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INTRODUCTION: These notes were
taken from the Minutes recorded at meetings of the Suffolk County public
library directors since 1963. At first these meetings were called by
the first Director of the new Cooperative Library System, Walter Curley.
PLDA, as a separate organization, does not come into the picture until 1968
when general dissatisfaction with the succeeding SCLS director, Gunther
Jansen, caused the library directors to break away to form their own
organization. Most of you know that minutes hardly ever convey the
whole story. Decisions are recorded, but later readings never give
the reader a full understanding of the struggles undergone to achieve those
decisions. Sometimes there is no understanding at all. A full history
should include eye-witness accounts and other records. I am certainly
willing to add notes to this “history” if people will send me signed
accounts that would add a human touch.
Pat
Campbell 2003
1963
Mr. Curley, the first Director of
the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, starts to hold bi-monthly meetings
of member-library Directors in 1963. The first minutes in our files
date from February 13. The System office is located at 15 West Ave.
in Patchogue.
Sixteen libraries are members of the System at the first meeting; by April
membership has increased to thirty-five. Early in the year, Mr. Curley
announces plans for in-service training for trustees. He announces that the
SCLS budget for the year is $226,000, with $205,000 coming from the
state. He explains that school district libraries contribute to the
System on the basis of assessed valuation, while other libraries are
assessed on the basis of population served. He also announces that he
is planning two deliveries a week to member libraries in 1964.
At the June meeting, Mr. Curley says that central Reference Service is
taking more time to develop then anticipated. The newest development
at SCLS is the mechanized preparation of book orders, bills, packing slips
and accounts with new IBM equipment. There is also a new Young Adult
Consultant. A Bookmobile has arrived, financed by a $15,000 grant
from the State Library. A building program is under study. Centralized cataloging
has begun under Alan Hogden: “The Suffolk Cooperative Library System hopes
to provide cataloging and processing at the rate of at least 100,000
volumes per year, free of charge, to member libraries and without
limitations in range of titles to be ordered.” Miss Kit Sheehan, the
Children’s consultant, plans a 4 session course, along with the new Young
Adult consultant, on “Service to Children and Young People.”
The year ends with the following comment: that there is “widespread
interest in the System – resulting in a steady stream of visitors” and
there is much discussion of a “uniform borrower’s card.”
1964
The year starts with 39 member libraries. At the first meeting, Mr.
Curley announces that Mrs. Powell has been added as a cataloger. He also
welcomes Sarah Courant from the Bayport-Bluepoint Library. He was trying to
negotiate discounts with Baker and Taylor for group book ordering, but
decides to go with Campbell and Hall of Boston instead. He is in the
process, this year, of computerizing a Union List of Serials “on the Univac
1004” and will print 2 lists for each library. Later in the year he
writes a grant requesting 2 tape drives for the Univac 1004 for $39,000. He
also says he would budget $16,000 for Reference personnel for the 2 Central
Libraries.
By the end of the year the System building is too small to hold Directors’
Meetings; now they will meet in the Vets Hall on Cedar Ave. in Patchogue.
1965
This year Mr. Curley receives a state grant of $25,000. to set up an Audio
Visual Department. This will pay for equipment, a staff person, and
100 films. Six of the Eight libraries in Islip Town have accepted the
plan for a Reciprocal Borrowers Card, Mr. Curley wants at least 20
participating libraries, county wide.
Bids for the planned new SCLS building came in much higher than expected at
$180,500. The System did group ordering of 5100 volumes this year.
The experimental Inter Library Loan program got off to a good start, they
received 240 requests in the month of June.
1966
By 1966 the SCLS budget has increased to $450,000. Mr. Curley
announces that he is planning a PR campaign for public libraries using
prerecorded 30 second and 60 second radio announcements. In April
there is a general meeting of directors to discuss building programs and
their problems. SCLS has started a Large Print Collection; a list is being
sent to all the libraries which includes the titles in individual libraries
as well. The System has started collecting demonstration basic book
collections for Children’s, YA and Reference services. These will be
completed by 1967.
The newest member library is Terryville, Port Jefferson Station, which has
become formally established. There is a search for a librarian. The
initial library budget is $62,500 and $10,000 for capital expenditures.
1967
The minutes of the first meeting in 1967, on March 8, are a great surprise
for the new reader! Quite suddenly, and without explanation or fanfare, it
is announced that the meeting is being held in the new SCLS building, and
Gunther Jansen is the new System Director. (Side note
from Annette Bassett: “ After a lengthy telephone conversation with Betty
Markert , the Director’s secretary at the time, I discovered the following
information. Walter Curley married the woman who was the first Assistant
Director at SCLS, Marie Sullivan. At the time they married, she had
to stop working at the System, and Ruth Weber was hired as her
replacement. Walter was from the Boston area, and Marie was from New
Hampshire, so both had good reason to want to return to New England. When
he had a very good offer from the Arthur D. Little firm in Boston, he
decided to leave SCLS for the new position. Betty thinks he departed
in December of 1966. He was a greatly beloved and respected
individual, and his departure from SCLS was both orderly and much
lamented.” ) Mr. Jansen arrives in January 1967 and at the first
meeting in March he states his goals for the coming year:
initiating a new service to lend art reproductions, procuring grants of at
least $50 for every library to purchase a microfilm reader, starting a
pilot project to provide book lists for local adult education courses,
obtaining circulating displays, and providing scholarships for MLS
students. He also lays out a plan for “cooperative cost sharing” for more
Bookmobile service.
LILRC is reorganizing to include institutional membership only. Mr.
O’Brien (director of HHH) urges libraries to join.
The biggest issue in the early part of 1967 is the state requirement
that libraries participating in N.Y.State supported Library
Systems engage in reciprocal lending. Suffolk is already operating on an
exemption which is about to expire. At this time, reciprocal lending
libraries honoring all Suffolk cards are: Patchogue, Huntington, Babylon,
Bayport-Blue Point, Bellport, Central Islip, Lindenhurst, Mattituck,
Riverhead, and Emma S. Clark. Again there is talk of a uniform borrower’s
card, and the tangential issue of the “fiscal independence of libraries.” (
Editor’s note: It is possible that this explosive issue contributes
to the events of the following year, but details of all the differences
between many directors and Mr. Jansen are not spelled out in the minutes.)
In December, the System is doing a study of the varying fines, rules and
regulations of the member libraries.
1968
Gunther Jansen calls for a meeting of the member library directors at
Sachem Library for the morning of January 17. An additional meeting is
called for the afternoon of the same day “at which the possible formation
of a Director’s Organization will be discussed”. At the morning meeting the
topics of discussion are New York Standards for Children’s Services, and
Reciprocal Borrowing. SCLS is asked to make a report of ILL statistics. At
the afternoon meeting, the Member Library Director’s Association is formed.
The first chairperson is James M. O’Brien from HHH, the assistant
chairperson is Stanley Ransom from Huntington, and the secretary is
Elizabeth Overton from Riverhead. Other members of the Executive Committee
are assigned responsibility for various advisory committees: Adult
Services, Elaine Phipps (Patchogue); and Children’s Services, Margaret
Small (Bellport). A “Code of Procedures” is adopted.
At a February meeting, Mr. Jansen announces that Director’s meetings will
be now be held every month: SCLS will hold Directors’ meetings every
other month chaired by Mr. Jansen, in alternate months, the meetings will
be chaired by Mr. O’Brien.
The March meeting is chaired by Miss Weber since Mr. Jansen has a
cold. The executive board of the directors’ organization says
that the ILL statistics from the System are not meaningful. Mr.
Zedily from Sachem requests that the statistics show how many items each
library borrowed and loaned, not just the number of requests filled from
each library. The executive board also strongly recommends (by way of
a motion) that the SCLS Board engage a full-time public relations
consultant for newsletters, brochures and other publicity efforts.
At the April meeting, Mr. O’Brien is the chair and Mr. Jansen is not
present. The Reference Advisory Committee recommends that SCLS publish a
Union List of Serials. The executive Committee reports that Mr. O’Brien and
Mr. Ransom attended the SCLS Board Meeting where they reported on the
formation of the “Director’s Association”. They said that the
reaction of the Board was “very favorable”.
At the May
meeting Mr. Jansen is the chair. He reports on the library
budget votes: Riverhead’s budget of $179,480 passed 342 to 102.
Islip had its vote IN the library. Cutchogue’s budget is
$2,500. Mr. Jansen also reports that the SCLS trustees are
considering a request to change their by-laws from one vote each to
weighted votes based on population. Mr. Jansen also says
that key vacancies at the System are being filled, so libraries can expect
a “great improvement in System service”. He also asks that when
Directors have questions or are dissatisfied, they contact him directly
rather than discussing problems first amongst themselves and complaints
only reach him via the grapevine.
The
“Uniform Borrower’s Card Committee” asks for a show of hands on the
question of the card and this indicates a majority of Directors are against
the idea. Mr. Jansen remarks that a previous MAIL vote had showed a
majority for it. Mr. O’Brien said he had voted for it in the
beginning because he thought it was one uniform card for everyone.
Now it’s become 3 library cards for different age groups. He feels
the trend today is to make the entire library available to everyone and not
to keep students out of the adult areas. There is heated
discussion. There is a motion to disband the committee, then more
heated discussion, “allotted time for discussion expires. Motion tabled.”
At the
June meeting an announcement is made that Mr. Leonard Freiser has been
appointed director of LILRC. He will have an office at HHH.
