HEARTLAND LIBRARY COOPERATIVE BOARD MEETING

April 15, 1998

HLC Governing Board voting members present: Paul Erickson, DeSoto County; Jeanne Renton, Jeri Canale, Perry Newport, Highlands County; Diana Youmans, Hardee County

Board members absent: Charles Evans, Barbara Smith, Walter Olliff, Jr., Gloria Davis, Clois Harvey, Marilyn Buxton.

Other Attendees: HLC Coordinator Mary Myers; LP Librarian Merry Cresswell; AP Librarian Diane Hunt; DeSoto Librarian Elizabeth Kenney; Administrative Secretary Carolyn Hesselink, and Okeechobee Librarian Ed Kilroy.

The board meeting was called to order at 10:05 by Chairman Jeri Canale, who, upon being told by the Administrative Secretary that there was not a quorum present, declared this meeting an emergency meeting.

There were no additions to the agenda.

The minutes of the February 18, 1998 meeting were read over by the members present. Perry Newport questioned a budget item. Coordinator Myers noted that we have roll over money not reflected in the status report, thus it makes the budget look as if we have spent more than allocated on equipment. We are expecting some $100,000 in the board that every librarian has a memo on how much they can spend from this year's budget. Okeechobee, with a building project in the offing, will hold most of their money for purchasing an opening day collection.

Mrs. Myers told the board we do not have any outstanding invoices as of this past Monday when payment were to be made. She and the Administrative Secretary see the bank statement each month.

The statistical report for March for Sebring Library is incorrect in one column and will be accurate on the April report.

Perry Newport reported on the activities of our representatives, who were Margo Daniels, Perry Newport, Nancy Mays, and the Phil Askews, for Library Day in Tallahassee. The Florida Library Association asked participants to lobby for Distance Learning Initiative money as well as various construction projects. Lobbyist Jody Fitzgerald from FLA was helpful and well known to all the legislative aides. He said we all should be aware that both Representative Rick Minton and Senator John Laurent were on the Appropriations Committee. Perry felt the group was well received. Must information was given to the group, including information on cooperatives. He has learned since, however, that the Distance Learning Initiative is going to be funded through the community college instead of the public libraries.

Coordinator Myers announced that both Hardee and Highlands will be funded for our construction projects (2 of 17 projects state-wide).

Perry was slightly perplexed that the Highlands Friends of the Library groups were listed as not being in compliance with minimum state standards. No one was sure why the state Friends had this on their report.

Ed Kilroy, Librarian at Okeechobee, reported on his trip to the Public Library Association meeting in Kansas City. There were some 150 rural librarians in attendance in the session where he presented a paper on REAP (Rural Electronic Access Project). PLA is strictly for public librarian and meets bi-annually. Ed also noted he benefited from attending a number of meetings on library construction.

Concerning new library construction, he told the board the standard is .06 feet per capita, but most counties don't meet those standards. Local funding support is needed for matching construction grants.

Mrs. Myers announced to bard members that this year the Cooperative has applied for a Born to Read grant for all the counties and the grant request includes asking for a full-time coordinator to work with the county libraries and organizations involved. May 1st is the deadline and all the librarians have been working on their parts of the grant, because all the counties have a big number of teen parents who need our resources. This is Federal LSTA money, distributed through the State Library. The grant will ask for over $50,000.

The second grant applied for is called the Training Project and is a technology grant using portable laptop computers in training labs for Highlands, DeSoto and Okeechobee counties (Hardee will have their own lab). These networked laptops will be used by both library staff and patrons for training by volunteer high schoolers overseen by our hired staff person. Training will include Windows 95 sessions, Internet experiences, and e-mail. This grant will be for over $50,000 for equipment, travel and the salary of the Coordinator.

Paul Erickson moved we authorized the Chairman to sign the paperwork necessary to apply for the grants. Diana Youmans seconded the motion. The board passed the motion, pending approval at the next board meeting.

The board was informed that by August the proposal for the next year's budget should be ready for them to view and final approval would be needed in September. The board set the next board meeting for May 20, at Lake Placid Library, 10 a.m.

Perry Newport invited all to the Winter Haven theater production of "The Crucible" in which he has a part.

Elizabeth Kenney announced that DeSoto's new library is now, in one year's time, completely debt free.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn L. Hesselink

Administrative Secretary