HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY “OFFICIALLY WITHDRAWN” MEETING FEBRUARY 19, 2009 GOLDEN VALLEY LIBRARY Attendees: Roger Burg, Eileen Cavanagh, Cathy Chastek, Pat Chisenhall, Sue Colten, Vicki Dunn, Ann Eccles, Bill Erickson, Jeannette Freed, Evelyn Gross, Helen Halverson, Chuck Kritzler, Pat Kulseth, Sandy Louis, Marilyn Lustig, Phyllis Mattill, Helen McNulty, Fran Parkinson, JoAn Skomra, Jean Smith, Sharyll Smith, David Waldemar Call to order: Chuck Kritzler called the meeting to order at 9:35am at the Golden Valley Library. Mary Steinbicker, Golden Valley staff member, welcomed the group and gave an update on Golden Valley activities. Golden Valley has received new computer screens that are easier for patrons to use. They have a partnership with the New Hope YMCA now. The Golden Valley police and fire fighters help with after-school homework at the library. Margaret Gillespie, HCL External Relations and Partnerships, gave an update on merger information. She praised the Golden Valley after-school homework program and also mentioned the “Homework Hub” program. The new director, Lois Thompson, has her office at Ridgedale. Margaret explained the interviewing procedure that took place when choosing the new director. Many staff members have been moving to new offices because of the merger. The former HCL Finances group moved downtown and merged with the former MPL group. The External Relations and Partnerships group and the Communications group are at Ridgedale. Some of the information writers changed positions. Some Resource services positions in Materials Processing will be offered other opportunities. Richard Johnson of Hennepin County, in a recent e-mail, told that each department has to reduce its budget by 10% ($6 million in the first half of the year and maybe 10% more later in the year). Some of HCL’s priorities are early literacy, 55 plus, jobs and small business, and lifelong learning. HCL has applied for a NAACO award for the expansion of the Jobs and Small Business centers, the Outreach corrections section’s “Freedom Ticket” initiative and other innovations. Questions for Margaret included: 1) How can we get information on the HCL organization chart? (Staff Web - Director’s Office – HCL Organization chart), 2) What is the situation with the substitute budget? (There is no substitute budget unless absolutely necessary, for example in the case of long-term illness), 3) Are the suburban Friends groups separate from the newly merged MPL Friends and the Foundation (Yes). Before the business meeting began, Chuck Kritzler led the group in a moment of silence in memory of staff members who recently died, Jim Davy, Ethel Olson, and Marge Schoenberger. Roger Burg reported that February 16 would have been Helen Young’s 100th birthday. Secretary’s Report: Minutes of the September 18, 2008 meeting were distributed. Sandy Louis moved to accept the minutes and Sue Colten seconded. Minutes were accepted. Treasurer’s Report: Previous Balance 9/18/2008: $688.29 Income: $ 30.71 Expenses: $ 33.60 Balance 1/31/2009 $685.40 Pat Chisenhall moved to accept the report. Sandy Louis seconded. Report was accepted. Reports: Displays: Phyllis Mattill told about the “Lost Libraries” display in the Ridgedale office lobby. The display is changed two times a year. Ideas and realia for new displays are welcome. Archivers: Sandy Louis said that some individual library histories will be on our Website by next month. A 1935 Woman’s Home Companion magazine article called “A Living Library” is now on the website. It contains information about Minneapolis public library’s Gratia Countryman and her depression era programs. Membership: Pat Kulseth reminded everyone that the membership year is from June through the next May, so everyone should bring the $5 membership fee to the May meeting. There are 66 paid members. Old Business: none New Business: Pat Kulseth asked the group if they were interested in having Linda Koutsky from the Coffee House Press come and speak at the next (May 21) meeting. The group agreed that it would be interesting and that we would be able to pay her. Oral History Tapes: The group viewed tapes of interviews with Carmen Kowal Nelson and Jeannette Freed. Jeannette worked in the “Extensions” department at Third and Nicollet. She remembered Gaylord charging, punch cards, and the ACCS system. Carmen’s first job was as a clerk at Wayzata. She hand-charged material. Later she also worked at Third and Nicollet. They both spoke of the joys of getting rid of the locater file. The next person interviewed, Gloria Barry, told about the old Edina Library which was a little old house on 50th and France. The fiction was on the first floor and the non-fiction on the second (this might have been a former bedroom). She also spoke of the sculpture, art prints, and the record collection at the next Edina Library on 50th. In 1979 she became the supervisor of the combined Oxboro and Penn Lake Libraries. She worked with Friends groups of both libraries and got the two groups together for their first combined meeting. The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be on May 21, place to be announced later.