The
Technical Services Advisory Committee of the Director’s Association
recommends the acceptance of the following resolutions:
1. that
the SCLS Board recommend the continuation of the processing of books for
non-members.
2. that
serious consideration be given to raising the charge for processing for
non-members by up to 25 cents per unit.
3. that
non-members who do not pay their bills have their services terminated.
4. That
no new school accounts be opened.
(SCLS began processing for
non-members in 1965. At present (1968) the Ramipo-Catskill System,
Clinton-Essex-Franklin System, the Central Book Aid recipients of S.
Adirondack System, several different Suffolk County Agencies, some 50
schools and some other small public libraries receive their books through
SCLS. Suffolk County Community College also purchases books through
the System, without processing. In 1967 283,000 volumes were processed,
51% were for member libraries. The cost was $487,328. the cost per
unit was $1.68. The theory was that the more books of one title that
were processed, the less it would cost per volume, because electronic
equipment expenses are the same regardless of the number of volumes
processed.)
At the
July meeting, which is called to order by Mr. Jansen, it is announced that
Paul Cirino is the new director at Middle Country. Then Mr. Jansen
announces that a processing survey conducted by Booz Allen has resulted in
some suggestions which will shorten book processing time from 7 – 8 weeks
to 3 – 4 weeks! Booz Allen also recommended that an additional 25,000
square feet be added on to the building! The Technical Services
Committee of the Association says that SCLS should try to achieve
compliance with national standards, Marc II format. Dr. Lsedely is
developing a “complaint form” for those who don’t agree with the System’s
cataloging. Once again the subject of the Uniform Borrower’s Card is
brought up. Dr. Zsedely objects to using 3 cards, he wants 1 card, 1
color. A motion was made to abolish the Uniform Borrower’s Card
Committee, 5 were for the motion, 11 against.
The
August meeting is planned to be held at Ocean Beach on Fire Island. There is
a very small attendance because of rain. Then, some of those in attendance
“missed the boat”. (editor’s note: sounds like a good story there!)
At the
September meeting, Mr. Levering reports that the 16mm sound films in the
SCLS collection are now available to loan “to responsible adults” in the
communities but these adults are not required to be representatives of
organizations. Mr. Ransom reports that the Booz-Allen study
indicates that the System “has 46% less space than it needs to operate
efficiently”. Ms. Phipps says that “smooth operation of purchasing
and processing is a PRIMARY need, pilot projects should be
deferred.” Mr. O’Brien reiterates his concern about System
finances: System costs go up as member library book budgets increase
and they purchase more books, but the System makes no charge for the
increased services. Nassau charges $.25 per book for
processing. Mr. Jansen is opposed to member libraries paying for
services. However, the System will be ending this year $100,000 in
the red.
1969
The July
meeting is held at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Director, John
Binnington welcomes those present. The main topics are Direct Access
and the financial difficulties of the System. Dick Lusak also reports
on the decision of Farmingdale Library to have their budget vote separate
from the school vote because it had failed twice in passage. Acting
Commissioner of Education, Ewald Nyquist ruled that the Boards of Education
can set the dates for library budget votes, but he indicated that he is
willing to sponsor a change in that section of the law. Comsewogue,
Huntington and Middle Country have indicated they will file requests.
At the
August meeting there is a review of the SCLS Building Program. The plan is
for adding 24,000 square feet for a total of 36,000 square feet. The
cost will be $835,000 of which $292,000. is a federal grant. R. Lusak
was not able to attend this meeting “due to the pressures of building a new
library” Mr. Cirino gives “a glibly humorous story of Mr. Lusak’s
present tribulations.”
As of
December 1969, Mr. Ransom is still President of the Director’s Association
and they are still alternating turns as chair of monthly meetings with Mr.
Jansen.
1970
At the
February meeting at South Huntington Library, Dick Lusak is elected
president of the Director’s Association, Paul Cirino is Vice President and
Mr. Ransom is secretary. Mr. Jansen has several times gone on
recruiting trips to 8 library schools to try to fill vacancies on library
staffs. Mr. Jansen also requests slides of member libraries for his
lecture tour of Europe. During this year the following announcements
are made: The County Aid for 1971 will remain at $100,000. Agreement
has been reached on Direct Access and a new brochure is being
published. Libraries are being asked to cancel their various
“courtesy card privileges” since the new Direct Access rules should take
care of all problems. The Reference Division asks the libraries to
“crack down on ILL violators” They ask for accurate addresses and
verification or a source of the reference to the required material.
Film requests to the System are being received in record numbers.
SCLS will offer a payroll preparation service to all member libraries
beginning in Jan. 1971. The new building will be ready by early
November.
1971
Paul
Cirino is the elected President of the Director’s Association. Director’s
Meetings are now separated into two sets of meetings: general meetings with
all directors present, and executive board meetings. The Association
sends a letter to the Division of Library Development objecting to
several problems they see in the plans for a February conference.
They object to the invitational nature of the conference, and the exclusion
of library administrators.
A sample
Survey of Priorities of the Nassau System Services was presented by the
chair of the Nassau Director’s Executive Board, Robert N. Sheridan.
Paul Cirino sends a letter to all directors asking that everyone express
their opinion, since the criticism has been made that directors of larger
libraries have a disproportionate amount of influence with the System Board
of Trustees. (The System Board has provided a place at their meetings for a
representative from the Director’s Association.) He ends the letter saying
that facts, ideas, and issues need to be clearly presented, and alternate
viable solutions to problems need to be found. Director’s views need
to be communicated to the SCLS Board. He is hoping for a “new spirit
of trust, understanding, and cooperation.”
The
System has not had a Head of Technical Services for 8 months.
Acquisitions and book processing are badly delayed.
At the
May meeting a motion is made to appoint a committee to look into the ethics
of the Middle Island Board of Trustees and into their application for a
permanent charter. After much discussion, the vote was 7 “no” and 5
“yes” and 1 “abstention.” (I asked Dave Clemens if he could clarify this
mysterious motion and he commented as follows: “We cannot be sure about the
reason for the motion. We do know that the library had three directors that
year. Mr. Danton, who was asked to resign after a failed facilities
vote; Mrs. Gartung, who was the senior clerk; and Ms. Howard, who was
obtained by Mr. Jansen and served for about 6 months.”)
The
Association Constitution is amended several times during this year.
The SCLS
Reference Coordinator, Evelyn Greenberg, requests that “some public library
in Suffolk County subscribe to “Playboy” magazine.” Suffolk Community
College is the only subscriber she knows about and they have had repeated
requests. There exists a very complete index published by Scarecrow
Press.
At the
August meeting, Mr. Jansen speaks about the possibility of putting the
System budget on the County Ballot. The majority of directors present
are against the idea, but Mr. Jansen says he will continue to investigate
it.
At the
October meeting, Mr. Jansen notes that a special committee of the NYLA
Library Trustee Council is looking into the possibility of making the
County the financial and administrative unit for public libraries.
Richard Lusak notes that this is not possible since local public libraries
are operating under educational and municipal law.
At the
October meeting, the Minutes state there is “much heated discussion” of the
proposed SCLS Budget. Mr. Kramer suggests that the System adopt a budget
that expends only those funds that the State and County allocate for its
support. The SCLS Budget is later presented with big cuts:
there are no cost of living raises, no conference expenses, no Union List
of Serials, and a fee scale is instituted for book buying and processing.
Mr.
Lusak proposes that the Director’s Association send all official minutes of
the meetings to all Board Trustees of all member libraries. The
motion carried 16 to 0 with 1 abstention.
David
Wilder is the new Director of LILRC. He has been Library Director at
the University of Manitoba. His offices will be located at SCLS.
1972
Victoria
Wallace is the new Chair of the Director’s Association.
In
January there is extensive discussion of the System Budget. It is
noted that the SCLS Trustees are trying to decide whether the System will
offer “financial participation” or “services for a fee”. At the same
time, libraries are being polled about their thoughts on these
matters. Mr. Berman says his library strongly objects to these two
actions being taken at exactly the same time. The subject of
“weighted votes” is also discussed at length. The directors ask that
the SCLS Trustees make a written statement on its position regarding the
matter of a “County wide library”.
A motion
is made by R. Lusak and seconded by C.G.Donnelly, and the Executive
Committee unanimously agreed, that the Constitution be changed to read that
all meetings of the Director’s Association be chaired by the Chairperson of
the Association and not alternately with the System Director. This
motion will be voted on at a general meeting of the Association
Darlene
Carter of West Islip Library is nominated to fill a vacant position on the
Executive Board.
At the
general meeting G. Jansen makes the following comments: He reports on his
meetings at the NYLA Board in Albany and a three day trip to Washington,
DC. He says the NYLA Intellectual Freedom Committee is investigating the
dismissal of Mrs. Ford as Director of East Hampton Library.
Mini-grants are available for innovation in library service through
BOCES. There is much discussion on this last topic. There is
consensus that the directors should “Look at the fine print” or “for
strings attached”. R. Lusak feels that this is a small step in the
direction of a BOCES takeover of library administration. At the
general meeting a motion is made to object to University Microfilm changing
from 35mm to 16mm when the company had sold 35mm readers last year with
full knowledge that they intended to change.
Victoria
Wallace distributes a letter that had been sent to the Executive Director
of the NYLA Trustees Foundation saying that DLD is in favor of County
level library administration throughout the state.
