MichAALL Board Meeting

Meeting Minutes   

September 23, 2011  

 

Present: Amy Ash, Kineret Gable, Janet Ann Hedin, Mark Heinrich, Frances Krempasky, Yolanda Jones, Virginia Thomas 

 

I.  Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by Virginia at 3:40 p.m. at Dickinson Wright, PLLC in Detroit. Amy Ash, Janet Ann Hedin, and Fran Krempasky attended the meeting via telephone conference call.    

 

II. Consideration and Approval of August 17, 2011 Minutes

 

The minutes from the August 17, 2011 meeting were approved with a revision to IIIA. “Tax Exempt Status of MichALL.” Virginia noted that the first sentence in the first paragraph should be changed to “ …MichALL’s tax exempt status has been revoked.” Changes also need to be made to IIIC, “AALL Chapter Copyright and Listerv Policies.”  The revisions were supported by the Board. Virginia will send Fran the changes to IIIC so Fran can update the minutes. Fran will revise the minutes and email them to Jessica to post to the MichALL website.

           

III.  President’s Report : Virginia Thomas 

A.     Updates on MichALL Web Site, AALL Chapter Copyright and Listserv

Policies

 

Virginia reported that Jessica Fields has agreed to be the MichALL listserv administrator and webmaster. She will need a few weeks to start work on the website, but now has FTP software. She has a new computer but she doesn’t have Microsoft Office, which is needed to work on MichALL’s website administration projects. Virginia asked if we could purchase it for her. After discussion from the Board, Virginia said that she will ask Jessica what programs she specifically needs to work on the website. This will help the Board get a better understanding about what software is needed to manage the MichALL website. There may also be shareware available for her to use.

 

Virginia also discussed website update priorities with the Board. She will ask Jessica to make these her priorities: the new officers’ page, posting of photos, and the MichALL membership form. Janet will also be sending out the membership forms to the listserv and MichALL mailing list.

 

Virginia noted that it needed to be clarified that the Board did adopt the AALL Chapter copyright policies at the last meeting. The minutes will be revised to reflect that.

Board members reviewed the document titled, “Michigan Association of Law Libraries (MichALL) Discussion Forum Rules and Conditions” that Virginia sent via email. The Board edited some parts of the document as a group. The Board voted to accept it in an amended form. Fran will edit the document and send to the Board. It will then be posted on the website.

 

B.     MichALL Committee Appointments

 

Virginia presented the Board with a list of proposed MichALL Committee appointments for 2011-12. The Committees include: Authentication, Bylaws, Education, Grants/Scholarships, Membership Services, Newsletter, Nominations, Pro Bono, and Public Relations. Also included for each Committee was a Board Liaison and names of Board members interested in serving on the Committee. Virginia noted that Eric Kennedy’s name needed to be added to the Nominations Committee. Virginia will call the Chairs of the Committees and invite the members listed to serve. Board liaisons to Committees can help improve communication between the Board and the Committees. Liaisons can report information back the Board about when Committees are meeting, what they are planning, etc. Liaisons should also attend Committee meetings when they can.

 

IV.   Vice President’s Report

 

            A.   Spring Education Meeting

 

Yolanda reported that the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids is 

 available on Friday, May 18, 2012 from 8:00a.m.-3:30 p.m. for the   

 MichALL Spring Education Meeting. The cost is $200. Yolanda will give

 the invoice to Kineret to start the process of booking the event.

 

             B.   Fall Dinner Meeting

                       

                     Yolanda reported that the restaurant selected for the MichALL Fall Dinner
                     Meeting is Steve & Rocky’s in Novi. The date scheduled is Thursday,

                     October 13, 2011. The social will be held at 6:30, with a 7:00 meeting. The

                     speaker was also available on this date. After Board discussion, Yolanda

                     said she would check to see if Wednesday, October 12th, or Wednesday
                     October 26th, might also work with the restaurant and speaker because of

                     some Board member conflicts with the Oct. 13th date.

