Minutes for the April 23, 2003 Meeting for the Program & Grants Committee

MHLS Auditorium | 10:00am-1:00pm

Present: Lee Eaton, Barbara Flach, Kara Lustiber, Linda Rolufs (chair), Maria Steinberg

MHLS Staff: Margaret Keefe, Rebekkah Smith, Merribeth Advocate

Guest: Lauren Muffs

Minutes of January 22^nd meeting

Motion to accept: L. Eaton, M. Steinberg

Discussion: none

Vote: unanimous

Old Business:

Performers database upgrades/evaluations: The Southern Adirondack Library System (SALS) is writing a second LSTA grant to expand their Performers and Programs database statewide. SALS is soliciting input regarding the database and its expansion.

Committee suggestions:

· Capability to search by geographical region

Attention to minimizing the amount of scrolling on home page as database grows. Suggested possibly cutting down on the length of the description to save room on the Search Results page.
In expanded search: Audience level – suggested sending SALS our breakdown for audience in the EZ Library Program Database
Link to the libraries’ web pages if they have booked performers previously – perhaps just one link to the full list of public libraries in NYS (available on the NYS Library web page)
“Date Entered” so libraries know how current the performer information is.
Committee expressed interest/concern about how the information would be kept current after the grant ends.

EZ Program Database: L. Rolufs reviewed the minutes from the past few years prior to the meeting and asked MHLS staff to clarify seemingly unresolved matters:

Graphics added to entries – decision was made to not do this as it is too labor intensive
Ability to combine search terms – M. Keefe will ask designer Polly Farrington if this is possible*.
List the number of items returned in the search – this # now appears at the bottom of the list. M. Keefe will explore the possibility of moving this to the top of the search results page*.
Staff clarified that there is no wildcard searching.

M. Keefe pointed out that there is no funding to pay the designer to modify the database at this point and that the designer has been making adjustments for us at no cost.

Committee would like an addition to the Incentive Program that required libraries that receive programming funds to add their MHLS-subsidized program to the EZ Library Program Database*.

M. Advocate announced that there is a new section in the Resources area of the MHLS web site for library programming that will link to the EZ Library Program Database and other resources for library programming.

M. Keefe reminded the Committee that RASS is publishing a directory of adult programs, M. Keefe will be adding these programs to the database.

Topics for the May 23rd Program/Publicity Users group:

Staff noted that the date had been changed to May 23 from May 1.

Suggestions:

Repeat Planning Effective Programming
Program Publicity that works (incorp. Web publicity)
Deb Begley – formatting and printing job options
Changing demographics and target groups for presentation
Newspaper columns done by libraries.
Story Time Techniques
Committee favorite: Book Discussion Groups – M. Steinberg knows the NYPL book discussion group trainer. She will explore this person coming to MHLS to do the training*.

L. Rolufs suggested trying to identify the person(s) in each library responsible for programming to better target information about the users group.

Motion to postpone May 23 Users Group: L. Eaton (1^st) K. Lustiber (2^nd)

Vote: unanimous in favor

Minimum Web Standards for Member Library Web Sites

Committee discussed the drafted standards. The Committee agreed that is should be made clear these are suggested/recommended standards. Resources will be developed to support libraries in meeting these standards. The Committee agreed to present the draft to the Director’s Association at the May 15^th meeting. R. Smith will provide copies for the next DA meeting.

New Business:

MHLS Plan of Service: Committee reviewed the Plan of Service elements that fall under the charge of the Committee.

Other:

LSTA: M. Advocate explained the LSTA grant program to the committee. Two proposals are being developed by MHLS this year.

Family Services Category: Emergent Literacy: M. Keefe described this project which is based on the Emergent Literacy Program model developed by PLA. The crux of the program is conducting story times for kids from birth to age 5 that contribute to children’s readiness to begin school and to gather results of the impact. A consultant would be hired to introduce libraries to the process and model story time techniques. Partnerships with Even Start and other agencies whose constituencies involve families that fall into the lower socioeconomic brackets will be pursued through the grant. Several libraries in the systems will be targeted.

Possible partners for the grant: Even Start; Literacy Volunteers; Day Care Associations

Committee suggestions:

Use of criteria from Ulster Co. BOCES literacy programs to help parents evaluate their involvement in the literacy development of their children (L. Rolufs)
Funds available for collection development (L. Rolufs)
Labels to identify books in the local collections related to this project
Objects to assist with tactile learning (L. Rolufs)
Parent kits (L. Rolufs)
Kits for libraries to develop their children’s rooms in the context of emergent literacy (R. Smith)
Opportunities for all member libraries (K. Lustiber)
Video to model reading to a baby (M. Advocate)
Support library staff in developing training for Day Care providers (K. Lustiber)
Certificates for those that attend training

Service Improvement: New Resident Outreach

K. Litwin introduced the project, and asked the committee for input.

Committee Suggestions:

Packets – available in multiple locations: realtors, town hall, chamber of commerce, in-house, local businesses
Workshop to help libraries develop their individual packets
Brochure template
Brochure printing stipends
Funds to pay for packaging of packets
Web site template
Help create opportunity for local businesses to chip in and support the packets locally
“The Neighborhood” web site
“About Town” quarterly publication
Source of information about each community
Access database development to capture local community information; template forms and reports integrated into web site (K. Lustiber)
L. Eaton identified number 1 and number 5 as the most important activities for the grant to focus on
Use of Millennium to capture programming interests of patrons? (L. Rolufs)
Develop staff skills so they are able to give a brief off the cuff intro to the town
Numbers 1 and 2 identified by Linda and Barbara as priorities
Print designer fees

Adjournment

MOTION: L. Eaton (1^st) K. Lustiber (2^nd)

Vote: unanimous

Next Meeting: July 30, 2003

*Actions

Report to the DA: Presentation of minimum standards document and solicitation of input; date change of Program & Publicity Group; Reminder for director’s to add to the EZ Program Database, highlighting that this database is not just for children’s programs.

R. Smith will provide copies of Web Site Suggested Minimum Standards draft for DA.

M. Steinberg will approach contact at the New York Public Library who is responsible for training staff to conduct book discussion groups about coming to MHLS and doing a session for the Program & Publicity Users Group.

M. Keefe will talk to EZ Library Program Database designer regarding two issues: Ability to combine search terms and to change the placement of the number of items returned in the search – this # now appears at the bottom of the list.

MHLS staff will convey to the executive director that the Committee is interested to see the requirement of EZ Library Program Database entry for those libraries that receive programming funds from the Incentive Program.

Handouts:
Member Library Web Sites - Minimum Standards Draft

Web Site Minimum Standards Resource Document

2003-2004 LSTA Grant for Emergent Literacy Abstract
Overview of Emergent Literacy Project

Parent’s Guide to Emergent Literacy