The
Direct Access Committee reports on the results of their recent
questionnaire; 42 libraries responded:
1. 27
favor a uniform code, 11 do not, 3 abstained
2. 23
said a library should be permitted to refuse Direct Access to patrons of a
library after a budget vote defeat, 13 said no, 5 abstained
3. 30
libraries do NOT keep a record of Direct Access, 9 DO, 2 did not indicate
4. 34
resounding approvals of the Delinquency List, 1 disapproval, 6 abstain
An article on Nazi activity in the L.I.Press and written by Karl Grossman
was included in the Minutes.
At the
February Executive Board Meeting, Victoria Wallace reports that there is a
chance of an increase in the state aid formula which may increase SCLS
funds by $200,000. She also reports that at the SCLS Board Meeting
she requested that they issue a formal statement on their stand concerning
a County and/or State Administration, including financing, of public
libraries. This topic was referred to committee by the SCLS Board.
She also says that the SCLS Board is studying the status and future of the
co-central libraries. Miss Wallace will ask them to hire an objective
consultant. (This last point was decided by the SCLS Board to be “not necessary”
at their next meeting.) An SCLS Committee has also been created to
consider the matter of “weighted votes”.
A letter
was sent from the Association to the Commissioner of Education applauding
his decision to not fund the $500,000 request for a controversial pilot
program for library services to children.
Miss
Wallace again attended the SCLS Board Meeting. She reports that the
Board approved a 5 year lease for new data processing equipment. One
trustee cast a negative vote saying he thought the member libraries should
see and comment on this before action is taken. There is considerable
discussion of this topic by the executive committee. Miss Wallace
reports that she again requested the SCLS Trustees to express their sentiments
on the topic of County Administration of Public Libraries. They went
into executive session, so she assumes a reply is being formulated.
A
Special Meeting of the Executive Committee was called on March 20 at which
they decide to oppose legislation already passed by the legislature and
sent to the Governor (Rockefeller) for signature which adds the words
“School District Libraries” amending the Civil Service Law (if passed this
would place all supervisory personnel in the “unclassified area”.)
There is
an attached letter from the SCLS Board: The Board “has no intention
of supporting any move to establish a County Library System in
Suffolk. The growth and quality of library service in Suffolk attests
to the successful operation of the present structure.”
By July
1972, SCLS is beginning work on the 1973 budget. P. Abramov and M.Roochvarg
have been appointed to assist SCLS staff in setting priorities. Other
news: a program is announced to acquaint System staff with the new data
processing equipment; consensus is reached that the Executive Board will
not invite the “Right to Life Committee” program for a Director’s meeting;
special programs are being considered in an effort to get better attendance
at the monthly meetings.
Huntington Public Library wishes to become a sub-regional center for the
Talking Books for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The general
membership voted to recommend Huntington’s petition to the SCLS Board, but
the Executive Committee is unanimously against it. They say that
postal service distribution from the regional center in NYC is adequate,
and they feel also that if Huntington Library is not able to absorb the
costs in the future, that SCLS would have to take on another financial burden.
Later, at the October meeting, Mr. Ransom, the Director at Huntington,
informed the Executive Board that his library had been designated a
sub-regional Library for the Blind and Handicapped and he recommends that
the Executive Board endorse his petition to SCLS that this be a Central
Library Service. A motion was made and tabled until such time as DLD
guidelines and recommendations are known. Then, at the November meeting, it
is reported that the SCLS Board had given approval to the revised petition from
Huntington Library. It will be financed by the Lion’s Club and will
not be a System or Central Library Service.
At the
August meeting, a discussion of the possibility of SCLS becoming a book
wholesaler was held – this would create major financial savings of 40 to
42%
The
Supreme Court is evidently reviewing cases that might result in declaring
the property tax illegal. The topic is raised every so often.
Guenter
Jansen suggests that Suffolk County Libraries should try to get the County
to level a County property tax for libraries, giving a minimum level of
support to all districts, and then allowing each district to raise more as
it sees fit. Some committee members felt this was just another
attempt to get a State or County Library plan.
During
the October meeting the Budget Committee deliberates on the SCLS Budget and
Myron Roochvaarg reports to the Executive Committee that there is a $90,000
budget gap that needs to be closed. They recommend the following:
that a 5 year plan be instituted which gradually terminates technical
processing; that there be an increase in financial participation and in the
fee schedule; that there be cuts in staff, in contract cleaning, in the AV
budget, and in the book budget.
At a
meeting of the Directors on December 4th, the SCLS budget for 1973 is
defeated by a “weighted” vote of 32 yes to 72 no. This was despite a
count, by library, of 15 yes to 13 no. Guenter Jansen discusses the
possibility of a budget with no technical processing and maintaining a
reduced staff for everything else.
There is
another Director’s meeting on December 13th. Mr. Jansen is not
present. A pointed explanation is made that he has pressing NYLA
legislative matters and is also trying to clear his desk prior to departing
for Europe for a few weeks.
It is
decided that the defeated SCLS budget would be resubmitted with the
following “clarifying remarks”.
1. If
the anticipated revenues do not materialize, the budget will be
reduced in the technical services area.
2. If
state aid is raised, budget modifications will be made.
3. If
finances do not permit a full range of book processing services, any
financial participation agreements signed will become null and void.
4. SCLS
trustees and administration will work closely with the Directors to achieve
the optimum mix of commercial & SCLS technical services.
5. A
“yes” vote on this budget will not commit a member library in any
way. Only the signing of a financial participation or alternative
agreement can do that.
1973
At the January 10th meeting of the
Director’s Association, Myron Roochvarg is elected as Chair, D. Carter is
Vice Chair, P Abramov is secretary. Mr. Jansen is not present at the
meeting because he has just returned from his European trip. The
deadline for returning the ballot for the 1973 SCLS budget is 5 days
hence. (Editor’s note: I did not find out here whether the SCLS
budget passed on the second vote.)
At the February meeting of the executive
board, the following topics were discussed. Baker and Taylor has been
asked to supply some statistics on processing. Mr. Jansen is asked to
explain delays in processing. There is a proposal by the League of
Women Voters that public libraries become places where people can register
to vote; Representative Downey will be introducing a bill. The SCLS Board
considered and rejected the recommendation of the Director’s Association
that candidates for the SCLS Board must sit on local boards at the time of
their election. The apportionment of SCLS Board seats is again discussed.
At the March meeting, various problems
surrounding the question of whether SCLS should drop the processing of
books are again discussed. Mr. Jansen comments that if the System
does go out of the processing business, it will take “considerable
time”. There is no unanimity among SCLS staff on the best action to
take. P. Cirino from Middle Country Library has been using Baker
& Taylor and it is working well. Other libraries (not named) are also
using commercial processing companies; they are asked how it is working and
most reply that they have been doing it for 2 or 3 years and have not
needed additional staff.
At the May meeting Miss Phipps won the door
prize for the third time! It is announced that the System Board will
hold a special meeting on May 15 to hear all arguments on the termination
of SCLS Technical Services. There are no minutes here of that
meeting, but at the June 13th meeting of the Director’s Association, Mr.
Jansen is absent and no decision seems to have been made. Miss Weber,
the Assistant Director of SCLS does make an announcement that a memo would
be sent out shortly on the procedure for those dropping out of financial
participation on July 1st.
It is also announced that none of the
bills in Albany of interest to libraries and passed by the legislature,
have been signed by the Governor. (They are 30 day bills and must be
signed by June 26th if they are to become law.)
At a general meeting of Directors, there is
a long discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of having more than
one kind of SCLS contract. It is finally agreed that one basic
contract should be offered with appropriate appendices, particularly
pertaining to the “home library” concept, which could then be accepted in
part or as a whole by each member library. This recommendation will
be passed on to the SCLS Board on a motion by B. Overton. It passed
with one negative vote by M. Roochvarg.
At the July meeting of the executive
committee there is, again, general discussion of SCLS contracts.
Consensus was:
a. that
next year only one form of the contract be offered, and
b. that
those not signing contracts will receive only access to the Union Catalog,
Inter Library Loan (but not delivery), and consultant services.
Mr. Jansen is looking into the
possibility of a grant to fund a video tape program. Dues for the
association are being considered. A question is also raised as to
whether the Directors Association could have access to the SCLS annual
audit.
At the
August meeting, the SCLS Budget is discussed after a presentation by the
Budget Committee (E. DiMattia, chair). It has been through four
revisions. County Executive Klein has released his proposed
budget and it contains $139,000. for SCLS – precisely the sum SCLS hoped
for and has included in their 1974 proposed budget.
At the
October meeting, Mr. Roochvarg says he attended the Sept. 17th SCLS Board
Meeting and was surprised that, at the meeting, there was no discussion of
the budget. At that meeting, a letter was read to the SCLS Board
(from member libraries not now participating in the SCLS purchasing &
processing service) objecting to the System’s subsidizing of technical
processing. Another letter from D. Hyle, Director of Smithtown
Library, was read to the Board saying that a number of libraries were very
concerned about the ability of commercial processors to supply adequate
cataloging for everything they ordered.
At the
November meeting, M. Roochvarg starts a discussion about the decision
of the SCLS Board to revoke the right of member libraries to vote on the
System Budget annually. Directors who feel strongly on the matter are
urged to contact their SCLS Board representative. A show of hands is
called for to see which of the library directors present would not
recommend signing the contract if assurances of a budget vote were
excluded. Sixteen hands out of twenty-five voting members present are
counted. A motion was made by D. Carter where the Chairperson is
authorized to notify the System Board in the strongest possible terms, that
the Association urges the inclusion of a vote on the annual budget in the
SCLS contract. This motion passes, 22 yes, 0 no, 3 abstain.
