Tuesday Jan. 27, 2009
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Marina Branch, Monterey County Free Libraries.
190 Seaside Circle, Marina, CA 93933
Call to order:
In attendance: Frank Gravier (UCSC), Bjorn Jones (SPL), Deborah Ruiz (MPC), Inga Labeaune (MPL), Beata Obydzinski (MCFL), Pamela Jungerberg (PG), Jennifer Waterson (SPL), Christie Tan (MIIS), Jean Chapin (HML), Janie Silveria (CSUMB), Merritt Taylor (SCPL), Janet Cubbage (HML), Irene Berry (NPS), Heather Geddes (WPL), Bill Rawson (HCL), George Romero (CAB).
Additions/Changes to the Agenda
– None
Adoption of Nov., 2008 Meeting Minutes
– Adopted with minor changes.
Reports
Administrative Council Report
– No money has been distributed yet from the state to MOBAC. San Juan Bautista has begun charging for library card, they are no longer a member of MOBAC. Admin Council is reviewing the bylaws for the new PLP system.
– Frank reported on his presentation to Council regarding the Reference Committee’s budget and possible scenarios for funding reference databases in the next fiscal year.
– SPLAMBA has a new president, Karen Brown from MPL.
– Library directors from the Admin Council will be meeting in February to discuss the budget cuts at the their individual libraries. They will share strategies and ideas with each other.
Technology Committee Report
– Will be having an open source workshop on Feb 27th, 8:30am – 1pm, at CSUMB.
Interlibrary Loan Committee Report
– Held a copyright workshop at Watsonville in December.
Old Business
Schedule Training Workshops (2008/09).
– We will be having the workshop “How to Help the Public Help Themselves” at Cabrillo on Feburary 20th, from 8:30am to 4:00pm.
– There was a general discussion about the topic for our next workshop. Ideas included, library resources for ESL, websites for limited English speakers, and ESL collection development. We will continue to brainstorm ideas and share them at our next meeting. We plan to do a workshop in May.
Plan of Service 2008/2009
– Frank asked the Plan of Service Committee to provide a summary of the activities the Reference Committee has engaged in in support of this year’s plan of service.
– Members made suggestions for things to do in the future including; a spanish language book fair (inc. ESL vendors), creating a pathfinder/website of local resources available for limited English patrons, and having the libraries provide more information on the mobac member survey about collections available in foreign languages.
Subscription Databases
– The academics plan to renew the Access Science subscription. All of the publics are planning to purchase the Gale package of databases.
Joint meeting with SPLAMBA
– The meeting will be Friday, April 17th at Marina. Reference committee will have a short lunch meeting afterwards.
New Business
Draft Reference Committee Budget
– There was some question among members about how the MOBAC budget line for databases would pay out and how that money would be divided up between the public libraries. The discussion was that this might done by population, similar to how Gale came up with the pricing. Libraries, like Salinas, who have already subscribed to Gale might still be able to get the discount.
Update Survey of Publicly Available Technologies
– It is that time of year, please review your library’s survey and submit changes to Irene Berry. You can submit to her electronically or on paper.
– There was also a general discussion of whether there were more categories that might be included on this survey.
Repeat Business
New Reference Sources (books, websites,)
– www.arbookfind.com – great website for finding lists of accelerated reader books.
– November issue of PC Magazine had a list of the 100 Most Useful Websites.
– http://www.dtic.mil – Available to the public, and very useful for finding all kinds of Sci/Tech reports studies, gray literature, etc. (quite a bit in Political Science and Behavioral Sciences, too.) Much is in pdf format and what’s not instantly available can be ordered from NTIS from a link in the database.
– Maria Schriver has a new website for finding California government Resources.
News from Libraries
UCSC – Is getting new self checks.
MPC – Interested in hiring a p/t librarian this semester, let Deborah know if you can suggest anyone. The recruitment for a library director was unsuccessful, the position has now been made into an associate dean and the recruitment will begin again.
Salinas – Has a new bookmobile. Has created a literary garden at El Gabilan branch. Is celebrating its centennial year. Budget cuts for city depts. are under discussion.
MPL – Also has a new bookmobile and is getting new self checks. Has started using libguides, which is an online tool to help in the creation of pathfinders. Has made a “Surviving Difficult Times” website for the public.
MCFL – Has just instituted a temporary freeze on the purchase of all new materials. Feb 11 the 211 project will be launching in Monterey county.
DLI – Has a new school president who seems concerned about the library’s low budget. DLI will be getting a new security gate.
HML – Has just begun universal borrowing.
CSUMB – The new library has opened! Staff are loving it!
SCPL – Starting in February all libraries will be closed on Fridays, f/t staff are losing 4 hours per week. There are cuts to the budgets for materials, library clerks, and pages. All ILL services have been suspended and no request for purchase will be taken from the public. Good news is that a community read has begun.
NPS- The library is remodeling and there is a new reference desk!
WPL- Staff went through temporary layoffs over Christmas. Budget cuts are being explored.
Hartnell – School has started and enrollment is up this semester.
CAB – Has gotten a new voice over internet telephone system. All public reference machines are now requiring a log in.
——Adjournment