Present:  Nancy Grant, Gerry Crocker, Susan Allison, Sylvia Norton, Suzan Nelson, Teri Caouette, Tamara Blesh, Abigail Garthwait, Gretchen Asam, Donna Chale, Pam Goucher, Margaret McNamee.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT: President Nancy Grant asked every Board member to bring best practices ideas to make a table display for Fall Conference. Contribute whatever works for you: a handout, a poster; the more ideas the better. (Nancy's idea of the research pass is a good example of what to contribute).

Nancy reminded people to send dues to Edna ($30 without ACTEM associate membership).

She reported on the minutes from Maine Library Commission meeting. Walter Taranko was honored for his many years of devoted service.  35 libraries are committed to Minerva. There was discussion about adding one or more state library districts.  The Board requested that our MASL representative to the commission send reports of commission meetings. 

Passage of the Reed amendment was discussed.  There is a small window of opportunity to write legislators to urge passage. 

The First Amendment Schools Grant Award Program cosponsored by ASCD and the First Amendment Center will be awarded in ten grants of $12,000 each.  Applications are due March 15, 2002. FMI http://www.ala.org/aasl

The 31st Annual Workshop on Instruction in Library Use is to be held May 13-15 at the University of New Brunswick. 

The Youth Services Section of the Maine Library Association is hosting Beg, borrow, or steal: Programming in your library in October.

Ralph Conant is providing a phone line (the line which had been used for a fax) for MASL at the farm. Sylvia and Tamara will consult to see what is needed in addition to an answering machine.  Ralph would like Audrey's children's book collection to be housed in the living room. He asks that we do what is appropriate for our needs for the conference table and send him the bill!  Folding padded chairs and a table that could be put away were discussed.  The Board is asked to bring suggestions to the December meeting.  Ralph also requested that MASL design and choose a plaque designating the farm as MASL Headquarters. 

SECRETARY'S REPORT: The secretary's report was accepted with the correction that the Spring Conference dinner for Walter was scheduled for Sunday night, not Saturday night.

TREASURER'S REPORT:  The treasurer's report was accepted.  Donna Chale reported that there is about $8000 in the Walter J. Taranko Scholarship Fund.  She urged the Board to look at MASL assets and goal setting.

1st VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT: Pam Goucher reported on Spring Conference plans. MAD Magazine's Joe Raisla will be the keynote speaker.  There will not be a conference meal Saturday.  On Sunday morning MASL will provide breakfast at the membership meeting.  Sunday lunch will include MSBA, Lupine Awards and scholarship presentations without a speaker. Sunday evening dinner will feature the keynote speaker.   There is ongoing discussion about when to have the retrospective for Walter and the library awards.  Monday is a problem for the library awards because it will be difficult for family members and administrators to attend.  Lev Sherman will coordinate the retrospective; MASL will give input.  The Maine Holocaust Human Rights  newsletter remembered Walter with a nice article.  The committee needs to get going on programs.  Any and all ideas are welcome.  The deadline has been extended to Nov. 15, 2001.  To download forms to submit programs go to htp://www.noblefarm.com/mlc/

An email was suggested asking for volunteers to do programs on specific topics. Pam is willing to ask possible presenters if the board gives a list of suggested people. Susan Allison will ask an author friend to talk about how she did her research.  Tamara volunteered to do a workshop on teaching technology using skills through blackboard.com.  Edna has about 1/2 dozen programs to give to Pam.  A panel on living with filtering was suggested. 

     The next Spring Conference meeting will be Nov. 9.  There will not be an October conference meeting. Gretchen will make the conference news announcement on MELIBS this month. OLD BUSINESS:  The MASL address list was distributed for corrections. The list of people in school library positions is not completely current, but Nancy has some possible people to approach for vacant board positions.