Mr. Jansen
is now in the hospital after recent surgery.
At the
next executive committee meeting, the chairperson distributes copies of
notes he made at the SCLS Board meeting since it is impossible to obtain
“unapproved” minutes. There is a lengthy discussion as to whether the
System’s borrowing the entire amount of its annual operating budget was
really in the public interest despite concurring legal opinion.
At the
end of 1973, a very tense year fraught with problems, the outgoing chair,
Myron Roochvarg, presented an eloquent annual report to aid the new chair.
At the December meeting, the 1974 SCLS operating budget passed by a vote of
12 libraries to 9 (the SCLS Board had restored the right of member
libraries to vote at their November meeting). It was pointed out by Mr.
Roochvarg that “such a poor showing (21 out of 48 libraries) makes us look
rather silly in light of our recent effort to retain the right to vote.”
1974
In
January, E. DiMattia is elected Chair, P . Abramov is Vice Chair. Mr.
Roochvarg attended the SCLS Board meeting and reports that the
administration informed the Board that the 1973 operating budget will not
balance. The deficit is unknown at this time. (Ed. note: there
is a sentence in the minutes at this point stating that some libraries were
considering joining the Nassau System!)
At the
executive board meeting in February, M. Roochvarg makes a motion, seconded
by R. Lusak, to record a vote of no confidence in the System
administration. The motion is approved 14 to 1. At the March meeting,
the executive committee receives a letter from the SCLS trustees asking
them to define their vote of no confidence. There is also a
side comment that the energy crises does not seem to be affecting library
circulation.
At the
April meeting, there is a general discussion of Direct Access.
Stamping cards with a Direct Access stamp seems to be working well.
Union Catalog calls have increased 20%, Interloan statistics have
stabilized at 60,000. Does this indicate that borrowers are making
use of DA instead of ILL?
Bay
Shore Reference Librarian R. Verbesey, has written a letter protesting the
sharp increase in Government Printing Office prices.
A
questionnaire on priorities of System services is being printed and will be
delivered shortly.
Huntington is closing the Sub-regional Center for the Blind on 7/1/74
suggesting that SCLS assume responsibility. A motion is made
endorsing the concept, with the understanding that no System funds be used
in 1974. Motion carries.
Copiague
Library will not sign the System contract, and the System will request that
only mandated services be given. G. Jansen suggested that a recent
communication from Albany said that contracts were not legally
necessary. M. Roochvarg says that contracts should be retained as a
control on the System. He moves, seconded by D. Carter, that the executive
committee support the system of contracts. The motion carries.
At the
June meeting it is reported that Guenter Jansen had recommended to the SCLS
Board that the System continue the processing of materials, but his motion
was defeated since it meant adoption of a deficit budget. There is a
discussion of the five million dollar Western Suffolk Reference Library
supposedly to be located in Brentwood, proposed by M. Grant as part of the
1975-77 capital budget for Suffolk County. The SCLS System
Services Questionnaire has 47 libraries respond, an all time record.Some
results: ILL service leads the order of priority; recruitment and placement
service is last; twenty-nine libraries feel that the System should
subsidize technical processing, while sixteen do not. At a special
meeting of the SCLS Board, the trustees defeat a motion 4 to 2 to continue
to offer technical services on a subsidized fee basis, at least until
December 1974.
In July,
the directors are exploring other avenues for cataloging service. D.
Wilder has had success getting cataloging for SCC from NYPL. He
offers to try to get similar service for Suffolk libraries. P.
Abromov, seconded by E. Phipps, makes a motion to encourage SCLS to explore
the possibility of cooperative and joint processing with the Nassau System,
NYPL, or any other agency. The motion carries. The SCLS
Board has put a “freeze” on all book ordering for the rest of the year.
The CSEA had obtained a “show cause order” to see if SCLS could be
enjoined against laying off 26 staff members (let go because of reduction
in technical services.) It was dismissed by the court.
In
September, the Budget Committee reports that the county budget is still
uncertain, and the amount of county aid for SCLS as well, so it is
difficult to prepare a realistic SCLS budget. The Western Suffolk
Reference Library will definitely be located in Brentwood and $100,000. of
the $5 million allocated for the project will be used to make an initial
purchase of reference materials selected by SCLS reference staff. An
architect will be appointed in January 1975 and construction will start in
Spring 1976. The Brentwood building will eventually become a branch
reference facility when a permanent building is built elsewhere.
In
October, the executive committee receives the news that the Westen Suffolk
Reference Library project has been “tabled” until a survey of county needs
can be made by an outside authority. The System also reports that it
needs $88,000 for minimum service to the blind and handicapped, but has
been allotted only $67,000 in the county budget. Some Suffolk
libraries are proceeding in their attempts to leave SCLS to join the Nassau
System.
1975
The
Chairperson for this year is Elizabeth Overton. At the January
meeting it is reported that the negotiations with the County for the
funding of the “Sub Regional Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped” are not complete. SCLS says it needs
$84,000. and the county says it can only supply $67,000. On the
question of the “Western Suffolk Reference Library”, E. Di Mattia
reports that the Suffolk County Legislator Michael Grant has not answered
any of his requests for information.. Governor-elect Carey has
appointed a State Aid to Education Committee and it is suggested that
the directors urge a similar consideration for libraries. This year,
over 500 of the approximately 680 libraries in the state could not
meet NYLA standards. G. Jansen is in Albany to discuss
with the Department of Audit and Control the possibility of using figures
from the Interim Census for increased state aid. $10,000 additional
revenues were eventually received for this.
In
March, Mr. Jansen is asked to comment on the newspaper articles reporting
the contemplated secession of 7 libraries from SCLS. Mr. Jansen says there are
many errors and inaccuracies in the statements made. He felt
that a five year audit, now in progress, would clear SCLS of any
fiscal irresponsibility. The areas of criticism of SCLS are:
1. fiscal
irresponsibility
2. diminishing
System services
3. System
Board imbalance (not enough representation of western Suffolk libraries.)
4. free
direct access overuse
5. lack
of SCLS responsiveness to member library needs and expressed wishes.
6. no
long range planning
At the May meeting, the “PLDA” (!
First time this name is used.) passed a motion, 20 to 1 with 5 abstaining,
to recommend a “performance audit evaluation of SCLS by the State.”
The technical services committee unanimously agreed that SCLS member
libraries should select the Nassau Library System as a primary source of
processing, and every library should receive a subsidy from SCLS for this
processing.
At the
June meeting, R. Lusak reports that Assembly Bill #7911 was approved by the
state legislature and forwarded for Governor Carey’s signature. It is
a “home rule’ legislation formulated to amend the Education Law, paragraph
#255. It would replace the SCLS Board as of Jan 1 and reduce the term
for trustees to 3 years. (At the August meeting, E. Phipps announces that
Governor Carey had signed the bill and the SCLS Board would dissolve on
December 31.) Mrs. Smith says she will sue to overturn the new law,
but other Board members did not join her. Mrs. Smith plans to sue Mr.
Jansen since he will be the chief implementer of the law. Mr. Jansen
was directed to “stand mute” in the case, but he will have legal counsel.
In
November, there are various resignations from the SCLS Board and some
others are “sworn in”. State funds are late. A bank loan is
late too. Across-the-board cuts in salaries for all employees have gone
into effect. On November 5, Mrs. Smith serves a restraining order on Mr.
Jansen preventing any other elections. A hearing is set for Nov 13 in
Riverhead. Mr. E. Wendel, president of Comsewogue Trustees, files a
counter-suit.
There is
an emergency meeting held on November 25 at SCLS. Mr. Jansen
reports that the SCLS Board has laid off 41 full time employees and 8
part-time. They retained mandated services only. They felt this was
the only way to secure a line of credit with a bank. Fourteen full
timers and a driver will try to run the System. E Phipps asks what
has become of Central Library Aid. Mr. Jansen says it is all gone.
(Ed.
note: there is an agenda for a December 10 meeting, but no minutes
are in the file.)
At a
special executive committee meeting held on December 17 at Sachem Library,
the directors consider the proposed bare bones budget for SCLS. Those
present felt that the income was overestimated. They propose that the
entire deficit be retired in 1976. There is general discussion about
the Union Catalog and what to do if the computer is “taken”. The SCLS
trustees are visiting banks to seek a line of credit. Mr. Jansen is
questioned closely about: the Union Catalog, the computer, the banks, and
employees. Mr. Jansen says that the trustees want the employees to
sign a paper “not holding them responsible for their salaries”. Mr.
Jansen says they might be fired if they don’t sign the form. He also says
the new bookmobile (!!) goes into service next week! E. Phipps asks
if it would not be wise to sell the new bookmobile and operate the old
one. Mr. Jansen says the repairs would be prohibitive. The
excessive cost of bookmobile service is discussed. The excessive cost
of two highly paid administrative staff members is also discussed.
Mr.
Jansen’s resignation is submitted to the SCLS Board and unanimously
accepted, effective December 19. But he is asked to continue on the
payroll to aid in an orderly transition. Ruth Weber is appointed
acting director.
