A-Team Minutes: August 12, 2008

A-Team Minutes
August 12, 2008

Present: Catherine Nathan, Marty Coleman, Barbara Evans, Amy Poe, Angie King, David Brown, and Victoria Penny.
The A-Team began this morning’s meetingd in the HQ Training Lab where Amy demonstrated the new SmartBoard/projector. It will show PowerPoint demos, multimedia, etc. and has fabulous features, including touch screen with a point & click pen, as well as an interactive white board. The A-Team discussed some of the possible applications for its future use for staff trainings, committee meetings, etc.

After re-convening in the Cooke Room, Catherine announced that well-respected Panola County supervisor and longtime library supporter Robert Avant has passed away. She will attend the memorial service tomorrow morning in Batesville.
Angie is working on email accounts, including deactivating many of the first.lib.ms.us accounts. She is still reviewing quotes she has received for updating the security cameras for the HQ/Hernando Library building. She and Joel will take the new AWE/Children’s Literacy computers to Horn Lake for installation tomorrow.

The A-Team then de-briefed as a group about Family Reunion/Staff Training Day. We unanimously agreed that we enjoyed our time with all of the staff as well as the various program sessions. Another big thank you goes to Amy as well as to the entire Southaven Library staff for welcoming everyone and all their hard work to prepare and clean up!

Barbara has been working in Batesville some this week. Ads are still being run for the Como Branch Librarian position. There will be a Branch Heads’ meeting tomorrow in Senatobia. Barbara announced that several FRL staff members will attend Librarianship 101 next week (August 18-21) in Jackson: Veneda Ruby-Como, Kathy Calfee-Horn Lake, and Jacqueline McMahon-Southaven. Congratulations! They will represent us well and no doubt come back with many great ideas to share…

The First Regional Library Board of Trustees will meet on Thursday, August 14, at 4:00, in the Cooke Room.

There is still time to order an mp3 player if you wish to have one. Please let Marty know ASAP. She is also working on the redesign for iBistro and the online payment of patron fees by credit/debit card.

Amy Poe distributed the results of the brainstorming sessions held at FRL Day. The A-Team discussed some of the recurring observations made by staff members. Catherine will be going over these many ideas carefully as she begins to prepare the System’s Strategic Planning document. This Thursday there will be Reference Interview and SIRSI training sessions here at HQ. The Library Assistant Committee will meet this week as well.
Victoria reported that the BookWagon will be headed back out on the road this week. Feel free to join her anytime for a ride or at a stop, and invite your local dignitaries, supporters, and Friends! When the schedule becomes more regular, it will be posted, possibly on the website. She is planning to attend the ABOS (Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services) Conference in Columbus, Ohio, in October.

All librarians planning to attend MLA Conference in Natchez in October need to contact Barbara Evans regarding room and travel arrangements.

David has been working on the staff blog. Feel free to post comments there. Also, check it often as he plans to post announcements, A-Team minutes, and other staff information.

Sandra is out today, attending BBI training (the System’s accounting software) in Jackson.

Catherine will be meeting with the architect at the Walls Public Library on Wednesday afternoon. City budget meetings will be held next Tuesday evening in Horn Lake and Southaven. As of right now, DeSoto County plans to contribute only level funding for the support of the First Regional Library.

Starting this week, Barbara and Catherine will both have BlackBerry devices and will be able, therefore, to access their phones/email 24-7! These numbers will be announced as soon as they receive them.

Minutes submitted by Victoria Penny.