Opening

The regular meeting of the Richmond Academic Library Consortium (RALC) Board Meeting was called to order at 10 am on January 29, 2020 in the Large Conference Room at the L. Douglas Wilder Library  by Nancy Falciani-White.

Present

  • Christopher Richardson (Union Presbyterian Seminary)
  • Suzanne Sherry (John Tyler Community College)
  • Hong Wu (J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College)
  • Kevin Butterfield (University of Richmond)
  • Pamela Foreman (Virginia Union University)
  • John E. Ulmschneider (Virginia Commonwealth University)
  • Elsie S. Weatherington (Virginia State University)
  • Sandra G. Treadway (The Library of Virginia)
  • Nancy Falciani-White (Randolph Macon College)
  • Irene Handy (Richard Bland College)
  • Michael Rawles (Virginia Commonwealth University)
  • Pattie Sobczak (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved as distributed after it was determined that a quorum was present.

Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the October 21, 2019 meeting were approved with one correction regarding the possibility of RALC paper archives at Richard Bland, which it turns out are not able to be located.

Treasurer’s Report

Current RALC finances are in good order with a projected FY end balance standing at $9,628.15.  Dues were briefly discussed.  A more thorough discussion is anticipated for the April Board meeting.

Committee Reports

Professional Development and Networking Committee:

  • A report was given regarding the Leadership event held January 8, 2020.  The event received evaluation rating of 4.5 out of 5 by event attendees filling out the survey (15/35). 
  • Next event is planned for June 2020—VLA presentation.
  • Proposed boot camp tentatively scheduled for January 2021 with a proposed budget of $4000.

Outreach Committee: 

  • A printed report was submitted by Will Weaver in his absence. Key points from the printed Outreach Comm. Notes are included below.
  • The committee met on Nov. 12, 2019 to discuss the new RALC website.  The new site will be hosted by UR under their WordPress subscription.
  • Questions were raised about the usefulness of the RALC Listserv as the case was made that the WordPress site could potentially provide the same service.  Several Board members stated that the Listserv still provided a useful way of communicating among Board members because emails come to you—you don’t have to a site to search for information. Most were in favor of retaining the service although it does need to be marketed to member libraries in a better way.
  • The committee is in favor of creating a RALC twitter account to add more exposure to RALC sponsored events and the RALC scholarship program.

Old Business

New RALC website reviewed by Board. 

  • Suggestions included:
    • Rearrangement for easier viewing
    • Adding picture of member libraries to center instead of RALC logo (picture could rotate through the different libraries)
    • Background too dark—could it be lightened; could present issues for the visually impaired
    • Names of member libraries on website:  could they be made darker, bolder to provide higher contrast and make the names “pop”
    • Website needs a “contact us” form
    • Who is going to post to site?  Will Weaver has volunteered as long as the information is sent to him
    • Site expected to launch in Feb. /Mar. 2020

RALC Archives

  • John Trotti’s records from the 1970s are available (courtesy of Union Presbyterian Seminary)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University has media catalogs, personal letters from the 1980s.  Personal letters need to be processed by the VCU Archives department to protect the personal content of the letters before they can be released to RALC Archives.
  • UR has some items for inclusion
  • Location of the Archives TBA
  • Processing: Archivist TBA; Questions: could this be part of an internship?
  • LVA may have space for physical records; they would be considered ‘private’ records

New Business

  • RALC will sponsor an ad for the TILC workshop (June 4-5, 2020) at William and Mary
  • Request for RALC funding for the Keys® to Creativity and Innovation survey.  Survey studies creativity and innovation in academic libraries. Is there interest from member libraries to pursue this survey?  Request initiated by RMC Library Director, Nancy Falciani-White.  Amount requested: $2000.
    • Questions posed by RALC Board members: What will be the results of survey? What will staff/ institutions gain from survey? How long is the feedback/ presentation session?

Announcements:

  • RALC congratulates John Ulmschneider on being named 2020 Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Academic/Research Librarian of the Year.
  • Prof. Dev. Comm. Looking for a new member to replace a member leaving for a new job
  • UPSem.: wireless printing from laptop soon to be available; adding LED lights to display cases.
  • JTCC: open house on May 1, 2020
  • VSU: Elsie Weatherington to retire June 2020
  • Richard Bland: Renovations underway at Library
  • JSR: tutoring center now in Library
  • VCU:  no announcement (John had to leave early for another meeting)
  • UR: renovations-faculty development center to be located in library; student advising center, tutoring and writing also being relocated to library
  • RMC: Renovations; Kevin Young (author, poet) to visit in March
  • LVA: Gen. Assembly bills related to libraries:  Designating libraries as essential public services; Women’s suffrage movement exhibit

Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 11:43 am by Nancy Falciani-White. The next meeting will be announced at a later date; exact date, time and location to be announced at a later date.

Minutes submitted by Pamela Foreman