1976
Miss
Phipps from Patchogue-Medford Library is the new chair of the
association. It is reported that the new SCLS Board was sworn in by
Acting Director Ruth Weber on January 2. Each board member had been
presented with a packet of papers relating to Judge Lazar’s ruling on the
law suit brought by (previous trustee) Mrs. Smith against SCLS. The
SCLS Board asked Mr. Bloch, representing Comsewogue Library, to come before
the Board to discuss the case and answer questions.
Attached
to these minutes is a report from the Long Range Planning Committee signed
by Paul Cirino (Middle Country):
1. SCLS
must decide exactly what its mission will be;
2. must
establish a time of austerity and pay off the massive debt;
3. then
use direct input from member libraries to establish priorities of service;
4. and
must offer these services only to the extent they can be funded.
5. “Pie
in the sky” planning is not acceptable.
Also attached is a report from the
SCLS Budget Review Committee from J.R.Verbesy.
1. The
most conservatively responsible figures should be used when estimating SCLS
income.
2. The
entire debt should be retired this year.
During this year the meetings are
filled with discussions of the SCLS Budget, how to pay off the debts, and
how to respond to the need to keep up services in order to be eligible for
state and county aid. There is still talk of the plan to have a
“Regional Library” and the Director’s Association sent a letter to the
Commissioner for Cultural Education in the State Ed Dept to ask that a
member of PLDA be considered to serve on a task force planning the regional
library.
By the
time of the April meeting, Mr. Jansen is gone, the transition period is
over. Miss Weber also resigns to become the new Director of the
Westchester Library System. It is reported that the SCLS professional staff
has written a letter to the new Board of Trustees requesting that a member
of the professional staff, a CSEA member, and a member of the Director’s
Association, be invited to interview applicants for the position of SCLS
Director. Miss Weber said that in Westchester the employees had no voice in
the selection, but they did meet unofficially with the candidates and
expressed their opinions to the Board. A motion was made at the
Director’s meeting that a member be included in an advisory capacity when
interviewing candidates for the position of Director. There were 27
yes votes, 2 opposed, 1 abstention. It was decided that the
representative should be the chair, Miss Phipps.
At the
June meeting it is noted that Miss Phipps did attend the first set of
interviews. Evelyn Greenberg represented the SCLS staff.
A
special meeting of the Director’s Association is called for July 14 to meet
the new SCLS Director, Robert N. Sheridan. At this meeting Mr. Sheridan
discusses the importance of having two committees: one to work on the Plan
of Service, and the other to work on updating the Co-Central Library concept.
He also says he will request the SCLS Board to seat the president of the
Director’s Association at their meetings “to have a voice but without the
power of a vote.” Likewise, he would like the courtesy of meeting
with the directors at their executive committee meetings. On the
subject of bookmobiles, Mr. Sheridan says, “although they are no longer in
use” it is his feeling that a good opportunity exists for member libraries
to augment their service on a contract basis, to rent or lease a bookmobile.
Mr. Sheridan also speaks of the need to reorganize the staff and avoid
additional lay-offs. He says he need a “grasp of the System’s
financial problems”.
At the
October meeting of the Director’s Association, Mr. Sheridan reports on a
meeting with Mr. Foley’s County Committee about System support. SCLS
will receive about $260,000. Staff reorganization at SCLS and
financial stabilization seem to be underway. Ordinary topics like
direct access and book mobile service, sharing costs of films for the AV
department, and others, are now being discussed again. The West Islip
Job Center is handling 340 requests a month. An Adult Independent
Learner program is being held at the Islip Library.
A
discussion is held about the role of the Director’s Association
representative that will be seated at the SCLS Board of Trustee’s
meetings. This person is to be called a “resource person”. This
representative shall report on MOTIONS of the Director’s Association and
his/her other expressed opinions are ONLY personal.
Lyn Ashe
announces that she is moving from the Westhamton to the Southampton
Library. Shoreham-Wading River is a newly established library this
year. The most populated unserved areas are Elwood, West Babylon,
Hauppauge, Miller Place and Rocky Point.
At the
end of the year there are still long discussions of the need to “jockey
loan payments and support funds” at the System. Mr. Sheridan is
preparing a budget which will not be ready until January. Bob
Verbesey asks about a “budget review committee.” The feeling seems to be
that it is too late in the year, but Mr. Sheridan says that he would
appreciate any help with finalizing the budget before presenting it to the
System Board. Next year the budget committee should be set up by May
in order to “nail down” early consideration in September. There is an
inquiry about member libraries voting on the budget. Mr. Sheridan
says this is no longer necessary since no library is now contributing to
the financial support of the System. He adds that the “weighted voting
issue” is now dead.
At the
December meeting of PLDA, Miss Phipps reports that at the Annual Meeting of
SCLS there was very small attendance but “good vibes.” Richard Lusak
from Comsewogue Library was named chair of the committee reviewing the
restructuring of the Association.
1977
This
year the Chair is John Clark (Bayshore-Brightwaters Library), Vice Chair is
Vicky Wallace, Secretary is Lyn Ashe, Treasurer is Leon Crain.
Miss Phipps reports on the SCLS reorganized Board, and names the new
officers. In February, it is noted that there have been many meetings of
the SCLS Board and they have yet to approve the seating of the
representative from the Director’s Association.
At the
April meeting there is much discussion of the restructuring of the
Association: who should be in which zones, how often should they
meet, how firmly should zone meetings be “spelled out”, how long should a
term on the Board last.
At the May
meeting, the Association is formally restructured by a vote of 29 “yes” to
8 “no”. New officers are: John Clark, Vicky Wallace, Ken French, and
Nancy Flanders.
Statistics
525,000 titles in SCLS Union Catalog
County wide holdings: 3,000,000
volumes
200,000 volumes being added each year
590,000 registered borrowers in
Suffolk County
In
September, Mr. Sheridan reports that he has been meeting with the Suffolk
County Historian and several Township Historians and with members of area
historical societies. There is general concern about the scattered
historical documents in the County. SCLS has offered to catalog all documents
and to keep two copies of each document the System.
Mr.
Sheridan also reports that he has asked Suffolk County for $261,000 in next
year’s budget.
The rate
of reimbursement for direct access use is a strain on the clerical staff of
small libraries, they are asking for higher payments. (?)
Federal
grants have been received by Bayport-Blue Point for a new wing and
Connetquot for a new library building.
The
Executive Committee appoints Bob Verbesey chair of the newly reactivated
Direct Access Study Subcommittee. The first order of business is to
decide if 25 cents per circ is a fair Direct Access reimbursement.
John
Clark sent a letter to Peter Cohalan, Supervisor of the Town of Islip, asking
for $90,000. for a micro-processor and programming for the 10 local public
libraries to automate a circulation control system.
On Sept.
28 1977, John Clark, President of the Association, sends a letter to the
President of the SCLS Board saying that the Association “wishes to withdraw
its request for seating a representative with the SCLS Board of Trustees.”
Association members approve a name change from Administrator’s Association
to Public Library Director’s Association. Incorporation is in
progress.
At the
December meeting there is a discussion as to whether the System Director
should automatically be a member of each committee of the
Association. It is agreed to refer the matter to the zones for
discussion.
1978
John
Clark (et al) carries over as officer in the new year. Robert
Sheridan reports that SCLS has paid all of its debts and will not have to
borrow in the coming year. SCLS Services are fully restored.
It is
suggested that the executive committee form a Civil Services Committee and
an Inter Library Loan Committee.
The SCLS
Board lets it be known that it is concerned about a new law which permits
public library boards to expand from 5 to 11 members.
Future plans
for SCLS include:
1. spending
$50,000 for new films.
2. putting
the Union Catalog into machine readable form.
3. getting
a unified circulation system into member libraries.
4. promoting
workshops for library trustees.
Mr. Sheridan stresses that we must
have a County wide computerized circulation control system for
efficiency. He strongly urges member libraries not to invest in
individual systems but to wait until SCLS is ready to install a Central
System.
In April
there is a letter from Alice Rosenfeld of the Mattituck Free Library to
John Clark, President of PLDA: “I am forwarding my dues to you
late for the first time. I did it deliberately because I would like
to make known my unhappiness with the Association in its present form.
Most of the librarians to whom I speak feel removed from the workings of
the system. It seems almost as if no organization exists. We
have not had a meeting in six months which I find inexcusable. Our
organization has been weakened and divided by this reorganization.”
Ken French suggests that the Directors have luncheon zone meetings at
regular intervals. Many members say they have missed the informal sociality
that used to follow the monthly meetings. The Executive Committee agrees to
set a May date, however, after the meeting date is set, some directors
objected to having to attend , and pay for, a lunch in order to attend a
meeting.
(Ed.
note: there seems to be an enormous amount of upsettedness over the
new Bylaws of the Association, which are yet to be approved.) There
is a long letter from John Savage, Director of North Babylon, to Caroline
Fitz, Director of Amityville, with a rather tight-jawed explanation of his
interpretation of sections of the by-laws, especially concerning
dues-paying versus non-dues-paying members. The East End Zone feels
that “program meetings” aren’t “real meetings”; they miss the contact
with everyone. Luncheons aren’t satisfactory either because you have
to pay, and they feel that they can’t justify leaving their libraries for
so long and having fancy lunches on library time. There is also a letter
form Gertrude Schweibish, Director of East Islip, to Ken French of Port
Jefferson. She voices her opinion that no vote should be ruled out,
on matters affecting the SCLS Plan of Service, because of non-payment of
dues. She also objects to the “zone meeting set-up” calling it
“deplorable”.
