MSLA Executive Board
March 16, 2016
Westborough High School
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Executive Summary
The MSLA Executive Board met on Wednesday, March 16 to discuss Library Licensure in Massachusetts, Professional Development opportunities, Advocacy and Outreach, Executive Board Structure and Meeting Format, and nomination of the new president-elect.
A review committee formed from the Executive Board have edited and reviewed the Library Licensure document. Authors Carol Kelly (Salem State), Lisa Estabrook (Simmons College) and Elaine Mokrzycki and Donna Guerin (Cambridge College) will review and approve the changes. The document may be linked directly at the DESE site and/or on the MSLA website. MSLA members will be notified when the document is posted and sent a link.
There are several Professional Learning opportunities for the spring and summer. If you haven’t signed up for Bookfest on April 30, register now! Registration is open until April 24. MSLA members are encouraged to invite colleagues and administrators that might be interested. The Board discussed whether more SPED classes should be offered at various levels to meet the anticipated increase in demand as the DESE certification requirement begins on July 1 of this year. Because of holiday and other conflicts the date of the next MSLA Conference has been changed to May 7 & 8, 2017, and will be held at the Resort & Conference Center in Hyannis.
MSLA Board members will be presenting awards in the winner’s home district and/or school to highlight and advocate for school libraries. Awardees will also be recognized at the dinner following the Spring BookFest. Author/illustrator Andrea Davis Pinkney with be the dinner speaker. Tickets can be purchased separately for this event at bit.ly/bookfest16 until April 24.
Amy Short is an Affiliate Assembly representative from MSLA to the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). She reported that AASL is seeking concerns and commendations from its affiliate members. She is looking into reports that NEASC has changed standards for school libraries in vocational schools. She will consult with the New England School Library Association (NESLA) about submitting this concern on behalf of all the New England AASL affiliates.
Since we are not having a conference this year, the Executive Board would like to hold a virtual annual meeting. Ahead of time, the Board will publish annual reports from committees and area directors to share online with all members. Some virtual meeting formats under consideration are Skype or Google+ conversation, Google Community Group within Google+, a blog with comments. To implement this change, the Board approved a change language in the MSLA Constitution, which must subsequently be approved by a vote of the membership. The motion to change the language was approved and will be included in the upcoming election ballot.
The Executive Board discussed board structure, as well as style and format of Board meetings. The Board discussed having fewer more focused, retreat-style meetings to address detailed business, allow for team building and special projects, while supplementing with virtual meetings to address urgent issues that come up in between the longer meetings.
March 16, 2016
Westborough High School
View Full Minutes
Executive Summary
The MSLA Executive Board met on Wednesday, March 16 to discuss Library Licensure in Massachusetts, Professional Development opportunities, Advocacy and Outreach, Executive Board Structure and Meeting Format, and nomination of the new president-elect.
A review committee formed from the Executive Board have edited and reviewed the Library Licensure document. Authors Carol Kelly (Salem State), Lisa Estabrook (Simmons College) and Elaine Mokrzycki and Donna Guerin (Cambridge College) will review and approve the changes. The document may be linked directly at the DESE site and/or on the MSLA website. MSLA members will be notified when the document is posted and sent a link.
There are several Professional Learning opportunities for the spring and summer. If you haven’t signed up for Bookfest on April 30, register now! Registration is open until April 24. MSLA members are encouraged to invite colleagues and administrators that might be interested. The Board discussed whether more SPED classes should be offered at various levels to meet the anticipated increase in demand as the DESE certification requirement begins on July 1 of this year. Because of holiday and other conflicts the date of the next MSLA Conference has been changed to May 7 & 8, 2017, and will be held at the Resort & Conference Center in Hyannis.
MSLA Board members will be presenting awards in the winner’s home district and/or school to highlight and advocate for school libraries. Awardees will also be recognized at the dinner following the Spring BookFest. Author/illustrator Andrea Davis Pinkney with be the dinner speaker. Tickets can be purchased separately for this event at bit.ly/bookfest16 until April 24.
Amy Short is an Affiliate Assembly representative from MSLA to the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). She reported that AASL is seeking concerns and commendations from its affiliate members. She is looking into reports that NEASC has changed standards for school libraries in vocational schools. She will consult with the New England School Library Association (NESLA) about submitting this concern on behalf of all the New England AASL affiliates.
Since we are not having a conference this year, the Executive Board would like to hold a virtual annual meeting. Ahead of time, the Board will publish annual reports from committees and area directors to share online with all members. Some virtual meeting formats under consideration are Skype or Google+ conversation, Google Community Group within Google+, a blog with comments. To implement this change, the Board approved a change language in the MSLA Constitution, which must subsequently be approved by a vote of the membership. The motion to change the language was approved and will be included in the upcoming election ballot.
The Executive Board discussed board structure, as well as style and format of Board meetings. The Board discussed having fewer more focused, retreat-style meetings to address detailed business, allow for team building and special projects, while supplementing with virtual meetings to address urgent issues that come up in between the longer meetings.
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