Unapproved Special Membership Meeting, October 10, 2008
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Special Meeting of Ocean State Libraries was called to order by President Susan Aylward at 9:45 A.M. at the North Kingstown Public Library.
In  attendance: Heather Field (ASH); Debbie Barchi (BAR); Sandra Mundy (BUR); Ulla Virks (CHA & Southern Region Rep); Lynn Thompson (CLA); Lynn Blanchette (COV): David Macksam (CRA); Janet Levesque (CUM); Karen Taylor (EGR); Eileen Socha (EPL); Maxine Paquette (ESM); Amy Neilson (EXE); Kris Chin (FOS/TYL); Gayle Wolsetenholm (GLO); Christopher LaRoux (GVL); Joan Hackett (HAR); Paula DiBiase (HPE); Judy Bell (JAM); Jon Anderson (JOH); Becky Boragine (LIN and OSL Secretary); Patti Arkwright (NAR); Susan Aylward (NKI and OSL President );  Regina Slezak (NPT); Mary Ellen Hardiman (NPR) :Carol Brouwer (NSM); Susan Reed (PAW); Kathy Ellen Bullard and Cindy St. Amour (PRO); Leslie McDonough (SCI and Western Region Rep); Shirley Long (SKI and OSL Treasurer);  Cheryl Abouelaziz (TIV and East Bay Region Rep); Carol Draught and Sharon Fredette (WAR); Kathryn Taylor (WES); John Edwards (WIL); Leslie Page (WNS and Northern Region Rep); Carolyn Romelczyk (WPO); Patricia Redfearn (WRR); Howard Boksenbaum (OLIS); Jen Tulejo (STG); Joan Gillespie (OSL).
Written proxy received in advance: Fran Farrell Bergeron (WWA);    
Libraries not represented: BRI, CFA, DPL, LAN, LCO, MID, NSH, PAS, POR, WGR
2. ESTABLISHING A NEW FEE STRUCTURE :

Currently the existing fee structure is based on the following: locations 33%, circulation 39%, collection size 14%, and bandwidth 14%.

The present formula makes us heavily dependent on the following: libraries with branches maintaining the same number of locations; annual changes in circulation or collection size; and bandwidth, which has grown in importance since the inception of the original formula.

The reasons why we need to change the formula include the need to protect OSL against the possible changes in individual libraries, to try to stabilize the formula so that libraries can project their future fees, and to have the formula begin to reflect the increased importance of things such as bandwidth and license usage.

When a new fee structure was presented at the September Membership meeting there was objection to the use of Operating Expenditure as criteria.  Following the meeting Christopher LaRoux made a case for using population as a factor in the formula.  The proposed structure is based on the following: Commerce (total circulation + total collection - items loaned to other OSL libraries) 39%, Holdings 14%, T-1 line 14%, and population 33%.

There were some objections to the idea that for those libraries whose fees were going down their  rate of reduction would be more gradual in order to lessen the impact on libraries whose fees were increasing.

Voted 35 to 3 on a motion by Leslie McDonough (SCI), seconded by Ulla Virks (CHA), to approve the new fee structure as presented for implementation for FY 2009-2010 with a friendly amendment by Kathryn Taylor (WES) to take a vote today and ask for ratification at the November 6th Membership meeting.

3. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 10:50 A.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Becky A. Boragine
Secretary

UPCOMING MEETINGS
Quarterly Membership Meeting: Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 9:30 AM at the Newport Public Library