     We need to firm up details for Fall Conference at Lewiston High School, Saturday, November 3, 2001 from 9-12, $15 registration with no meal, but heavy-duty snacks.  Hopefully, the Lewiston culinary arts program will do the food preparation.  Due to time constraints, it was decided not to do a registration mailing, but in the future we should ask how people want to be notified of meetings (mail, email, MELIBS, etc.).  A notice will be put on MELIBS and at the ACTEM conference.  Registration will be mailed (not emailed) to Donna Chale; no refunds will be made. Registeree's e-mail address will be requested to confirmation registration.  If participants bring a teacher, the teacher's registration will be only $10.  The agenda will start with a brief business meeting; committee reports will be handed out; there will be a one page flyer for Spring Conference.  A keynote speaker will give a thirty minute overview of the Comprehensive Assessment System with some time for q&a.  Following the speaker, there will be a panel of about 3-4 people discussing planning backwards from senior graduation requirements.  Then, the participants will break into two strands (K-6,7,8, and 6, 7, 8 -12) for interactive teacher/librarian collaboration ideas on comprehensive assessment.  It is hoped that people will go home with an action plan for their schools. 

     Edna and Sylvia met with Donna Taranko about Walt's scholarship.  We expect it to be about $10,000. A preamble to all the scholarships will invite people to come into the profession and to go on for further study. The separate existence of Audrey's scholarship will be advertised.  A motion to combine the Walter J. Taranko scholarship funds with the current MASL scholarship funds was unanimous. A motion to name the professional award The Walter J. Taranko scholarship (criteria: MASL membership of at least 1 year's duration; enrollment in MLS, or educational media graduate program, or seeking 070 endorsement, or professional development; no evidence of financial need required) was also unanimous. A unanimous motion was passed that an award be made from scholarship funds for paraprofessional applicants (same criteria except that applicants would be working for ed tech endorsement).  This award will be named the MASL School Library Ed Tech Scholarship. The Board will look at how to preserve the principal of the account to keep it growing and the President will ask Fran Haines to appoint a scholarship committee.

NEW BUSINESS:  Nancy Grant showed some new books from her school collection.

     Sylvia discussed a technology planning appendix from the DOE. Many issues were raised including the recently updated and widely respected MASL facilities manual, standards for furniture, whether AV equipment would come out of the 3 % technology piece, listing library media on the last page under the program space and environment heading; and the question of control regarding library portals).  Sylvia will contact Scott asking that our facilities manual be appended to the construction document.  It was agreed that MASL needs to have input and authority to decide where money is spent for library media centers. 

     Tamara was approached by teachers against fingerprinting who asked if our group wanted to take a stand.  She will bring more information to the next meeting. The Board has chosen not to support other agendas, but we could disseminate information to our members. 

NEEMA REPRESENTATIVE:  Sylvia reported on the NEEMA "white paper" concerning developing competencies.  NEEMA advocates changing library positions into teaching and learning from support services in the NEASC accreditation process. The present accreditation document gives 15 areas, responses are limited to 10 pages double spaced with very general narrative answers permitted.  Documentation can be appended.  Sylvia will put a summary on the MASL webpage and a post to MeLIBS, asking for thoughts with anecdotal data.  Please e-mail Sylvia or Nancy Grant to give feedback.

     The leadership conference was so good.  Wayne Free was recommended as a post conference presenter ($1500 plus room/dinner).   

     Gary Hartsell, the author of the SLJ article, "The invisible librarian" will be the keynoter for the Connecticut Library Conference.  His topic will be a good working relationship with the principal.  MASL still needs a NEEMA representative.  MASL would pay travel expenses.

REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES:

ARCHIVES:  Sue Leiter's draft of the archive policy was discussed. Issues included how to preserve, store, access and circulate data (changes in software, use of expensive acid free paper, saving of hypertext links, time putting in digital format, help from UM interns, use of special collections, keys and permission to Conant House, etc.). Money has been put in the budget to cover some archive issues. 

CONTINUING EDUCATION:  Teri Caouette needs contact information for the greater Augusta and greater Waterville school library groups and Bonnie Dwyer.  She will gather information about opportunities and send to the Board for review.  The printing, mailing, and budget for a needs/interests survey was discussed.  MASL's mailing permit is in Augusta c/o Edna. 

