Warm weather today for February! Every day without a blizzard is a gift this time of year.
The weather is good but the budget news is bad. Most of you have heard that the new governor will keep back some funds for MU and other colleges this fiscal year. He has also proposed a 9% cut to higher education in the new fiscal year. We knew about the state budget shortfall, so this is not unexpected, and I know we all understand the need to make hard choices, but it is still discouraging.
On the other hand, I learned that the library made about $14,000 from July to December in 2016 from the BookMark Café, and most of you will have noticed its new look and new furniture. A nice grant from the Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee and a few thousand more from the Libraries’ Admin budget to help with the electrical work made it possible. Tomorrow at 10 am is a grand re-opening celebration in the Café, so stop by for free coffee and doughnuts.
Also tomorrow is the first meeting of the Library Assembly replacement, the Staff Advisory Group at 2 pm in Ellis 114A. The new group is sort of a committee-of-the-whole, informal all staff meeting in a town hall style, and I hope many of you will attend. Noah Hartsfield is the first chair/convener, and I will be there to give a report and take questions. Others will report, too, on many interesting matters. Open communication is always important, and I think helps us all, especially when budgets are tight.
Most of you know we have several searches to fill vacancies from retirements and changes going on, and we will have an update on those at the meeting as well as in NewsNotes. My next meeting on selling the Doughty bird collection is Wednesday morning, and I still hope to get them sold in the new few months.
Many people have been out with flu and colds, so I hope you all are staying healthy!
Ann