ODL Board Minutes and Agendas

April 20, 2001

10:30 a.m.
Native American Room
Myriad Convention Center
Oklahoma City

Minutes of Meeting

Chairman Clyde Petete called the meeting to order and asked for roll call.

Board members present: Benny Briggs, Jesse Harris, Judi Knapp, Camilla Means, Clyde Petete, and Susan McVey, ex officio.

Board members absent: James Carter and Doyle Kinney.

Guests present: Truman Anquoe, Dan Connally, Denise Crosswhite, Ginny Dietrich, Sandy Ellison, Carolyn Franks, Susan Gilley, Kathy Hale, Linda Jordan, June Lester, Bill Petrie, Melanie Price, Karen Marriott, Lynn McIntosh, Vicki Mohr, Donna Morris, Imogene Petete, Syble Robertson, Jan Sanders, Donna Skvarla, Vicki Sullivan, Danny Wallace, and Bill Young.

Mr. Petete asked for approval of minutes. Jesse Harris moved, and Judi Knapp seconded that minutes be approved as presented. Votes were as follows: Benny Briggs, yes; James Carter, absent; Jesse Harris, yes; Doyle Kinney, absent; Judi Knapp, yes; Camilla Means, yes; Clyde Petete, yes. The motion was approved.

Susan presented the Director’s Report. She said the Federal Communications Commission has issued regulations for CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act) and NIPA (Neighborhood Internet Protection Act), and that these regulations would begin taking effect July 1, 2001. By October 28, libraries applying for the E-Rate must certify that they have, or are seeking, filtering technology.

The filtering requirement will apply to all computer stations. There will be a posting of public notices and a comment period in each community. ODL will provide packets of information and will be holding workshops for the state’s public libraries.

Ms. McVey said the bill changing the ODL Board make-up is progressing through the State Legislature. To accommodate the loss of a U.S. Congressional District, two of the seven ODL Board members would fill at-large positions.

Benny Briggs asked how libraries would select filtering software, and if there were a list of approved filters for libraries. Ms. McVey said the decision would be local. She was not aware of any lists, but the Gates Foundation maintains a list of filters that will work with the equipment they granted to state libraries.

Jesse Harris asked about the potential conflict between federal filtering laws and the proposed state filtering law. Ms. McVey said it appears the State Legislature may be postponing action on passing an Oklahoma law. This would give libraries a chance to see how the federal law is working prior to the State implementing legislation that could cause a conflict.

Mr. Harris asked about the provision that required all computers to be filtered. Ms. McVey said libraries would be able to disable filters for adults doing legitimate research. Mr. Petete asked how this would be determined. Ms. McVey said the FCC did not rule on this and that it is being left to the local libraries.

Mr. Harris asked about topics to be filtered. Ms. McVey said obscenity and materials considered harmful to minors had been identified.

Mr. Petete asked if libraries would be able to disable filters to assist children doing legitimate research. Ms. McVey said libraries probably could not go against federal rules and still receive funding. She said libraries not receiving the E-Rate do not have to comply, but that most libraries need the funds and won’t have a choice.

Mr. Petete asked ODL’s AG Liaison, Dan Connally, if the AG’s office would be available to answer filtering questions for libraries. Mr. Connally said it would, and that he anticipated most questions would come to the office through Susan. He said the filtering requirements are a very grey area, legally speaking.

Bill Young reported on the Oklahoma Book Awards, held March 10 at the Petroleum Club. He said the Center for the Book’s board was so impressed with the new location that it had decided to also hold next year’s ceremony at the Petroleum Club.

Donna Skvarla introduced a new publication, Trustee Talk, to the board. The publication provides information on current issues and gives the agency a chance to touch base with public library trustees beyond annual training.

Ms. McVey asked if the board had questions about the Director’s Report.

Mr. Harris asked about the Tishomingo library’s grand opening. Ms. McVey said she was impressed that people were busy using the library in the middle of the grand opening ceremony. This really indicated the need for library services in the community.

Ms. McVey introduced guests at the meeting and Mr. Petete asked for any comments.

Lynn McIntosh, director of the Chickasaw Regional Library System, said she appreciates the support the system receives from the ODL staff and board.

Jan Sanders, director, Bartlesville Public Library, said she had traveled around the country, and Oklahoma’s public librarian certification program is a model for other states. ODL worked with the Oklahoma Library Association to create this program.

Kathy Hale, director, Southern Prairie Library System, said she particularly appreciates ODL’s assistance with emerging technologies.

