Friends
of the Library
Minutes of the Spring Meeting
March 19, 2004
Chairwoman, Jane Nelson
'66 convened the Spring Business Meeting of the Friends of the Library
in the Browsing Room on 19 March 2004 at 4PM. Those present were:
John Jaffe, John Goulde, Ron Horwege, Nursat Aygen '76, Ann Reams
'42, Karen Hyde '54, Nelson Hyde, Allen Huszti, Carolyn Bates, Helen
Lewis '54, Mary Brugh '57, Georgeanne Oakes '04, Carly Sakas '06,
Sigrid Mirabella, Stephen Mirabella, Mr. & Mrs. Stewart, grandparents
of Catherine Ratliff 04, Margaret Loebe '06, Beth Ike '96, Anne
Richards '84, Joyce Kramar, Lisa Johnston, Marge Freeman, Liz Kent.
Ms. Nelson relayed some
messages from members who were unable to be here today. Nancy Rasenberger
fell and broke her hip is at home recovering and sends her best
wishes to everyone. Clarissa Rowland wishes she could be with us,
but life in California is great as far as weather goes. Peggy Ann
Rogers is also sorry she could not be with us today. She did stop
by earlier this month and spent some time in the library. She will
be doing the Inaugural cruise on the new Queen Mary. Laura Goley
is attending a conference in Richmond.
MINUTES
The minutes of the Fall
Meeting (2003) of the Friends of the Library were approved as submitted.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
REPORT
Beth Ike ‘96 Director
of Donor Relations and Development Operations gave the Membership
Committee Report. The Friends of the Library membership is 163.
Total dollar amount is $14,082.50 as of 3-18-04. Last year at this
time the membership was 159 with a total dollar amount of $9,423.50.
The Development Office mailed out solicitations for new members
to all the Friends group this fall and Joyce Kramar sent out the
annual renewal letters to all Friends who have not yet renewed for
this year in February.
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT
Dr. John Goulde, Professor
of Religion, gave the Finance Committee's Report. Dr. Goulde recommended
that the Friends keep the same budget for 2004-2005 as they had
last year. The Friends accepted Dr. Goulde's recommendation and
adopted the budget.
NEEDS COMMITTEE REPORT
Allen Huszti, Professor
of Music and Chairman of the Needs Committee requested that the
Friends accepted the Needs Committee Requests for $6,565.66. After
reviewing the requests, the Friends approved the purchase of these
items.
EVENTS COMMITTEE REPORT
Dr. Jaffe gave the Events
Committee Report for Joe Malloy who is on sabbatical. Joe is also
working with the Sweet Briar Outdoor Program (SWEBOP) and numerous
other things for the College in addition to his libraries duties
and today happened to be the one day that SWEBOP had a hiking trip
planned. Joe also does fly-fishing training for SWEBOP. Dr. Jaffe
assured everyone that Joe is working on getting the Library Gazette
out and plans are underway for next year's spring meeting of the
Friends of the Library which will be a time where the Friends provide
the speaker. Joe also would like to encourage anyone to give him
names of speakers that you would like to have come in and speak
to the Friends or any topics that you would like to see discussed.
Also Joe would like any recommendations for the Fall Meeting. Joe
also coordinates the Nicolas Basbanes Book Collecting Contest.
PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE
REPORT
Dr. Jaffe presented the
winners of the Basbanes Book Collection Contest with their awards.
Second place went to Catherine V. Ratliff whose collection was on
"American Culture". First place went to Georgeanne L.
Oakes for her collection "Books on or about Origami."
The winners also received a gift from Mr. Basbanes.
OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business
NEW BUSINESS
Future meetings dates
for the Friends is 22 October 2004 Fall Meeting, 1 April 2005 Spring
Meeting
Dr. Jaffe gave a brief
report on the College. Dr. Jaffe stated that there was so much going
on the Campus that it was difficult to report on all of the happenings.
Two senior staff positions are to be filled shortly. We concluded
interviews for the Dean of the College yesterday and today are interviewing
for the Vice President and Treasurer. Also the College has been
involved in the SOF (Shape of the Future) activities which are working
to define the direction and character of the college in the future.
One of the big considerations is whether it would benefit the college
to become coed. At this time the SOF Committee and board are looking
at all possibilities for the future of the college and the Committee
will make recommendations to the Board this summer.
