The North Dakota / Manitoba chapter of ACRL met Friday May 5, 2000 in the Rose Room of the Memorial Student Union of North Dakota State University.

Welcome and announcements

Asako Yoshida gave welcome and greetings.  It was a very international meeting with members from North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba.  She thanked Tom Bremer for his help in setting up the meeting at NDSU.  Asako also mentioned a typo in the agenda; break was to be at 10:45 AM instead of 9:45 AM.

Business meeting

Chair Susan Miller opened the meeting at 9:30 AM.  She thanked Asako Yoshida for planning the program.  Susan also welcomed our speaker Betsy Wilson, incoming president of ACRL.  Minutes from 1999 meeting was distributed.  Tom Bremer moved to approve the minutes, seconded by Asako Yoshida.  The motion was passed

Treasurer's report

Eileen Kopren passed out the Treasurer's report.  The chapter is a very healthy financial situation.  Balance as of May 1, 2000 was $2440.94.  Eileen reported that the money is an interest bearing account which charges the chapter for depositing too many checks.  These charges are unavoidable at renewal times.  Eileen recommends that the chapter stay with this account as we earn more in interest ($19.70) than the account charges in fees ($1.20).  The number of current members is forty-eight (48).  Our fiscal year is Sep-Aug to keep in line with the national.  Shelby Harken moved to accept the report and Judy Rieke seconded it.  The motion was passed.

Election results

Judy Rieke announced the results of the recent election.  Asako Yoshida is chair, Janet Essency is secretary and Eileen Kopren is treasurer.  The next elections will be in November.  It was noted that elections must be held by mail not e-mail as per the chapter's bylaws.

Incorporation

Judy Rieke reported on the ongoing efforts to incorporate the chapter.  She has looked into ways to do it cheaper than $800.00 but without much success.  It cannot be done in Canada as this is against ACRL rules.  The firm of Pearson and Christiansen is representing the chapter with Jon Jensen as the lawyer.  A contact person is needed to handle the paperwork and answer questions.  Judy Rieke is doing that now.  It takes six weeks to file paperwork and seven months to finish the process.  Eileen Kopren reported that other places have paid more to incorporate.  It moved by Mary Drewes that Judy Rieke remain contact person to finish the incorporation and seconded by Shelby Harken.  The motion passed.

Web Site

Tom Bremer gave a demonstration of the chapter's web site.  It can be found at http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/acrl/nd_mb.html.  Tom and Asako Yoshida are the current web masters.  Information such as chapter minutes and treasurer's reports are on the site.  There are some links but none as yet to the national.

Constitution

Susan Miller thanked the members of the committee who worked on the changes in the constitution.  The committee consisted of Susan Miller, Judy Rieke, and Karen Chobot.  The changes were made to reflect actual practice and remove any confusion.  Karen Chobot passes out copies of the proposed changes in the constitution to the members.  She then explains consent agenda to the membership. The members can vote on all changes as a group or pull out one for a separate vote.  Karen would prefer to change the quorum to 25%.  The membership then took  a few minutes to look at the overheads and Susan Miller's copy of the constitution.  Karen wants to pull out amendment 13 which discusses the quorum for the business meeting.  It was moved by Darryl Podoll and seconded by Betty Gard that the chapter vote on amendments one through twelve as a unit and consider amendment thirteen separately.  Sally Docktor moved that the chapter accept amendments one through twelve and this was seconded by Mary Drewes.  The motion was passed.  Karen Chobot made a motion that the chapter change amendment thirteen.  This change in Article VII, Section 4 would set the quorum at twenty-five per cent (25%).  It was seconded by Darryl Podoll.  The motion was passed.

New business

ACRL chapter council meeting reports

Tom Bremer reported on the ALA midwinter meeting.  There was a status report on incorporation.  There was also a report on the national meeting to be held in Denver next March.  He urged people to go as there a lot of academic librarians at the meeting and many of them are familiar faces.  Susan Miller will go to the ALA meeting in Chicago.

Report of the Legislative Liaison

Sally Docktor reported on her work as liaison.  She usually forwards on e-mail from the ACRL liaison.  There are less e-mails as the ACRL liaison has changed.  Betsy Wilson mentioned the legislative advocacy pre conference at ALA.  ACRL will give free registration and hotel for one night for people going from the chapters.  The workshop will focus on to be an advocate to legislatures or for your university.  Judy Rieke wondered if it would useful for Canadians.  Betsy Wilson believes so and gave a detailed description of the workshop.  Susan asked if any interested party would let her know so the national ACRL can be contacted.  Susan also thanked Sally for the marvelous job she is doing.

Initiative fund

Judy Rieke reported on getting money from the national ACRL.  She passed out a list of things which are already being done.  The projects have to be innovative and creative.  It also has to be shared some how with other chapters.  Replicability is important as well.  It is a good idea to look for collaborators.  Money from the fund can not be used to set up a meeting.

Announcements

Brochures from ACRL as well as Friends of ACRL are available.  Friends of ACRL is a new development which funds scholarships for pre-conferences for incoming librarians, etc.  Janet Essency mentioned the NASIG brochures available.  Karen Hunt invited everyone to come to the Manitoba Library Association meeting next week.

Any new business

There was none.

Chair Susan Miller adjourned the meeting at 10:25 AM

Respectfully submitted,  
Janet Essency, Secretary