Tuesday, July 26, 2011
1:00 – 2:00 pm
159 Ellis Library

Members:  Gary Cox (chair), Karen Witt, Mary Hainen (for Jack Batterson), June DeWeese, Laura Buck, Stephen Stanton, Libby Myer, Steve Clayton, Mark Ellis, Ryan Buttrey (for Matt Stottle), PT Martin.

Ex-Officio: Deb Ward (LMT), Jim Cogswell (LMT), Anne Barker (MULAC)

• Welcome – Gary Cox, FY2012 Chair of the Library Assembly.

• Introductions – All.

• Announcements:
  • Director’s Announcements – Jim Cogswell:
    • Last week (July 21, 2011) an All Staff Forum was held.
      • A lively discussion of the LMT Retreat material took place.
      • Material to be reviewed with a staffing plan at the upcoming All Staff Meeting in August.
      • All Staff Meeting will take place on Thursday, August 18^th.
        • 2:00-3:30 pm.
        • In Ellis Auditorium.
      • Access Services – June DeWeese:
        • Access Services filled two positions.  Both will start next month.
          • One in Circulation; one in Shelving.
      • Faculty Lecture Series Committee- Deb Ward:
        • Formerly an “Ad Hoc” committee.
          • Held first official meeting July 25.
          • Brenda Graves-Blevins elected as chair.
          • Committee will be added to the list of MU Libraries committee soon.

• Review of Charge – Gary Cox.
  • Facilitate communication throughout MU Libraries.
    • Not here to set policy.
    • Members are responsible for relaying information back to departments.
    • Assembly has been operating from the initial proposal (composed by a working group of fellow library employees).
      • The Assembly has no official policy.
      • Policy or Bylaws may be a subject discussed later this year.

• Vice-chair and Recorder – Gary Cox: As the first meeting of the year, it seems appropriate to choose/discuss the positions of Vice-Chair and Recorder.
  • Mark Ellis stated he was willing to be recorder again, if no one else volunteered.
    • No one else volunteered.
    • Laura Buck volunteered to assume Vice-chair .
    • Review of duties.
      • Vice chair – meets with Director and Chair to set Library Assembly agendas.
        • Slight changes may be needed to the draft of Assembly policy/bylaws.
          • Meeting schedule of Library Assembly Chair and Library Director are different than proposed.  (This first year, the meetings have most often occurred the day before the Assembly meetings.)
        • Recorder
          • Assembly Minutes – after discussion, no one expressed problems with current practice of approving the minutes by email (approximately within one week of the meeting date) and posting in News Notes (the next possible news notes publication date after the approval of the minutes).

• Library Assembly Survey – The Library Assembly’s first annual survey is complete in Survey Monkey.
  • Gary will follow up with Ann Riley (coordinator of the survey creation) about  how we will distribute survey to all MU Libraries staff.

• Other unresolved issues:
  • Dual appointments.
    • Jim Cogswell and Gary had a chance to discuss the issue in their meeting the day before and they suggest that the employee with a dual appointment be allowed to vote and represent only one department. That (home) department should be where the supervisor who signs the employee’s timesheet works.
      • After discussion, it was agreed that this would be the easiest solution.
      • The issue could be brought up again, if problems arise.
      • Staff Web Subcommittee: After a subcommittee of the Library Assembly coordinated an update of the MU Library Staff Web Page, it was resolved (at meetings past) that a permanent subcommittee would be formed to periodically check the web page to ensure that it is kept current.
        • June DeWeese and Stephen Stanton volunteered for the subcommittee and it was resolved that a third member would be appointed.  The appointment of the final member was put off until the new members were elected.
          • To give the new members a chance to volunteer for that subcommittee.
          • Since not all of the new members are present, Gary would like to move appointment to the next meeting.

• Review of FY2011 activity:
  • Guest speakers:
    • Ernest Shaw – LTS update.
    • Pat Jones –Ellis Library Space and Facilities Advisory Committee introduction and update.
    • Shannon – Communication Officer:  Introduction and update of the Communications Advisory Group.
    • Gary suggests that each of these visitors return for periodic updates.
    • Also, any other committees.  (Such as the Assessment Committee)
      • The Library Assembly made a list last year, but didn’t make it through.
      • Gary will revisit list.
      • April meeting discussion on Values statements.
        • Context:  When Jim first started at MU Libraries (2002) Library Council reviewed what we, the Libraries, held closest as values.
          • Process started with MU Values.
        • The Task: the question this year was do the values still ring true?
          • Discussion was lively.
          • Jim was impressed by how much of the discussion affirmed the current values.
          • But no closure.
        • Jim propose Library Assembly to transmit to LMT the discussion outlines and notes.
          • LMT will consider further action (possibly a revised draft of the values statement)
      • Mark Ellis (admin representative) mentioned that the format of discussion seemed powerful process.
        • Each representative was encouraged to hold a meeting with their constituents (it was suggested that a member of the Diversity Action Committee be present), discuss the topic and bring back summaries and recommendations to discuss at an Assembly meeting.

• Meeting time and dates for FY2012
  • After discussion it was agreed upon that the currently monthly meeting time and dates seemed to work well for the group.
    • It was further clarified:
      • Fourth Tuesday of month
      • 1-2 pm.
      • The day will shift to the third Tuesday of the month for November.
      • The December meeting will be skipped due to the close proximity to the winter intersession and Christmas holiday.
        • An emergency meeting may be called if urgent issues arise.

• Other/Misc. Business:
  • Jim will likely leave a spot on the All Staff meeting Agenda for Gary Cox to give a quick intro/summary/update of the Library Assembly.
    • Other All Staff Meeting Topics to include:
      • MU Libraries Staffing Plan.
      • Brief look at budget numbers.
      • As a potential future action/discussion point, it was pointed out that the last SRC terms posted on the web expired 2009.
        • There may be a need to kick-start the election process.
      • Salary increase letters to go out soon.
        • LMT has worked into the salary increase process this year a $300 increase to library employees below $35K annual salary to offset increases to health insurance costs.
          • Separate from 2% merit pool.

Adjourn.

Dear Fellow MU Libraries Staff,

The Library Assembly has set up a short survey to assess our first year of service.  Please visit – https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/libraryassembly to submit your comments and suggestions by August 15^th.

Thanks,  on behalf of the Library Assembly.

Gary Cox (chair 2011-2012)