2024 Minutes

LUV meeting 7.15.2024 DRAFT

Held at Tracy Library, New London NH

Attendees: Michael York (NH State Library), Ben Cote (Tracy), Malia Ebel (Abbott Library), Dawn Huston, Treasurer (Dunbar Free), Beth Condict, Matt Gunby, Richard Tutweiler (All Tracy Library), Amy Thurber (Canaan), Glynis Hart, Secretary (Wilmot).

Currently LUV has no chairperson.

State library report.

Michael York: The state library has just finished its fiscal year and started working on the biennial budget for 2026-27. Unexpected expenses in state government will make this a tough budget – the settlement for abuses at the DCYF youth facility may come to $.5B. In addition, NH has the country’s oldest prison (dating from 1840s) and the new one could also be $.5B. It’s a difficult time to plan.

The state library building (225 years old) is showing its age. We need storage. Hoping to create a storage building next to the state archives storage. Also, we want to renovate the state library to make it more public-facing. I am retiring in December, so there will be new administrators working on this. We had gotten as far as the Senate finance committee before the project was stalled. When I retire the government will make nominations to the Executive Council, which will choose a State Librarian. This process will begin in the Spring of 2025.

Richard T. Is there a cooperative organization between libraries and museums that could share resources for archive storage? (Richard recently moved from Arizona where his library participated in a cooperative.)

Michael Y. NH has adopted the COSTEP plan (for emergency management). (Insuring the collections) is incredibly expensive; a lot of museums have to have that protection. COSTEP works with NEDCC (archival document storage) which is a premier institution of its type. They will literally back refrigerated trucks up to your buildings.

Treasurer’s report. Dawn H. Balance: $9,176.17. Deposits in June statement: $240. Minus successful video game purchase: -$27.21

Dawn: Do we have a quorum to approve the treasurer’s report? (Discussion. Re video game committee, Glynis and Dawn have had difficulty making purchases with the LUV card. Perhaps a debit card would work better? For a debit card LUV needs another signatory. To add a signatory, there should be a quorum.)

Amy: How many LUV member libraries?

Dawn: At least 29.

Amy: So we need at least 14.

Matt: What does it say in the bylaws?

Glynis: The bylaws are sketchy – pretty sure they don’t define a quorum.

Dawn: We are not a 501(c ) 3. We are a consortium by agreement.

Malia: How do the bylaws define a meeting? If it’s loosey-goosey enough, you can define meeting as you wish.

Glynis: Not sure they define meetings at all. (Unable to connect with LUV website, on which the bylaws are posted.) *Note: they do not.

Michael: People have demonstrated (by not coming to meetings) that they don’t care enough about what the group does to participate. Instead of having meetings and bylaws, put a group together that focuses on sharing resources. Also, contemplate: Does it make sense to include Vermont libraries?

Amy: We had okay luck doing online meetings. The downside was the physical rotation imploded. There is a need for physical connection. Some of that stuff is easier to do in person. We still need at least one meeting a year.

Dawn: Dropping off/ picking up collections that cross the Vermont/New Hampshire border could happen at Norwich (restaurant at Carpenter & Main). In the past we had good luck with programming.

Audio Committee. Amy: We could use one more person on the audio committee. Cory and I are the committee. I’ve been putting the titles in the bags & making sure the rotation is still working. Cory’s been buying the audio discs pre-packaged, which saves us time. Jenn sent the leftover supplies to me. In the future we’ll need to buy stickers, but not sleeves and cases.

Plans for Next Meeting.

Ben: To have a quorum in September, we could do a Zoom meeting. Members could be asked to submit examples of bylaws.

Amy: It may be the bylaws on our website are fine and they just need additions.

Malia: What about MY’s suggestion to cut Vermont loose?

Dawn: They are members and they have paid. It is a hike for them to meet in person but they are small libraries with small budget. They want their rotations sometimes more than the NH libraries do. We need to make sure their voices are heard.

