Present: Alfred Hopkins (Chair), Alan Benkert, Cheryl Beturne, David Bretthauer, Samuel Brown, LuAnn Cogliser, Betty Goyette, Alana Meloni, Edward Murray, Jenifer O'Connor, Jim Smith, Kendall Wiggin Others: Lynette Baisden, Anita Barney, Sharon Brettschneider, Stephen Cauffman, Gail Hurley, Bill Sullivan Absent: Jonas Zdanys

1. Call to Order

Alfred Hopkins called the meeting was called to order at 1:13 p.m. Mr. Hopkins introduced Alana Meloni, who is filling the position of a parent of a K-12 student, to the Board.

2. Approval of Minutes

The minutes were corrected to provide the correct first name for Mr. Alfred Hopkins. Lu-Ann Cogliser MOVED (2ND David Bretthauer) to approve the amended minutes of February 6, 2002 as presented. VOTED unanimously.

3. Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved as presented. VOTED unanimously.

4. Public Comment

There was none.

5. State Library Report - Kendall Wiggin

Kendall Wiggin reported that the re-authorization of the Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) is moving forward quickly in Congress. He stated that there is a proposal to change the funding formula for an increase in grants to the states.

Mr. Wiggin announced that the State Library's Archives will be closed for the next month. 20,000 feet of archives will be moved to the State Library Van Block Avenue facility. Sharon Brettschneider reported that the LSTA grant categories for fiscal year 2002 have been announced. The categories are Adaptive Technology, Resource Sharing Technology, Children in Poverty, Long Range Planning, Outreach Programs for Children, Outreach Programs to Non-English Speaking Populations and Outreach Programs for Older Adults. The Request for Proposal for the outsourcing of the Connecticar service is on the Department of Administrative Services website. The bids are due back in a month. A committee of State Library, DAS and C-Car Committee representatives will evaluate the responses. Beginning in April, Connecticard reporting will be done electronically. Each library will be issued a password so that they can enter their statistics on the State Library website. Kendall Wiggin reported that the University of Connecticut, Mystic Seaport Museum and Connecticut Historical Society are collaborating on a new IMLS grant request for Connecticut History Online 2. If funded, some of the artifacts from the State Library will be used to expand the online collection including the Mills Collection consisting of 500 photos of the turn of the century and surveys of WW1 service men.

6. Other Reports

a. Digital Library Budget Appropriation -Sharon Brettschneider and Kendall Wiggin

Kendall Wiggin reported that there is funding $618,000 in the Governor's budget that will bring us back to a funding level that will allow us to continue iCONN through FY 03. We will use 1.34 million in surplus funds. There is new funding in the general operating budget. Mr. Wiggin stated that we have to get the funding as a regular operating budget. Sharon Brettschneider reported that she attended a Department of Information Technology legislative breakfast to represent iCONN. She invited the Board to the Connecticut Library Association Potluck Supper to be held at the State Library's Museum of Connecticut History on March 20 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Sharon Brettschneider and Lynette Baisden brought over an iCONN cookie bouquet to the Governor and Lt. Governors office on behalf of CLA as a thank you for supporting iCONN.

