Reference Round Table - Minutes - 1998

Reference Round Table Executive Board Meeting


Date and Time: Thursday, April 2, 1998; 2:00 p.m.; Henry Gonzalez Convention 
Center; San Antonio, Texas.

Present: Jeanne Pyle, Marian Jackson, Martha Tarlton, Joyce Hopkins, Patricia
Switzer, Lynn Haggard, Glenda Lehrmann, Will Stuivenga, Ron Glass, Margaret 
McCasland, Martha Holguin, Jack Becker, Lynn Hambric, Claudette Hagle.

Jeanne Pyle called the Reference Round Table Executive Board meeting to 
order at 2:05 p.m. There were no corrections or additions to the agenda.

Minutes from the July 21, 1997, RRT Executive Board meeting, held at Annual 
Assembly in Austin, were approved.

Marian Jackson reported a treasury balance of $5,846.08 as of January 31, 
1998.

Martha Holguin, TLA Executive Board liaison, reported that the RRT Strategic 
Plan had been received.  The final plan is due June 1998.

Joyce Hopkins, Texas Reference Source Award committee chair, reported that 
the TRS Award is real!  The New Handbook of Texas was the first winner of this 
award.  Douglas Barnett, on behalf of the Texas State Historical Association, will 
accept the award at the business meeting.  Joyce also reported that with the 
resignation of Bob Kelley and herself, the committee will need to have a new 
chair appointed, with new committee members added as needed.  Guidelines 
established in the selection process also need to be updated.

Lynn Haggard, chair of the Planning Committee, reported that the main 
discussion focused on Texas reference sources.  There were two (2) volunteers
for general editor and three (3) submissions for subject editors.  Lynn also 
reported that the librarian resources/speakers' bureau has been inactive.

A new RRT Web Page Committee will soon be formed, according to Jeanne 
Pyle.  She recognized Will Stuivenga as having done the lion's share of what is 
found on the current RRT Web page.

Margaret McCasland reported on the Membership/Public Relations Committee 
meeting.  This year RRT brochures were created and printed.  The brochure will 
need to be added to the RRT Web page.  RRT does not have an official logo at this 
time; thus, TLA Publications Committee will be looking at updating the RRT
logo.  Claudette Hagle and Margaret McCasland were thanked for their efforts on 
this project.

Jeanne Pyle reported for Karen Nichols, chair of the Nominations Committee.  
Officers for 1998-1999 include: Ron Glass, Chair; Martha Tarlton, Vice-
Chair/Chair-Elect; and a tie for Secretary/Treasurer between Lynn Hambric and
Jack Becker.  Members of the RRT Executive Board voted in secret to break the
tie.  Jack Becker becomes the Secretary/Treasurer for RRT.  Dianne Downing, 
Karen Nichols, and Maria Schueneman-Ayala were elected to the Nominations 
Committee.

In the absence of Susan Beck, Chair, Jeanne Pyle reported on the RRT Bylaws 
Committee.  Copies of the current and proposed bylaws had been given to 
Susan Harvey.  Discussed was the TLA Executive Committee suggestion 
changing a statement regarding officer eligibility: "Officers must be a current 
member of TLA and RRT and a resident of the state of Texas." In view of Ron 
Glass' immediate move to Arizona, the question then arose as to whether Ron 
could retain his chair of RRT for 1998-99.  Jeanne Pyle will seek clarification on 
this.  Jeanne proposed that the membership vote on the proposed bylaws at the
general meeting on Friday, 4-3-98.  Then, if the proposed bylaws are approved 
by the general membership, a call for an amendment of the bylaws will be made
at that time.  Again, if the proposed bylaws are approved, Jeanne Pyle, as past 
chair, will chair the Nominations Committee.  She will then name the three 
individuals above to the Nominations Committee.

No nominations have been made for the Bebout Award at this time.

Pat Switzer reported on the meeting of Council I. The year 2002 will mark the
celebration of TLA's Centennial.  Margaret Irby Nichols will chair the Centennial 
Committee, the theme of which is "Read For Your Life." Pat also reported that
468 vendors had pre-registered for the conference with a total of 750 booths.
Major contributors this year were Baker & Taylor, Brodart, Southwestern Bell,
and Hotho.  Prior to the conference there were 6700 TLA members.  TLA is 
negotiating for additional office space.  Pat mentioned that there will be a 
Legislative Day in 1999.  TLA is trying to build up the Crabb Fund by selling
ribbons and beanie babies.  The Christina Woll Fund has reached the amount 
needed to begin giving grants.

Ron Glass reported on the RRT preconference workshop held April 1, 1998.  
Seventy (70) preregistrations were received with eighty-six (86) actually 
attending.  A rough estimate calculated the generation of $7800.00 with 
expenses approaching $4000.00. The difference of approximately $3800.00 will 
be divided between the four sponsoring round tables, with each receiving 
between $800.00 and $900.00.

Ron Glass also reported that the program on Friday, April 3, 1998, will feature 
T.J. Lusher, Assistant Director for Automated Library Systems at the Northern
Illinois University.  Her program is entitled "Connecting with Our Patrons: 
Reference Services in the Digital Library." Door prizes, consisting of candidates 
for the TFSA, will be given away prior to the RRT program.

Jeanne Pyle briefly reported on the TLA RRT booth.  It was suggested that a 
banner might be done for the booth for 1999.  Jeanne thanked all those who 
volunteered to staff the booth as well as Joyce Hopkins for arranging the display 
of the new Texas Reference Source Award winner.  Jeanne announced that the 
booth would not be manned on Saturday morning.

Will Stuivenga, in reporting on the RRT Newsletter, had earlier formatted a draft 
of newsletter guidelines.  These guidelines were read, discussed, and corrected 
(see attached).  William will seek clarification from the TLA office a numbering 
system (i.e., volume number, issue number, etc.) for the newsletter.  The 
guidelines were approved as corrected.

Support of the eight (8) RRT members attending the 1998 Tall Texans Institute
was discussed.  The eight include: Jack Becker, Tracey Cuellar, Phyllis Reed, 
Suzanne Byron, Laura Fowler, Martha Tarlton, Sandy River, and Mark Grissell. 
RRT will donate $500.00 to be divided equally among these eight individuals.

Pat Switzer reminded everyone that assistance in funding Legislative Day in 
1999 would be forthcoming.  She will need to know by Annual Assembly in July 
how much RRT will contribute.  Pat also asked Jeanne Pyle to recognize and 
express appreciation to the RRT officers of this past year.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marian Jackson
RRT Secretary/Treasurer, 1997-1998
Copyright Š2007, Reference Round Table, TLA
