School Library System Council Meeting
April 8, 2014 -- 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Conference Room, Costello Center, Oneida
Minutes
PRESENT: Jaclyn Buzzard, VVS CSD (Council Chair); Louise Menard, Camden CSD; Debby Emerson,
CLRC; Kate Fisher, Stockbridge Valley CSD; Heather Urtz, Mid York Library System; Barbara Evans,
MVCC; Diana Wendell, M-O BOCES SLS
EXCUSED: Christopher Brewer, Morrisville-Eaton CSD; Tina Toglia, Rome CSD; Fred Bragan,
Superintendent, Canastota CSD; Pat Miller, NYSSD
ABSENT: Amy Jerome, Hamilton CSD; Perry Dewey, Madison CSD; Timothy Kohlbrenner, Oneida CSD;
Heather Serway, Rome Catholic Elementary School
Diana Wendell did welcome and all participated in introductions at 1:30pm.
D. Emerson made a motion to approve the Agenda; H. Urtz seconded. K. Fisher made a motion to
approve the minutes; B. Evans seconded.
D. Wendell reported that we will discuss Council membership and meeting schedules at our May
meeting. At our last meeting we discussed the NYSED requirement that the Council meet four times
per year. D. Wendell reported that she discussed this with Mary Beth Farr, our Library Development
representative. The response was that yes we have to keep meeting four times; we could utilize
video conferencing but not conference calls.
Budget / Advocacy
D. Wendell reported on that “Library Aid has been set at $86.6 million, an increase of $5 million over
the Executive Budget, and $1 million above FY2013-14. The $5 million Legislative added to Library
Aid is the largest since 2007 and the second largest in well over a decade.” Jeremy Johannesen,
NYLS Executive Director March 31 email. D. Emerson mentioned that this was an important step.
The Assembly has never successfully raised the amount over the Governor’s proposal. The CLRC
Library Advocacy day ran into a little glitch when the bus scheduled to take folks to Albany didn’t
arrive. One finally did arrive and people missed only their first meetings.
School Library System Plan of Service (POS)
D. Wendell shared our newly formatted table outlining the Plan of Service. She asked for any
comments or revisions. None were given. D. Wendell shared that one SLS has applied for RBDB
funds to acquire a 3-D printer to share among member libraries. D. Wendell asked if there was any
interest in pursuing this for our region. L. Menard and K. Fisher expressed interest. L. Menard
mentioned that some students are using this in engineering and K. Fischer in art. D. Wendell will
look to see if the POS needs revision to pursue this.
SLS End-of-Year Evaluation (Member Plan)
D. Wendell shared draft evaluation to be finalized and distributed to school librarians at the end of
July. Several questions that have been asked for many years with same results have been
removed. She added a question asking for specific C.E. suggestions, and for comments on how
registering for C.E. is going with the new MLP system. L. Menard suggested adding a question
“How many scheduled classes?” D. Wendell asked if we should also ask how long scheduled
classes are. General agreement for these two questions.
L. Menard asked where the State is with updating the NYSED school librarian regulations regarding
requiring a certified school librarian at the elementary level in terms of the work of the RAC.
(Referring back to our fall presentation by RAC member, John Monahan.) D. Wendell responded
that nothing seems to have changed but that she will contact the SLSA Rep. on the RAC concerning
this. She also mentioned that the Regents haven’t passed the research paper graduation
requirement either.
SLOs / Assessments / ELA Domains and Modules
D. Wendell asked if anyone had heard about any reductions to SLO requirements. No one had. D.
Wendell asked K. Fischer if she had any feedback regarding Stockbridge’s use of the WSWHE SLO
Assessments, M-O SLS had acquired for the region. She hadn’t. D. Wendell stated she would
check with the building principal in terms of needs for next school year.
Mini-Grants / Grants / ALA Emerging Leader Program Sponsorship
D. Wendell reported that many C.E. mini grants have been awarded; fewer Simmons Online ones.
Pleased to report that the Stockbridge School Librarian, Amanda Ingalls requested that the SLS
officially sponsor her for the ALA Emerging Leader Program. We are very pleased to do this.
