Members present:

John Fobert                              Roger Williams University

Bette L. Siegel                          Massachusetts State Library

Jacqueline B. Fitzpatrick           Wellesley College

Betty Febo                               Wellesley College

Deborah Mongeau                    Univerisity of Rhode Island

Julia Tryon                                Providence College

Debbie Angelo                          Providence College

Beverley Presley                       Clark University

Bobbie Brooke                         UMass Medical – Worcester

Nancy Peluso                           Connecticut State Library

Jim MacDonald                        Connecticut College

Jenny Groome                          Trinity College

Gail Fithian                               Boston Public Library

Jane Swiszcz                            Stonehill College

Steve Batt                                University of Connecticut

Cynthia Murray welcomed the group to the National Sea Grant Library and gave a PowerPoint presentation on the facility. There are 95,565 documents and 31,855  other titles, with approximately 1,000 titles/year added to the collection. The library provides 30-day loans, literature searches, and reference services. Their website provides access to digital collections and Sea Grant Abstracts. Outreach efforts include conference exhibits and email marketing.

Digitization projects completed and underway include 13,000 documents to date; there were over 600,000 documents downloaded from the site (http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/) in 2004. Cynthia demonstrated the searching capabilities of the site.

Every month, data files from the library are added to the Cambridge Scientific Abstracts database: Aquatic Sciences & Fisheries Abstracts, with links to the documents themselves. In the future, it is hoped that all documents in the library will be digitized.

The presentation was followed by a tour of the library.

Business Meeting Discussion Topics

Print on Demand

Deborah Mongeau pointed out that the $1500 allowance for regionals for the purchase of materials wouldn’t cover the cost of congressional hearings alone. She mentioned that most of the current receipts at URI are already on the essential titles list. If GPO would compromise and put hearings and maps on the essential titles list, this would probably meet the needs of URI. For other libraries, the loss of journals, legal reporters, and other materials would be significant.

GPO

Gail announced that the certified letter sent on behalf of GPLNE took a week to arrive at GPO, but did arrive on March 1. It is doubtful that we will receive a response from Judy Russel, based on her recent post to the Govdoc-l listserve (some found this post encouraging – that the FDLP community will be consulted on changes in printing policy – others found it off-putting).  Plans will be discussed at the Albuquerque meeting, but apparently the attendance of the library community will be small. Judy’s letter made reference to a survey asking for input; GPO states that no changes will be made until results are obtained.

Gail asked that GPLNE members audit their current receipts to determine the cost of Print on Demand, were these not available for free through FDLP. This effort could help in the future collaboration of libraries to insure that archival/shared copies of all core research documents will be available system-wide.

Update on GPO Consultant

Bobbie Brooke heard from Michelle Worthington in Larry Blevin’s office in GPO that funding for the consultant may not be available this fiscal year. Also, internet access and long distance calls would be charged to the host institution. (GPO will reportedly provide a laptop and a blackberry). Gail asked if GPO could reach some compromise by providing phone cards and cell phones, if this issue was going to be a deal-breaker.

Bobbie plans to contact Grace York at Michigan to find out how and whether that institution is bearing the costs of the GPO consultant.

Incorporation

John Fobert noted that the RWU law school hadn’t been of help on the incorporation issue; he has contacted a lawyer who can advise on the feasibility and practicality of pursuing nonprofit status. John will ask for help from Bob Aspiri – executive director of the Helin Library Consortium, which just received non-profit status. Gail will do research on the benefits (e.g. ability to apply for grants) and liabilities of non-profit status.

Treasurer’s statement

Gail gave the treasurer’s report: as of March 4, 2004:

Nonprofit savings account balance (12/31/04): $298.28

CD Certificate (18 month term matures 1/8/06:             $1030.10

Total assets:                                                                  $1328.38

John Fobert

Steve Batt