LAC Minutes
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
8:30 a.m. – Library Conf. Rm.
Present:
Kelly Davis, John Evans, Sylverna Ford, Ed Frank, Mary Freilich, Annelle Huggins,
Linda Hyatt, Elizabeth McDonald, Tom Mendina, Kevin Merriman, Anna Neal,
Betsy Park, Bess Robinson, Perveen Rustomfram, James Singleton, Stacey Smith,
Inez Todd
1. Learning Commons Update - Betsy Park
Security officers have been working extremely well over the break and they have been very
responsive. Security is staffed through Murray Guard.
2. ANSI/Tennessee Documents - Elizabeth McDonald – Mary Freilich
Cataloging came up with the idea to use accession numbers and brief records for the
ANSI/Tennessee documents which have been backlogged for a long time. Creating accession
records for the documents will make them accessible until we have staff to do complete
records. Since ANSI standards are not technically federal documents an issue is where to
shelve them. Two areas on the 3rd floor have been identified for the documents so that they
are kept together. Betsy Park, Stacey Smith, Mary Freilich, and Elizabeth McDonald were
asked to work together on finding a home for the ANSI documents and to advise the LAC of
the outcome.
3. Budget and Stimulus Money - Dr. Ford
The University’s budget is being reduced beginning FY 2010. The stimulus money that we are
expecting to receive will be used to help provide a cushion for absorbing the budget cuts and to
help take care of one time spending needs. Final figures for stimulus money have not been
determined but guidelines state it is not to be used to pay for previous obligations. The library is
on the list to receive $500,000 per year for books when the stimulus money becomes available.
There will be $250,000 to make up our short fall budget this year. Stimulus money will be
available when the State’s Spending plan is approved by the Feds. At this point, Tennessee’s plan
has not been approved. The fund will go through the normal state process prior to being
distributed to higher education, but hopefully the money will be made available by September.
4. LYRASIS Update – Dr. Ford
The Dean attended the SOLINET Annual Membership Meeting (SAMM) in Atlanta last week
and she gave an update on LYRASIS. LYRASIS has absorbed PALINET and is considering the
possibility of absorbing NELINET. NELINET is a New England library network. Member
libraries will have an opportunity to vote on moving forward with negotiations with NELINET.
If NELINET and LYRASIS are joined together the resulting organization will cover the entire
East coast. LYRASIS will likely maintain 3 offices: Atlanta, Philadelphia, and possibly Boston.
Atlanta will continue to be the main office. It is possible that the annual meeting will be in the
Baltimore/DC area next year because it would be more centrally located than Atlanta. NELINET
will bring some additional expertise to the table as they are apparently very strong in assessment.
LYRASIS’s name will not change again.
5. Volunteers on Campus – Dr. Ford
We are now free to accept volunteers. The LAC received a copy of a Volunteers form along
with guidelines for accepting volunteers on campus. The form and guidelines can be found on
the Office of Legal Counsel’s website. Volunteers are required to complete the form to become
a registered volunteer. A person who wants to volunteer will talk with the department head in
the department where he or she wants to volunteer. Department heads will work out the
specific arrangement including a work schedule for the volunteer. As the Personnel Office
Associate, Nancy Massey will handle paperwork related to volunteers’ agreements.
LAC Minutes – May 19, 2009
Page 2
6. Annual Reports (July 1 2008 through June 30, 2009) – Dr. Ford
Annual reports for FY 08/09 are due by July 15, 09.
7. ASERL – Dr. Ford
The Dean recently received a notice from ASERL indicating that we have again fallen below
the required threshold for library spending. With the FY08 shortfall, we have begun a new 4
year probationary period that will run through the fiscal year 2011. If we get the $500,000 from
the stimulus money it possibly will take us over. In general, until funding for the library can be
addressed it will be tough for us. We are almost $400,000 below the new threshold.