In June,
the Constitution Committee under Dick Lusak is reconvened to consider
amendments or clarifications for consideration by the entire membership.
In
September, Robert Sheridan reports to the PLDA Executive Committee:
1. a
job center is being planned for an East End Library.
2. training
workshops are being planned for library staff.
3. there
is a plan to convert the Union Catalog to machine readable form.
4. and
a Union Catalog is planned for NY Public, Brooklyn, Queens, the Westchester
System and Nassau & Suffolk Systems.
The Long Island Libraries Regional
Planning Task Force report is released on September 9th. It
recommends the eventual formation of one Long Island Library System to
include public, university and school libraries and LILRC.
Poll: Are the meetings of the Association adequate? Yes,
23 No,5
Are you satisfied with the
present form of PLDA? Yes, 18 No, 7
At the November Executive Board Meeting, the amended constitution is
accepted and is put on the agenda for the Annual Meeting of the members.
1979
The
officers for this year are: President, Victoria Wallace; Vice President,
Ken French; Treasurer Alice Rosenfeld; Secretary, Nancy Flanders; and zone
reps: Silva Lee from Huntington Town, Toby Hyman from Islip Town, Dick
Lusak from Brookhaven Town, and Fran Balsam from the East End. By the
March 16 meeting, 40 directors have joined. There is some
discussion on what steps to take to discover the reasons the other 12
directors have not joined. A copy of a letter from Peter
Abramov to the SCLS Board is distributed. It is critical of the way
PLDA meetings are conducted. Victoria Wallace and Alice Rosenfeld
will attend the SCLS Board Meeting to “try to resolve the
misunderstanding.” Besides Peter Abramov, other directors who
indicate why they cannot accept the Director’s Association the way it exists
today are: Gertrude Schweibish, Betsy Gordon, Lee Crain, and John
Savage. The reasons are:
1. They
miss the direct interaction between member Library Directors at monthly
meetings; they miss the SCLS Director’s Report and the other consultants
reports.
2. Issue
is taken with the formation of the Civil Service Committee; there should
have been an open call for participants.
3. Members
of the present Association do not have the right to advise SCLS on policy
if they speak as individuals and not spokesperson for the library in which
they are employed.
4. The
present Association should closely follow its Constitution.
On November 30 1979, the
Certificate of Incorporation for PLDA is filed with New York State; the
attorney is Edward Lundstedt.
1980
Officers for the year are: President, Ken French (PJ); Vice President, Joan
Zaleski (Connetquot); Treasurer, Frances Balsam(Hampton Bays); and Alice
Rosenfeld (Mattituck), Secretary. Myron Roochvarg is on the Executive
Committee for the Civil Service sub-committee, and Bob Verbesey, for the
sub-committee on Reciprocal Borrowing. Then there are the representatives
for the 5 zones. Ken French sends a letter to all directors asking if
they would like to be on the mailing list, inviting them to meetings,
urging participation. Jerry Nichols is introduced in March as the new
rep from Zone 5. 45 directors have become members by that
month. A new statistical survey is being planned, this is a
co-operative effort with SCLA.
A “Joint
Statement of Cooperation” (between the SCLS Board of Trustees and PLDA) is
adopted by the SCLS Board 7 to 2. At the May meeting of PLDA, Bob
Verbesey makes a motion to reject the proposed Joint Statement. This
motion failed to receive a second. There continues to be grave
differences of opinion on whether a director’s comments and votes are
his/her OWN or represent his/her LIBRARY. Directors who feel they
should represent their libraries are threatening to quit. Others say
“don’t quit, work for change from within.” Ken French comments: “They
have no right to try to change the Association’s Constitution from the
outside.”
(editor’s note: the following clarifications were written by Jerry Nichols.
“In addition to the debate among PLDA members regarding the issue of whom
the director represents (themselves or their libraries) a number of members
disagreed strongly with the Association’s lack of support for, and active
opposition to, the effort to move librarians into the unclassified section
of civil service. There was considerable resentment regarding the
Civil Service Committee’s control over the relationship between the public
libraries and Suffolk County Civil Service. In the Spring of
1980, the entire Babylon Zone resigned from PLDA over these issues,
followed by several individual directors from other areas. This group
eventually called itself the Independent Directors Association
(IDA). IDA remained in existence till 1986, though several
Babylon zone directors returned to PLDA during that period.
Eventually, their efforts resulted in the introduction of legislation to
move public librarians into unclassified civil service. This would
result not only in the elimination of testing and lists, but also the loss
of Section 75 due process protection. The legislation was soon
endorsed by the New York Library Association. It was controversial,
to say the least.”)
A motion
passes with one abstention which regrets the decision of Zone 5 to resign.
“ The Association stands ready to talk to them at any time they wish to
return as members.”
A second
motion passes unanimously asking Zone 5 to reconsider their
resignation. They are asked to come to the June 18th meeting “as
members” and use the meeting to air all issues.
Paul
Cirino writes a letter to PLDA saying he wants to join now that the SCLS
Trustees have “finally” signed the Joint Statement of Cooperation which he
said he had recommended 10 years ago. The lack of recognition was an
“important factor” in his decision not to continue as a member, he says.
But now, he says, a “vocal minority” of directors is seeking to “diminish
the position of library director to little more than that of office
manager” He says he is “disheartened to learn of the recent actions
of the Babylon directors. His letter urges all directors to now
become members. There is a discussion as to whether the Executive
Board should send him a special letter of welcome. Trudy comments:
“Must we continue to feed these tremendous egos?”
The
“Joint Statement of Cooperation” comes to a vote at the June 9 meeting of
the Executive Committee. It is accepted by 4, rejected by 1, with 2
abstentions. It then comes to a vote at a general membership meeting
and is accepted by 25, rejected by 2 , with 1 abstention. Gertrude
Schweibish of East Islip resigns in November over the issue of who she
represents when she votes.
1981
PLDA
President this year is Joan Zaleski (Connetquot); Vice President, Victoria
Wallace (Northport); Treasurer, Peter Gillard (Smithtown); and Secretary,
Ken French (Port Jefferson). Zone reps are 1. Lyne Ashe, 2. Bob
Verbesey, 3. Myron Roochvarg, 4. John Clark, 5. vacant.
At the January meeting there is much discussion of the organization of the
association and the various topics of discord: for whom does a
Director speak or vote at meetings?, who gets to sit on the Civil
Service Committee and how are decisions made about Civil Service?,
what is the relationship to the SCLS Board?, when should the SCLS
Board go into executive session? There is concern that the SCLS
Board will question the validity of the organization as representative of
the Directors if the membership falls below the 2/3rds level. There
is also discussion of the fact that the CETA program ends in January and
the SCLS budget will require staff cuts or, possibly, forced retirements.
By the
February meeting, there are still only 33 Directors having joined or
renewed membership.
A
general membership meeting held on May 14 has only 18 Directors present.
At the
June meeting, the Executive Committee passes a resolution that the
Executive Board will work as a “committee of the whole” on any Civil
Service matters and that Victoria Wallace will be the liaison person
between the Board and the Civil Service Department. This resolution
passes unanimously. At this meeting a letter is sent to Tom Gillen,
new director of the Babylon Public Library, extending congratulations and
enclosing a membership form and bylaws. Jerry Nichols (“…the little
bastard from hell”) has resigned over the Civil Service Issue and
gone back to Nassau. (ed. note: Jerry later says:
“We did odd things in our 30’s.” and “This job (meaning his
present job as Suffolk System Director) is my penance for that
action”. His antagonists on the divisive issues of the early
80’s were Myron Roochvarg, Bob Verbesy and Dick Lusak; they all
became his champions in the 90’s when he became System Director.)
A letter
from Ken French to the Executive Committee of NYLA says “the pending Civil
Service Legislation is an issue of great importance to public
librarians. If it is signed into law, it will produce long term
effects for librarians in this state. We feel that NYLA has failed to
present both sides of the issue clearly.” (Ed note: The
issue has to do with removing librarians from the classified section
of Civil Service. NYLA seems to be pro. The issues themselves
are never clearly stated in the minutes, just that they caused controversy.)
1982
The
officers in 1982 are President, Bob Verbesey; Secretary, Barbe Bonjour; and
Treasurer, T. Brown. Zone Reps are 1. Beth Gray, 2. E. Brecha, 3. J.
Zaleski, 4. Silva Lee, and 5. vacant. (In the 1982 membership list
there are still no Zone 5 Directors.) Bob Verbesey announces
that a bill which would permit school district libraries to borrow money by
means of tax anticipation notes has passed the NYS Senate and is currently
tied up in the Ways and Means Committee of the Assembly.
Libraries are trying to decide whether to put the new ROM Readers
(containing the list of books in Suffolk Libraries for ILL) in public areas
of libraries as suggested by SCLS who distributed them. Another
issue, which is related, seems to be ILL procedures; but it’s not spelled out.
Members are also discussing a possible “pass” system for Direct Access.
A touchy
issue: some libraries are objecting to the PLDA officers speaking as
if all members agree on a topic when no vote has been taken yet.
New
Directors are : Donald Talkington at HHH, Carole Kelly at Brookhaven and
Barbe Bonjour at Bellport. Continuing Education courses that
are being offered: Computers and Library Applications, Employee
Evaluations, and Library Law.
