Present: Vivian Barnes (Indianapolis Marion County Public Library), Pearlie Eatman (East Chicago Public Library), Michele Fenton (Indiana State Library), René L. Greenleaf (Hammond Public Library), Shenekia Hatcher (Indianapolis Marion County Public Library), Jos Holman (Tippecanoe County Public Library), Grace Jackson-Brown, Interim President and presiding Chair (Indiana University), Valentine Muyumba (Indiana State University), Monique Threatt, Interim Secretary (Indiana University), and Dorothy Washington, Interim Vice-President (Purdue University).

Guests: Wilma Gibbs (Archivist, African American History, Indiana Historical Society), Marcia D. Smith-Woodard (Outreach Indiana Institutional Librarian), Jeff Lewis (graduate student, Indiana University), Leah Broaddus (post-graduate student, Indiana University).

1. Grace Jackson-Brown greeted everyone and provided a brief history of IBLN's constitution, by laws, purpose and goals for potential new members and visiting guests.
   
   Jackson-Brown also provided a brief summary on the state of Black librarians. According to a 2003 census, the status of Black librarians has declined nationally from 16,000 in 1990 to 11,000 in 2000. Jackson-Brown read an article about the status of Black librarians in Kentucky which has also declined from 63 librarians in 1990 to 4 librarians in 2000. Jackson-Brown stressed the importance of recruitment and retention of black librarians.
   
   
2. Minutes - Minutes were distributed from the Spring and Fall 2003 membership meetings. Everyone was encouraged to peruse the minutes for corrections or comments. Pearlie Eatman stated that she was from the East Chicago Public Library and Michele Fenton wanted to add the word Library after Indiana State. Jackson-Brown requested a motion to approve both the June 7, 2003 minutes and the September 27th minutes with corrections respectively. Eatman made a motion to approve, Jos Holman seconded, motion carried.
   
   
3. Election Committee Report for 2004-2005 IBLN Officers - Jackson-Brown stated that in order to comply with the by laws of the Black Caucus, the absolute deadline for IBLN post-mark distribution of election ballots is May, 13, 2004 (six weeks prior to the ALA Annual Conference). All nominations should be submitted to Dorothy Washington at [email protected] by April 30, 2004 to be placed on the ballot. Holman made a clarifying statement that since the IBLN bylaws do not specify that elections must have two or more candidates for each office, and because ALA Black Caucus from time to time in its history has held elections with only one candidate running for a particular office, and since IBLN is in its infancy, that the Elections Committee consider accepting one nomination per office. The Madame Chair agreed.
   
   The following is a summation on the status of nomination for office as reported by Dorothy Washington:
   
   Individuals who accepted the nomination in response to email forwarded 4/02/04:
   
   

   President:	Grace Jackson-Brown and Janet Hawkins-Guydon
   Vice President/President Elect:	Valentine Muyumba

   
   
   Individuals who did not respond to email forwarded 4/02/04:
   
   

   Treasurer:	Samuel Custard
   Vice President/President-Elect:	Deloice Holliday

   
   
   Individual who did not accept nomination via telephone 4/12/04:

   Secretary:

   Michelle Fenton

   
   
   Holman requested that his name be submitted for Treasurer in the event that Samuel Custard declines the nomination.
   
   Some discussion between Vivian Barnes, Accounts Payable Officer and Holman transpired about the responsibilities of the Treasurer. The IU Credit Union and Fifth Third banks were mentioned as possible banks in which to set up accounts. The pros and cons of establishing personal and business accounts were discussed. A TID # (tax-identification number) is required for business/organizational transactions. Whereas, in the event a personal account is established, two persons would be required to show identification. Vivian Barnes stated that she is willing to assist the elected Treasurer to set up an account.
   
   Jackson-Brown will attempt to contact Samuel Custard in regards to the Treasurer nomination.
   
   
4. Draft IBLN Logo - Everyone agreed that the logo was fine, with the following minor changes: make the logo more culturally aesthetic, spell out Indiana Black Librarians Network, add color to the background, scan the logo and revise it. Holman made a motion that the present logo draft be adopted and used by the officers for presentations and publicity until the logo is finalized, Eatman seconded, motion carried.
   
   
5. Treasury Report - Jackson-Brown reported the latest treasurer report on behalf of Samuel Custard. As of April 12, 2004, there were 16 paid members; $120.00 in cash and $170.00 in checks. Membership forms were distributed at the end of the meeting for interested parties. If you need an IBLN Membership Form, contact Threatt at [email protected]. She can provide the form to you in a Microsoft WORD document.
   
   Jackson-Brown will let the committee know before the end of April 30th if members need to reissue a check for membership dues. If you are unsure if you wrote a check, contact Monique Threatt by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at (812) 855-9857.
   
   
6. Creation of an IBLN Membership Recruiting Committee - The following people volunteered to serve on the committee: Pearlie Eatman, René Greenleaf, Shenekia Hatcher, and Michele Fenton. Jackson-Brown will provide greater details about the responsibilities of this committee at a later date, but they will include the creation of a website, reaching a wider audience all over Indiana. Holman stated that the IBLN is looking to recruit people of color who work in libraries, not just librarians. He further added that the IBLN need student liaisons. Marcia Smith-Woodard proposed mentioning the IBLN in her quarterly newsletter for the state. Jeff Lewis suggested he could ask his dad who sits on the Board of Directors, St. Joseph Public Library to mention the IBLN.
   
   The following new members need to be added to the electronic list serv:
   
   

   Vivian Barnes	[email protected]
   René Greenleaf	[email protected]

   
   
   
7. IBLN Ongoing projects - Valentine Muyumba did not report on the status of the Black librarians obituaries she referred the reporting to Dorothy Washington. Washington clarified that it was a project initiated by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Deloice Holliday worked on identifying librarians in the Bloomington and Indianapolis area. She reported none were identified. As well, Washington indicated Janet Hawkins-Guydon and other librarians in the Gary Public Library System worked on librarians in the Gary Public Library System. Deceased librarians were identified and the data was submitted directly to the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.
   
   Washington also indicated that a request for the Black musician's project was received from the Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC) at Indiana University, Bloomington and suggested it is a collaborative project for IBLN to pursue, particularly since it is research oriented and would contribute toward documenting the Black experience in Indiana. Jackson-Brown requested that the projects be tabled for now until further notification.
   
   

• Smith-Woodard donated books to be given away in a free drawing to IBLN attendees. Congratulations to René, Michele and Vivian.
• Four members joined IBLN. Renee Greenleaf, Valentine Muyumba, and Pearlie Eatman each wrote checks in the amount of $20.00, and student member Vivian Barnes submitted the amount of $10 in cash. Welcome Renee, Valentine, Pearlie, and Vivian!