b. Digital Library Progress Report - William Sullivan

Bill Sullivan reported that he and Jane Emerson met with the Regional Educational Service Center (RESC) iCONN training coordinators to elicit their feedback and suggestions on training for K-12 schools. The RESC coordinators suggested a need for three new appendices: one for elementary schools, one for the general public, and one providing more in-depth treatment of searching skills/tutorials and online training resources. The RESC's have agreed to follow up with schools that have not yet registered with iCONN (using the list of registered schools prepared by Jane Emerson). The list of registered schools was distributed to the Board. Sharon Brettschneider will contact Leslie Averna (Department of Education) to request continued or greater funding for FY 2003. The funding was from the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund. Betty Goyette distributed the final version of the brochure entitled, "10 Big Ideas for using iCONN to increase the challenge level for all students". The brochure will be distributed to all schools. Mr. Sullivan distributed a handout of the iCONN usage statistics per month. There have been 2.6 million searches to date statewide. There was a request from the Board to separate the public library and school search totals. Auto-Graphics has made software upgrades to the server and the response time has improved, but has not been completely resolved. Gail Hurley and Stephen Cauffman are arranging a series of reQuest information/awareness sessions in order to promote increased participation in reQuest by school libraries. Some sessions will be held in conjunction with already-scheduled library media specialist roundtable meetings. iCONN provided Hartford Public Library with a list of tasks that their Midnight Library could perform for iCONN in order to provide an after hour support service. The tasks include monitoring the availability of the iCONN server and vendor databases (including reQuest) and reporting outages, assisting library staff on database questions when the vendor help desks are not available, and assisting patrons when their public libraries are not available.

7. Old Business

a. Filling unfilled positions

Sharon Brettschneider reported that the Department of Higher Education is responsible for filling the student position that is currently vacant. They have not yet made this appointment. The State Library has received the official letter from the Department of Education indicating that Betty Goyette will be their representative to the Board.

8. New Business

a. Motion to meet bi-monthly - CDLAB DOC 02-01 - Samuel Brown

Samuel Brown requested that the CDLAB meet bi-monthly instead of monthly. Betty Goyette stated that due to our legislative agenda and because we are working on a 5-year plan, the Board should continue to meet monthly. She asked Sharon Brettschneider what other projects the Board would be working on. Ms Brettschneider stated that $618,000 was restored in the Governor's budget that will provide for the iCONN databases for next year but we will not have funding for the administrative overhead. Decisions on how to make up this difference will have to be made. The other major initiative will be marketing. Kendall Wiggin stated that there is work that committees and task forces can do. He also suggested that monthly meeting may be called as necessary. Samuel Brown MOVED (2ND Edward Murray) that the CDLAB approves modifying Article XII, Section A of the CDLAB Bylaws to read as follows: During its initial year, the Connecticut Digital Library Advisory Board will meet bi-monthly with alternative monthly updates from the State Library staff. VOTED, (11 in favor,1 opposed). The minutes and any reports will be sent out a month before the next scheduled meeting.

b. Forming committee to assess databases re: Budget - Sharon Brettschneider

Sharon Brettschneider reported that she would like the Board to form a committee to begin a process to evaluate the databases. The committee would also discuss making up the deficit in the funding as mentioned earlier. Samuel Brown, Jenifer O'Connor, David Bretthauer and Edward Murray volunteered to serve on the committee.

c. Forming committee to increase public awareness - William Sullivan

William Sullivan reported that our previous marketing efforts have focused on librarians and teachers, but he would like to see an effort towards a broader public awareness of iCONN. Previous efforts have included having an iCONN booth at the Big E and sending an informational mailing to all selectmen. Mr. Sullivan asked that the Board form a Public Awareness Committee. Anita Barney, Cheryl Beturne, Betty Goyette, Alfred Hopkins, Gail Hurley, Jim Smith and Alana Meloni volunteered to serve on the committee.

d. Demo of reQuest/Gale serials link - Gail Hurley

Gail Hurley demonstrated the ability to link from a title in the reQuest serials catalog to its full-text equivalent in Gale InfoTrac OneFile. This ability exists for more than 1,000 titles in reQuest.

9. Other Business

Betty Goyette distributed a CEA Advisor article about iCONN. Bill Sullivan was interviewed in the article. Jim Smith stated that we have a by-laws requirement regarding a nominations committee to fill position that will expire at the end of this calendar year. This will be a discussion item on the next meeting agenda.

LuAnn Cogliser MOVED (2nd Betty Goyette) to adjourn the meeting at 2:40 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for May 1, 2002 at the Middletown Library Service Center.

Respectfully submitted,

Lynette Baisden
Connecticut State Library