At the
April meeting, the East End Libraries are talking about starting a video
cassette pool. Zone 3 libraries are discussing the Gaylord
circulation system saying that if Patchogue Medford Library, the Central
Library, goes with the Gaylord system, the zone three libraries would want
to interface with it. Zone 3 is also reporting a concern in the
“decline of Reference Service at SCLS”. R. Sheridan said he would
need “particulars”. Discussion follows. Consensus is that there
are now no clear guidelines for libraries as to when to call SCLS Reference
Dept or when to call Patchogue/Medford. The possibility of
transferring all Reference to PM is also discussed.
1983
President, Lyne Ashe; Vice President, Jeannine Cook; Secretary, Carroll
Kelly; and Treasurer, Trudy Brown. Zone reps are: 1. Beth Gray, 2. R.
Lusak, 3. Anna Davis, 3.V. Wallace, and 5. T. Gillen (representing
two libraries, Babylon and W. Babylon.) Annette Bassett reports that the
SCLS Board has approved the purchase of an on-line hardware/software
automation package which will be used to circulate Talking Books.
Discussion follows as to whether SCLS has plans to use this computer for
other purposes. Mrs. Bassett says that the only other plans at this time
are possibly to automate film circulation. L.Ashe expresses concern about
the direction the System intends to go in this area. V. Wallace makes
a motion that a committee be appointed to study long-term computer
applications at SCLS and member libraries, This committee will
include one representative from each zone. The motion carries
unanimously.
PLDA
holds a summer cocktail reception for 6 new directors: Ann Pavlak
(Amityville), Nancy Baker (Brookhaven), Bill Cicola (West Babylon), Slavka
Leigh (Bellport), Dina Reilly (Hampton Bays), and Cathe Romanelli
(Sachem). B. Bonjour is now Director at Riverhead and becomes the
Zone 1 Rep.; Cathe Romanelli becomes zone rep for Zone 2. At the
November meeting, Dave Clemens is introduced as the new director at Middle
Island Public Library (later becomes Longwood).
There
are differences of opinion about Direct Access between IDA and PLDA.
T. Brown and V. Wallace are chosen to represent PLDA in a discussion with
two reps from IDA. Later in the year, V. Wallace presents the
proposed Direct Access Code. Minor revisions are made, and the code
is endorsed by the Executive Committee. (This is the first time
that IDA is mentioned. I assume this refers to the Independent
Director’s Association. There is no explanation as to whom or what
they represent).
At the
end of the year, a program is presented on microcomputer applications by
Peter Abramov, Paul Cirino, Myron Roochvarg and Bob Verbesey.
1984
Officers
this year are: President, Lyne Ashe; Vice-President, Jeannine Cook;
Secretary, Trudi Brown; and Treasurer, Silva Lee. There are various
discussions about SCLS Reference Services during the first months of the
year (one abruptly terminated due to snow.) One topic specifically
mentioned in the minutes is whether Central Reference Services should be
consolidated at Patchogue-Medford Library (the Central Library).
In
February the PLDA Civil Service Committee presented a proposed revision of
Civil Service Classification of Libraries and Minimum Qualifications for Directors
to take the Civil Service Exams. By September, T. Gillen
reports that members of the Civil Service Committee have met with Mr.
Greenberg who seems willing to accept the PLDA proposal to change the
requirements for rating libraries. He also reports that LRPC received
a request from IDA and the Civil Service Coalition that a joint Civil
Service Group be formed. The point is made that IDA should work within the
framework already in place (PLDA). Or perhaps a joint committee
should come under the umbrella of SCLA. This is taken back to
the zones for discussion. At the end of the year, a discussion is
held about the relationship between PLDA, IDA and SCLS. This is
prompted by the composition of the SCLS Advisory Committee in connection
with the awarding of Construction Grants. Zones are asked for input.
H.W.Wilson introduces a new product to PLDA members: the Wilson family of
indexes available online through the Wilsonline Information Retrieval
System. Zone 1 has a demonstration of the Gaylord stand-alone automation
system. Annette Bassett gives a demonstration of the Magazine Collection by
Information Access.
At the end of the year, the Treasurer announces two new members:
Carroll Kelly, again, and Sara Courant .
1985
This
year the President is Barbe Bonjour, Secretary is Laura Farwell and
Treasurer is Silva Lee. Zone reps are 1. K. Richter, 2. K. French, 3.
D. Rinaldo, 4. T. Brown, and 5. C. Kelly. Early in the year it
is announced that Joe Green is the new Director of the Nassau Library
System. And LILRC has moved into new quarters at Stony Brook.
In the
1985 SCLS Budget, there is $30,000 for CD players. It is planned that
member libraries shall receive a player and a starter collection of 20 CDs.
Jeanine
Cook is checking into Gale standing orders and also into billing problems
at Baker and Taylor. She’s also concerned about the rising service
contract rates for 3M security.
The PLDA
Executive Board has general discussions during this year about the need to
share information on computer projects. There is a concern that
libraries are duplicating efforts – for instance, several libraries are
doing indexes. An Automation Committee should be responsible for
keeping track of projects and take suggestions. There is also a
discussion of videotape vendors and the range of prices they charge, no
jobber seems consistently cheaper.
By May
there are 36 paid members of PLDA. At the May meeting Annette Bassett
(SCLS Assistant Director) gave the SCLS report. She was questioned
about a “Mr. Dooley, the automation consultant retained to pursue microwave
transmission, and the fact that the state refused to meet with him as he
lacked the credentials they require.” Another question was raised
concerning “surplus operating funds at SCLS, how they are reserved, how
then expended, and to what budget they should be charged.” A
letter was read from R. Verbesey concerning J. Richardson’s quarterly
report. His attendance at BOCES meetings is mandated by law since he
is a member ( as SCLS representative) of the planning committee to assist
schools in setting up Library Systems. All agreed that an SCLS failure to
communicate about the development of school library systems was the cause
of the confusion. A motion was made by K. French and seconded by T.
Gillen to request from SCLS a clarification of their involvement in, and
position on, the development of school library systems.
The zone
reps are asked to vote on the following Civil Service topics:
1. Reclassification
by state report or by annual budget: The vote is a tie. Zone 1 is not
present to cast a vote.
2. Should
there be automatic or library requested reclassifications? Unanimous
for automatic.
3. How
many points for branches? Unanimous vote to keep the current plan which is
1 point for the main building and 2 points for the branch.
4. Payroll
certification will be in July. Unanimous.
5. Minimum
qualification changes were accepted unanimously.
(In 1985 there are minutes missing
for April, and August and September.)
1986
This
year Tom Gillen is President, Trudi Brown is Vice President, Cathe
Romanelli is Treasurer and Darlene Carter is Secretary. It is
announced that Sachem Library will be open on Sundays. Brentwood
Library is going for a $7,800,000. bond issue for a new building (it passes
3 to 1) . The architectural firm chosen to design the building is
Architectural Associates, the same firm that designed Connetquot Library.
In
February Zone 5 reports that the “non-participating libraries” had been
asked to lunch, but the invitation was declined because the luncheon would
be under the auspices of PLDA.
SCLS
reports that they will only purchase “educational videos” Phil
Levering, the media consultant, is also building a list of recommended “How
TO Do It” videos.
Also at
the February meeting, the Executive Board unanimously passes a resolution
asking the new SCLS Director, Claudya Muller, to visit each library in
Suffolk County within her first year at SCLS. Claudya Muller
makes her first appearance at the PLDA March meeting.
Jerry
Nichols is the new Director at Half Hollow Hills and Ken French is now
Director in Huntington.
Civil
Service will allow anyone with N.Y. certification in Library Science to
take the Civil Service Exam. Librarian I exam will be given every
year. There is much discussion regarding Promotional versus Open
Competitive exams for Librarian II and III.
Claudia
Muller is shifting staff and plans to visit 15 libraries by the end of May.
She also attended a Zone 1 meeting. Herb Biblo, Director of LILRC,
reports on a recent trip to Albany. He says all library funding is
being reduced.
There is
a discussion of the fact that the SCLS trustees are talking of changing
their terms of office. Should PLDA take a stand?
In April
it is reported that a union vote was defeated at Mastics-Moriches-Shirley
Library. Bob Verbesey, the director, suggests that PLDA sponsor a
program on “unions for non-union libraries”. Also in April, Flo
Denny reportsthat SCLS has received a $60,000 grant for automation.
They plan to replace the Rom Catalog with 2 CDRom discs; one will have the
holdings of Suffolk and Nassau public libraries, the other will have the
holdings of academic and special libraries.
At the
May meeting, Darlene Carter reports that Lindenhurst, Central Islip, West
Islip and Half Hollow Hills Libraries are talking with CLSI about library
automation. Jeanine Cook reports that she had a discussion with Baker
and Taylor about high shipping charges. She says they would agree to
ship all orders to SCLS and then SCLS could distribute in the daily bag
delivery for a three month trial. SCLS evidently agreed to try
this. However, library directors vehemently apposed this idea.
A resolution was voted down unanimously.
The
building project referendum for Copiague Library passed. It’s a
25,000 square foot building for 3 million dollars.
There is
a discussion of the possibility of all libraries having “telautograph”
machines to transmit hard copy between libraries.
In
December, Joe Eisner spoke to PLDA members on the investing of library
funds.
1987
(Editor’s note: There were no minutes in the file for this year, but
Dave Clemens found Feb., March and April in his files.)
Elaine
Brecha is President; Trudy Brown, Vice President; Cathe Romanelli;
Treasurer; and Dina Reilly, Secretary. In February there is a
discussion among members of the executive committee about salaries and
benefits in relation to Sunday openings. Huntington is approaching
Elwood regarding contract services, the directors feel there is a very
remote chance that Elwood would be interested.
