Saturday, November 10, 2001
Present: Terry Carlton, Eric Carpenter, Ray English, Paul Erler, Carol Ganzel, Sam Goldberg, Jessica Grim, Mike Haverstock, Erik Inglis, Norman Jung, Barry Neavil, Carl Peterson, Alita Pierson, Molly Raphael, Rick Rubin, Sangaranachiar, Dina Schoonmaker, Scott Smith, Richard Werking, and Jan Zinser
1. Welcome
Terry Carlton, President of the Friends, called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. He welcomed those present and asked each person to introduce himself or herself.
2. Minutes of the 2000 Meeting
The minutes of the 2000 meeting were approved.
3. Student Research Award Update
Jessica Grim reported on progress with the student research award, which was approved by the Council last year. The awards committee received three nominations from faculty. While all of the papers that were nominated were excellent, Elizabeth Weinstein's paper was clearly outstanding, so the committee decided to make only one award, even though the Council had approved a policy of making up to two awards. The Council discussed the possibility of making abstracts of the winning papers – or the full papers themselves – available publicly either on ERes or on the Library's web pages. It was agreed that the awards committee would work on these ideas.
4. Graduate Library School Scholarship
Jessica also reported on the progress of the graduate library school scholarship. Several handouts related to the scholarship were sent to the Council in advance. The first scholarship will be awarded in 2002, with an application deadline of April 15. The availability of the scholarship is being publicized in a variety of venues, so that both graduating seniors and alumni who are not on campus will be aware of it. Rick Rubin asked whether the award could be made to someone who was already enrolled in library school and also whether it could go to a part-time student. While no consensus was reached on these questions, it was agreed that the committee would consider them in the process of awarding the first scholarship.
5. Friends Acquisitions Committee Report
Scott Smith reminded the Council that it had made $3,000 available for Special Collection purchases, to be made during the past year as desirable items became available. An unsuccessful bid was made on several Cass Gilbert plans relating to Oberlin. The committee did acquire two items – Carlo Ignanzio Gavini's Storia dell'architettura in Abruzzo $850 and a first edition of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World for $2,000. Scott moved that $3,000 be made available again during the coming year for special collections purchases. The motion was approved unanimously. Scott then reviewed List # 11 as recommended by the Acquisitions Committee. (A full list of all items considered by the committee was mailed to the Council in advance, and a list of those items actually recommended by the committee was distributed at the Council meeting). Scott noted that the list this year was the largest ever considered by the committee. He reviewed each item that was approved by the committee as well as those that were rejected, with a brief explanation for each.Paul Erler raised the question of whether or not the Friends were doing enough to support the Library's response to the September 11th events. Eric Carpenter and Ray English reviewed the Library's response both in terms of additions to the collections and also publicity and instructional efforts. A motion was made to approve $25,210 in acquisitions expenditures as enumerated on List #11. The motion passed unanimously.
6. Program Committee Report
Dina Schoonmaker summarized the Friends programs for 2000-2001 as well as the 2001-2002 programs that have been scheduled so far. A summary of these programs was distributed to the Council in advance of the meeting. Dina noted that eleven people participated in the trip to the Clements Library and thirteen people took part in the holiday reading of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. There was also a reasonable turnout for the Special Collections Open House at commencement. All other programs had quite large audiences. Two programs are scheduled so far for the spring semester – Nicholas Basbanes, author of Patience and Fortitude: A Roving Chronicle of Book People, Book Places, and Book Culture, will speak on Wednesday, February 20. In addition, the Friends will co-sponsor, with the Oberlin Public Library and the Lorain Public Library, a program that features novelist Denise Chavez on Sunday, April 7. A large number of speakers have been suggested for future programs. Potential commencement speakers include Sylvan Suskin and Dan Goulding. Possible speakers for next year's annual dinner, in order of preference, are: Michael Dirda, Editor of the Washington Post Book World, book artist Barry Moser, book publisher Andre Schiffrin, and novelist and Oberlin alumna Tracy Chevalier. Other program suggestions include Dan Chaon, Dave Pirotta, and a holiday reading of Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales. Mike Haverstock noted that 2003 is the Ohio Bicentennial and he suggested it might be possible to contact other Friends groups associated with OhioLINK libraries and also the Ohio libraries that founded OCLC to explore the possibility of some kind of celebration of Ohio's leadership in academic librarianship. Molly Raphael suggested that a more general celebration of libraries in Ohio might be appropriate, given Ohio's leadership amongst public libraries.
7. Membership Committee Report
Paul Erler summarized the membership committee report. He noted that members of the committee think the overall membership numbers should be much higher. At the same time, it is hard to attract new Friends and it's important to balance the Friends effort with overall annual fundraising efforts of the College. Rick Rubin suggested an aggressive recruiting strategy that might begin by eliciting from members the reasons why Friends membership is important and beneficial. Those reasons could then go into a solicitation letter. He suggested setting a goal of doubling the overall membership levels, but also raised the question of whether or not the Council really wanted that to happen and would be committed to doing it, or whether the Council was generally happy with current membership levels and membership solicitation efforts. Ray English summarized briefly current membership activities including letters to past members and solicitation to Oberlin authors, whose books are donated to the Library through the alumni office. In view of time constraints, it was not possible to resolve the question of what membership recruitment strategy ought to be pursued. It was left to the membership committee to develop a strategy.
