library use only.

Finance and Budget: Jay Scherma

Minerva is solvent.

All member libraries have paid for this year

We are paid in full on all outstanding invoices we are aware of

Please see attached budget for specific numbers

Questions:

How/what do we pay III?Minerva subscription, Minerva’s part of MaineCat Inn-reach, Connection charge to Inn-system, authority processing

What are fees for next year? This is not final, however we are looking at some increases in expenses: delivery and III charges will go up next year and this will be passed on.Probably will be an increase of $200, or 5%.In the neighborhood of $3950.This is cushioned by drawing down the reserve.

Are conversations continuing about readjusting the costs for Minerva to take “size” into account?Not at the moment.It could be in the future, but it is a two-edged issue.

We will send out a survey regarding the funding model.

Committee Reports

Membership

No report

Circulation: Cyndi Burne

Creating a patron record proposed policy.

There was discussion surrounding entering date of birth as mandatory field.It was suggested that date of birth, phone number, and email address become recommended fields.

Perhaps Executive Board should address this issue with Linda Lord as to legal issues.

Cataloging: Carin Duray

Standardization of material types: committee has been working on these issues and is preparing recommendations to go to Executive Board.

Attendance of cataloging meetings: if member libraries are not compliant, Carin has sent emails to those catalogers.If she receives no response, she will be contacting library directors.

Statistics

No report

Old Business

Steve Norman: Review of draft revision of Minerva Bylaws

Revision of bylaws became necessary when Executive Board asked an attorney to give some recommendations and we discovered that we had taken money out of state’s control and that should not have happened.We had to revise the bylaws to comply with the state and legal regulations.

Once Bylaws have been accepted we will revise the Agreement to Participate.

Discussion regarding posting of bylaws draft –

(Draft Bylaws Attached)

New Business

Patron record Information

Other

Adjournment: 12:55

Present: Alisia Revitt: ME InfoNet, Steve Norman: Belfast, Shelley Davis: St Joseph’s College, Kevin Davis: South Portland Public, Jay Scherma: Thomas Memorial, Judy Frost: CMCC/InfoNet Minerva Rep , Dean Corner: MSL, Betsy Pohl: Lithgow, Martha Ott: Kaplan University, Susan Preece: Topsham, Amy Averre: Husson University, Carin Duray: SMCC, Cynthia Burne: Topsham, Cindy White:EMCC, Nancy Crowell: Scarborough, Courtney Sparks: Patten Free Library, Anne Romans: Witherle Memorial Library, Anna Romer: Charlotte Hobbs Library, Karen LaForgia: UKV Schools, Ann Siekman: Norway, Betty Hughes: Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library, Laurie McQuarrie: Bangor Theological Seminary, Liz Reisz: York Schools, Jennifer Lewis: Augusta Schools, Pam Gormley: Skidompha, James Jackson Sanborn: InfoNet

Draft Bylaws distributed at Meeting:

Bylaws of the Minerva Users Council

Approved May 2008

[DRAFT for presentation at Users Council meeting of 11/17/10]

ARTICLE 1: NAME AND DESCRIPTION

Sec 1: Name of the Consortium

The name of this consortium shall be the Minerva Users Council (Users Council).

Sec 2: Description and General Powers

The Users Council represents a statewide, multi-type consortium of libraries that work collaboratively to provide their patrons with expanded library services and resources through common policies and purposes.

The Users Council is recognized by both the Maine State Library (MSL) and Maine InfoNet (MIN) as a formal partner in the support and utilization of the integrated library management system (ILS), currently called Minerva (MILS).

The Users Council is a self-governing and self-regulating consortium that is empowered to create, promulgate and enforce its own internal policies and standards and practices with respect to its member libraries and the MILS, providing that all such statements comply with State of Maine laws and regulations and overarching MIN policies.

The Users Council’s activities are not limited solely to the MILS itself.

The Users Council will identify, pursue and implement additional services for the consortium and its patrons as deemed appropriate, as long as such services comply with State of Maine laws and regulations and overarching MIN policies.

ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE

Sec 1: Users Council and Executive Board

The Users Council and its Executive Board bear the responsibility and duty to manage the collective use of the MILS resources.

The Users Council through the Executive Board retains the authority to set standards for cataloging, resource-sharing and future cooperative ventures.

