PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Additions to the agenda were made for Kelly McDaniel to speak about grants, Intellectual Freedom, and YSS issues; for Donna Chale to talk about scholarship applications; and for Jeff Small to address the Praxis test.

 SECRETARY'S REPORT

A motion was moved, seconded, and passed to accept the secretary’s report.

TREASURER'S REPORT

The treasurer’s handout was discussed.  Although there are still bills outstanding, the workshop pretty much broke even.  Donna Chale noted that MASL need to watch the total reserve to avoid taxes.  Teri Caouette spoke about tightening up conference reimbursements for board expenses like registration, and encouraging members to ask for scholarships. A motion was moved, seconded, and passed for MASL to sponsor a school oriented conference program.

CONFERENCE UPDATE

Teri Caouette gave an update of conference programs to date.

Vin Reid will be the Monday lunch key note speaker for the 2005 conference. 

Teri wrote to Stephen King asking him to consider being the keynote speaker for the 2006 conference.

The committee feels that more school oriented programs are needed.  The following ideas were suggested:  A panel of SLMS who have dealt with recent Intellectual Freedom challenges and a discussion of how to prepare for challenges; confidentiality of student library records from both the public and school (FERPA) perspectives; a program on blogging.  The programs will be scheduled by the middle of July programs.  Those with other offerings please go to www.mainelibraries.info.

Post conference ideas were also discussed.  The list includes beginning web design, legal issues, information literacy and assessment, Minerva, cataloging, storytelling, fund raising, and grant writing.

A motion was made, seconded, and passed that MASL will pay two speakers for  school oriented program(s) at Post Conference for up to $5000 each for each program.

It was suggested that there could be an hour long session at Fall Conference on what should a "good" library page look like with defined criteria. 

In addition, there could be a whole day hands-on library webpage creation workshop for the post conference, covering issues like how to plan content and placement of parts, etc.  

The post conference workshop could be followed up by a spring workshop.  It was suggested that two workshop leaders would be ideal to cover several software programs (like FrontPage, Dreamweaver, etc.) and to assist participants.  Board members were excited about the possibility of creating a MASL resource guide, and making five small awards for the webpages with the best content, most user friendly, most creative, best reading promotion, and most collaborative.

It was suggested that MASL look for a well known speaker (Alan November?) on school issues.  Kathleen Odean was also suggested.  (Her 100 best books was very well received.  It was noted that the coupons for the post conference YSS program didn’t work out well.

MEMBERSHIP

There will be a reminder for MASL members to renew their membership dues either on ME-LIBS or to be sent with the conference mailing.

SYLVIA'S CORNER

Edna has officially retired!  There was a nice party for her with an L.L. Bean gift certificate from MASL.

Sylvia has taken on more of the e-rate duties.  She also approves district tech plans.

The State Board will be talking about facilities.  The MASL facilities document was never approved by the State Board.  Nevertheless, we need to update it.  We need to move forward on the standards and to find a new chair for the facilities’ work. 

The MLR review was discussed. Francie Aley, Eileen Broderick, and Barb Hammond applied.  Appointments have not yet been announced.

Marilyn Joyce (Director Elect) and Sylvia Norton (ALA Council) were elected.  Sylvia's position is for one year; then, she will have to run again. 

Sylvia will email the Board the offer to log on to the ebrary databases.

“Ebrary is offering free access for ALA members to its 55-title online library science collection, integrated with American Libraries' digital issue archive at http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ala/. To take advantage of this offer, log in to the archive with your member number and password, click into any digital issue, and use the "Search Library Science Books" item on the InfoTools menu." Flagg, Gordon. "Breaking News," American Libraries Online. 31 May, 2005. http://www.ala.org/ alonline/

KELLEY'S CORNER

Kelley McDaniel spoke about the three ($1,000) innovative grants.  The deadline will be September 30, and the winners will be  announced at the Fall Conference Oct 23-4.  the winners will be expected to participate in a Fall Conference program workshop.

The deadline for the four ($500) adaptor grants will be November 18.  Applicants will be asked to participate in a poster session (Kelly will include a definition of expectations).  Winners will be announced on ME-LIBS by December 9.

All Applicants may be asked to provide electronic versions of working papers (like surveys, rubrics, etc. developed as a result of the project).

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM

An informal challenge was brought against the picture book: Fireboat : the Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey (September 11, 2001); the book will remain on the shelf. 

YSS (AN INTEREST GROUP OF MLA)

At Reading Roundup, Kelley was elected as vice chair of YSS.  It is a youth services coordination group that includes the regional consultant for SMLD, YSS, MASL (represented by Peggy Becksvoort).  The goal is for the representatives of all the organizations that provide youth services should on the same page.  Various issues were discussed including better communication and support for volunteers and paraprofessionals. Kelley would like to see a YSS conference for young people

Similar to Deb Taylor's "Books for the Beast" held in Baltimore.  Further discussion will be on the agenda for June.

RETREAT

President Gretchen Asam announced that there will be a MASL retreat July 26 - 28 at Sunday River (Tuesday noon to Thursday noon).  The primary goals are to finish the  standards document and to do strategic planning. 

SCHOLARSHIP

Donna Chale discussed scholarship applications, particularly the issue of MASL membership.  It was suggested that better publicity is needed for the scholarships, especially targeted to UMA students.  Kelley offered to help review applications.

STATE BOARD

Jeff Small spoke about Praxis II scores for certification.  Librarians must score 590 (95 % of the test takers pass with a 590 or better; that equals 66% of the questions).  New librarians will take Praxis I and Praxis II.  A score can be appealed to the state school board.

AASL

It was noted that some AASL members from Maine are not MASL members (Of the 60 Maine AASL members , 22 are not MASL members).  MASL has to certify that a certain % of MASL members are AASL members, so the Board discussed ways to contact these people.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The nominating committee must meet 60 days before the Fall Conference.  In odd years, the president, the second vice president, and the secretary are nominated and elected.  In even years, the first vice president and the treasurer are nominated and elected. 

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Job description handout will be on the agenda for the June meeting. 

 NEW BUSINESS

No applications for SLMS of the have come in yet.  The Deadline for this award and for Administrator of the year is end of this month.

Edna Comstock's new email is

Empoweredna@gwi.net.  Her cell phone is 441 1410.

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Margaret McNamee, Secretary