CERTIFICATION: Sylvia and Suzan went to speak to USC cohort.  It was noted that USC does not require a separate cataloging course; it is adequately covered in the introductory course.  Library Media Specialists are in an endorsement category for initial teacher certification.  MASL has been concerned about certification in our area, especially regarding the question of internships. National teacher certification work could be funded through the Walter J. Taranko MASL scholarship

INFORMATION LITERACY:  Gerry Crocker and her teacher team will do a workshop at Spring Conference ("The Internet is not a source: how students can become information literate through librarian/teacher collaboration") and for the Maine Principal's Association ("Raising the rigor of senior projects through information literacy).  Donna needs to know about budget needs for the committee. A motion to purchase an external hard drive to hold "stuff" from Audrey's video project was unanimous.  We also have some raw footage that Audrey took in the past which Gerry's committee can use.  Gerry asked for more members interested in sharing the committee work.    

     Gretchen Asam inquired about engaging professors who wrote Turning Kid's on to Research as keynote speakers for the Fall Conference 2002. Although their normal fee is $2000, they would accept $1700 (15% off) plus reasonable expenses.  She noted, however, that harvest in the County may not be the same next year, so maybe we should consider this idea as a spring post conference workshop instead of a Fall Conference theme.  The discussion was tabled.

FACILITIES:  There are no copies left of the manual; we are referring people to the webpage. 

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM:  Board members were asked to think of candidates for the SIRS award.

MAINE ENTRY:  At the September meeting MLA opted to leave Maine Entry changes until after February (the end of e-rate season!).  MASL needs to decide what would we be missing without Maine Entry; make sure our members get something tangible for their membership; and do more public relations work on our major issues.  It was suggested that the MASL Board and MLA Board have joint discussions about things like the school librarians' handbook, new librarian orientation, topic booklets tailored to Maine (like ALA's IF booklet), and position papers. 

MEMBERSHIP:  Edna reported that renewal reminders were mailed last week with a notice of our double loss in the deaths of Audrey Conant and Walter Taranko and of the opportunities to honor their devoted service by donating to the scholarship funds.  Dues checks have been coming in..

     The budget for postage and brochures was mentioned.  The regular membership list and the life members list need to be weeded. Candidates may need to be voted and honored as life members at Spring Conference.

PAST PRESIDENT;  Suzan Nelson spoke about potential candidates for Maine teacher of the year and the arduous application process.  She will gather and send application information to past SLMS of the year recipients.  MASL pledges support to them.

PUBLIC RELATIONS: Pricing for a professional trifold board will be investigated. The Board must decide what material to put on it that would be timeless.

STANDARDS: The committee has been looking at how to adapt or adopt the AASL self study booklet which accompanies the new edition of Information Power (It was used by Portland district librarians in 1999-2000).

     Edna and Sylvia gave suggestions for changes to Revised rules, Chapter 125.  The standards committee will do a presentation on the changes.

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:  Gail asked the Board to think about who could take this position.  She would be willing to ease someone into it.

SUPPORT STAFF:  MASL needs a support staff committee chair.  Please bring a potential nominee to the next meeting.

TECHNOLOGY:  Tamara needs people to be on this committee to define and share the work.  It could be a virtual task force.  Suggestions were made to merge the Technology committee with the Information Literacy Committee; to create a listserv specifically for school library media specialists; to do conference workshops on information literacy skills (with an online discussion board format, putting up mini comments and responses using blackboard.com); workshops on senior projects, and workshops on teaching teachers how to communicate and collaborate virtually through summer inservice about web quests.

WEBPAGE:  Gail discussed permission slips to use Connors Emerson students' pictures.  The new webpage look was done using GoLive. It was good to get feedback from viewers with Internet Explorer and Netscape as it looks different on different pcs and with different versions of browsers. 

The meeting was followed by the discussion question: What do you think MASL should/could accomplish in the next five years?

The next meeting will be the Fall Conference at Lewiston High School,

Saturday, November 3, 2001 from 9-12.  $15 registration with no meal, but heavy duty snacks.  Directions to the High School and registration information will be posted on the webpage. 

The meeting was followed by an overnight at Conant House for those members who could stay to work on sorting through Audrey's files for the archives. 

Respectfully submitted,

Margaret McNamee margaretmc@lamere.net

Secretary