The Executive Board shall

  • approve policy changes, standards and procedures for the consortium,
  • ensure the successful ongoing operation of Minerva, both the MILS and the consortium,
  • foster positive relationships and communication among members of the consortium,
  • represent and advocate on behalf of the membership before such relevant organizations as the MIN Board; Maine State Library;Maine Library Commission; and Maine State Legislature, and
  • coordinate and plan with the MIN staff
    • the ongoing maintenance and operation of the MILS,
    • the scheduling and purchasing of hardware and software changes to the MILS,
    • the future growth and development of the MILS,
  • oversee the collection and management of membership dues and any other funds to be received, as well as authorize through its Treasurer and in conjunction with the State Librarian expenditures on behalf of the consortium,
  • serve as a forum to influence the development and improvement of the technical aspects of the MILS for the benefit of the consortium.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP

Sec 1:Membership Qualifications

Any library that is accepted and pays the yearly service and support fees for the MILS is automatically considered a member of the consortium.

Sec 2:Voting Qualifications

Each member library shall designate an official representative to the Users Council who will attend Users Council meetings and who is empowered to vote on behalf of the library on all issues before the membership.

Only individuals formally associated with member libraries are eligible to be official representatives. On occasions when the official representative cannot attend a meeting or cast a vote, s/he may designate another individual formally associated with the library to act as the representative on a temporary basis.

Sec 3:New Member Libraries

The Executive Board in coordination with the Membership Committee is charged with establishing a reasonable goal for the number of new libraries to be admitted to the MILS on a yearly basis and retains the right of final decision with respect to the evaluation of applications, the libraries selected and the implementation schedule. This process will be undertaken in consultation with the MIN staff.

By May of each year, the Membership Committee along with the MIN staff will conduct a formal review to ensure that the new libraries approved for entering the MILS in the previous year have been fully integrated prior to adding further new librariesand will submit a progress report to the Executive Board for review and dissemination to the Users Council.

ARTICLE 4: GOVERNANCE

Sec. 1:Bylaws

The Users Council has the authority to establish bylaws to govern itself and any representative body that it creates.

Sec 2:Executive Board

The Users Council shall establish an Executive Board and authorizes it to conduct business on behalf of the Users Council.

The Users Council shall elect an Executive Board annually from the body of official representatives to terms as outlined in Article 5 that coincide with the consortium’s fiscal year, July 1 – June 30.

Sec 3:Quorum

At a Users Council meeting or on any mail or electronic vote on any issue affecting the Users Council, a majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.

For changes in the bylaws to take effect, a two-thirds majority of votes cast is required.

ARTICLE 5: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Sec 1:Duties and Composition of the Executive Board

The duties of the Executive Board shall include but not be limited to

  • approving and/or recommending appropriate allocation of financial resources,authorizing payments of all invoices,
  • approving the annual budget in a timely manner to permit sound budgetary planning by the consortium and its members,
  • managing and monitoring the financial status of the consortium, including the collection of annual fees,
  • developing policies, standards, and procedures,
  • expressing the consensus and preferences of the Users Council on all other matters relating to the operation of the group and the MILS.

The Executive Board shall be composed of nine Users Council official representatives, and the terms served will be of three years in length.

In annual elections, three new Board members will be voted upon by the Users Council.

The nine representatives shall be composed of the following: 4 from public library members, 3 from college/ postsecondary library members, 1 from special library members and 1 from school library members.

The Users Council may from time to time amend this section to keep the representation in rough proportion to that within the system itself, if deemed necessary.

In addition to the nine Board members there will be twonon-voting ex officio representatives –the MIN Board representative appointed by the Executive Board and the MIN Executive Director.

Elections for the Executive Board will be held annually in April.

Nominations for Board members shall be solicited from among the designated official representatives of member libraries no later than January 30, with ballots to be distributed by March 30. Final results shall be tabulated and announced to the Users Council by April 30.

In the event that a vacancy should arise on the Board, a person from the membership will be appointed by the Executive Board Chair to complete the term being vacated. Whenever possible, the individual appointed must come from among the type of library group that the vacancy represents.

The Executive Board will meet at least 6 times a year.

Notice of Board meetings shall be distributed to each Board member by the Chair in writing at least one week in advance, with a statement of the time, place, and the agenda.

Executive Board meetings are open.

Notice of meetings and the agenda shall be posted on the Minerva web site at least one week in advance of a meeting.

Meeting minutes shall be posted on the Minerva web site in a timely manner.

ARTICLE 6: OFFICERS

Sec 1:Election of Board Officers

At the first meeting of the new fiscal year, the Executive Board shall elect officers. These officers shall be a Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary .

Each officer shall serve a one-year term. An officer may not serve more than two complete terms in succession.

New officers assume their duties at the beginning of the fiscal year.

The Vice-Chair will immediately and only succeed the Chair if the Chair is unable to finish his or her term and will serve out the un-expired Chair’s term.