Bob
Verbesey is a member of the Statewide Systems Study Advisory Committee and
wrote a letter to the executive committee of PLDA asking permission to meet
with them and the zones to gather input to help him participate effectively
on the committee. The discussions seem to center on the autonomy of
public libraries, and the viability and validity of school library systems.
There is
a letter from the president, Elaine Brecha, to the Division of Library
Development objecting to the denial of individual library memberships in
LILRC.
82
people attended a program on “Dealing with Problem Patrons” presented by
Arch Lustberg.
1988
Cathe
Romanelli is president, Slavka Leigh is secretary, and Trudy Brown is
treasurer.
PLDA and
LILRC send a joint letter to legislators asking for the following changes
in library related legislation:
1. Members
of the Regents Advisory Council should be elected rather than
appointed. There should be regional representation among them just as
there is regional representation among the Regents.
2. Libraries
should not be limited to belonging to one special kind of System, but
should be able to hold membership in other systems. For example,
public libraries should have the right to join 3R’s if they feel it is
worthwhile for them to do so.
3. Direct
access regulations should give more flexibility to local systems to
develop their plans of service. Since there is so much
variation in the library systems in NYS, recognition should be given to
this variety. The systems and member libraries should be able to come
up with a plan that is acceptable to everybody and that works for them.
Some directors feel that the State
Standards Committee is changing its approach from trying to compile a
quantitative set of rules to creating a broad philosophical document that
is flexible enough to take in the many varieties of libraries in NYS.
Jeanine Cook is attending their meetings.
Concern
is expressed about product advertisements on videos.
Claudya
Muller reports at the February meeting that the SCLS Board of Trustees has
approved the new policy concerning reimbursement of materials lost on ILL’s
generated through the Gaylord System.
At the
March meeting, Annette Bassett reports that the SCLS Board is under
pressure from DLD to facilitate a meeting between the Commack Library Board
and the Smithtown Library Board to discuss direct access.
Sara
Courant expresses concern that the System trustees do not keep in touch
with the libraries they represent.
At the
July meeting, Zone 1 libraries felt they could not support the Standards
which were written by PLDA (not included in the minutes) because they are
unfair to small libraries, because trustees must be elected, and because of
the per capita stipulations.
Zone
2 is investigating video circulation policies: 1. Age of people who may
borrow? 2. Are they on open shelves? And 3. Are J videos in the J Room?
Zone 3
asks PLDA to respond to inaccuracies in a Newsday article on the
Commack/Smithtown direct access problem. Zone 3 also wants more PLDA
general meetings.
Claudya
Muller asks directors to think about priorities – what can be eliminated
from the SCLS Plan of Service - since SCLS has received no increase in
funding from the State.
Cathe
Romanelli made the following statement at the System Board Meeting and was
met with silence: “As President of PLDA, I speak for all the
Directors in Suffolk when I say that we are very sorry that Ken French is
no longer director at Huntington. We think Ken is a fine
administrator and a wonderful human being and we unanimously regret that he
will no longer be one of us.” (Editor’s note: Jerry
Nichols supplied the following clarification. “After a protracted
illness, Ken French was asked by the Huntington Public Library Board of
Trustees to resign. Many of his colleagues in PLDA were most
disturbed by this action. Subsequent to his departure from
Huntington, many directors supported Ken French’s candidacy for SCLS
Trustee representing Brookhaven/Islip.”)
At the
October meeting, C. Muller reports that the SCLS Board is in the process of
amending their by-laws which will change the election of SCLS trustees. She
also reports that Ken French was elected to the Board to represent
Brookhaven/Islip. Mickey Cantwell is collecting information on the
loss of revenue should some libraries pull out of SCLS as a result of the
Commissioner’s ruling on 90.3 It is suggested that libraries write
letters to the Commissioner in support of the rewrite of Regulation 90.3.
There is
also a general discussion of the King’s System Study. The directors
wish King Research Inc would adhere to their original promise to supply
libraries with data which would explain how they arrived at their
conclusions. At the end of 1988, there is great
controversy over the King Report. Many library directors have refused
to respond to a survey attached to the annual report to the state.
1989
(Editor’s note: There are no PLDA minutes for 1989. The only records
I have are some minutes of Zone 2 meetings that Bob Verbesey gave me when
he cleaned out his office. C. Romanelli (Sachem), D. Clemens (Longwood),
and B. Verbesey (Mastics) were all on the Executive Committee, so these
minutes are informative.)
There is
great interest in Zone 2 in having collection agencies for overdues.
The zone members would like PLDA to present a program on the topic.
Zones 1
and 2 agree that zone members should pick replacements for reps on advisory
committees, NOT the committee members.
There is
a discussion of the decision that W. Babylon Library is to offer $750 to
employees who do not take health insurance.
The
topic that generates the greatest number of resolutions is the fact that
SCLS is investigating revisions of the SCLS trustee election process.
At the February meeting, Zone 2 resolved the following:
1. Motion
made by D. Lusak, seconded by S. Courant, to leave the SCLS By-laws as they
are. Motion defeated, 4 yes, 5 no.
2. Motion
made by P. Cirino, seconded by C. Romanelli, to leave By-laws as they are,
but add that future SCLS Trustees should resign from their local board of
trustees, if applicable. Motion defeated 1 yes, 8 no.
3. Motion
by E. Breacha, seconded by D. Lusak that SCLS Trustee candidates should
require no other qualifications except being over 18 and meeting geographic
requirements. SCLS employees should be exempt from serving. Motion
passed – 8 yes, 1 abstain.
4. Motion
made by P. Cirino, seconded by C. Romanelli, to leave apportionment of SCLS
Trustees as is. Passed unanimously.
Then, at the April meeting, B.
Verbesey reports that there are indications that, at the next SCLS Board
Meeting, a vote will pass concerning library employees serving on the SCLS
Board with the possible limitation of limiting it to 4 library employees at
one time. B. Verbesey made a motion applauding the movement to allow
library employees to serve on the SCLS Board, however, there should be
written approval from member library boards instead of SCLS acting alone in
changing its By-laws. This motion passes unanimously.
At the
next meeting of the SCLS Board, the proposal to change the By-laws is
tabled “for the time being”. A committee is looking into
re-apportionment of trustee’s districts.
Other
topics of interest this year include allowing individual libraries to join
LILRC, and the fact that the King Study is to be delivered to libraries in
May and regional meetings to discuss it will follow. The Long Range
Planning Committee is discussing how to make decisions concerning the cuts
that need to be made in System services. Concerns are expressed about the
future of the Foreign Language Collection. There is some feeling that
Advisory Committee Meeting minutes should be sent to all directors and that
the meetings should be open to all.
The
President of the SCLS Board, Tom Williams, attends the June meeting of Zone
2 and says that there is a possibility of renting building space at SCLS to
BOCES. He says that SCLS will send a letter to all trustees outlining two
plans for reapportionment and the issue of library employees serving on the
Board.
1990
This
year Dave Clemens is President, Carole Simpson is Vice President, Stephanie
Heineman is Treasurer, Tom Gillen is Civil Service Chair, and Jeannine Cook
is Product Evaluation Chair.
In
January, Myron Roochvarg sends a position paper to PLDA that requests
changes in Commissioner’s Regulation 90.3 permitting local plans for Direct
Access. PLDA endorses the position paper unanimously.
Comsewogue announces that they will have a referendum for their new
building in June.
Zone
4 requests that SCLS change its By-laws to permit the President of
PLDA to be on the SCLS Board.
All
zones expess the feeling that the state report has become “a charade”, “is
getting out of hand”, “is cumbersome.”
Claudya
Muller reports that the Infopath contract with EEG was approved. She also
says that the question of membership on the SCLS Board will be taken up
again. PLDA then passes a motion unanimously requesting SCLS to explain the
legal basis on which exclusion of a class of individuals (library
employees) is not permitted to run for the Board.
A PLDA
sub committee chaired by Cathe Romanelli met with a sub committee of
C.W.Post Library School faculty to discuss internships, scheduling courses
at Stony Brook, and teaching staff qualifications.
At the
March meeting it is announced that the Bayport-Blue Point Library building
referendum passed and that Brentwood and Half Hollow Hills are
holding their dedications on April 1.
Claudya
Muller reports that the SCLS Board will ask the Long Range Planning
Committee to discuss eligibility of candidates to run for the SCLS
Board. A motion is passed unanimously recommending Dave Clemens to
serve as a member library representative.
The Library
School sub committee, chaired by Cathe Romanelli, met with the
accreditation committee and discussed frustrations with the library school
at C.W.Post, including quality of instruction, students and faculty.
In July,
Annette Bassett is appointed “Acting Director” as Claudya Muller has left
her position as Director of SCLS.
The SCLS
Board approved the appointment of PLDA President as a representative to the
King Report Conference.
Applications for SCLS Director will be accepted until August 31, interviews
will be held in September, and a new Director will be installed by January.
At the
July meeting Cathe Romanelli reports that C.W.Post Palmer School of Library
and Information Science has lost its accreditation ( the PLDA sub
committee had recommended “probation”.)
In September, Flo Denny reports that there are 27 applicants for the
position of SCLS Director. There follows a discussion of PLDA’s role
in the selection process. At the October meeting, Zone 4 endorses
Jerry Nichols for SCLS Director.
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