ARKLink Meeting Minutes February 22

Peggy Morrison (Hendrix) presiding
Bill Parton (ATU)
Virginia Perschbacher (Seark)
Dena Plaisted (UAMS)
Renee LeBeau-Ford (ATU)
Abby Holt (UAMS)
Merle Vincent (NAC)
Jerrie Townsend (PCCUA)
Mary Hawks (UAMS)
Shirley Williams (Harding)
Ann Hobby (Harding)
Mark Shores (UAM)

Ronald Russ (ASU-Beebe)
Mary Ryan (UAMS)
Susan Goldner (UALR-Law)
Henry Terrill (Harding)
Martha Coleman (UA-Fort Smith)
Myron Flugstad (ASU-Jonesboro)
Carol Macheak (UALR)
Mary Farris (GCCC)
Ann Dixon (Harding)
Juana Young (UAF)
Carolyn Henderson Allen (UAF)
Dean Covington (Lyon)
Mattie Lucas (Philander Smith)

The ARKLink meeting kicked off at 5:30 p.m. following the College & University Libraries meeting of the Arkansas Library Association conference.

Morrison distributed the policies and procedures for a proposed ARKLink statewide borrowing card. The card would let patrons of ARKlink libraries check out materials from other ARKLink libraries. ARKLink representatives will sign the document and return it to Peggy Morrison at Hendrix. A final version will be sent out by Kristine Shraugher so that members can begin implementing the card.

There have been nine (9) votes for far in favor of ARKLink applying for Arkansas Non-Profit status. Morrison suggested that those ARKlink members who have not yet voted be automatically put down for "yes." Henry Terrill, Chair of the Governance Task force, has applied for the non-profit status but as of the date of the meeting had not yet heard anything.

Kathy Sanders has stepped down as chair of the Fundraising Task Force. Janet Parsch of UAF will take her place.

Susan Goldner stepped down as chair of the Resource Sharing Task Force. Kristine Shrauger of UAF will take her place.

Morrison reported that soon ARKLink will need to select a new chair and vice-chair as the terms are coming to an end. The secretary's term will also be ending. Nominations etc. will be done via e-mail.

Database Purchasing

The renewals for CINAHL, PsycINFO and the ABC-CLIO databases (Historical Abstracts/America:History and Life) are coming up. Renee asked if ARKLink members were interested in seeing trials for different vendors of CINAHL and PsycINFO. It was agreed that changing interfaces often is not a good idea. The PsycINFO renewal isn't due until Feb. 1 but past experience has shown that getting it done can take some time. Representatives from Books in Print have been calling quite often and have greatly reduced the price for an online subscription (from almost $2000 to $699)

Collection Development

Virginia Perschbacher reported that a spreadsheet detailing the electronic resource holdings has been completed. There are still some libraries who have not responded. The spreadsheet will offer a snapshot of holdings and will probably be updated on a yearly basis.

The next ARKLink meeting is tentatively set for March 21.