8. Student Friends Update
Alita Pierson '01, the Library's IMLS intern, summarized recent activities to recruit more student members of the Friends. Activities to make the student Friends visible have included an ice cream social and a study break in Mudd A-Level during mid-term week. Student members were recruited in conjunction with the Library book sale, and solicitation letters went to library student assistants and students who have scholar studies. Those letters were sent around the time that a brief article about the student Friends appeared in the Oberlin Review. Overall results have been quite positive, with over 50 students having joined. In the future, the group hopes to develop program ideas and also engage the student Friends in publicizing Library services that are available to students.
9. Financial Report
Ray English summarized the financial report, which was mailed to Council members in advance. The Friends received a total of $42,481 in membership contributions during the 2000-2001 year. The ending fund balance at the end of the year was a very healthy $74,553. One item that needs to be analyzed closely in planning for next year's dinner is the fact that expenses related to the dinner are beginning to exceed income, so it may be necessary to raise the price of the dinner.
10. Spending Friends Funds
Ray English introduced the question of spending a significant portion of the Friends funds balance, which had been summarized in a memo to the Council from him and Terry Carlton that had been distributed in advance. He expects that the Friends will have a balance of over $60,000 at the end of the 2001-02, even after taking into account increased spending for both acquisitions and programs, such as the research award and the library school scholarship. Both he and Terry feel that it is neither wise nor necessary for the Friends to carry such a large fund balance and they both believe that the Friends should consider making a large, visible expenditure that would benefit the Library and reinforce the importance of the Friends organization. Possible projects would be 1) to contribute towards a project to refurbish the Goodrich Room, creating a more attractive space for users of Special Collections and the College Archives, and 2) acquiring more expensive items for the Library's Special Collections that are out of our usual price range.
Extensive discussion of this question followed. Rick Rubin favored spending money for purposes that Oberlinians care about, such as acquiring a collection of materials on civil rights, or using a significant sum to develop an improved public relations and recruitment program for the Friends. Molly Raphael asked if the Director of Libraries had preferences for how the money might be spent and also suggested that the money should go for what Friends members would be glad to have their dollars spent for. She also said she was not sure that everyone would be in favor of spending for Special Collections materials. Jan Zinser noted that Ed Vermue, Special Collections and Preservation Librarian at Oberlin, had some interesting ideas about involving faculty in special collections and building the collections in response to faculty needs. Ray noted that he wanted the Friends Council to spend the money for a purpose it felt was worthwhile. He also suggested that it might be best for the Council to decide what direction it wanted to pursue and then have a committee established to work on the specifics of implementation. Both Dina Schoonmaker and Carl Peterson expressed opposition to spending Friends funds for furniture. Carl felt that all of the money should go into acquisitions that embody Oberlin values and traditions. Paul Erler felt that it would be very desirable to spend funds to get more alumni to join the Friends.
After considerable discussion on how to proceed, it was decided that Terry Carlton would convene a committee that would recommend an overall direction to pursue. The Council will convene for a special meeting later in the year to decide on the recommendations of the committee. Council members who were out of town will participate in the meeting through a conference call. Terry asked Council members who wish to volunteer to contact him by phone or by e-mail.
11. Nominating Committee Report
Jan Zinser summarized the report of the Nominating Committee which was included in the packet of materials distributed at the meeting. Carol Ganzel, Nathan (Mike) Haverstock, Gordon (Barry) Neavil, Dina Schoonmaker, and Scott Smith were all proposed for three-year terms that expire in 2004. A motion was made to extend Nathan Haverstock's service on Council to exceed the two-term limit suggested in the by-laws. The motion passed unanimously. The Council also unanimously approved the 2001-2004 terms for the other members, as proposed by the Nominations Committee.
Terry Carlton noted that he had appointed Lucy Marks, Class of 1973, to fill the remaining year of the term of Al McQueen who has decided to resign from the Council. Lucy is a Catalog Librarian at Drew University and a former member of the Library Visiting Committee.
Officers proposed by the Nominating Committee for 2001-2002 were Terry Carlton, President; Dina Schoonmaker, Vice President; Nathan (Mike) Haverstock, Secretary. The slate of officers was approved unanimously.
Jan Zinser summarized the Nominating Committee's recommendations for honorary and life memberships in the Friends. Life memberships were proposed for 1) Robert Campbell, Oberlin Class of '34, who has made a major gift to the Library's Collection Preservation Fund and also made estate plans to donate his valuable collection of rare books, maps, and prints to the Library and 2) Gretta and Hugh Pallister, who have made major gifts to the Art Library and also designated the Art Library as the beneficiary of a charitable remainder trust that they've established. An Honorary membership was recommended for Mimi Halpern, Oberlin Class of 1960 who has made an exceptionally generous gift to support the Library's highest priority needs. Ms. Halpern was made a life member of the Friends in 1994, in recognition of her gifts to support the Library's capital needs and her service on the Library Visiting Committee. The life and honorary memberships, as recommended, were unanimously approved by the Council
12. Committee Assignments
Terry Carlton reviewed the tentative committee list for 2001-2002. He noted that there will be a change in the chair of the membership committee. Paul Erler has moved to New Hampshire and it will no longer be easy for him to travel to Oberlin. While he will remain as a member of the membership committee, he can no longer serve as Chair. Terry thanked Paul for his energetic service in chairing the committee and noted that Rick Rubin had agreed to serve as the new Chair. He also noted that Lucy Marks had been added to the Acquisitions Committee. The meeting was adjourned at 4:05 p.m.