Present: Alfred Hopkins (Chair), Alan Benkert, Cheryl Beturne, David Bretthauer, Samuel Brown, LuAnn Cogliser, Betty Goyette, Alana Meloni, Kendall Wiggin, Jonas Zdanys
Others: Lynette Baisden, Anita Barney, William Sullivan,
Absent: Jenifer O’Connor, James Smith

1. Call to Order
Alfred Hopkins called the meeting to order at 1:07 p.m.

2. Approval of Minutes
Sam Brown MOVED (2nd A. Benkert) to approve the minutes 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 Sharon Brettschneider was attending the LSTA State Programs conference in Washington. Ken also reported that the State Library still does not have a federal budget for the current fiscal year that started on October 1st. We have carry-over money to get us through January. For the next state biennial budget the State Library has requested full funding ($2.1 million) for iCONN. We currently have only $500,000. The Office of Policy and Management has requested the State Library submit a plan for a 10% budget reduction. This plan is due next week. Mr. Wiggin also reported that we have received notification from the Gates Foundation that our “Staying Connected” grant application has been accepted. Under this grant, the State Library was awarded $163,680.00 to fund computer upgrades, broadband connectivity, training and technical support in public libraries. This grant will be a follow-up to the current Gates State Partnership Grant that is currently being implemented in Connecticut. The State Library is involved in Phase 2 of the Connecticut History Online grant from the Institute of Library and Museum Services that will add additional content.

Among the collections being added is the Mills photograph collection representing 500 photographs of early Connecticut buildings. Connecticard funding for the current fiscal year has been reduced. A resolution was presented at the Connecticut Library Association (CLA) Executive Board to boycott the Connecticard program for one month. The resolution reflects a growing frustration regarding the growing number of Connecticard loans and the reduction of reimbursement. However, the resolution did not pass. Mr. Wiggin stated that we need to make legislators aware of why the program is important. CLA did not have a librarian of the year award but they did name four library champions. Representatives Sandy Nafis, Andrea Stillman, Peter Metz and Shawn Johnston were honored at receptions at their local libraries. At his reception Shawn Johnston spoke highly of iCONN.

6. Department of Higher Education Report – Jonas Zdanys

Jonas Zdanys gave a follow up from his report at the last meeting. College presidents were asked to sign an agreement not to reduce their libraries’ budgets based on the resources provided by iCONN. The resources will be used to help build centers of excellence. Mr. Zdanys read quotes from academic libraries describing how funding was used at their institutions. Many different areas of collections were expanded and will be made available to other colleges as well. These savings and expansions should be brought to the attention of legislators.

7. Other Reports
a. Digital Library Progress Report: William Sullivan

Bill Sullivan reported on their progress of establishing remote access. CSU is now performing remote (library card) authentication for all public/school library databases. By modifying existing software, CSU was also able to provide remote access to the JSTOR database for Albertus Magnus College. Sam Brown reported this has enabled his library to provide off-site access to JSTOR. Bill Sullivan, Ken Wiggin, Sharon Brettschneider and the iCONN staff will meet on November 22 with Albert Flores from Auto-Graphics to discuss the technical implementation of the AGent library portal for iCONN. Bill Sullivan attended an Auto-Graphics Users Group in California. Auto-Graphics paid for Bill’s travel to the conference (a procedure that was approved in advance by the state). Audio conference hookups were made available so that Steve Cauffman, Gail Hurley and other A-G clients who could not attend the meeting could still participate. Bill stated that the content and in-depth presentations were good, however remote participants had difficulty hearing portions of the proceedings. Bill was able to get some good information needed to finalize the RFP. Gail Hurley and Stephen Cauffman met with school library specialists in New Milford to discuss reQuest, and gave a workshop on reQuest at CEMA, where iCONN was exhibited. Sharon Brettschneider called a meeting of the database committee for November 15 to discuss selection of the databases based on the current budget. The group will look at the reductions that will have to be made if we don’t get full funding next year. Alan Benkert recommended the database, Heritage Quest. He stated that it was the database of interest to public libraries.

b. RFP Process (Update) – William Sullivan
Bill Sullivan submitted a 100 page working draft of the RFP for reQuest to DOIT for comments. He would like to incorporate comments from DOIT before forming a committee to review the draft. So far DOIT has been very helpful in the RFP process.

c. C-Car Update – Sharon Brettschneider
Kendall Wiggin reported that they have had two meetings with the union regarding outsourcing. The biggest hurdle is possibility of the statewide layoffs that would eliminate any open positions into which to move the drivers. Mr. Wiggin stated that he would like to get the process completed before then.

8. Old Business

There was none to report on.

9. New Business

a. Nominations Committee - Samuel Brown
Sam Brown reported that the nominations committee, Jonas Zdanys, Alana Meloni, Jim Smith and, Sam Brown recommended Deborah Salewksi (Hebron Elementary School) for the school librarian slot and Anne Maio (Bridgeport Public Library) for the librarian, other slot. Betty Goyette MOVED (2nd LuAnn Cogliser) to approve the candidates to the Connecticut Digital Library Advisory Board for two years terms beginning 1/1/03. VOTED unanimously. Sam Brown will notify the new members and invite them to the January 8th board meeting.

b. Certification of Commendation
Bill Sullivan distributed a certificate of commendation that was issued to the Connecticut Digital Library by the Affiliate Assembly of the American Association of School Librarians at the 2002 Annual Conference of the American Library Association. The Board discussed ways of using the announcement to secure funding. Ken Wiggin will send the certificate to the Governor and the Lt. Governor and Bill Sullivan will look into having it placed in a newsletter that will be sent to the legislators. It will also be included in the iCONN Times and on the iCONN website.

10. Any other Business to come before the Board

Sam Brown acknowledged LuAnn Cogliser for the tireless effort that she has brought to the Advisory Council. This will be LuAnn’s last meeting. Her term ends December 2002. The Board joined in thanking LuAnn for her service.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:55 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for January 8, 2003 at the Middletown Library Service Center.

Respectfully submitted,

Lynette Baisden,
Connecticut State Library