Minutes of the September 18, 2002 Program & Grants Committee

Present:
Peggy Alt, Barbara Flach, Julie Knutsen, Kara Lustiber, Linda Rolufs, Midge Quick, Maria Steinberg
MHLS Staff: Josh Cohen, Margaret Keefe, Rebekkah Smith
Visitors: Barbara Haymann-Diaz, Lauren Muffs

Minutes of June 12^th meeting approved:
1^st: P. Alt
2^nd: M. Quick

Old Business

Next “If You Liked…” bookmark? Suggestions: Multicultural, If You Like Harry Potter / Lord of the Rings, Nonfiction, other?
Committee recommended that the next bookmark feature Harry Potter related suggestions – timed to coincide with movie release in November. Other suggestions for bookmarks included: Stephen King, Silly books – Captain Underpants. It was suggested that the HIP coordinator develop similar bookmarks for teens on current health issues (depression, drug use, pregnancy) or a link on the HIP website to a list of teen issue books.

Bookmark hot links

MHLS staff have added PDF files to the MHLS web site for libraries to download and reproduce. The next step will be HTML versions that link into the OPAC for use on library web pages. The committee would also like to see Amazon-like links within the OPAC in the same vein of the “If You Liked…” bookmarks.

2002-2003 LSTA grant applications
The committee was apprised of the three LSTA grants received at MHLS: The 2^nd year of the 2003 Summer Reading Program grant, the 2^nd year of the Homework/Literacy Center grant and the pilot grant, 2022: The Shape of Library Services.

Program/Publicity users group schedule
It has been proposed that the Program & Publicity Users Group meet twice instead of four times next year. The Committee agreed and was asked to think of potential topics for next year’s sessions. The next users group is scheduled for Friday, November 15 in the MHLS Auditorium from 10-12 with the topic of newsletters and resources from MHLS.

EZ Library Program database
M. Keefe updated the committee on the status of the database. Her posting on PUBLIB has resulted in double the number of submissions. She is working to get them all in. The committee would like to know how often the database is being accessed. Adding a counter to the site was suggested to monitor usage. There was a request from L. Muffs for more intuitive access from the MHLS web site to the database.

Power Point presentation
R. Smith updated the committee on the template PowerPoint presentation. The committee agreed that the workshop to customize the presentation should be offered again as the first one took place in August when many people were unable to attend. The committee was pleased with the idea that other templates be developed for specific presentations, for example capital campaigns and referendums.

Other
None

New Business:

Suggestions for program workshops
The committee suggested the following workshops for next year to aid in the area of programming in libraries:

• Software-focused sessions – PowerPoint, FrontPage/Dreamweaver, Adobe products
• Digital Camera use
• Friends Groups
• Collection Development
• Customer Service/Dealing with Difficult Patrons/Sensitivity Training
• Library Ergonomics
• Book/tape/CD/DVD Repair
• Board Treasurer training

Workforce website demo
K. Litwin asked the committee to take a look at the marketing toolkit on the new Workforce web site to help library staff with workforce reference. The committee made the following suggestions.

• Under the link for Marketing to Specific Groups the committee feels it would be helpful to have resources under each category to address the posed questions. A cross referencing/consolidation of resources found in other areas of the site. (not sure about this part?)

• A one-sheet handout on the web site that libraries could give to patrons that explain the differences in services and resources amongst the satellite sites, the one-stop libraries and the one-stops labor office to help patrons know what to expect from the library they are in.

• A link to the EZ Program Database.

• A list of referral agencies (libraries, labor, social services).

• A one-page summary of what each center has. K. Lustiber recalls receiving such a document at an Ulster County meeting.

Library marketing/displays based on current topics & Promoting specific collections to appropriate community groups
J. Cohen led a discussion about the how often libraries are doing displays in their libraries to promote resources in their libraries and how MHLS can help. Committee members cited lack of space and time as the primary reasons for not doing displays or audience-specific marketing of their collections. MHLS staff offered to develop resources to aid in the creation of displays in libraries. The committee recommended that marketing opportunities be posted in the Bulletin 3 months in advance of the dates to give libraries enough time to plan displays and programming around them.

Performers database category input
The Youth Services Department is working on configuring a performers database much like the EZ Program Database. The Committee suggested the following as searchable categories:

Ages: Preschool, Elementary, Teen, Adults, All Ages

Type of Performance: Art, Dance, Music, Storytelling, Puppetry, Authors, Magic/Illusion, Animals, Science, Nature, Food, Historical, Theatre.

Notes: Specific requirements, travel radius, discount for double booking.

• M. Keefe announced that Lifelines will be featured in the next issue of School Library Journal.
• School/Public Library relations were discussed. The suggestion was made for directors to contact principals about their staff development days and offer to do presentations about what local libraries have to offer teachers and students.
• M. Quick shared her new online Homework Alert form for teachers. [http://216.36.194.219/hwform.htm]

Actions:
MHLS Staff will link If You Liked Bookmarks… into the OPAC and investigate the possibility of Amazon.com-like links in the OPAC in the same vein.

The Committee will bring topic ideas for next year’s user groups to the next advisory committee meeting.

MHLS staff will add a counter to the EZ Program Database and create links in other areas of the MHLS web site to the database.

MHLS staff will look into developing resources to help libraries create displays in their libraries.

Next Meeting: December 11, 2002, MHLS Auditorium, 10:00am-1:00pm