Seacoast Library Cooperative
Meeting Minutes
January 27, 2004 Gregory’s Grill, Greenland
Attending: Deborah Chaze, Newfields; Michael Sullivan, Weeks Public, Greenland; Thomas Ladd, NHSL; Tracy Waldron, East Kingston; Marilyn Morehead, Brentwood; Gene Fox, New Castle; Cathy Redden, Lane Memorial, Hampton; Lesley Gaudreau, Wiggin Memorial, Stratham.
I. Upcoming Meetings: None scheduled for February. Thursday, March 25, Lane Memorial Library, Hampton, 10 a.m.
II. State Library Report:
Please also refer to “Once and Future Librarian” newsletter available on the Web at http://www.state.nh.us/nhsl/ldss/TSLRheadlines.html
A. Library Directory: the hard copy update is at the printers, but the Web version is being updated weekly (http://pierce.state.nh.us/libdir/).
B. The NHSL has received $22K from the Gates foundation for technology training and all libraries regardless of library Gates funding will be eligible to participate as space allows. When information is released, register quickly.
C. NH Public Library Annual Statistics: On-line form will be available in late February. Each library will receive an e-mail with the URL and a password for access. The deadline will be determined from when the form is actually available.
D. NHLTA Conference: Sat. May 15, Grappone Center, Concord. Unfortunately, the same weekend as NHLC. NHLTA is inviting FOL groups to participate and the working topic is the library’s place in the community and the community’s place in the library.
E. NH Center for the Book: working on a NH author’s database, including contact information for authors who want to do programs. Send local author names & info to Mary Russell at NHSL. For the 1998 version of New Hampshire Authors, visit http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/nhauthors/.
F. NHSL Modular courses: Please send Tom Ladd any ideas for courses that would be useful to you & your staff.
G. 2 Web Resources: (see handouts)
1. Public Library Peer Comparison Tool http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/publicpeer/
2. WebJunction: Including “Demonstrating Impact”, ways to convince funders of your value: http://webjunction.org
III. Library News:
A. Greenland & Hampton Falls are “trading programs” this winter/spring. They will keep us posted – call Mike @ Greenland for more information.
B. After the flood in Hampton’s children’s room, Rye, Hampton Falls, North Hampton & Seabrook are allowing Hampton library users to use their children’s collections while the Hampton children’s room is closed. Community support in Hampton has been wonderful.
C. Stratham put out a plea for help buying museum passes since trust fund income is down & there was great response from the community, including one book group that “adopted” an entire pass. Stratham also put up a “giving tree” based on the Manchester City Library’s idea and received many wonderful “gifts” from people over the holiday season – everything from books to gift cards for Shaws.
IV. Building Public Support
We had a general discussion about some possible ways to generate public support including holding a big, feel-good program shortly before either a deliberative session or town meeting, trying to use newspaper articles to promote the library year-round, library newsletters and nurturing relationships with the people in the community who may see the most direct service coming from the library (ie: senior citizens don’t necessarily use the schools, but may be heavy library users). We also wondered what, if anything, we can do to support and assist each other. This seems especially difficult given the resistance of many towns to listen to “outsiders”. Was it useful to have the statewide PSAs that NHLA had done about the value of libraries? Could a more local campaign like that benefit all of us?
Deborah from Newfields would love to talk more about this, even get together outside of co-op meetings (lunch, anyone? – lesley). We can also use the co-op e-mail list to start talking about these issues. Please contact Deborah @ the Newfields library or hop on the e-mail list with your thoughts.
V. Meeting Days/Times
Once again we revisited when the co-op meets. Tuesday afternoons are actually difficult for many members. Some discussion about returning to Thursday mornings. No decision was reached, except for a statement that the host can set the meeting day & time.
Respectfully submitted,
Lesley Gaudreau
Secretary