Carolyn Franks, director, Ardmore Public Library, said she is very proud that ODL has been able to offer statewide online information databases. She said many libraries would not otherwise be able to offer these information services to their citizens. She invited the board to visit the new Ardmore Public Library.

Mr. Petete thanked the guests for sharing.

At 11:00 a.m., Mr. Harris made a motion to adjourn the open meeting in order to convene in executive session to discuss the hiring of a new director. Ms. Knapp seconded the motion. Votes were as follows: Benny Briggs, yes; James Carter, absent; Jesse Harris, yes; Doyle Kinney, absent; Judi Knapp, yes; Camilla Means, yes; Clyde Petete, yes. The motion was approved, and all guests left the room.

At 11:45 a.m., guests were invited back in the room. Mr. Briggs made a motion that the board reconvene in open session. Mr. Harris seconded the motion. Votes were as follows: Benny Briggs, yes; James Carter, absent; Jesse Harris, yes; Doyle Kinney, absent; Judi Knapp, yes; Camilla Means, yes; Clyde Petete, yes. The motion was approved.

Mr. Briggs moved that Interim Director Susan McVey be made permanent ODL Director. Mr. Harris seconded the motion. Votes were as follows: Benny Briggs, yes; James Carter, absent; Jesse Harris, yes; Doyle Kinney, absent; Judi Knapp, yes; Camilla Means, yes; Clyde Petete, yes. The motion was approved. Mr. Petete congratulated Ms. McVey and she received a standing ovation. Ms. McVey said it will be an honor and a privilege to serve the board.

Mr. Petete said it was the consensus of the board that a national search be conducted for a new Deputy Director.

Donna Skvarla presented a proposal to use $35,000 in fallback federal funds to conduct an evaluation on the use of Library Services and Technology Act funds in Oklahoma. She said this was a new requirement under the LSTA Plan. At the end of the federal five-year plan, state library agencies must employ an outside consultant to evaluate the use of LSTA funds. Federal funds may be used for this evaluation.

Dr. June Lester and other staff of the University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies would conduct the evaluation.

Deadline for providing the study to Washington is April, 2002. Focus groups and surveys will be conducted as part of the evaluation.

Mr. Briggs asked what baselines would be used for comparison in the evaluation.

Ms. Skvarla said one requirement of the evaluation is the sharing of personal stories. An example would be a student who was inspired to enroll in library school because of the public librarian certification program.

Dr. Lester said the evaluation team would look at each plan and goal, see what projects have supported the goal, and how money has been used to meet the needs identified.

Mr. Harris made a motion to approve the fallback funds for the evaluation. Ms. Knapp seconded the motion. Votes were as follows: Benny Briggs, yes; James Carter, absent; Jesse Harris, yes; Doyle Kinney, absent; Judi Knapp, yes; Camilla Means, yes; Clyde Petete, yes. The motion was approved.

Ms. Skvarla shared Summer Reading materials with the board and introduced the new Family Adventures in Science and Math Kit. The new kit features a space theme to coincide with the Summer Reading theme: Into Books and Out of This World. Mr. Briggs said he has been particularly impressed with the Summer Reading Program.

Ms. Skvarla also reported on a series of successful workshops dealing with early childhood programs. More than 100 people, representing Oklahoma public libraries, attended the workshops, held in Kellyville, Coalgate, Anadarko and Fairview. Persons attending the workshops could apply for LSTA grants to fund early childhood programs in their libraries. The programs are to help prepare young minds for a lifetime of learning. Ms. Skvarla said experts say a child’s vocabulary should consist of at least 1,000 words by kindergarten age.

Mr. Petete said it was time to honor two special ladies.

Mr. Harris asked Camilla Means to come forward. He presented a resolution of appreciation to Ms. Means and thanked her for her service on the board. Mr. Harris said service on the ODL board was not a highly visible position, but that serving libraries and intellectual freedom was an important service to democracy. He noted that many dictatorships begin with the destruction of libraries.

Ms. Means received a standing ovation. She said she had gained an enormous respect for libraries and that she appreciated the staff and their enthusiasm for their work.

Mr. Petete asked Syble Robertson to step forward. He presented her with a resolution of appreciation. Ms. Robertson is retiring after 37 years of service to the State of Oklahoma and the library community. Ms. Robertson received a standing ovation.

The meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

Susan McVey, ex officio

ODL Director's Report for This Meeting

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