Lone Star Docs The Newsletter of the Government Documents Round Table of the Texas Library Association

Vol. 6, #1 Fall 1999

Minutes, GODORT Business Meeting

Annual Conference, April 22, 1999

Members present: Bennett Ponsford, Marilyn Dunham, Karen Hendrick, Laura Baker, Gay E. Carter, Brenda Mahar, Victoria Packard, Coby Condrey, Mary Rauch, Marina Oliver, Susan Hidalgo, Lorraine Bingham, Evelyn Brass, Virginia Davis, Diana Houston, Laura Vaughn, Clarice Luce, Brad Meyer, Cathy Hartman, Susan Norrisey, Tom Rohrig, and Jack Becker.

President Susan Norrisey called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. She thanked Jim Drummond from Congressional Information Service for supporting the breakfast.

Jack Becker, Secretary/Treasurer, gave the Secretary's and Treasurer's reports. The minutes of last year's meeting were read and approved. The treasurer reported that GODORT had a beginning balance for this year (7/1/99) of $844.04. After expenses, which consisted mostly of newsletter expenses, the balance should be about $756. Cathy Hartman reported that the preconference was a success and the proceeds should add to the budget.

Victoria Packard, Councilor-Alternate, reported next. She stated that the by-laws have been changed so that district planning committees must have either the district chair or vice-chair as a member. Further changes in the by-laws stipulated the following:

• A new TLA standing committee on partnerships was created. This committee would explore the possibility of TLA forming partnerships with groups like archivists and museums.
• Any proposed changes in the by-laws would have pro and con statements placed with them on the ballot.
• Members of standing committees must be listed in alphabetical order.

Old Business:

• Cathy Hartman announced that the GODORT program is today (4/22/99) at 10:00. She hoped that everyone would try to attend "The Texas Legislature in 1899 and 1999".
• Tom Rohrig encouraged everyone to come to the GODORT Electronic Resources committee meeting at 2:00. The program is entitled "Coping with the Plethora of Copyright-Free Government CD-ROMs".
• Cathy Hartman reported that the preconference was a success. In all 78 people attended and GODORT should profit by as much as $3000. A packet and floppy disc containing much of the information contained in the preconference will be sold for $20.00.
• Susan Norrisey reported for Brenda Barnes concerning the booth. It was reported that the booth looks good and workers are still needed for Friday morning.
• Brad Meyer reported for the Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee reported that Lorraine Bingham was nominated for Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and Clarice Luce and Bennett Claire Ponsford were nominated for Secretary/Treasurer. Brad Meyer was nominated from the floor for Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. Ballots were then distributed.
• Susan Norrisey reported on the Newsletter. She thanked Bennett Ponsford for her work and said the two issues looked great.
• The members voted to eliminated the Brochure Committee.
• The Membership and Publicity Committee appears to be inactive. A motion was made to eliminate it as well, but no action was taken on the motion.
• Clarice Luce spoke for the absent Melody Kelly on behalf of the Ad hoc Committee on TLA GODORT History. Each unit is to write a unit history celebrating the 100th anniversary of TLA. TLA's archivist will help the units with their history. As well as writing a narrative history, each unit is encouraged to produce a scrap book, notebook, or some kind of presentation that can be displayed at the 100th anniversary in Dallas in 2002.
• Cathy Hartman spoke for the MARC Record for Texas Documents Committee. She stated that the committee was trying to get the state library to download records for all state documents into a "batched record file". This is done by other state libraries, such as Colorado, for their respective depository libraries. This would allow other libraries to download the files at no cost to themselves and thus save cataloging expenses. OCLC can make special arrangements for state and federal institutions.
• Coby Condrey reported on news from the Texas State Library. He reported that the state library is about ready to bring up its new system SIRSI. The State Library will host another open house the day before Annual Assembly on July 9, 1999. There is a bill before the Texas State Legislature proposing to extend TexShare to public libraries. The bill has already passed the State Senate.
• Jack Becker spoke for the Ad hoc Committee on Awards. Becker read a proposal to establish a GODORT Outstanding Librarian Award. Several changes were suggested and the committee with make the suggested changes and report back at Annual Assembly in July.

New Business:

• Lorraine Bingham was elected Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and Clarice Luce was elected Secretary/Treasurer.
• A donation to TALL Texans was discussed. Some were unhappy with the fact that the donation does not go directly to the GODORT member we voted to support but into a pool that supports all participants. No vote was taken to make a donation this year. (NOTE: Officers voted by e-mail after the conference to contribute $50 to TALL Texans.)
• We decided to do a program on the 2000 Census for next year's program.
• GODORT will also sponsor another preconference next year. The topic will be GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and will be presented by Doralyn Edward in the Rice University Library GIS Lab.

With the completion of new business, the meeting adjourned.

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Updated: Wednesday, March 08, 2000