Friends of Kansas Libraries

Friends of Kansas Libraries (FoKL)
Board Meeting Minutes
October 19, 2007
Salina Public Library 9:30 am
Present: Nancy Malone, Carolyn Little, Sue Blechl, Tina Stropes, Shirley Funk, Nancy Keith, Clarice Howard, Midge Jones, Connie Doeden, Andrea Sobba, Susan Richardson, Marion Renner, Shannon Roy
Absent: Gail Fisher

Joe McKenzie, Director of the Salina Public Library, welcomed the group. He talked about some of the projects of the Salina Friends and described the library’s CLASS program – lifelong learning programs. He introduced Bernice, one of his Friends Board Members, who told more about the many ways the Salina Friends support the library:

• Purchase 10 poinsettias for holiday decorating
• Give each staff member a $15 gift certificate
• Hold two book sales each year
• Sell canvas book bags and give away plastic shopping bags (printed with English & Spanish)
• Provide T-shirts for summer reading volunteers (teens)
• Give three $1,000 scholarships to teen volunteers
• Host receptions for authors
• Provide Dial-a-story tapes and machine
• Sponsor TALK book discussions
• Get funds from local trust annually

The Salina Friends pay all dues through the library’s circulation desk, and membership is recorded on the library database. The annual Friends budget is about $15,000. Dues are $10, $25 family, $50 benefactor, $100 individual Life, $250 household Life. They have about 270 members.

Nancy M. conducted a group dynamics exercise, with pairs of board members sharing two or three of the following statements with each other and then with the full board:

• The absolutely best book I have ever read is…
• When I am working with my Friends group I really enjoy…
• When I am working with my Friends group I really do not like to…
• A unique feature of my library is…
• You know you are in my town because…

COMMUNICATIONS

Andrea and Connie did a program at SEKLS meeting on FoKL and Friends. They used a new powerpoint presentation created by Nancy Malone. Two potential FoKL board members were identified there: Skip Childress of Mound City and Ellen Smith of Iola. About 20 people attended their session. Andrea now has the FoKL display board.

Librarian Carol Levers spoke at the event about growing up in South Africa and apartheid. She currently works for the West Wyandotte branch of the Kansas City, KS library.

The LaCygne Library (Library District #2 of Linn County) has been remodeled. The board wondered if the Friends group helped with the project.

The libraries in Humboldt and in Longton are interested in forming Friends groups. Onaga and Centralia have asked for start up packets, along with Marion and Graham County (Hill City). Clarice reported that 66 members have joined the Hill City group, and that they supported the summer reading program.

Nancy Keith is working hard to form a Friends group in Effingham. She reported that 36 people helped with the Pomona Library.

Parker Library – the Friends have a monthly sale at the library where they sell cookies and pop to the public.

Marion and Nancy M. went to Rose Hill for a second time. There is interest in forming a public library. Currently the library serves both the public and the school.

Stevens County Library in Hugoton has asked for help from Sue. They do not have a Friends and are thinking that a Friends group would be able to provide programming for the library. Sue and perhaps another board member may attend a library board meeting to talk about options.

Carolyn attended the Iowa Library Conference where FOLUSA director Sally Reed spoke.

CONSENT AGENDA

The following items were distributed in advance:

Minutes of the July 13 Board meeting

Minutes of the Aug. 16 Exec. Committee meeting

Minutes of the Sept. 12 Exec. Committee meeting

Financial reports for July, August & September

These consent agenda items were approved. (Carolyn/Clarice, passed)

REPORTS

Membership – Clarice reported that we have 64 paid individual members, 36 Friends groups, and 8 libraries and other organizations. That is down a little from this time last year. The committee will work on the process to send invoices to past members. A renewal letter with the mailer envelopes will be sent to Friends groups and to libraries. Printed lists of the three kinds of members were distributed to the board. Clarice has done several messages on the kanlib-l listserv about FoKL and about joining and renewing. Tina reported that several memberships were received following the reminders.

Governance – Carolyn has made contacts to fill vacancies on the board. She noted that the board must be working on new leaders for FoKL, so that our work can continue and flourish. Carolyn plans to step back next year, so that a new vice president can spend one year working with Nancy M. for a smooth transition. Because Carolyn resides in Iowa, she is not interested in serving as FoKL president. Richard Brookman, Library Director at the Kearney County Library in Lakin, is interested in serving on the board, provided that his library board approves and supports the position.

KLTA- Midge noted that KLTA is working on membership and finance issues with KLA. There are some vacancies on the KLTA board. FoKL is working with KLTA on the joint Trustee-Friends Day on Wed. April 9 at the Kansas Library Conference (no longer called TriConference). Ellen Miller of KLTA asks if we would like to share an exhibit table with KLTA. Because there is ample exhibit space near the registration desk, it was suggested that FoKL and KLTA each have their own display booths. The conference theme is “Be the Change”, a shortened form of the quote from Gandhi “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” The two groups will sponsor an award luncheon.

Discussion continued on the general topic of the Conference. Nancy M. and Midge each met with KLTA rep Ellen Miller to make plans. The schedule for the day will be very similar to last year. There will be a Kaffee Klatch roundtable discussion session in the morning, followed by a keynote speaker on advocacy. The keynote location may be at the adjoining Wichita Public Library. Lunch will be from 12 to 1:50, and KLTA and FoKL will each plan programs for the 2:00-2:50 and 3:00-3:50 time slots. Each group will have an annual meeting at 4 pm. Separate rooms are requested for the afternoon sessions.

