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Structure
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
On August 25, 2008, the Structures Study Committee approved responses to six questions regarding the possible merger of SELCO and SELS. The questions were presented to the Committee, along with a list of affirmations, following the special meeting of public library directors on August 5, 2008.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
These materials were distributed at the Committee meeting on Monday, August 25, 2008.
- SELCO Advisory Committee meeting attendance (PDF 25KB)
- Committee Framework proposed during the FY 2001 strategic planning process (PDF 65KB)
- Possible Multitype Meeting Framework based on comments received thus far during the public discussions of a possible merger of SELCO and SELS (PDF 75KB)
With an emphasis on regional cooperation for improved teacher effectiveness, Minnesota established nine regional Teacher Centers. Each includes partnerships with K-12 school districts, educational service cooperatives, and higher education institutions. The Centers are located in Thief River Falls, Mountain Iron, Fergus Falls, Staples, Marshall, St. Cloud, Mankato, Rochester, and Plymouth. In preparation for the 2008-2009 school-year, districts in each region sent teams of teachers to one of the Centers for training. In turn, these certified trainers will train teacher in their home districts for improved instruction skills in mathematics and science.
Funding was approved during the 2007 legislative session with additional money made available through a grant from the National Governors Association.
The Structure Committee will reconvene a month earlier than originally planned to review the public comments presented at the six public discussion held to date and draft a response to the questions posed by the public library directors.
- Agenda (PDF 43KB)
- Meeting Notes, March 24, 2008 (PDF 34KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- A Summary of Individual Comments as part of a public discussion on the possible merger of SELCO and SELS held August 11, 2008 at Winona State University (PDF 50KB)
Ann Hutton, Executive Director
At a special meeting of the SELCO Advisory Committee on August 5, 2008, those present approved a SELCO Advisory Committee Statement on Structure Study.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
I've just sent out a call for nominations to fill open seats on the ILS Operations Committee and an election will be held before the next meeting, August 21. This provides an opportunity for new faces to come to the table. (Always keeping in mind that every meeting is an open session and visitors are welcome to attend and participate.)
The Online Library directors elected the first ILS Operations Committee representatives and alternates in 2003 and the committee held its inaugural meeting on April 1, 2003. As SELCO and the Online Libraries were deep in the midst of our migration to Horizon, the first joint meeting with the Board appointed Technology Policy Committee was held October 9, 2003 after the September 3 migration.
As the joint committee dealt with the challenges of a new system, the meeting structure evolved over time using a variety of options for the collaborative discussions. These included the ILS Ops committee meeting for an hour or two before the joint meeting and the Tech Policy Committee joining ILS Ops every other bi-monthly meeting. At a special called meeting in January 2006, the joint committee decided it would meet monthly and this practice continues today.
The ILS Operations Committee has had an interesting mix of elected representatives and alternates. Some have been involved in this decision-making role since the committee was created and others have shared their time and talents but then moved on to other tasks. Previous members of the ILS Operations Committee include:
- Shirley Taylor, Lourdes High School, School Library Media Center Representative, 2003 – 2008
- Barbara Misselt, SELCO, 2003 – 2007
- Graham Benoit, Owatonna Public Library, Large Public Library Representative, 2003 – 2007
- Jeanne Johnson, Zumbrota Public Library, Medium Public Library Representative, 2003 – 2007; Also served as the elected chair of the committee, 2003-2007
- Angie Meyer, Dodge Center Public Library, Small Public Library Representative, 2003 – 2005
- Vicki Tate, Small Library Alternate, 2003 – 2005
- Dick Kettering, Shattuck-St. Mary’s, School Library Media Center Representative, 2003 – 2004.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- A Summary of Individual Comments as part of a public discussion on the possible merger of SELCO and SELS held July 15, 2008 at Albert Lea Public Library (PDF 53KB)
- A Summary of Individual Comments as part of a public discussion on the possible merger of SELCO and SELS held July 2, 2008 at the Lake City Public Library (PDF 55KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
At the joint meeting of the Technology Policy Committee and the ILS Operations in February 2008, members revised the responsibilities of the ILS Operations Committee. As part of a discussion, members reviewed the breakdown of voting representation in comparison to financial support of the SELCO ILS.
