FAFLRT Board Meeting MinutesSeptember 12 2011, 10:00 – 11:00am

1. Introductions - Vicky Crone, Karl Debus-Lopez, Lucille Rosa, Kathleen Hanselmann, Jane Killian attending through a conference call.

2. Approve Minutes from previous meeting (June 26 and May 23, by email)

3. Next Board meeting – 10 AM (to accommodate time zones) – best day and date? October 14, 2011 from 10 – 11:30 AM.

4. Update on Budget  - no recent budget data received from ALA

5. What are we doing here?”  - poll (by personal email from membership list) of members to determine and prioritize FAFLRT programs and initiatives.  Also publish questions in the newsletter for those without emails.
 
a) We plan to send a survey on FAFLRT plans and direction out to the Listserv and post it on the website to get feedback from our members on what they need and want from FAFLRT.
b) Will compile questions by email to send out to membership in November. Max of 4 – 5 questions will be selected by the Board, from those submitted for consideration during October
c) What about members without email addresses?
d) Solicit responses from official members only, at first.
e) Approach non-respondents directly in December/January (by phone?)
f) Use ALA Connect?
g) Expect a maximum 10% response rate.

6. ALA Midwinter programs and meetings – Karl and Anne are definitely attending Midwinter; Vicky may be attending as well. Karl and Anne will cover the RTCA and Treasurer’s meetings.
 
7. Update of ALA website – Alba serving on review committee; no reports of progress yet.

8. Update of FAFLRT site – any additions, corrections, or suggestions? The ALA Committees page is not linked to the FAFLRT site.

9. FAFLRT listserv; membership roster: no correlation between official members and members of the listserv. New members join and leave both each month. Vicky received a current ALA membership list at the end of July; Jane will ask Pat for a new one.

10. Round Table Coordinating Assembly needs a rep from FAFLRT; is inviting input on their Strategic Plan. Serving on the Committee is not required.

11. Legislation Committee would like additionalFAFLRT rep; wants input from FAFLRT on issues of interest to Federal libraries so they can work on our behalf. No recent announcements of conference calls (had been monthly up to ALA Annual. Vicky will inquire.)

12. Use of ALA Connect – FAFLRT Board found it clunky at first, has not used it much yet. Vicky will explore using this more.

13. NMRT liaison Michelle Dunaway's proposals – Michelle wants to advertise FAFLRT in the NMRT communications; please keep her updated on FAFLRT issues and programs. Board approved Michelle’s proposed announcements for NMRT.

14. New Business –

a) ALA budget year starts September 1
b) Membership in ALA is by rolling year so membership list changes monthly
c) ALA Midwinter 2012: The Board decided to forego offering programs (including the Careers in Federal Libraries Program at ALA Midwinter in Dallas this year. Funds will be put toward programs at ALA Annual.
d) ALA Annual 2012:
a. Rooms need to be reserved by the end of October
b. Need ideas from the Board for programs
i. Preconference, or just during regular conference? (Board prefers no preconference)
ii. Considering having a morning program with presenters, followed by a “brown bag” lunch for networking
1. Coping with Change/Downsizing/Stress Management: targeted to Feds, but with broader appeal.
2. Managing Your Federal Career from Start to Finish: Getting Hired, Getting Promoted, Surviving Furloughs and Continuing Resolutions, Planning for Retirement
iii. Consider having a Board meeting followed by a FAFLRT Membership meeting followed by the Awards Ceremony as a luncheon on Sunday (rather than an evening awards reception)
c. the following is taken from a summary Vicky Crone prepared in response to an inquiry from Nancy Faget regarding the Careers in Federal Libraries program at ALA Midwinter, based on discussions held during the FAFLRT Board Meeting on September 12:

We have also decided to shift the focus of the “Careers in Federal Libraries” program, directing it more toward CURRENT Federal employees (and FAFLRT members) rather than potential ones.   The program would be more like Helen Sherman’s “Grooming Feds for Growth in the Workforce” presentation, although it will probably be more along the lines of “Surviving and Thriving on Change for the Federal Workforce”.
 
The Board feels it is more beneficial to concentrate more on preserving, surviving, and even optimizing one’s Federal career, *especially* given the challenging circumstances we’re all facing, rather than trying to show people how to apply for a (rare and probably temporary) Federal position. Although we will still include this information, we will be putting much less emphasis on landing a Federal job, and more on keeping the Federal job you have, managing stress and change, moving around within the Federal system, planning for separation and retirement, etc. While there will be some instruction, we also would like to encourage more brainstorming among and interaction with program attendees.
 
The Board is also planning on changing the schedule of FAFLRT activities at ALA Annual. We have discussed having a morning half-day series of presentations, followed by a round-table “brown bag lunch” for Federal employees to network, commiserate, and share experiences and suggestions. Rather than a pre-Conference, we would hope to schedule this on Saturday of the main conference. We would then have a Board and Membership meeting on Sunday, followed by our Awards presentation/ceremony, perhaps as  a Luncheon or Tea instead of an evening reception. We hope that this would reduce conflicts with other evening events (such as the opening of the Exhibit Hall, and dine-arounds) and encourage and enable more of our Membership to attend and participate in these events.