Except for the Chair’s vacancy, whose succession is laid out in Article 6, Section 1 (d), all other Executive Board Officers vacancies will be filled by special election from within the Executive Board.

Sec 2: Duties of the Chair

Coordinate, prepare for and preside at the meetings of the Executive Board and the Users Council.

Appoint annually the chairs of the standing committees and round tables.

Appoint a representative to the MIN Board from the official representatives of the Users Council.

Perform other duties as are appropriate to the office of the Chair.

Sec 3: Duties of the Vice-Chair

Perform the duties of the Chair in the event of the Chair’s temporary disability or absence from meetings, or if the Chair becomes ineligible to hold office.

Complete assignments as delegated by the Chair.

Sec 4: Duties of the Treasurer

Oversee the financial operations of the Users Council.

Report at each Executive Board and Users Council meeting on the financial status of the consortium.

Act as the liaison between the Executive Board and any fiduciary agent collecting, holding, and disbursing Minerva funds.

In consultation with the MIN Executive Director, formulate the annual budget to be approved by the Executive Board.

Ensure that all Users Council bills are paid in accordance with prescribed procedures.

Sec 5: Duties of the Secretary

Record the minutes of the Executive Board and Users Council meetings and see thatall minutes and agendas are published on the Minerva web site.

Maintain correspondence and records of the Users Council and Executive Board.

Report to the Executive Board and the membership at all meetings and at other times as requested by the Chair.

ARTICLE 7: EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Sec 1 :The MIN Board Representative

is appointed by theChair of the Executive Board to serve a three-year appointment, as specified by the MIN bylaws,

will attend the Executive Board meetings and report regularly to the Executive Board and the Users Council on the directions and policies under consideration by the MIN Board that directly or indirectly might affect the Users Council and its members,

is empowered to speak on behalf of the Executive Board and the Users Council at MIN Board meetings,

reports to the MIN Board any and all issues that the Executive Board and the Users Council direct this person to convey.

Sec 2: The MIN Executive Director

ARTICLE 8: COMMITTEES

Sec 1: Establishing Committees and/or Round Tables

The Executive Board shall establish whatever committees and round tables as are deemed necessary for the business of the consortium.

Sec 2: Committee Chair appointments

The Executive Board Chair shall at his or her discretion appoint all committee chairs.

Sec 3: Standing Committee and Round tables

There will be the following standing and round table committees

  • Cataloging Standards Committee Cataloging Round Table
  • Circulation Standards Committee Circulation Round Table
  • Education & Marketing Committee
  • Membership Committee
  • Statistics Committee
  • Nominating Committee

Sec 4: Procedures for implementing polices or changes

The members of the round tables shall report suggestions for implementation or adoption in the areas of policy, procedure and standards to the appropriate standing committee.

The standing committee upon reviewing the suggestions and approving them shall then bring suggestions forward as a proposal to the Executive Board for its consideration. A standing committee may also forward proposals developed by the standing committee for Executive Board consideration and approval.

The Executive Board may approve or reject the recommended proposal. If deemed appropriate by the Executive Board, the Executive Board may present a proposal to the Users Council for membership’s consideration, discussion and/or approval. The Executive Board may give charges to the standing committees for consideration, investigation and development of proposals that may be presented to the Executive Board for approval and implementation.If warranted, the Executive Board may send proposals back to the issuing body for further investigation.

ARTICLE 9: VOTING

Sec 1:Voting requiring mail or email ballots

The election of the Executive Board and changes to the Bylaws must be voted upon by mail/electronic ballot. For mail/electronic ballots, each member library has one vote. A two thirds majority of the ballots cast is binding.

Sec 2:Voting at Users Council meetings

In voting that is conducted at Users Council meetings, each library shall have one vote.

A majority at a Users Council meeting constitutes a quorum, and a majority vote at a Users Council meeting is binding.

Sec 3:Voting at Executive Board meetings

A majority at an Executive Board meeting constitutes a quorum.

A quorum is necessary to conduct Board and Council business.

A quorum is necessary to vote on issues before the Board.

A majority vote by the Executive Board is binding on the Board and Users Council on all matters as outlined in Article 5a.

ARTICLE 10: USERS COUNCIL MEETINGS

Sec 1:Conducting Users Council meetings

Meetings of the full Users Council shall take place at least 2 times a year.

Notice of such meetings shall be distributed to each Users Council representative by the Chair in writing no less than thirty days in advance, with a statement of the time, place and the agenda.

Meeting agendas and minutes of meetings shall be posted on the Minerva web site at least one week before the scheduled meeting.

[DRAFT for presentation at Users Council meeting of 11/17/10]