The Board of Directors
has approved the addition of the Masters Program of Education.
The recent developments
in the library and with the library staff are many. Dr. Jaffe stated
that one of the biggest undertakings was the closing of the Science
Library and consolidating the books into this building. All lesser-used
items, bound journals, etc. are stored in the Wick closed stack
library built last year.
This summer we will be
moving the Art Library to the Main Library.
Dr. Jaffe stated that
the Barbara Smith Young ‘71 gift of $450,000 to establish
the Jean Ruggles Smith Technology Center would support a technology
center in the library and also provide support for acquisition of
scholarly databases. Dr. Jaffe announced that a bequest of $5,000.00
for the Rare Book Room from the estate of Margaret Anderton Dortch
'41 was received.
Liz Kent our Electronic
Resources Librarian gave a brief report on her activities. She is
now Chairman of the Women and Gender Studies Committee on Campus.
Also Ms. Kent has become advisor for students who declare a Women
and Gender Studies Minor. Ms. Kent is revamping the Library Web
Site. Any suggestion for the web site would be most welcome.
Marge Freeman , Head of
Technical Services here at Sweet Briar and Systems Administrator
for LION which is the computer system that serves, Sweet Briar,
Randolph Macon, Lynchburg College and Lynchburg Public Libraries
gave a brief report on her activities. Since this system is now
14 years old, Ms. Freeman has been involved in looking at other
systems that would better fit our needs today. Ms. Freeman is also
very active in the systems user group and speaks at the national
and international meetings. Ms. Freeman gave a talk on effective
administration of a library computer system. She had given the talk
the previous year, but was asked to give it once again; she was
also the keynote speaker and now serves on their by-laws committee.
Ms. Freeman did a survey
to see how our library ranks within the consortium and we are the
largest library. Of the over one half million titles of books in
the consortium we own 42%. We also have over electronic books that
we can access too, of which there are almost 33,000 of those. In
the area of media there are close to 20,000 pieces of media between
the three colleges and we own 43%.
Lisa Johnston reported
on a gift recently received which she has been very excited about.
For the past year she has been corresponding with Patricia Boyer
'49 about a facsimile copy of "The Codex Resta". What
this is is an exact copy of the Codex that was done in the 1500s
in Milan. Ms. Johnston has the Codex on display in the Reading Rooms
and encouraged the Friends to please stop by and see this wonderful
gift that Ms. Boyer gave to the College. Our copy is number 413
of the edition of 2030 copies. We are now one of three libraries
in the United States that own a copy of this wonderful book.
Ms. Johnston reported
that in many cases we are getting rid of library fines, if the students
bring back the materials and make a donation from a list we have
for the Amherst County Humane Society, we will erase their fine.
This was very successful.
Anne Richards, Head of
Media Services reported that students are really getting involved
in videos. Each student in the Marketing class has to do an original
video trying to sell themselves and many of the videos are taken
here in the Browsing Rooms because they love background. The videos
are turned in to the Professor and then they are critiqued and the
students are required to edit them. Three of the students sent the
edited videos off for job interviews. Our dance department also
requires their sophomores, juniors and seniors to make a dance video.
Ms. Richards was very
please to be asked by her son who just got back from Iraq, to build
him one of her miniatures for which Anne is so well known for. She
built him a house on a 1/4 scale. The house is really red, white
and blue. Red Clay Magazine, the literary journal here at Sweet
Briar, asked Ms. Richards if they could feature the house on the
front cover of the magazine.
Dr. Jaffe announced that
Carrie Brown, who teaches creative writing here at Sweet Briar,
has a new book out "Confinement". Ms. Brown teaches her
class here in the Browsing Room. The publisher has decided that
one of the events surround the publishing of this book to hold one
of the book readings and signings here at Sweet Briar. So the library
will be hosting that event.
Dr. Jaffe also reported
that the International Writers Series chose the library for the
venue for two of the lectures they are having for International
Writers.
After much discussion
and some concern over the idea of coeducation for Sweet Briar by
the Friends and Alumnae on many of the issues involved in Shape
of the Future discussions taking place, the meeting was adjourned.
The Friends joined the
Friends of Art for a reception in the Pannell Art Gallery followed
by dinner and lecture by artist Lesley Dill.
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