Executive Summary Minutes Board Meeting 5-13-2020

Massachusetts School Library Association 
Executive Board meeting 
May 13, 2019 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
(Third full board meeting during school shutdown for COVID-19 Crisis)

Virtual Meeting

Attending:
Jennifer Dimmick, Secretary
Patsy Divver, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Maria D’Orsi, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Deeth Ellis, Advocacy Co-Chair
Barb Fecteau, Co-Director Northeast Region
Pat Fontes, Awards
Sarah Forfa, Co-Director West Region
Alida Hanson, Professional Learning
Laura Harrington, Co-Director Northeast Region
Laura Luker, President
Claudia Palframan, Co-Director West Region 
Greg Pronevitz, Director of Outreach
Reba Tierney, Co-Editor MSLA Forum
Georgina Trebbe, Advocacy Co-Chair
Carrie Tucker, Past President
Morgan Van Clief, Co-Director Boston Region
Jen Varney, Treasurer

Reports and minutes of April meeting were approved.

Housekeeping items --- Laura Luker

• Personnel updates  -- Michelle Fontaine will join the board as our next Treasurer 
  
• Remaining meetings are on the calendar and the dashboard. 
  
  • 6/10/20  4:00--6:00  most likely virtual
    

Advocacy Committee --- Greg Pronevitz, Deeth Ellis, and/or Georgina Trebbe

• Inaugural virtual legislative days are taking place this week. The goal of these virtual legislative days is to get library aid on legislators’ radar and boost state aid to libraries. 
  
• Be sure to get in touch with your legislator to ask that they support library funding and indicate how important it is. Historical recessions have resulted in database cuts. 
  
• Laura Luker, Jennifer Harris, MLA Legislative Committee Chair, and Greg Peverill-Conti and Adam Zand from www.librarylandproject.com (professional PR talent) have been working together to submit an OpEd in support of state library funding to the Boston Globe. 
  
• We are grateful to Commissioner Riley for posting the link to Virtual School Librarian (VSL) in his Commissioner’s Weekly Update. Other promotion efforts include: letters sent to the DESE and MTA; Deeth Ellis has been working with Boston Teachers Union to increase exposure; submitted a blog post to AASL; and submitted an article to the MSLA Forum. 
  
• 22 questions have been submitted to the VSL, a majority from administrators and teachers. The libguide got 3,248 views, 2486 in April, perhaps because it was on Commissioner’s Weekly Update. Representative Peisch and Senator Lewis are interested in helping in the future. WeMean MTA group is meeting and Georgina Trebbe is joining to make sure librarians are part of the conversation. 
  
• Teachers Advisory Cabinet is looking for volunteers; Georgina Trebbe highly recommends it. See DESE website for more information. 
  

Office updates --- Laura Luker

• CVENT refunds - most processed now if done by credit card (was a challenging process with CVENT); now working on check refunds and making good progress.
  

Budget Report --- Jen Varney

• Budgeting process is beginning now. 
  
  • Shared proposed budget FY21. Discussed a variety of areas to consider cutting. 
    
  • Discussed possible alternative revenue streams in case we can’t have an in-person conference next spring. 
    
  • A task force was formed to pursue MSLA sponsored professional development opportunities: Jen Varney, Reba Tierney, Alida Hanson, Georgina Trebbe, and Jen Dimmick.
    
  • Jen Varney will revise the budget so we can vote on it in June and September.
    

Other news from board members

• Job-alike Zoom groups have been great. 
  
• Forum was just published, short but high quality; please read and spread on social media.
  
• Shout-out to the award committee for great work on promotion -- check out the awards page to see fun new content (e.g., responses to questions the committee has asked them). Also great work spreading the word on social media.
  
• Patsy Divver asked about returning materials; Laura Luker said the recommendation is to let materials sit for 72 hours before circulating. Greg Pronovitz has been following OCLC, IMLS, and Battelle COVID-19 
  

study about virus survival rates on books and plastic. It will be summer before results are in. Recommendations range from 72 hours to 7 days. 

Meeting adjourned.


Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Dimmick