Teacher of the Year / Administrator of the Year
D. Wendell is still looking for nominations for the SLS Teacher of the Year. We are very pleased to
announce that the SLS Council nominated Frederick Bragan, Superintendant for the Canastota CSD
as the SLS Administrator of the Year. D. Wendell encouraged all to attend the SLS Administrator’s
Breakfast scheduled on May 29 where the awards will be presented along with many other activities.
Technology Integration
D. Wendell reminded all the IMAGEQUEST has been purchased. We are looking at possibly
replacing our media catalog software. Reminded folks that they can get professional journals routed
to them. Lastly, announced that the BOCES website will be migrating to School Wires. Jnls. /
BOCES website
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Continuing Education – D. Wendell shared the following:
Library Assistants and Librarians workshop – March 21
Rosen ebooks workshop – March 21
RESEARCH TO DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING workshop – March 27- Linda Fox and Mary
Ratzer
School Library System Sharing Breakfast – April 5 (Saturday)
Summer Reading Forum with Public Librarians – May 7
Teaching with local primary sources workshops – rescheduled to May 12, 13, 14
SLS Administrative Breakfast & Annual Meeting – May 29 with Cathy Leogrande
SSL Conference in Syracuse - April 24 - 26
Time to Shine: The Role of the Elementary Librarian in Meeting Common Core Reading
Standards – July 1 – Toni Buzzeo
Thinkers, Explorers, and Citizens: Engaging Students with the Empire Information Fluency
Continuum– June 30 – Mary Zdrojewski
SSL Leadership Retreat on the Common Core @ Cornell – Aug. 4 & 5
NYSED Uncommon Approaches to Common Core – expenses paid – Albany – Aug. 12 & 13
Fall workshops:
ELA Data workshop w. Jeff-Lewis BOCES – MORIC presenters – Sept.
The Exemplary School Library Program with Karen Kliegman - Sept.
Local Primary Sources workshop w. LGRMIF funds if received
Leatherstocking conference – Leslie Preddy & Melissa Stewart – Oct. 28 @ Vernon Downs
Hotel
Boys and books (informational texts) workshop with Kathy Baxter – Dec.?
Sharing:
J. Buzzard – Getting her Summer Program Mini grant application ready to submit.
B. Evans – The MVCC libraries have moved to EBSCO Discovery System. It is a single place for
their OPAC, ebooks and databases. The hope to grow their eBooks’ usage. She shared summer
programs at the college. High school students can take free courses and receive college credit.
H. Urtz – Fizz Boom Read – NYS Summer Reading theme. Next year’s theme will be super heroes.
April 23 they are sponsoring Teen Digital Space webinar – D. Wendell will be sharing some of M-O
BOCES media resources; she is hoping for a rep. from Oneida BOCES to do similarly, May 21
weeding workshop with Sue Bartle, May 1 Zinio begins. It is a new e-journal service.
D. Emerson – Shared about the regional Common Core Conference for cultural educators and
public librarians. OCLC Discover Service will eventually replace FIRST SEARCH but not until Dec.
2015. Each individual library will have a unique URL and password.
L. Menard – North Bay ES will be closing; need to be out of building by Aug. 1. Renovations to the
following libraries: Camden HS, Camden MS, McConnellsville. Holding their summer enrichment
program again July 14-25. Its goal is to increase number of students participating. She will be
getting married also in July and her new last name will be Rutherford.
K. Fischer – Stockbridge had a very successful reading program in March: 5,800 books read; 2,700
hours of reading. They had a hoola hoop celebration including their new superintendent. They are
very pleased that the new superintendent is doing a lot of strategic planning.
D. Wendell – Shared that the National Network of Medical Libraries is very interested in getting teen
health information out to the public schools. Shared one of their publications which is free. Will
share their listserv information with the group.
J. Buzzard asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. H. Urtz made a motion, L. Menard seconded.
Meeting adjourned at 3:27pm.