MINUTES OF THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD

April 16, 2008

Dr. Peggy Holmes Layman, Chair, convened the meeting at 4:10 p.m., in Booth Library Conference Room 4440.

Present:� Monty Bennett, Chris Deshon, Keith Kohanzo, Dean Allen Lanham, Peggy Holmes Layman, Sham�ah Md-Yunus, Thomas Nelson, and Robert Petersen.

I.� Welcome and Comments

The minutes from the March 19, 2008 meeting were approved as submitted.

II. Communications

Communications were received from Rick Anderson, Marie Fero, Terri Fredrick, Linda Ghent, Sam Guccione, Karla Kennedy-Hagan, Marina Marjanovic, and Chris Mitchell conveying their inability to attend.

III. Old Business

� Dean Lanham asked if any of the members had questions or comments about the �Patron Satisfaction Survey Summary of Results for Spring 2007� which was distributed at the last meeting.� The consensus was that the survey shows a good report about Booth Library and most patrons are quite satisfied with Booth Library�s services.

While on the subject of surveys, Dean Lanham encouraged Board members to take the parking survey (a link to the survey was in the University Newsletter) as parking greatly impacts patron attendance at Booth Library.

� A revised draft copy of the 2008-2009 Library Calendar was presented which includes the official holidays for FY2008.� The difference between this draft and the one previously reviewed was the changing of the Christmas and New Year�s holidays.� Instead of Christmas Eve and New Year�s Eve being holidays, the day after Christmas and New Year�s will be holidays as to allow faculty and staff to have a four-day weekend.� The calendar was approved as changed.�

� Dr. Lanham asked the Board to recommend books for the One Book, One University book choice for spring 2009.� When asked why the book choice was for Spring instead of fall 2008, Dr. Lanham advised that Eastern Reads! has already chosen a book, �Mountains Beyond Mountains,� by Tracy Kidder, as required reading for incoming Freshman in the fall so we don�t want to compete with them.� Dr. Lanham also requested that if any board members want to participate in discussions for that book in the fall, to please contact Dean Bonnie Irwin.�

It was suggested by Dr. Lanham that we will have a different audience for the One Book, One University reading.� The Booth Library theme for spring 2009 will revolve around the traveling exhibit coming to Booth beginning in February 3, 2009, �Wrapped in Pride: Ghanian Kente and African American Identity: NEH on the Road.�� One possibility would be to choose a book relating to the issues presented in the exhibit.�

Dr. Lanham received communication from the English Department asking the Board to make a decision early in the next academic year so that the book may be included in the curriculum.

�

Charles Eberly, a former Board member, sent Dr. Lanham some materials regarding what is being done at Buffalo State College.� Monthly themes were selected from a collection of written and spoken words, visual images and music.� Together they were compiled into a CD, �20^th Century Americans Who Changed Our Minds and Our Lives.�

Board Member Robert Petersen recommended �King Leopold�s War� which he felt might complement nicely with the exhibit.� Another recommendation, �A Class Apart: Prodigies, Pressure and Passion Inside One of America�s Best High Schools� by Alec Klein, came from Chris Deshon.� He just finished reading the book and thought would be relevant to incoming students.� Keith Kohanzo recommended the non-fiction book, �Lincoln�s Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness� by Joshua Wolf Shenk.

The Board was asked to consider titles and bring them to the table at our next meeting, in the fall, for review.

IV. New Business

An email, received by Peggy Holmes-Layman from Karla Kennedy-Hagen, indicated her willingness to serve the Board next year in the capacity of Chair or Vice-Chair.� Communication was also received from Terri Fredrick indicating her desire to be nominated for the positions of Chair or Vice-Chair.� When the floor was opened to nominations, Robert Petersen nominated himself for the position of Vice-Chair.� Due to the number of Board members absent from the meeting, it was decided to hold the elections by email so that all Board members would have input.� Therefore, Peggy Holmes-Layman declared that an email would be sent to all members listing the nominees and a deadline was set for Tuesday, April 22, 2008, for all members to send their votes to her email address.

Dean�s Report

Welcome

Dean Lanham introduced the guest speakers, John Whisler, Head of Cataloging Services, and Marlene Slough, Head of Acquisitions Services, who presented on their respective departments, �Behind the Scenes at Booth Library.�� We learned from John Whisler about cataloging services: �where bibliographic records come from, bibliographic maintenance, and viewed online examples of how books are cataloged and appear in the collection.� Marlene Slough discussed the life cycle of an order, how Booth Library uses and benefits from consortia, and primary suppliers of materials.

Personnel

� Library staffing � currently there is just one staff vacancy, in the process of being filled, a position to be split between two departments�Archives and Reference Services.

� National Library Workers Day was celebrated Tuesday, April 15, 2008, with a party for all library staff.

� National Library Week activities are well underway.� The book sale was today, April 16, 2008, and initial reports indicate that more money is being made than last year.

� As part of National Library Week celebration, Booth Library hosted three jazz combo groups in the atrium, during the evening of April 15, 2008.� There was such a great turn-out that students, staff and faculty filled the entire atrium and the bridges on all levels.�

Service Issues

� One Book, One University 2008 follow-up � the discussion groups held on March 25-26, 2008 on the book, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, were considered a success.� Dr. Blair Lord, Provost, hosted the first session and Dr. William Weber, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dr. Linda Ghent, Associate Professor of Economics, led the discussions for the second session.

� Service for off-campus patrons follow-up � as there was no additional input from the Board or from Library Services Council, the policy will now proceed to the Vice President of Academic Affairs� office.

� This week, April 14-18, 2008, data is being collected for the 2008 Patron Satisfaction Survey.� Surveys go to all undergraduate classes held on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. and during two evening classes for graduate students.� The compiled information should be available for review by this Board during the fall 2008 semester.

Collection Issues

A request was made by the English and History Departments for early British resources online.� As this would require a major investment (over $300,000), Booth Library is looking for financial help and would probably acquire only one-third of what is requested over the next couple of years.

Planning Issues

� The exhibit, featuring Shao Weika, a Chinese artist for Asian Heritage Month in April, was cancelled due to a lack of a visa for the artist.

� Booth Library hosted Women in Science and Math (WISM) during a �Booth After Hours� event on March 29, 2008.� It was a great success with 80-85 attendees for a 3-1/2 hour program on Saturday evening.�

� The History of Education exhibit, being developed by Booth Library, is slated for fall 2009.� A committee is currently in the developmental stages and will be in full swing this summer.� Dr. Lanham requested anyone who has connections to people with information on this subject to notify him.

� Next month (May) Booth Library will be busy working on getting grant applications submitted.

V. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 5:08 p.m.�

Respectfully submitted by:

Christine Derrickson, Recording Secretary