The makeup of the ILS Operations Committee with five members and three alternates elected to represent the online public libraries, two elected school representatives and one alternate, matches (within percentage points) the use of the system in terms of circulation and holdings shared with the cooperative. The representative make-up of the ILS Operations Committee also mirrors the levels of financial support by type of library.
As part of the public discussions on a possible merger of SELCO and SELS, the question has been raised if library representation on the ILS Operations Committee is the right mix. Based strictly on a statistic analysis, the current makeup fits a variety of factors, which certainly argues that in the interest of striving for a manageable size group, the number of individual should stay the same. Others might put forth an argument for a larger group, or a different mix and I am amenable to that discussion.
At the last ILS Operations – Technology Policy Committee, I proposed increasing the membership of the ILS Ops Committee and correcting a number of items that have slipped over time. Details of what I proposed are included below. No action was taken while the elected public library representatives poll the library directors.
Recommendation
1. Retain the current two elected representatives of large public libraries and elected alternate
2. Call for nominations for the position vacated by Jeanne Johnson formerly representing medium public libraries and currently filled by LaVonne Beach, the elected alternate. (The call for nominations in August 2007 did not receive any responses.)
3. Shift the seat held by Sharon Grossardt from representing small public libraries to a medium slot since the St. Charles population places this library in the “medium” category. This would give medium public libraries a second seat at the table.
4. Call for nominations for a small public library representative in the slot previously held by Sharon Grossardt.
5. Call for nominations for the second small library representative since Susan Hart completed her second term, 2005-2007, and there should already have been a call for nominations. Susan would be eligible for a third term and is currently the elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.
6. Likewise, a call for nominations for the small library alternate is needed. Stephanie Silvers completed her first term, 2005-2007. Stephanie is also eligible to be nominated.
More information is available on the website.
- For a complete roster of the ILS Operations Committee members and ex-officio attendees
- For the committee charge and list of responsibilities as edited by the Committee in February 2008 and approved by the Board
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- A Summary of Individual Comments as part of a public discussion on the possible merger of SELCO and SELS held June 24, 2008 at St. Olaf College (PDF 54KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
As noted earlier, there is a wide selection of organizational agreements in use around Minnesota's regional libraries. Here are a few more examples:
- North Country Library Cooperative (NCLC) Organizational Agreement (PDF 60KB)
- Northern Lights Library Network (NLLN) Organizational Agreement (PDF 131KB)
- Southcentral Minnesota Inter-Library Exchange (SMILE) - 2002 Organizational Agreement (PDF 52KB)
- Southwest Area Multicounty Multitype Interlibrary Exchange - FY 2003 Organizational Agreement (PDF 37KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- Alternative Model for Advisory Committee Structure submitted by James Hill, Director, Zumbrota Public Library (PDF 130 KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
As intended when the Board approved conducting a series of public discussions about a possible merger of SELCO and SELS, ideas abound. James Hill, the Director of the Zumbrota Public Library, has offered a well-constructed meeting proposal. It is quite evident from the discussion thus far that hosting only two general meetings and adding a “zone or cluster” meeting will be insufficient as initially outlined for a public library meeting schedule. James proposed four quarterly public library directors’ meetings and a series of regular meetings, not based on a geographic zone but on size of library. A very interesting concept and one SELCO staff and members of the Structure Study Committee feel can easily be integrated with other suggestions coming from the public library discussions.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
The SELCO Bylaws were originally adopted in July 1973. A major revision occurred in during FY 2002 and most the recent amendments were approved in April 2003.
The SELS Bylaws were originally adopted in July 1981 and amended in July 2002.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
The public library and multitype systems just to the west of SELCO/SELS have also been engaged in a structure study. Soutcentral Minnesota Inter-Library Exchange (SMILE) and Traverse des Sioux Library System (TdS) will present a merger proposal to the regional library board at their June meeting.
