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TO: PARMLY BILLINGS LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES FROM: BILL COCHRAN, DIRECTOR RE: REPORT MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 13, 2008 ACTIVITIES REPORT I participated in the 10-9 FEMA Local Advisory Board meeting. I participated in a 10-10 Billings Clinic Community Conversation. Systems Administrator Dee Ann Redman attended the Montana Library Association’s (MLA) Public Library Division Retreat in Chico on 10-12/13 and co-presented a program on open source office application software. Redman participated in the MLA Board meeting in Livingston on 10-13. I Co-chaired the 10-16 Community Library Committee meeting at the MSU-Billings College of Technology. Redman attended The Big Read kickoff event at the Western Heritage Center on 10-16. Board Chair Tony Hines and I emceed the 10-17 High Plains Book Awards Banquet. The banquet was planned by Senior Administrative Coordinator and Foundation Board member Cara Schaer. Programs and commemorative bookmarks were designed by Redman. Board member Lloyd Mickelson sold tickets, among many other duties. Friends Treasurer Joanne Timm served as fiscal agent. I participated in the Foundation Investment Committee’s 10-21 meeting. I participated in a 10-21 meeting of the MSU-Billings Chancellor, City Administrator and others to review the status of the Community Library project. I joined Board members, staff, Friends President Nicki Broch, and MSU-B Associate Librarian Brent Roberts at a 10-21 Special Library Board meeting on the MSU-B campus. I participated in a 10-21 meeting of the MSU-Billings Cabinet, at which a PowerPoint on the Community Library project was presented. I Co-Chaired the 10-22 Project Homeless Connect meeting. I participated in the 10-30 Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness meeting. Liz Fellerer and Allyne Ellis, from Children’s Services, attended the meeting of the Midland Empire Reading Council, 10-28. Jim Peters and Liz Fellerer conducted 2 book discussion groups for the Big Read with 46 students from Newman Elementary School. I joined Redman and Librarians Kathy Jones, Lynne Puckett and Kathy Robins at a presentation by State Law Librarian Judy Meadows regarding legal information resources on 10-31. I presented a PowerPoint on the Community Library project to the City Council at its 11-3 Work Session. ---PAGE BREAK--- Redman gave a demonstration of the Ask Montana virtual reference software to high school librarians at the Billings Senior High School Library on 11-12. The high schools will be joining the state cooperative in providing online reference chat and email services. UPCOMING EVENTS 11-13 What Style are You? 7 p.m. 11-15 Spanish Conversation, 1:30 11-17 Tech Toys—What’s New? 7 p.m. 11-18 Beginning Email, 11:30 a.m. 11-19 Ideas for the Holiday Season, Noon 11-19 The Wall Street Bailout: How Did We Get Here?, 7 p.m. 11-20 The Camerman, Silent Film, 7 p.m. 11-21 Books & Babies Lap-sit Program, 10:15 11-25 Making Holiday Cards Using Microsoft Publisher, 11 a.m. 11-25 Freakonomics Book Discussion, 2:00 p.m. 12-2 Succeeding in the Music Business, 7 p.m. 12-10 Getting to Know Buffalo Bill Cody, 7 p.m. 12-11 Library Board meeting, noon ---PAGE BREAK--- STRATEGIC PLAN STATUS REPORT Completed In Progress • Objective 1.1 Joint Community Library; Memorandum of Agreement between City and MSU- Billings approved at City Council meeting 9-22; Community Library Committee met 7-17, 9-25 • Objective 1.2 Facility Committee recommendations; Facilities Committee met with Funding Committee 8-22 • Objective 1.6 Systematic roving assistance program; draft checklist developed at 9-12 Staff meeting • Objective 2.1 Community issue oriented programming; hosted Humanities Montana program Characteristics of the Modern U.S. Presidency 9-26 • Objective 4.2/8.2 Marketing program for the online program suggestion function; draft plan developed 8-19 • Objective 5.1 Public classes on Internet and electronic resources; new schedule of public software classes being offered starting in October • Objective 6.1 Staff information literacy training; all staff started training, beginning 9-5, using Learning to Learn: A Guide to Becoming Information Literate in the 21st Century • Objective 6.3 Links from Library website to recommended Internet resources; Election 2008 pages went active 10-2 • Objective 7.1 Lifelong learning programs; new lifelong learning book club kits being introduced with facilitated book discussion groups, beginning with Will of the People 9-24 • Objective 8.3 Program for newborns and parents; Children’s Services, the Friends of the Library, and the Junior Woman’s Club have collaboratively designed and produced materials to be delivered to all newborns at both hospitals beginning in November, when Children’s Services will also begin a Friday morning newborn and parent program. To Be Completed By September 1, 2008 • Objective 1.4 Infomobile public access to Internet and catalog • Objective 4.1/8.1 Focus groups for program ideas • Objective 5.2 Workstation modified for persons with disabilities • Objective 6.2 Public information literacy classes By January 1, 2009 • Objective 2.2 Community-based process for Library webpage as virtual commons • Objective 3.1 Expand display furniture for books and other formats • Objective 5.3 Internet and online classes at retirement facilities • Objective 7.4 Staff training program on lifelong learning and adult education By June 30, 2009 • Objective 1.3 Improve seating and work space • Objective 1.5 Safety, functionality and appearance improvements • Objective 4.1/8.1 Focus groups for program ideas • Objective 7.2 Cooperative lifelong learning programs • Objective 7.3 Enhance resources available for self-directed learning • Objective 7.5 Partnership with MSU-B, WHC and others on preservation of and access to historical records