8. Performance Reviews – Dr. Ford
There are still a few outstanding 2008 performance reviews. Department heads were asked to
get them in, and for those who have completed their performance reviews they should be
meeting with their staff regularly to set goals and to review the 1’s and 2’s performance
criteria that will be evaluated for 2009.
9. Staff Development Day – Dr. Ford
Staff Development day is Thursday, May 21, 2009. The Dean is on the agenda for comments.
She asked the LAC for specific issues that they would like to hear her talk about during her
period of comments. Performance reviews, staffing pool, serial cuts, ASERL, LSSA upcoming
program, stimulus money, and ALC were some of the topics suggested. Other suggestions are
to be emailed to the Dean.
10. Summer Meeting Schedules – Dr. Ford
The LAC will not be meeting as regularly during the summer months. LAC meetings that are
currently scheduled on individuals’ calendar should remain on their calendar until further notice.
Department heads’ regularly scheduled monthly meetings with the Dean will end in May and
resume in August. Meetings with the Dean can be scheduled as needed.
11. MALC – Dr. Ford
The LAC received a draft of a Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement that Memphis Area Library
Council (MALC) is considering. The intent of the agreement is to allow MALC libraries to
collectively participate in a reciprocal borrowing program. Once a year the libraries that are
participating in the Reciprocal Borrowing program will sign the agreement. This will eliminate
multiple agreements that were signed between various MALC institutions in the past. The intent
is to allow libraries to decide at what level they will participate. Another change in the
guidelines is the expectation that the home institution will assume some responsibility for nonreturned items. Thoughts and questions should be directed to the Dean. Hopefully the agreement
will be made available on MALC’s website once it is finalized. This is still in the works and
will not be voted on until the fall.
12. Added Agenda Items
There were no added agenda items.
Announcements
J. Singleton - Physical Plant is working on repairing the broken glass windows in room 225 and in the
back of the library. The glass has been ordered but since it is manufactured glass, it
might not be installed until June.
- Betsy Park asked if Physical Plant has taken out lights in the back area of reference to
save on energy cost. James Singleton answered no, and he will check on getting the lights
replaced; Physical Plant wants to take out some lights in the buildings to save on energy.
LAC Minutes – May 19, 2009
Page 3
Announcements Continued
J. Singleton According to Physical Plant the new lights that they are putting in are supposed to
be multiple times brighter than the lights that are currently there. When the lights are
changed, the library will have the option of getting more lighting if needed.
S. Smith -
Marcia Hunt-Benjamin’s last day was May 15, 2009 and John Gwin is now doing
searches and recalls.
K. Merriman- Serials Review project is now finished and he would like to thank everyone who
participated. The catalog will not reflect any of the cancellations until the
subscriptions end with the December issues.
M. Freilich - There is about $2,500 left in the Faculty Development Pool and it must be
encumbered by June 1.
A. Neal -
The Director of the School of Music is leaving to become Academic Dean at Boston
Conservatory. She donated a large collection of items to the Music Library instead of
taking them with her.
B. Robinson -
Library volunteers are needed to help with tours and orientation tables. There will be
approximately 300 high school students visiting the library in June.
L. Hyatt -
Gave a reminder that the LSSA Expo is June 12 in the Rose Theatre. Tickets are still
$10.00 per person and on sale. See Sonji Savage or Dr. Ford for tickets.
I. Todd -
Spectrum’s name has been changed to myMEMPHIS on the University’s homepage.
S. Ford -
Kelly Davis was welcomed to LAC and he will be attending future meetings as his
schedule allows.
-
-
The Confucius Institute will be celebrating its anniversary October 4-6, 2009. We will
have visitors from China coming to campus and the library is supposed to have an
exhibit.
UT Knoxville’s Libraries’ budget is just under $17 million. For the last ten years they
also have gotten an annual increase to their base to cover the inflationary cost for
periodicals.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 a.m. The next scheduled meeting is June 9, 2009. Perveen
Rustomfram is scheduled to bring the refreshments.
Submitted by: Inez Todd
Approved by: Dr. Sylverna Ford