Federal and Armed Forces Libraries Round Table Special Off-Cycle Board Meeting and Teleconference

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
April 13, 2006

Attendees, In Person: Carol Bursik, Andrea Gruhl, Georgette Harris, James King, Shirley Loo, Fran Perros, Jewel Player, Linda Resler, Jane Sessa, Helen Sherman


Attendees, Teleconference: Sally Bosken, Bobbie Carr, Margaret Groner, Marie Nelson, Maria Pisa, Donna Ramsey

  1. Georgette Harris called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m. EDT. Attendees identified themselves.
  2. Georgette distributed the Agenda for this special meeting, which was convened to plan upcoming events and discuss pressing issues.
  3. First to be discussed were the 2006 New Orleans Annual Conference FAFLRT reception, awards and program. The FAFLRT website and Federal Librarian has the complete time and location details.
    1. The Reception, planned by Lucille Rosa and Bobbie Carr, will be held at the Friday evening, June 23, 2006. It will be sponsored ($1500) by Proquest and Corestaff.
    2. Awards to be presented at the Friday Reception were approved by the Board:
      1. Adelaide del Frate Conference Sponsorship Award will go to Joann Schwartz.
      2. FAFLRT Achievement Award will go to James King, FAFLRT Webmaster.
      3. FAFLRT Distinguished Service Award had no nominees.
    3. The annual program will be held on Saturday and is on copyright issues.
  4. Regarding the FAFLRT budget, Carol Bursik mentioned that there is still unposted revenue from vendor newsletter ads.
  5. A nominee is needed by July 1 (ALA deadline) to replace Andrea Gruhl as IFLA Liaison.
  6. A FAFLRT representative is needed to attend the New Members Round Table Reception at the 2006 June Conference.
  7. Ideas for recruiting new members were discussed. It is important that we inform others about what FAFLRT does and why we matter. Suggestions made were:
    1. The web page could provide more links to the Federal Librarian newsletter.
    2. FAFLRT brochures should be distributed at our annual Program. More will need to be printed, as only 75-100 remain. The last time they were printed, June ’02, the cost was $1575 for 1000 copies at Kinkos. Jane Sessa will get a price quote for the reprinting.
    3. Supply FAFLRT information and brochures to:
      1. ALA Conferences and Events
      2. AFLIS Office for their annual Workshop
      3. SLA
      4. Ann Parham for Army distribution
      5. Military Librarian’s Division of SLA for the MLW conference
    4. Offer to be mentors to other librarians
    5. More involvement in the Round Table Assembly.
    6. Direct mailing about FAFLRT to other targeted listserves.
    7. Present an additional program in the Fall or Spring.
    8. Consider partnering with another group to provide a program in the Gov’t Tract at Computers in Libraries or Internet Librarian conferences.
    9. Contact ALA federal librarians that aren’t members of FAFLRT. (ALA can provide those names.)
    10. Include all FAFLRT members on our listserv. Presently there are some who haven’t joined the listserv.
  8. FAFLRT’s programs at the ALA 2007 Annual Conference were discussed.
    1. Reception ideas are being worked by a Committee. The Army/Navy Club is being considered as a possible location, but a decision must be made immediately to reserve it. The cost is $500 for room rental, which includes catering and a per drink charge. LexisNexis and SIRSI/Dynix have agreed to provide some sponsorship. We will need to plan on more people than last year’s attendance of 100, as the D.C. location will likely draw more attendees.
    2. Annual Program was discussed. A suggestion was made to have it on digital issues. James King will consider volunteering to coordinate the program. It was suggested that if it were to be held on Monday, instead of Saturday, it might draw more local D.C. area librarians.
    3. FAFLRT Booth. It was suggested that the booth have materials about federal librarian careers, and information about using the USAJOBS site, with printed instructions/computer demonstrations. Linda Resler volunteered to prepare the USAJOBS instructions, and also provide them to our web page.
  9. Other discussion followed:
    1. Newsletter.
      1. Jane Sessa would like someone to be in charge of maintaining the back page of the Federal Librarian, with the officer’s names and addresses. Sally Bosken volunteered to handle the changes and maintain this page.
      2. Shirley Loo would like someone to take over the “Fabulous Feds” column.
      3. Current news, as always, is being solicited.
    2. On the FAFLRT website there are only currently twenty member library’s web pages listed. More libraries are encouraged to participate in this listing; information should be sent to James King.
    3. Federal Librarian of the Year nominees are being sought by FLICC. The nominee need not be one of our members.
    4. SLA registration can now be accomplished using one’s FEDLINK Training Account.
    5. Andrea Gruhl would like someone to take over the Bylaws Committee.
    6. A new Membership Chairman is needed to replace Joan Taylor.
  10. The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

Respectfully Submitted,

Marie L. Nelson
FAFLRT Secretary