Maine State Library

Those present were: Gretchen Asam, Edna Comstock, Sylvia Norton, Teri Caouette, Nancy Grant, Jeff Small, Francie Aley, Pam Goucher, Cindy Bufithis, Barbara Hammond, Donna Chale, Sue Leiter, Toni Buzzeo, Susan Allison, Margaret McNamee.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Gretchen opened the meeting asking for self-introductions, news about summer happenings, and views about first weeks of school.

Gretchen sent around a board member list for changes that will be emailed to board members.

Meeting dates were announced for the 2004-5 year.
Nov. 6, Dec. 4, Jan. 8, Feb. 5, Mar. 5, April 2, May 7, June 4.
There will be no snow date for January. February’s snow date is the Saturday following Feb. 5.

SECRETARY’S REPORT
The secretary's report from June 5, 2004 was accepted

TREASURER’S REPORT
The treasurer's report was accepted.

Income and expenses were discussed. It was noted that expenses for standards work were not included in this report.

Travel for conferences may need to be increased. The board needs to discuss what will be covered. Will we pay flight, food, lodging expenses as they come in; or will we set a specific amount up to $X, with a per diem rate for food, etc.? Can reimbursement be timely? The board handbook may have some broadly drawn language to address these issues.

For the next board meeting (Nov, 6), members were asked to look at the budget, do budget goal setting, and give input to Pam.

AWARDS

Nancy Grant announced that Mrs. Gerri Massey from Cony High will receive for the Administrator of the Year award.

New standards and portfolios from candidates gave an objective criteria orientation and provided evidence for the committee to make a decision on the Library Media Specialist of the Year: Kathy Foss, from Camden Rockport Middle School.

For the Maine Libraries Conference presentation, we've invited all the past winners for LMS of the year and the recipients for service awards. It is our 25th year of making the award. Nancy made a motion that the LMS of the year automatically be an honorary board member for the next year. The motion was unanimously passed. A suggestion was made that the amount of the award be increased. No further action was taken. The application also may be revised.

Public Relations

Suzan Nelson thanked MASL for sending her to ALA in Orlando and spoke about some of the outstanding programs she attended.

Suzan also spoke about a PR meeting in Rockland. FMI see www.mainelibraries.com

Another Maine Libraries week will be celebrated at statehouse in Jan. 05.

MASL can send up to 5 news items per month (not local interest news, but statewide issues like conference) for distribution by the Maine News Direct service.

Suzan went with the Falmouth team to a MLTI workshop day. Betty Manchester is championing the involvement of media specialists in the laptop project. Suzan suggested that MASL look into cooperative purchase of LCD projectors for use with laptops.

Francie Aley recommended the following web page eduscapes.com/info regarding information inquiry assessments for literacy.

Sylvia encouraged Maine Media specialists to go to Pittsburgh for AASL October 5-9, 2005. Impressive workshops are being set up. The Maine Libraries Conference date and ACTEM's conference 2005 date may be a conflict.

A new login procedure for MARVEL is coming soon.

Sylvia went to Washington, D.C. in August for a meeting with the Institute of Museums and Library Services. She was one of 75 people working on K-12 policy involving museums and libraries. Few school library people were there.

Sylvia recommended that stipends for working on specific information literacy projects be given this year. The present IL committee should decide what to do with old copies of Information Literacy work at the state library. A motion was made that we continue the financial support work on Information Literacy documents this year. The motion was passed.

The Maine Learning Results are being revised. If MASL feels that Information Literacy should be embedded across the document, could we propose a statement about school libraries? Suggestions included sending letters to Gerry Crocker, and putting a sample letter on the web page for people to send.

The specifics for the Maine School Libraries Advocate of the Year award were discussed. A motion that we spend an amount not to exceed $200 was passed.

STANDARDS

The standards draft was discussed. A suggestion that second header under Transform be changed to TEACHER AND INSTRUCTIONAL PARTNER was unanimously accepted.
Rubrics were discussed. The Board worked on finishing rubric for:
As a responsible and involved citizen.

1.4.1As a responsible and involved citizen.

This work will be presented at conference so MASL Board members were urged to respond to email discussions so that the work could be finalized and sent to the printers.

Sylvia noted that Oprah Winfrey’s representative called to tell us that our facilities document was the best that they had found!

The tax cap proposal was discussed. A motion that MASL support MLA in their opposition to the tax cap initiative was passed.

The meeting was adjourned.
Margaret McNamee, Secretary