WLA READ Business Meeting Minutes
October 19, 2007

Attended: Colleen Crowley, Jennifer Einwalter, Trish Iaccarino, Edell Schaefer, Maureen Welch, Laurie Freund

Fall 2006 READ business minutes were approved.

Attendees discussed using OPAL for book talks (not book discussions). We would need to get permission from WLA for this.

Web site: WLA plans to do some major revisions to its Web site (it was originally supposed to be done this past summer, but we haven't heard anything about it). We need be more current with Literary Awards' pages as a lot of libraries use this information. Other pages also need to be looked at since there are some dead links. Trish will work on the web site and links. There were questions about going to an open link scenario since that can be used for some content managing such as getting active links to author's web sites. However, this would be harder to maintain with lots of links.

Bibliographies: Colleen reported that Katie Schulz said that bibliographies were printed and sold in the WLA Store, which no longer exists. So, one idea offered is burn bibliographies onto CDs, get a table in the exhibit hall, and sell them there. However, since there is no need to generate funds, we could put them on the READ web site for people to download. It was suggested that the committee look at the structure of the officers and decide if it should be the new duty of one of the officers or if it can be delegated to someone else.

Literary Awards committee: Edell Schaefer reported for the Literary Awards committee. We now have a standing liaison for the Literary Awards contact. This is important for communication—especially among board members, web person, newsletter editor, and Literary Awards committee. The Awards committee still needs three new people to start January 2008. They would like representation from academic, public, and trustees. They are splitting off poetry as a separate award since it is hard to compare this form with others. It was suggested that board officers add to the procedures of who is responsible for programs and for board members to meet to discuss this more and to put it on the agenda at the meeting. Any voting requires 30-day notice prior to the meeting.

Newsletter: Having the newsletter out before the conference was suggested. Members also agreed that having some sample print newsletter copies available at the conference would spark more interest in READ. A suggestion was made that READ form a newsletter subcommittee and also a bibliographies subcommittee. This would also allow more people to get involved in READ and would be another opportunity for drawing on future officers.

Notable books marathon program may need to change. We are looking for diverse genres, community reads ideas, book discussions, etc. We also need to look for new volunteers for book talk panelists.

Respectively submitted,

Laurie Freund, Secretary