Nebraska Library Commission - Minutes
Nebraska Library Commission
January 12, 1996
MINUTES
The Nebraska Library Commission held its regular meeting
Friday, January 12, 1996, at 9:30 a.m. at the Nebraska Library Commission,
The Atrium, 1200 "N" Street, Suite 120, Lincoln, Nebraska. Notice of the meeting
was submitted to local newspapers (Lincoln
Journal-Star, Omaha World Herald), and posted on the Nebraska
Library Commission Homepage.
I.CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Ron Norman called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m.
Members present: Ron Norman, Dr. Robert McPherson, Tom Harvey, Jean Sanders,
Frances Lovell, Myrna Vollbrecht. Staff present: Rod Wagner, Nancy Busch,
Elaine Miller, Jim Minges, Beth Goble and Dave Oertli.
Approval of Agenda. It was moved by Myrna Vollbrecht and
seconded by Tom Harvey to approve the agenda. Motion carried on roll call
vote: Harvey-aye; Norman-aye; Sanders-aye; Vollbrecht-aye; Lovell-aye;
McPherson-aye.
Approval of the minutes of the November 12, 1995 meeting:
It was moved by Dr. Robert McPherson and seconded by Jean Sanders to approve
the minutes of November 12, 1995 meeting. Motion carried on roll call vote:
Harvey-aye; Norman-aye; Sanders-aye; Vollbrecht-aye; Lovell-aye;
McPherson-aye.
II. PUBLIC FORUM
The Chairman asked if anyone would like to address the
Commissioners
to do so at this time. There was no response.
III. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS
Correspondence from Nebraska State Senator Jennie Robak,
Nebraska State Senator Floyd Vrtiska, and Lyn Wallin Ziegenbein, Executive
Director of the Peter Kiewit Foundation , was distributed to the Commissioners
for information.
IV. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Ron Norman reported that Cozad has approved the construction
of a new library and Madison is also building a new library. Across the
state new libraries are being built or new library buildings are being
discussed
.
V. DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Talking Book and Braille Service Trust Fund Update: Dave
Oertli, Director of the Talking Book and Braille Service, spoke to the
Commissioners regarding the Talking Book and Braille Service Trust Fund.
The Trust Fund was started in 1978 to receive donations. Annual donations
vary from $1500 to $4700. All donations in the fund are invested until
spent. A current planned expenditure from the Trust Fund is to purchase
a Telex 6120 XL high-speed tape duplicator. The equipment will consist
of a console cassette master unit and three cassette
pockets. Other recent trust fund expenditures were a form's burster and
a cassette rewinder.
Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse Evaluation: Nancy
Busch, Deputy Director, and Beth Goble, Government Information Services
Coordinator, reported on the Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse evaluation.
The major trend in the Publications Clearinghouse is increasing amounts
of state and federal government information being produced in digital
electronic
format. The Publications Clearinghouse evaluation team has met with the
Historical Society staff and the University of Nebraska Love Library Federal
Documents staff. The Library Commission would like to serve as an access
point for information and have the Historical Society take the active role
in long term preservation for state documents. UNL is a full federal depository
while the Library Commission is a partial federal depository. A recently
released Electronic Federal Depository Library Program: Transition Plan
asserts that nearly all of the information provided through the Federal
Depository will be in electronic format by the end of 1998. State government
is increasingly going to the electronic format also. (Attachment I).
1996 Federal and State Legislative Issues: The current
critical federal issue is the federal budget impasse. The Library Commission
is affected by the federal budget, but more long term than short term.
The federal monies used by the Library Commission are from the past federal
fiscal year. Funds received during the current fiscal year are applied
to the next state fiscal year's budget. The Commission has received some
of the FY 96 Library Services Construction Act (LSCA) monies through the
federal continuing resolution. The funds are not for a full year but are
for a partial year.
State Issues: Tax initiatives are being scrutinized in
the legislature to see if there is any consensus within the legislature
on a legislative approach to compete with various tax proposals that are
circulating. These proposals will certainly have a profound effect on
government
in Nebraska, whether the proposals limit state and local spending or if
they remove significant parts of local property taxes. The proposals will
cause some major reorganization and reduction in spending, (if one or more
of these initiatives get on the ballot and is passed by voters). In the
upcoming March, 1996, joint meeting of the State Advisory Council on Libraries
and the Library Commission, there will be some significant discussion
concerning
prospects and proposals for library funding in Nebraska.
Personnel Changes: Barbara Johnson, Library Services
Consultant,
retired at the end of December. Barbara has completed over 30 years of
service with the Library Commission.
