Present: Grace Jackson-Brown (Presiding), Jos Holman (Treasurer), Monique Threatt (Secretary) Absent: Valentine Muyumba (Vice-President)

Applying for 501(c) status. In brief, Grace was unable to open an organizational account at the Fifth Third Bank in Bloomington. The manager would not accept an official letter signed by Board officers. The bank needs both verification of a 501 (c) status and a Tax-exempt identification number.

Grace has downloaded the nine-page, 501 (c) document from the web. Grace will fill out as much information as she can before soliciting additional input from the Board. The Board will need to act quickly before the three year deadline. Jos suggested that the Board consider the actual date the Bylaws was adopted (November 2001), or the date the IBLN became a Black Caucus (ALA) affiliate (June 2003) to help establish the three year deadline. Grace will set up an appointment to meet with the Board before the fall membership meeting.

Jos suggested that as the incoming Treasurer, he will contact Samuel Custard to schedule an appointment to meet with him and transfer the existing membership funds currently in Samuels possession (approximately $120 in cash and $170 in checks). Jos will make every effort to have Tippecanoe County Public Library staff send a letter, membership form, and the expired check to respective members and ask that they consider reissuing a new check made out to IBLN.

Grace pointed out that both Janet Hawkins-Guydon (Gary Public) and Dorothy Washington (Purdue University) recently gave her a check and that they will not need a letter from Jos.

Jos requested that Grace keep the current funds ($110 in checks and cash for membership dues) collected at the 2004 spring membership meeting in the event that the officers vote to set up an account at the Bloomington branch. It was strongly recommended that at least two Board members sign the official document when it comes time to establish an organizational account.

Jos and Grace will continue to seek advice on obtaining either an employee ID number or Tax-exempt number.

Writing a co-sponsored program proposal (due Aug. 6th) with the Indiana State Library (Marcia Smith-Woodard) for Indiana Library Federation State Conference in 2005. Because of the time restraints, the Board agreed to table this discussion until 2006. Grace will check with Valentine, an ILF member on the Minority Recruitment committee, to find out information about ILF programs scheduled for March 2005. A suggestion was made to propose a poster session for 2005 in lieu of a discussion speaker.

Jos also mentioned that Kathryn Marlett (Indiana University Bloomington) will be forming an ILF Diversity and Multiculturalism Committee and have solicited Lori Bayard from Notre Dame as a guest speaker at the ILF 2005 conference.

Planning Fall 2004 IBLN Fall Membership meeting. Grace will find out an ideal time for the Board to meet to discuss the 501 (c) status forms before the fall membership meeting.

Grace will send a massive e-mail to everyone to gauge responses for the fall membership meeting. It was suggested to hold a meeting on a Saturday in the first weeks of October at the Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN.