Saturday, November 1, 1997
Present: Samuel Goldberg (presiding), Eric Carpenter, Ray English, Paul Erler, Mike Haverstock, Ruth Hughes, Norman Jung, Al McQueen, Marly Merrill, Whitney Pape, Carl Peterson, Kristen Pohlman, Molly Raphael
1. Welcome
Samuel Goldberg, President of the Friends, called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. He referred to the agenda and committee reports distributed in advance of the meeting.
2. Membership Committee
A. Membership report
Paul Erler presented the report of the Membership Committee. At the end of the 1996-97 fiscal year there were 814 members, compared to 773 members in 1995-96. This is a 19.5% increase in one year. Of the 814 members, 436 made regular membership contributions to the Friends, 141 were student members, and 213 were donors to other library funds or donors of gifts-in-kind. As of October 29, 1997 there were 430 members, compared to 383 members at approximately the same time last year. The response to renewals this year has been better than 50%. The overall trend is O.K., but there has been a decline in student membership.
B. How to Expand Membership?
There was a general discussion on this topic. It was suggested that each council member send out 10 letters to alumni and potential Friends, urging them to join. All Council members are urged to write letters to prospective members. They may do so by first sending a list of names to Ray or Sam so that they can be checked against the current membership roles. Ray English and Samuel Goldberg will explore the possibility of creating a published list of Friends members.
C. Adjustment of Membership Fees
There was a discussion of a membership dues increase for the 1998-99 membership year. An increase of $5.00/yr was proposed, raising the basic membership fee from $25.00 to $30.00 and the couples membership from $30.00 to $40.00 . The additional income would pay for more publicity, particularly an ad in the Alumni Magazine costing $100.00. A motion was made and passed to enact this dues increase.
D. Bookplates
Also discussed was the idea of urging parents of current students, alumni, and other Friends to donate funds to buy books for the library's collections in which bookplates would be inserted. The bookplates would commemorate the parent's children upon their graduation or honor alumni, relatives, for friends. Lacking a consensus to proceed with this suggestion, the idea was referred Go to the Committee with the request that a specific proposal be developed for discussion at the next meeting.
3. Program Committee
Marly Merrill presented the report of the Program Committee. A written report was distributed listing programs held during 1996-97 and those planned thus far for 97-98. An invitation from President Dye is being sent to sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson to speak at next year's Friends dinner. The invitation is in behalf of the Friends, the Mead-Swing Lectureship Committee, and the Biology Department. A current faculty member knows Mr. Wilson and reports that he has tentatively agreed to the visit. If Mr. Wilson does come, he will also deliver a lecture to the campus community and participate in an informal discussion with students and faculty in Biology. Stephen Crowley, Assistant Professor of Politics, is scheduled for a faculty book talk in December and other talks are under discussion for the spring. All Council members were urged to help the Program Committee identify potential speakers.
Molly Raphael reported on the possibility of organizing a symposium on current issues in librarianship for Oberlin alumni librarians. A letter was sent out in September 1997 to 633 alumni who work (or have worked) in libraries. Well over 100 responses were received and approximately half of those indicated they were interested in attending such a symposium. There was some discussion of whether the symposium should be a large or small scale event; the general view favored a smaller event that would address issues across types of libraries and emphasize Oberlin values as expressed in librarianship. At particular focus will be the future of libraries and the impact of computer technologies. The idea of this event was endorsed, and planning will proceed with the idea that the symposium will be held in the Fall of 1999. Molly agreed to coordinate planning from this point.
4. Financial Report
Ray English presented the report, referring to a document that was distributed. 1996-1997 was a very good year financially. Revenues exceeded $24,500, the most since 1992-93 when there were two major gifts from a membership challenge. Expenses in 96-97 were a bit higher than the preceding year. Approximately $15,000 was spent for library materials and $9,000 on printing, programming, and other expenses. Programming expenses were higher than normal, since three outside speakers were brought to Oberlin for programs.
Oberlin holds the Violin Society of American/ Goodkind collection on the History and Construction of the Violin collection. A catalog of titles in this collection has been in preparation for some time and was ready for publication this past year. The Friends paid for the printing costs of this catalog, and proceeds from its sale will be returned to the Friends account. Revenues from sales should easily exceed the cost of printing.
5. Acquisitions Committee
Ruth Hughes presented the report from the Acquisitions Committee.
The group selected titles totaling $15,334 for purchase with in Friends funds. A list of titles nominated for purchase was distributed in advance of this meeting. Ruth reported that the Committee had approved:
Asian American Studies materials $3,000 Native American Studies materials $1,000 Italian Language and Literature $1,000 Der Musik-Codex 'Las Huelgas; $2,316 Index Kewensis 2.0 (CD-ROM for Windows) $1,650 Microscopic Anatomy of Invertebrates, $840 Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. $1,500 History of Women Collection (microfilm), Unit 20: $1,953 FBI File on Communist Infiltration of the SCLC $850 FBI File on Malcolm X, $950 FBI File on Elijah Muhammad, 3 rolls, $285
Index Kewensis was an addition to the list of titles originally nominated. A motion was made to approve the list of purchases. It passed unanimously. Ruth also reported that the Committee discussed a request to purchase titles in Japanese for East Asian Studies, but had questions on these titles which were referred to the EAS program for clarification.
Sam Goldberg distributed a cumulative summary of acquisitions approved by the Friends organization. There was a short discussion of this document and general agreement that it represented significant contributions to the Library over the past 7 years.
6. Report on Student Members
Kristen Pohlman reported on the current status of student memberships in the Friends. There are only 28 current student members of the Friends group and she is concerned about lack of student interest. Some student Friends were enrolled at the Library book sale this past September. Kristen described two ideas she has for events to involve student members: 1) a book discussion group - assembling a group to read and discuss designated books, and 2) an evening of humor, reading aloud from books, e.g. Three Men In a Boat.
Nathan Haverstock reported on the Metcalf Student Assistant reception. The Friends sponsored this event for the second time this past spring. Student award winners have been very appreciative of the event.
7. Honorary and Life Members Committee
Janice Zinser had to leave immediately after the Acquisitions Committee meeting and her report was presented by Ray English.
The Committee has moved and seconded the award of three Life Memberships:
1. Geraldine and Richard Meyer
2. Bruce Regal and Theresa Brown
3. Lloyd and Beatrice Frank
A voice vote was taken; all three life memberships were approved unanimously. No nominations for honorary memberships were made this year.
8. Nominations Committee Report
A roster of 1996-97 Council members, with terms of office indicated, was distributed in advance, together with a list of proposed officers and new members of the Council for 1997-98. This roster of 97-98 new members and officers was approved by acclamation.
New (or reappointed) members and their term expiration dates are:
Samuel Goldberg, 2000
Carl Peterson, 2000
Mary E. (Molly) Raphael, 2000
Terry Carlton, 2000
Officers for 1997-98 are:
President: Samuel Goldberg
Vice Pres. Ruth Hughes
Secretary Nathan A. Haverstock
Corrections to the 1996-97 roster of council members, including addresses and telephone numbers were invited by Samuel Goldberg. These will be distributed with the minutes of this meeting.
8. Bylaws Revision
After a short discussion a motion was made to authorize Samuel Goldberg and Ray English to make necessary revisions to the Friends of the Library Bylaws, incorporating the change in membership dues voted earlier.
Minutes by Eric Carpenter and Ray English