Cindi Hickey, Information Technology Librarian, recently
completed her one year appointment under the Small Business Administration
grant through the State Department of Economic Development. The Library
Commission will be seeking establishment of a permanent position with a
somewhat revised position description based on Legislative approval of
our use of Nebrask@ Online revenues. Cindi will continue to work
on some assignments for the Library Commission on a contract basis.
Interviewing is currently underway to fill the OCLC Services
Coordinator position.
Nebrask@ Online Update: The General Manager's Reports
on Nebrask@ Online for November and December, 1995 were received
and reviewed by the Commissioners. Additional agencies have contacted the
Library Commission or the Network Manager staff to ask for assistance in
making their information available electronically. Some of these new agencies
are the Coordinating Commission for Post Secondary Education, State Auditor,
Lt. Governor's Office and Nebraska Investment Finance Authority. (Attachment
II and III.) The Nebrask@ Online Advisory Board met recently and
will continue to meet on a quarterly basis. The Nebraska Information Consortium
will continue to meet on a monthly basis.
State Advisory Council on Libraries Annual Report:
The significant activity for the State Advisory Council was
a discussion of information technology issues that were presented to the
council, and involvement in advising and development of the long range
plan. At the last meeting the Council decided to concentrate this year
on working with the Library Commission in putting together a significant
state aid proposal that would include a technology component, as well as
addressing some of the other state aid areas for libraries and library
systems.
VI. FINANCIAL REPORT
November and December Budget Reports: The November and December,
1995 Expenditure and Financial Reports were received and reviewed by the
Commissioners (Attachments IV and V).
VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
State Advisory Council on Libraries Appointments: It was
moved by Tom Harvey and seconded by Frances Lovell to reappoint Joan Birnie,
Director of the Broken Bow Public Library; Sally Wise, Library Director
of the University of Nebraska College of Law; and Dr. Elmer Baker,
Administrator
of York College to the State Advisory Council on Libraries. Motion carried
on roll call vote: Harvey-aye; Norman-aye; Sanders-aye; Vollbrecht-aye;
Lovell-aye; McPherson-aye
.
It was moved by Dr. Robert McPherson and seconded by Myrna
Vollbrecht to appoint Michael LaCroix, Director of the Reinert/Alumni Memorial
Library at Creighton University to the State Advisory Council on Libraries.
Motion carried on roll call vote: Harvey-aye; Norman-aye; Sanders-aye;
Vollbrecht-aye; Lovell-aye; McPherson-aye
.
VII. NEW BUSINESS
Nebrask@ Online Service and Rate Request 23, 1995-96:
It was moved by Dr. Robert McPherson and seconded by Jean Sanders to approve
the Nebrask@ Online Rate Request 23, 1995-96. Motion carried on
roll call vote: Harvey-aye; Norman-aye; Sanders-aye; Vollbrecht-aye;
Lovell-aye;
McPherson-aye. (Attachment VI).
Nebrask@ Online Network Managers Contract Extension:
It was moved by Dr. Robert McPherson and seconded by Jean Sanders to extend
the Nebrask@ Online Network Manager Contract to January 31, 2000.
Motion carried on roll call vote: Harvey-aye; Norman-aye; Sanders-aye;
Vollbrecht-aye; Lovell-aye; McPherson-aye.
Joint Meeting with State Advisory Council (March, 1996):
A discussion was held concerning the joint meeting of the Nebraska Library
Commission and the State Advisory Council on Libraries in Kearney on March
14 and 15, 1996.
Out of State Travel Requests: It was moved by Frances
Lovell and seconded by Myrna Vollbrecht to approve the out of state travel
request for Rod Wagner to attend the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies
meeting in San Antonio, Texas on January 19, 1996 and the American Library
Association Midwinter Meeting from January 20-23,1996 also in San Antonio.
Also to attend the Western Council of State Libraries meeting in Portland,
Oregon March 24 & 25, 1996 and the Public Library Association Conference,
also in Portland, from March 26-29, 1996. Motion carried on roll call vote:
Harvey-aye; Norman-aye; Sanders-aye; Vollbrecht-aye; Lovell-aye;
McPherson-aye.
Director's Performance Review: It was moved by Jean Sanders
and seconded by Tom Harvey to approve a 3?% salary increase beginning July
1, 1996 for Rod Wagner. Motion carried on roll call vote: Harvey-aye;
Norman-aye;
Sanders-aye; Vollbrecht-aye; Lovell-aye; McPherson-aye
.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by Jean Sanders and seconded by Tom Harvey to
adjourn the meeting at 11:20 a.m. Motion carried on roll call vote: Harvey-aye;
Norman-aye; Sanders-aye; Vollbrecht-aye; Lovell-aye; McPherson-aye
.
Elaine Miller, Secretary