Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, May 16, 2007,
Conference Call
10:00-11:00 A.M.
Present: Barraco,
Bartle, Bolton, Choltco-Devlin, Desch, Duncan, Ebert, Ericson,
Fiske, Gundrum, Howe, Janowsky, Killian, Krupczak, McDonald,
Pope, Storms, Stripling, Todd, Tuliao, Weisman, Wyrwa
Absent: Bardyn,
Borges, Cannell, Doll, Hatch, Katzin, Klose, Kuntz, Roe, Walsh,
Welch, Woodward
Recorder: Deitz
Welcome/Approval
of Minutes—Randy
Ericson
Randy welcomed everyone to the conference call and a roll call followed. The
minutes of the March 28, 2007 meeting were approved with a minor modification.
2008-09 Draft Legislative Proposals and Strategies for
Enhancing NOVELNY—Loretta Ebert
Loretta Ebert shared some ideas for a 2008-2009 Legislative Proposal
that would strengthen and enhance NOVELNY. She mentioned several
possible components of a potential $15 million proposal, including:
- The expansion in the number and kind of NOVELNY databases;
- Professional development and online training for library staff;
- 24/7 online homework help;
- New York History Digitization Project; and
- Early Literacy Resources and Educational Software for Parents and
Caregivers.
Advocacy Efforts with State Legislators—Randy Ericson
Following
is a listing of suggested strategies:
- Make sure we understand why we have not been successful.
- Stress the equity factor.
- Base our strategy on the NJKI approach—targeting the business
community.
- Clarify what other states are doing and work toward a line item
in the budget for NOVELNY, using statistics from the 34 states that
offer free online access to fee-based content.
- LSTA money was the “pilot project.” Now it is
time for the enhanced NOVELNY to support homework help, early literacy
learning and high-end content helpful to business and higher education.
- Highlight a business component that already exists in NOVELNY,
and demonstrate new business audiences benefiting from an enhanced
NOVELNY .
- Prepare talking points for legislators to use with their constituents: “My
vote for NOVELNY helped K-12 students with homework.” “My
vote for NOVELNY enabled young children to become early readers.” Barbara
Stripling (and all Steering Committee members) will send Maribeth
Krupczak (mkrupcza@mail.nysed.gov)
a full range of sample sentences for use with State legislators.
- LSTA funds are declining due to the decrease in population growth
in New York State in comparison to other fast-growing states like
California and Arizona. Without an increase in funding at
the Federal level or the beginning of State funding, there will be
pressure on NOVELNY and the grant programs administered by the New
York State Library. (Decline in funding would be a more compelling
argument.)
- If there is State funding for NOVELNY, Federal money can be directed
to other needs aligned with LSTA objectives (and show why that is
desirable).
- Keep it simple!
- Getting to end users: How they use it? Why they use
it? Three ways NOVELNY helps users.
- There has been a shift in user interest from bibliographical and
reference databases to resources that help users live their lives
better; e.g., test booklets, genealogy databases, health and business
databases: Value Line, Ancestry.
- A story or quote can be more powerful than pages of statistics. Beverly
Choltco-Devlin will review the focus group comments from the Himmel
and Wilson report at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/lsta/eval/novel/reportm.htm to
identify compelling stories or quotes for use with legislators.
- Consider incorporating outcomes from Eleanor Carter’s Outcome
Based Evaluation reports into the strategies. “What have
people developed?” Linda Todd will contact Eleanor
Carter to ask if she has any projects dealing with NOVELNY
and outcomes.
- There should be more focus on promoting articles in full text.
Business Community Input: Desirable
Additions to NOVELNY—Sarah Conrad
Weisman
Ms.
Weisman asked the Steering Committee to consider ways to reach
the business community: How can we make them aware of what NOVELNY does offer,
and get their input and support on what it could offer to benefit
small business? A number of Steering Committee members are involved
in the business community: The Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce,
Board of Directors and other volunteer organizations. Can anyone
think of connections to R&D (small business development vendors,
tech parks); e.g., Cristina’s provost? In addition, community
colleges have contact with small business development vendors; this
may be another resource through community colleges in the State. Speaking
with Michael Borges, NYLA, is another option.
In order to gain input from the business community, the Steering Committee
members will consider opportunities to speak before these groups (the “Speakers
Bureau) to introduce them to NOVELNY or to expand upon their knowledge
and understanding of NOVELNY. In making presentations, include
the databases we already offer and try to determine what they need. Based
on past experience with the business community, databases offering
comparative data on their wish list are: Dunn and Bradstreet
Reports, the Wall Street Journal, Lexis Nexus, and Dialog. The
business community is sometimes unaware that they can access these
sources on their own for a fee. Prior to meeting with the business
community, it is important to frame what information we might be able
to provide to them for free, as well as information not included in
NOVELNY, but still available to them if they choose to pay (e.g., for
article delivery).
Barbara Stripling suggested mining information on sponsors from the
business community from a 2006 national study, Partnership for 21st
Century Skills, at www.21stcenturyskills.org. (See
About Us/Members for a listing of sponsors.)
Beverly Choltco-Devlin mentioned that Mid-York Library System has
booths at business shows in the community to let the business community
know the resources they offer. They feature a table with project
displays and a computer.
The New York State Library is currently compiling a list of state
agencies that deal with economic development, which will be shared
with the Steering Committee when available.
Comments and Questions on Report Items—Randy Ericson
- Portal Project—Liza Duncan
We now have the Phase 2 survey results from the four participants
(Albany Public Library, Wallkill High School, Monroe County Library
System, and Orange County Community College). Within the next
few weeks, Liza will write a report and review it with the four participants. She
would like to have a conference call with the Steering Committee
on June 28 from 3-4 PM to discuss the report (which will be provided
prior to the call for review).
- Database Renewals—Maribeth Krupczak
The general periodical contract will end in
August 2007. If
we have a viable option in terms of cost and coverage, we will
ask the members of NECAT and NECAT+ to evaluate the product(s).
Per Loretta Ebert, comments on the current databases are always welcome!
Other—Maribeth Krupczak
A
NYLINE message will be sent by Janet M. Welch in June regarding
nominations to the Steering Committee. Think about people you know who could
be good additions to the group—geographically and by library
type—who you could nominate or who would be willing to self-nominate.
*****Action Items*****
- Barbara Stripling (and all Steering Committee members)
will send Maribeth Krupczak (mkrupcza@mail.nysed.gov)
a full range of sentences for use with State legislators.
- Linda Todd will contact Eleanor Carter to ask if she has
any projects dealing with NOVELNY and outcomes.
The conference call ended at 11:00 A.M.
Future Meetings: Thursday,
June 28, 3-4 PM, Portal Project Conference Call
Wednesday,
September 19, 10:30 AM-2:30 PM, NYS Library
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