Glynis: Let’s just have something written down to work with at the next meeting.

Dawn: Major changes to the bylaws should have an 80% majority vote. Question: Would you have to be an officer to be a signatory? The chair is really a programming coordinator. LUV needs a programming coordinator, a treasurer and a secretary.

Amy: There’s enough work for 2 people. I could do the rotations, but I needed someone to run meetings and post minutes. (Amy and Judy Russell were co-chairs).

Dawn to Malia: Would you be willing to take up the position you almost took last year (of co-chair)?

Malia: Apologizing. Budget process at Abbott turned out to be much more involved than I expected. However, am willing to work on bylaws.

Glynis: I will send out an email asking for bylaw templates. 

Matt: The soonest we could ask for member approval of new bylaws would be the November meeting.

Dawn. The agenda for next meeting includes getting a debit card. In the meantime, video game collection will continue to make small purchases. We need signatories.

Amy: If someone becomes chair that could be one of their duties, to be a signatory.

Dawn: On the September meeting agenda, we need to vote whether to approve the secretary as a signatory.

The treasurer’s report was approved.

The next meeting will be September 16 at 10 a.m. via Zoom. 

May meeting: Canceled. 

3.18.2024 Minutes LUV meeting

DRAFT 

LUV meeting minutes 3.18.2024

Meeting took place via Zoom. Meeting started at 12:05 p.m.

Attendees: Justine Farfara (Chair, Newport); Judy Russell (Lyme), Dawn Huston (Dunbar Free), Glynis Hart (Secretary, Wilmot), Matt Gumby (New London), Tom McMurdo (Vermont State Library), Lucinda Walker (Norwich Vt.), Mindy Atwood (NH State Library), Malia Ebel (Abbott Library, Sunapee).

Minutes. Minutes of the January meeting were accepted.

Treasurer’s Report. Dawn H. gave the Treasurer’s Report. There is currently $8,563 in the accounts. $1400 was given by 7 libraries for the video game collection. Glynis asked Dawn to give her the list of those libraries so they will be in the rotation for the collection.

Judy R. was unsure how much was allocated from general funds for the video game collection. Glynis agreed it was unclear: $1000 or $500? Glynis will look at old minutes to ascertain.

Mindy A. State legislative update. Keeping an eye on HB1308, which affects parental rights to access minor’s library records. 170 voted against; 94 were in favor. It was deemed “Inexpedient to Legislate.” NHLA is getting better and better at keeping up with legislation. Those who testified were wonderful and well-spoken. Legislators really cared when individuals and library personnel spoke. They care if you testify; your voice really can make a difference. They are interested in hearing from their constituents.

Judy R. I appreciate how well-informed we are this year.

Mindy A. Using the NHLA listserv is not always the best way to keep people informed. You can always call me for information.

Staff trainings. Mindy A. is working to create some learning pathways for libraries who are onboarding people who don’t have a library background – this is becoming more and more common. Under Libguides on the NH State Library site, there is a link to a Webjunction webinar on Library Ethics and an ALA video on Intellectual Freedom – recommended for your staff. I am hopeful I will have that for a quick demo during the Director’s Call on March 28.

Mindy A. To libraries: If you’ve found something that’s effective (staff trainings) please let me know. Email mindy.atwood.@dncr.nh.gov

Vermont Libraries. Tom McMurdo agreed with Mindy’s comments on the effect of contacting state legislators: “From one day to the next you can tell if they’ve gotten a phone call about something.” Regarding the listserv, It is basically public – be aware of that.

Tom M. We just closed on our first ARPA library grants round -- $71 million applied for capital projects. We have about three times the applications for the amount of money we have. We also have HUD funds coming; we’re going to try to line up the HUD application with the ARPA application to make it easier for libraries to apply. More info later!

We are very excited about the money for capital projects because we haven’t had federal money for libraries since the Clinton administration.

