Board of Directors Meeting
Friday, March 4, 2005, 12 noon
4th floor Conference Center
Present: Ewa Barczyk, Tom Bliffert, EJ Brumder, Gil Church, Scott Enk, Suzy Ettinger, Bruce Fetter, Donn Haglund, David Heathcote, Norman Lasca, Jill G. Pelisek, Bob Pietrykowski, Gwen Plunkett.
Guests: Steve Burnham, Susan Modder.
The meeting was called to order at 12:00 p.m.
1. Welcome and introductions.
2. Minutes of the October 29, 2005 Board meeting were approved as submitted.
3. President’s report:
Fetter reported that the reduction in UWM’s budget for 2006/07 will be $5 million; for 2007/08, $3 million. The campus is currently in the midst of searches for a new Provost and Graduate School Dean. The inauguration of UWM’s new chancellor, Carlos Santiago, will take place April 29. The Friends of the Library wish to present the chancellor with a rare manuscript map of Puerto Rico, to be added to the AGSL collections, in honor of his inauguration. The hand-drawn map, which would fit in well with the Libraries’ collection needs, would cost $3,500. [Map is shown to the Board.]
A motion to purchase the map was seconded, and passed unanimously. Fetter announced an April 16 th reception and an April 17 th lecture by Aaron Lansky, author of “Outwitting History: The Man Who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books,” at the Golda Meir Library
4. Treasurer’s report(President reported for Silberg): The balance as of March 4, 2005 was $74,890.61. The report was accepted by the Board as submitted.
5. Interim Director of Libraries Report:
Barczyk reported that the Libraries presented the 2004 Friends of the Library/Moebius Outstanding Staff Awards in February to Krystyna Matusiak, Digital Projects Librarian; Aaron Dobbs, Reserve Librarian; and Tom Caw, Music Library student employee. A number of Board members were present, and Bruce Fetter assisted at the ceremony. The Libraries wish to thank the Friends for helping to underwrite the awards. The Libraries received a major gift, in fact one of the largest planned gift in the university’s history: Professor Robert McColl, a retired University of Kansas faculty member, will give $2 million (which is in addition to his earlier gift of his vast collection of maps). His donation will fund: one (possibly two) fellowship in AGSL; the hiring of a purchasing agent in China for maps; digitization of AGSL maps; and a lecture series, focusing on geography. Prof. McColl will visit UWM and meet with the Chancellor this spring. Barczyk noted the ongoing success of fundraising for the WTMJ New Film Archive, with $128,000 raised to date. The Libraries still need $64,000 to finish the project. With Pat Van Alyea’s help, the Libraries recently hosted a “tea and tour” for campus neighbors, in an effort to expand relationships with the community. Its success has prompted plans for a second tea, possibly in May.
6. Proposed membership categories:
A proposal for membership fee changes, recommended by the Friends Executive Committee, was discussed. The new categories and fees would be: $35, Individual; $50, Contributing; $150, Sponsor (includes ILL); $250, Supporter; $500, Organizational/Patron; $1000, Life Member (Individuals). Amendment to substitute the name “Corporate Benefactor” for “Organizational/Patron” was passed unanimously. Proposal, with amendment, passed unanimously.
Pietrykowski noted that Board members should be reminded to become Friends members. Barczyk asked for suggestions concerning the wording on plaques honoring Life Members; the plaques will be ready in late May, for the Annual Meeting.
7. Committee Reports:
Nominating Committee: no action.
Program Committee: Fetter reported for Conta that the speakers for the Annual Meeting would be UWM Architecture School Dean Robert Greenstreet and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Also reported on the success of recent Friends’ sponsored preservation lecture, and of securing volunteers for the April 4-6 Friends Used Book Sale. Fetter recognized Conta and the Program Committee’s energetic activities.
Communications Committee: Enk reported progress on drafting three versions of the membership letter and will present them at the next board meeting. Pietrykowski asked if the Libraries offered web opportunities to donate money. Barczyk said the Libraries are pressing campus to allow this. Enk suggested that web opportunities should be written gracefully and clearly. Fetter said Friends should publish the new ways to sponsor the Libraries.
Development Committee: Book Naming Initiative: Church outlined how the book naming program is meant to offer the highest quality of immortality possible (one’s name and thoughts placed inside future books) and tremendous flexibility (as little as $50 will “name” a book). He offered a set of guidelines, including the variety of gifts a donor might give: items such as books or maps, cash for inscriptions, or endowments. Pietrykowski spoke about the value of intergenerational giving, that books are a good way for one generation to give to another generation. Haglund attested to the satisfaction of donating to the Libraries, having given AGSL 2000 items, including over 400 books with his nameplate. It was moved and seconded to adopt the proposed guidelines, and passed unanimously. Fetter thanked Church for his hard work and persuasive arguments.
8. Barczyk announced a presentation in Special Collections for interested Board members after the meeting.
9. The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m.