 

                     Yolanda also worked with the staff at Steve & Rocky’s to come up with a

                     menu which included hors d’oeuvres, entrée selections, and dessert. The

                     price of dinner will be $30 for members, with MichALL subsidizing $10 of
                     the cost. Janet noted that in the past we have gone as high as subsidizing

                     half of the dinner to ensure member attendance. It was suggested that we ask

                     Steve & Rocky’s to give us a total price per person cost which would
                     include an entrée and dessert. Yolanda will check with Steve & Rocky’s

                     on this.

 

             C.    Other Meeting Updates

 

         Regarding the content of the Spring Educational meeting, Yolanda
         contacted DALNET and found out that Paul Gallagher, at Wayne State

         University, might be a good speaker for the e-book program. Fran also

         contacted MCLS staff and was given the name of someone who was a

         speaker at MCLS. She will forward the contact information to Yolanda.

 

         Yolanda also proposed a MichALL sponsored program at AALL Boston,

         titled  “Eulogy for an Employee.”  This program would give

         information about how to plan for library services in difficult times,

         including when an employee dies and the emotional impact on staff.

         Yolanda will be the moderator and one of the speakers along with Jan

         Bissett and Marjorie Crawford, who is head of Technical Services at

         Rutgers Newark. Kineret also said that she would like to join the panel to

         present from the Law Firm perspective. Yolanda will report back to the

         Board if the program is selected by AALL.

 

         Janet Ann Hedin is also part of an OB-SIS program in Boston.                  

                      

V.  Treasurer’s Report

 

Kineret reported that our balance is $5314.79.

 

Janet noted that the order for stationary plus envelopes (1,000 each) was placed. There was a discussion about the receipt book. It was decided that it was okay that the receipt book wasn’t in color and order single sheets with carbons.  

 

Janet will send Kineret her expenses for the MichALL table at AALL. . 

 

VI. Secretary’s Report

 
       Fran is sending out emeritus letters. Janet will send Fran some MichALL stationary
       and envelopes for her to print the letters on.

 

 VII. Past President’s Report

 

        Janet presented an update on the MichALL stationery. Janet also noted that she is

        will be sending out the MichALL applications to the listserv and mailing list. Janet

        is also working on preparing the MichALL newsletter.

 

 

VIII. Members At Large : Amy Ash and Mark Heinrich

 

       No report from Amy.

 

       Mark reported on his discussion with a CPA about how best to standardize

       MichALL’s financial practices and provide a baseline for future treasurer

       responsibilities. The CPA said that the books can be audited in a variety
       of ways, including: 1) Hiring a CPA 2) Have more than one set of eyes going over
       the books.

 

       Hiring a CPA would cost money; Mark asked what does AALL require? Yolanda
       reported that as “best practice” per the AALL Chapter President’s meeting
       that some AALL chapters have no formal audit, but it is a matter of concern.

 

       The MichALL Board agreed that we need to institute procedures for handing off

       treasurer’s duties when a new Treasurer is elected. An audit would help.

       Following up on Mark’s suggestions, The Board discussed the idea of having one

       Board member & non-board members go over the books. A new MichALL

       Committee could be set up for this purpose. Kineret could act as a resource

       for this Committee. The Committee could also set up best practices that could be

       used yearly or for every new treasurer’s term. Mark will find out from the CPA what
       type of documentation is needed; what kind we should have, and what information

       we should be keeping track of.

 

Mark proposed that he meet with the CPA and determine what is needed for an audit. The materials can then be pulled together and turned over the Committee by the Fall Dinner meeting. Two people will be needed to serve on the ad-hoc committee plus one board member. Send Virginia names of anyone interested in serving on this Committee and she will add them to the MichALL Committee list for 2011/2012.         

 

IX.  Old Business

None

 

X.  New Business

 

            -Elections

             Virginia said there were some concerns from members regarding

             voting in the last MichALL election via email. Some members thought that

             they were identifiable in the email voting process. It was suggested that we might
             want to look into using Survey Monkey, also find out how AALL or SLA set up
             voting. Amy will explore Survey Monkey or see if there is another system       
             that we could use.        
 

 Next meeting Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at Fall Dinner Meeting.

 

Meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m.

 

Minutes respectfully submitted by: Fran Krempasky

October 11, 2011