S220 is an omnibus library bill that reflects work of the Libraries Working Group formed two years ago. Some parts are well-intentioned (to protect intellectual freedom) but we’ve been advised that the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act already established those protections. However it’s an important piece of legislation that moves the needle. It also lowers the age at which one’s library records are confidential from 16 to 12. It formalizes our Continuing Education certificate, which apparently we’ve been issuing without any formal power to do so.

Other bills of interest include one which would have banned cell phones from schools – that’s probably dead in the water at this point.

We had three positions and $.5 million excised from our committee. No comment!

Mindy A. We are really, really hands-off school libraries – they don’t fall under our jurisdiction. We are also keeping an eye on a bill that would establish a rating system for books. Research showed parents strongly in favor of content rating systems. This could be an opportunity for education, to let people know how libraries develop collections and policies. The rating system would not be great, but us having to enforce it would be really not great.

Tom M. It’s always interesting how the debate moves. If we came out strongly against a rating system we would have already ceded the ground. It’s better to be proactive and talk about intellectual freedom.

Glynis H. Video Game Collection Committee. Glynis asked how the other committees pay for stuff. Judy said we could forward invoices to Dawn and she would pay for them.

Amy recommended checking with MHEC to see if we can get a discount through them.

Judy R. (to Glynis) If you want a presence on the website I can help you with that.

Dawn. Asked about what’s left in past monies that could be allocated to video games. (Not clear.)

Justine – I’ll keep video games on the agenda for the next time.

Amy T. Quick audio update. Cory and I are working on an update of audio bags and lists. I have three bags at my library that will be de-accessioned and those will be portioned out among the active bags. So if you’re receiving a very full audio bag this rotation that’s why – I’ll weed them soon. The master list is not yet up to date.

Justine F. Lauren Chambers did a Narcan training at our library and gave us Narcan. The Suicide Prevention Training was intense but really, really good. I highly recommend these. We all feel better informed and prepared. The Dartmouth Hitchcock folks (who gave these workshops) did a great job.

Dawn asked if anyone had volunteer training manuals for her to use as a template. Glynis will send her the Volunteer Manual from the Wilmot Library.

Dawn noted that all library volunteers are not performing the job of paid staff (which would contravene State Library directives) and that during Covid this was demonstrated because the library functioned fully with only paid staff. A question came up with her board about having background checks on volunteers (including trustees).

Malia said that since trustees are elected, they can’t be fired by the library – say if they failed a background check.

Dawn said the question is why is the library doing background checks? Libraries have a reputation of being trustworthy – does being a volunteer confer respectability?

Glynis offered that Wilmot has always done background checks of volunteers, just to weed out anyone who might be unsafe to have around children.

Malia. I think you’d have huge privacy issues if you required background checks of all volunteers. In Sunapee the background checks are only reviewed by the town manager, who has a criteria they should be able to share with  you. I would talk to your town manager to see what their concerns are.

Meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.

1.22.2024 MINUTES LUV meeting

Attendees: Justine Fafara (Newport), president; Amy Thurber (Canaan); Janette Schaffer (Vt. Dep’t of Libraries); Lucinda Walker; Jen Haynes; Jim Allen, Betsy Kain (Bradford); Laina Orsavage; Matt Gunby (New London); Emily at Latham Library; Laura Pauling (Springfield NH); Mindy Atwood (NH State Library); Jim Allen (Plainsfield)

Via Zoom. Meeting opened at 12:05 p.m.

Minutes of previous meeting accepted.

Treasurer’s report – Treasurer Dawn Huston was absent. No report.