Marsha Bennett of Johnson County Library has agreed to do a program for FoKL on online book selling. Sue Blechl agreed to coordinate a session on programming.

Joan Hughes, Nancy Keith, and Midge Jones will handle decorations for the Kaffee Klatch and luncheon. A flower theme will likely be used, which ties to the FoKL exhibit theme of blooming and gardens.

The board discussed the Duane Johnson Library Leadership Award. This is presented annually at the conference luncheon. Past awardees were: Duane Johnson, Hans Fischer, Leroy Gattin, and Vikki Jo Stewart. Pat Gaunce, retired librarian from Kansas City, was selected for the 2008 award. (Clarice/Nancy K., passed) Other names suggested included Jane Hatch, Cindy Hickey, Betty Cattrell, and Ellen Miller.

KLA – Sue Blechl is the liaison to KLA, where FoKL is an affiliate member. KLA has some major projects being worked on: major bylaws revision, strategic plan implementation, and website & membership software (Affiniscape) in development. Another new project is the change in the annual conference from TriConference (with three partners) to the Kansas Library Conference with KLA as the sponsor with support from KASL (Kansas Association of School Librarians). KLA’s Library Legislative Day has been set for Thursday, February 21, 2008. Sue B. and Carol Barta, NCKL Consultant, will co-chair this event. Sue will be working to bring FoKL and Friends involvement into the day and the legislative process.

Paying FoKL dues by credit card will only be done if the KLA membership form is used. FoKL has removed the credit card option from its own membership forms (in print and online).

A National Friends of Libraries Week has been set for Oct. 21-27, with a proclamation for Kansas from Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Clarice will send a kanlib-l message including this information. The FoKL board agreed to make this special week a major focus in 2008. It was suggested that the theme used for the April library conference could be used also for promotion of the National Friends Week. This would allow us to maximize our theme.

A question was raised whether Annette Smith who handles our membership database is recording e-mail addresses included on the membership forms. The board also discussed the progress of a FoKL listserve, which Mary Markwalter, a FoKL board member now on a temporary leave from the board, has worked on. We will find out.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

The FoKL Committes – Membership, Public Relations, Governance and Finance – met for 15 to 20 minutes. Reports from each committee were then given.

Public Relations – Andrea noted that award and grant forms have been updated for the new year. Nancy M. will post them on our webpage www.fokl.net. Nancy will try to have both pdf and Word document versions. Andrea encouraged each board member to take a turn serving on the award and grant review panel, as it is a good way to see what Friends groups all over the state are doing, and how valuable the groups are to their libraries and communities. Susan Richardson and Tina Stropes agreed to be reviewers. Applications are due on February 15. No date for reviewing has been set. The FoKL president has the official files. She sends the award letters and checks to the successful groups.

The Conference booth will have a flower/garden theme. Carolyn has a trellis that could be used to create the main design of the promotional booth. Sue B. will work with Andrea on the theme and novelties/giveaways, such as seed packets or silk flowers. One idea is FoKL – Fertilizer for your Friends. The Board approved a budget of up to $150 from the library conference budget line for the booth. (Connie/Clarice, passed)

Susan brought copies of the just published newsletter. It is to be mailed shortly. She asked that each regional rep on the board submit information on what Friends groups are doing in their system. The emphasis should be on groups that are members of FoKL. The next edition will come out in January, so the deadline for submission is December.

Suggestions for the next Freeda B. Frank column include how to honor a valuable volunteer and basic program ideas. Freeda will include two “letters” for the next issue as she seems to be getting a lot of mail.

Governance – Carolyn noted again that she is working to fill vacancies on the FoKL board and that she has the following people interested: Richard Brookman at Lakin, Harriet Goth at Belleville, and Ellen Smith and Skip Childress of SEKLS.

Finance – Tina is interested in finding new ways to get income. She will look into how groups similar to FoKL in other states raise money. She also reported that some Friends groups may be receiving a notice to file a 990 tax form. Tina will write an article about this for the newsletter. Connie and Marion reported that their library auditors want to include the Friends of the Library financial information with the library’s audit. It was noted that this is not appropriate, that the library and the Friends are two distinct entities.

License Plates that support libraries. At one time FoKL had vinyl plates made with the universal library symbol and the words “Libraries – Yes!” printed on them. The group sold the plates for $5 as a fundraiser. The inventory has been sold out for several years, and there is interest in having new versions made and selling them at the Conference and at regional meetings. Tina will look into this.

FoKL canvas bags. We have a large supply of bags. It was suggested that we use these as prizes at the April conference. They could be door prizes at the luncheon or prizes associated with the booth.

Friends Book Shelf. An idea for the newsletter has been to review books that are useful to Friends groups. Carolyn offered to write the first review.

Shannon Roy, our new liaison to the State Library, suggests that we include FoKL information regularly in the State Library newsletter.

Andrea suggests that we consider having FoKL polo shirts made. Connie will look into prices.

Sue will maintain the roster. A new edition will be distributed shortly.

The FoKL Executive Committee will meet via OPAL on Friday, Nov. 9 and Friday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m.

The FoKL Board will meet via ELMer (videoconferencing) on Friday, January 11, 2008.

Respectfully submitted,
Sue Blechl, Secretary

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