Present: Grace Jackson-Brown (Indiana University) Interim President and presiding Chair, Dorothy Washington (Purdue University), Interim Vice-President, and Monique Threatt (Indiana University), Interim Secretary,

Grace Jackson-Brown opened the meeting with the following agenda:

1. ALA Black Caucus Affiliate Dues
2. IBLN Spring Elections for 2004-2005 officers
3. IBLN Membership Recruitment Activities
4. Other

1. ALA Black Caucus Affiliate Dues
   
   Grace Jackson-Brown reported that Jos Holman (Tippecanoe County) attended the ALA Black Caucus Mid-winter Conference as a representative of the IBLN. The Black Caucus did not set official dues at this time. Black Caucus Executive Board will discuss the issue, and it will be on the front burner. The discussion is tabled until the ALA Black Caucus Annual Conference, June 25-30, 2004.
   
   The Executive Board voted to create an official membership roster based on paid-in-full membership dues. In the event that the checks did not clear, the Board is requesting that attendees at the Spring 2004 come prepared to issue a new check. The Board will confirm membership status at the Spring 2004 membership meeting.
   
   
2. IBLN Spring Elections for 2004-2005 officers
   
   Dorothy Washington reported the following candidates for office:
   
   

   President:	Janet Hawkins-Guydon (Gary Public Library) Grace Jackson-Brown (Indiana University)
   Vice President:	DeLoice Holliday (Indiana University) Valentine Muyumba (Indiana State University)
   Treasurer:	Samuel Custard (Gary Public Library)
   Secretary:	Michelle Fenton (Indiana State Library)

   
   The Board emphasized the following guidelines for the election process:
   
   
   • To be considered for an office position, all candidates must be an official member of the IBLN and in good standing with membership dues.
   • candidates must fill out a candidate form.
   • There will be a second opportunity for nomination at the Spring 2004 membership meeting. Members can nominate themselves or others. The Board has voted to close the nomination at the Spring 2004 membership meeting.
   • The election of officers will follow the ALA Black Caucus Rules for Election as outlined in the ALA Handbook of Organization which states in brief that all ballots must be received at least 6 weeks before the ALA Annual Conference (June 24-30, 2004). Hence, the deadline for all IBLN ballots must be received by May 13, 2004.
     
     
3. IBLN Membership Recruitment Activities
   
   The Board emphasized the need to actively start the recruitment process. It was suggested that the IBLN advertise its upcoming spring meeting highlighting the tour of the African American Collections at the Indiana Historical Society.
   
   Grace Jackson-Brown will speak to Samuel Custard about the IBLN Logo.
   
   Grace Jackson-Brown volunteered to create a flyer along with her graduate student.
   
   Grace Jackson-Brown suggested a need to create a publicity committee to address publicity matters, the logo and web site. This is a topic for discussion at the Spring membership meeting.
   
   Monique Threatt will contact Kathy Marlett (Indiana University) and Lezlie Simms at Evansville Public Library to find out if a representative from IBLN will be able to speak for a brief time about IBLN during an upcoming Diversity forum at the Indiana Libraries Federation Day (April 13-14, 2004) in Indianapolis.
   
   Dorothy Washington will create a listserv to Indiana libraries for the purpose of electronically marketing IBLN events.
   
   
4. Other
   
   The Spring IBLN Membership Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, 2004, 11:30 - 1:30 p.m. at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis. The meeting is scheduled as a luncheon meeting, and we can order box lunches (about $8.50) with the Indiana Historical Society caterer. Wilma Gibbs has also agreed to give us a tour.
   
   Grace Jackson-Brown design a flyer for the Spring 2004 meeting and tour and forward to Dorothy Washington for distributing to the membership and Indiana libraries.