Report from Vermont libraries. Janette Schaffer: Legislative season is busy this time around. Senate Bill 20 is the result of the Working Group Report on the status of libraries, issued Nov. 2023. This bill has serious elements of licensing electronic materials. We have asked to give input on that. The bill is well-intentioned but we’re concerned about its impact on our ability to purchase electronic materials. There’s also a bill to lower the age of privacy (for reading purposes?) from 16 to 12.  SB 806 & 807 also affect libraries. ARPA and HUD grants add up to $26.4 million. The HUD grant has so many additional rules we split it from the ARPA (treasury) grant to use that first. Vermont libraries is recruiting a grants manager and a construction project manager. We haven’t had capital funds for at least a decade, so we’re very excited about this.

Janette S. continued: Our certificate program keeps growing. And, if anybody sees anything in the legislature we need to know, please tell us. Don’t assume we already know.

Justine F. Our library association pays a lobbyist, and helps us keep track. It definitely helps. Denise Van Zanten in Manchester library is politically attuned; I rely on her as well.

Amy T. reported from the Audio committee: I sent out an email requesting people to let me know if they’ve dropped out of the rotation. I’ll give it to the end of the week and then I’ll reset the rotation. The audio committee is looking for a new person to take over processing. It’s not something I can do. Q: How much time did it take to process audios?

Jen Haynes: It took a part time person several weeks. When the audios come in they’re in cases we can’t use. We were spending several hundred a year on processing.

Justine F. Who are we buying from? It might be easier to buy them a vendor that sends them in usable cases.

Lucinda W. We went to buying them already processed; it cost $2.19 per case.

Justine F. If they’re already processed, then we don’t need a library to house a space for processing.

Amy T. I order exclusively for my library from Micromarketing because they process. It works great for my library but their selection is not the best. Let me reach out to Cory and see if she wants to reach out to them. If we ordered fewer that might not be a hardship.

Mindy A. of NHSL. Now past president of NHLA. Re: Legislation. NHSL has reached out to Sen. Dan Inniss for buildable plans to offsite storage for our collection. State Library is not climate controlled. We explored the cost of climate controlling our historic building and it was exorbitant. We’re asking the Leg. For $1.m for buildable plans. SB 475.

Mindy A. Another bill, HB 1308, seeks to amend RSA 201D. All library patron records are private. This bill seeks to amend that to exclude minors. Libraries would be responsible for providing information to parents about their children’s activities and reading. We’re taking the point it’s administratively onerous. Unlike schools we don’t collect parenting information. The hearing is Jan. 30th. I believe a number of libraries will testify in opposition.

HB 1311 states that schools must have a collection policy that adheres to anti-discrimination law. We oppose because locally elected boards are currently making those decisions. Go to NHLA website and under the legislative page it gives detailed instructions how to submit testimony. A lot of the reps do come to these bills with an open mind.

At the state library we are going to be very tight on van drivers through the month of February. I beg your patience.

Our tech services team put together a great series, Tuesday Tags, which you can use to learn about cataloguing. This is open to VT librarians as well.

Glynis H. from Video Game Committee – We were hoping to know how many libraries opted in to the video game collection so we could take next steps, but without the treasurer’s report we’ll need to postpone.

Justine F. Re: Next meeting. How do people feel about Zoom v. in-person?

Amy T. I like Zoom kinda better, but Zoom meetings are hard for moving bags over the border.

Justine F. I think I agree that Zooming in winter makes sense. Let’s Zoom the March meeting and plan to meet in person May, July and September. What about PD speakers as part of our meetings?

Amy T. I vote to continue that as part of what we do.

Matt G. It might be easier to have speakers in our Zoom meetings.

Betsy K. Agree that PD is good to include. Zoom format can help speakers attend. As for in-person, Bradford has lunch spots and a beautiful park near the library.

Justine F. So, Zoom meeting in March, then meet at Bradford Vt. In May?

Betsy K. I’ll check with Gayle.

Justine F. Next meeting, we’ll find another location for July. I will work on finding people to present.

Matt G. New London could host; it’s closed Mondays, so we wouldn’t be interfering with patrons. (Penciled in for July)

Adjourned 1:05 p.m.

• Submitted by Glynis Hart, secretary