Executive Summary Minutes Board Meeting 10-16-2019

Massachusetts School Library Association 
Executive Board meeting 
October 16, 2019 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Virtual Meeting


Attending:
Allison Barker, Co-Director Southeast Region
Michael Caligiuri
Jennifer Dimmick, Secretary
Patsy Divver, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Maria D’Orsi, Co-Director Metrowest Region
Deeth Ellis, Advocacy Co-Chair
Pamela Foley
Sarah Forfa
Laura Harrington, Co-Director Northeast Area
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager
Laura Luker, President
Ingrid Mayyasi, Awards
Greg Pronevitz, Director of Outreach
Claudia Palframan, Co-Director West Region 
Katherine Steiger, Forum Co-Editor
Carrie Tucker, Past President
Pamela Vallee, Co-Director Central Region
Morgan Van Clief, Co-Director Boston Region
Jen Varney, Treasurer
Wendy Garland


Minutes of September meeting were approved.

Advocacy report --- Greg Pronevitz, Deeth Ellis

• Following a pre-meeting with Representative Sean Garballey, Director of Outreach Greg Pronovitz, Advocacy CoChairs Deeth Ellis and Georgina Trebbe, Research Director for the Joint Committee on Education Angela Hong, and Representative Garballey met with House Chair, Representative Alice Peische, Joint Committee on Education, to discuss MSLA priorities.  
  • A $1.5Billion education funding bill had just passed before the meeting. Representative Peische said she would reach out to Commissioner Riley to ask about his plans for school libraries, and did so. Greg Pronevitz is drafting a thank you note to Representative Peisch, in addition to a note to the commissioner to let him know that we’re ready to help. 
• Laura Luker and Greg Pronevitz also met with State Senator Joanne Comerford to seek support for MSLA priorities, and she was very helpful and recommended strategies that they are following up on, e.g., seek sponsors for legislation calling for a statewide audit/census of school libraries/librarians/services. Representative Garballey wants to stay involved, which is great news.
• Legislative day planning: There will be a new approach this year whereby different constituents and representatives will be gathered together to meet with legislators in coordinated groups, scheduled in advance. Greg Pronevitz wishes that more school librarians would participate and attend because that would help our cause. Deeth Ellis noted the difficulty of getting the day off. Greg suggested that school librarians reach out to their legislators by phone if they’re unable to attend the day.
  • Greg noted that we need to define a specific call to action as part of our approach to legislative day.
• Discussed and agreed to invite representatives from MLS, MBLC, and MLA to our in-person meetings, as these organizations have many goals in line with MSLA.  We will send the meeting agenda in advance, and include an opportunity for them to contribute at the start of the meeting to use their time most efficiently.
• Voted to formally endorse the MBLC’s Legislative Agenda to show support. Greg will draft a letter of support for Laura to sign.
• Advocacy Summit on 10/30 from 4-6 at MLS’ new offices. 

Professional learning  

• Conference update - we have a signed contract with the Sheraton. Same as last year with improvements to food, and other issues based on reviewing 30 pages of feedback to improve things.
• Legislator Tram Nguyen is on board for dinner speaker, plus Jarrett Krosoczka and AASL President-Elect Kathy Carroll. 
• Deadline for proposals is 10/29/19. Please spread the word and share the link. 
• Deeth Ellis was at the MassCUE/MSLA/WGBH Better Together conference held in East Walpole on September 25. Keynote was Sarah Childress, Senior Editor and Director of Local Projects for FRONTLINE. Compelling presentation about journalistic integrity and the decline in local journalism. 

AASL Affiliate Awards --- Laura Luker

• Decided to the following AASL Affiliate Awards in mind for the future, if we have the bandwidth to pursue these in addition to our advocacy initiatives:
  • The ABC-CLIO Leadership Grant, sponsored by ABC-CLIO, which awards up to $1,750 to a school library association that is an AASL affiliate for planning and implementing a leadership program at the state, regional or local level; 
  • The Affiliate of the Year Award, sponsored by AASL, which awards a $1,000 stipend to the AASL Affiliate most active and dynamic in achieving the goals of AASL at the state and local level;
  • The AASL Past-Presidents Planning Grant for National School Library Standards, sponsored by Roger and Susan D. Ballard, Edward M. and Helen R. Adams, and Cassandra Barnett; which annually awards $2,500 to four AASL Affiliates to plan and execute an event, initiative, or activity focused on the implementation of the new AASL "National School Library Standards." Grants are presented in honor of AASL past-presidents.
    
    

Voted to approve final budget for the year.

 Awards updates --- Wendy Garland, Pat Fontes, and Ingrid Mayyasi

• Awards will open November 1 and stay open until January 15
• Approved changes being made to the Web Seal of Excellence, President's Award, and Super Librarian Award
  • Web seal is expanded to include more digital tools/mediums vs. restricting it to just websites.
• Approved Judi Paradis Action Grant nomination form.  

Meeting adjourned.

Upcoming events

• 10/17/19 Western MA Librarian/Media Specialist PLC (Budget Advocacy / Library-Program Visibility and TecShare)
• 10/26/19 NESLA board meeting. Carrie and Laura will attend (virtually)
• 10/29/19 Deadline for proposals for annual conference
• 10/30/19 MSLA Advocacy Summit. 4-6 PM at MLS offices
• 11/4/19 MLS Annual Meeting at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester
• 3/?/20 Library Legislative Day, Boston
• 3/29-30/30 MSLA conference, “We Can Do It: School Libraries Build Strong Communities”, Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center

Upcoming board meetings 

• Wednesday, November 20, 2019  4:00--6:00 MLS offices 
• Wednesday, December 18, 2019  4:00--6:00 Virtual, only if needed
• Wednesday, January 15, 2020  4:00--6:00 MLS offices   
• Wednesday, February 12, 2020  4:00--6:00 Virtual
• Wednesday, March 18, 2020  4:00--6:00 MLS offices
• Wednesday, April 15, 2020  4:00--6:00 Virtual
• Wednesday, May 13, 2020  4:00--6:00 MLS offices
• Wednesday, June 10, 2020  4:00--6:00 MLS offices

Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Dimmick