The meeting was convened by Chair Kathryn Taylor at approximately 9:45 AM at the Warwick Public Library.
Attendees included:

*Susan Aylward, Secretary and NKI
Deborah Barchi, BAR
*Peter Bennett, Systems and Network Administrator and PRO
Patience Bliss, CLAN
*Carol Brouwer, Vice Chair and NSM
Sheila Carlson, OLIS
*John Carney, Regional Rep and EPL
Frances Farrell-Bergeron, WWA
*Leslie McDonough, Treasurer and SCI
Ginny Moses, CLAN
Barbara Neri, NPR
*Anne Parent, OLIS
Rick Payette, CLAN
*Doug Pearce, Regional Rep and WAR
*Regina Slezak, Regional Rep and NPT
Cindy St. Amour, CLAN
*Kathryn Taylor, Chair and WES
*Ulla Virks, Regional Rep and CHA

MINUTES:
The minutes of the previous meeting were amended as follows:
Kathryn noted that the Committee had asked her to talk with a HELIN representative about the possibility of CLAN members joining HELIN.
The amended minutes were unanimously accepted.

Kathryn added an item to the agenda: discussion of the Organizational Committee, and decided to take the balance of the agenda items out of order.

1. ORGANIZATION STUDY COMMITTEE DISCUSSION:
Kathryn distributed a packet of documents she has gathered to use for the Organization Study Committee. Included were:

Cover letter (dated 9/2/04)
Thoughts from Frances Farrell-Bergeron (dated 3/24/04)
Concerns of Library directors dated (3/1/ 2004)
Notes from Susan Reed and Debbie Barchi (undated)
Recommendations on the Future Direction and Organizational Structure of the Cooperating Libraries Automated Network by CLAN (dated 2/98)
Terms of employment (dated 7/1/97)

The Steering Committee will meet on September 23 at 9:30 AM to discuss the study. Location TBD.

2. BYLAWS DISCUSSION:

Ginny distributed copied of CLAN bylaws with notes indicating specifics that are not currently in practice. When asked if there was anything of particular note to point out Ginny expressed the opinion that CLAN needs to define what a "legal" meeting is. She believes the March 1, 2004 meeting of some directors to have violated the CLAN bylaw requiring all meetings be properly announced and open. There was disagreement and discussion.
Leslie: all CLAN matters should be discussed in an open forum, not in secret meetings
Regina: freedom of speech should apply. Why didn't someone request an open forum March?
Leslie: some directors did not receive notification of this gathering.
Ulla: we have the right to meet and talk about whatever we wish.
+++MOTION by Leslie: Results and recommendations of the March 1, 2004 gathering of directors be discarded.
+++SECOND by Doug
DISCUSSION:
Anne: it should be treated as an informal lunch-type chat-nothing formal.
Kathryn: just recommendations from some directors and should be included
VOTE: Aye 1
Nay 8
Abs 1
Motion did not pass.

Kathryn asked who is on the Finance Committee and when does it meet.
Ginny: the Chair, Treasurer, Central Site Rep and Executive Director. It meets in the fall to prepare the proposed budget for the following fiscal year. We try to have it ready to vote on for the November meeting since many libraries need to have a budget figure before February.

Regina: we should vote on expenditures and have regular Finance Committee meetings.
And where are the annual audit reports?
Ginny: they are kept at the CLAN offices.
Ulla: Management letter should be distributed
Susan: let's make this all a part of the discussion of the reorganization.

Kathryn: the new audit regulations require the CPA preparing annual audits to ask employees in a firm if they suspect fraud.

3. MEETING WITH BOB ASPRI OF HELIN

Kathryn reported on a meeting with Bob Aspri and Kathy Boyd of HELIN on 9/1 at the CLAN office. Leslie, Rick, Doug and Ginny participated.
Kathryn said she had been sidetracked from her originally planned line of questioning by the information Bob provided. She did later ask if it was feasible for CLAN to merge with HELIN, but forgot to ask if individual CLAN libraries could join HELIN if they want to. Rick pointed out that members of HELIN divide their membership costs equally, so that would be very expensive for single libraries.
Doug and Rick reported that HELIN would not want to merge with CLAN but to have a common user interface as they do with Brown University, as subject which was explored extensively several years ago as a result of the Berger Report.
The technology has improved and it appears doable, and possibly not too expensive. Costs that we know so far (approximate):
$24k one time fee
$4k to load the data
$24k annually
What is unknown is the cost of client software. Bob is checking into it and he and Peter will talk about the feasibility of the project from a technical standpoint.
InMich, Michigan libraries' common user interface has some libraries using DYNIX and some using III software successfully working together.
Debbie suggested we examine the ideas carefully because it may end up being too costly.
+++MOTION by John: to investigate the possibility of joining InRhode, the common user interface, with Brown and HELIN.
+++SECOND: Leslie
+++VOTE: Unanimously passed.

4. REPORT OF ATTORNEY OPINION REGARDING DYNIX.
CLAN'S attorney Charles White received a letter from DYNIX in response to his letter on behalf of CLAN regarding compensation for problems that occurred as a result of the migration. (Letter will be faxed to Directors.) Mr. White advises that CLAN does not have a legitimate claim and that we would probably lose a costly suit. He thinks that DYNIX has worked in good faith to remedy the problems and offer us all the training we want and 2 Web Reporter licenses, free of charge.

John: we need enhancements, not training.
Regina asked about a line in the letter that states that CLAN had a significant software error and that caused a lot of our problems.
Peter explained that it had to do with a half and full duplex network card situation and was NOT a major contributing factor.
Anne suggested we should concentrate more on the "pain and suffering" aspect of approaching DYNIX, as opposed to a breach of contract approach.

Ginny: the lawyer pointed out that all migrations are painful and no court would rule that DYNIX has to compensate CLAN.

Fran: the issue isn't a legal one. DYNIX should want to keep us happy so we don't spread the word in the library community about our problems. They should want to negotiate the $90k maintenance fee we are withholding to assuage our "bad feelings" and repay us in some way for what we went through with Horizon and HIP.
We need to meet with DYNIX and talk face to face.
Kathryn is outraged that DYNIX is blaming CLAN staff.
Susan suggested a partial payment to DYNIX.
Peter remembers that many years ago he negotiated with a vendor over a huge maintenance bill and it was reduced.

Rick: incorporate the idea that we have now dropped the legal action.

+++MOTION by Doug to recommend to the Membership that it authorize Peter Bennett to cut the best deal he can directly with DYNIX, and that CLAN terminate legal action against DYNIX.
+++SECOND by Anne
+++VOTE: unanimously passed.

5. STAFF REPORTS

Ulla: who is paying for the server you are getting?
Peter: I have it covered.

Leslie: what is happening with Cox Cable?
Peter: Haven't heard anything back from them, but they told Bill Fiske, Education Technology Coordinator for the RI Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education, that they were not proceeding with out internet project. Peter is assuming we can proceed with Verizon lines.
Exeter Library has its equipment for internet access but no Cox line, even though it was ordered in May. Cox says it needs a new pole from Verizon.
EXE had planned to open on 9/25, but that's not likely.

Regina asked about HIP screen customization.
Peter suggests people see how it looks at PAW.
Database Management subcommittee was look into customization. Let's resurrect that committee and have them find out how much time, expertise, tracking, etc. would be needed to do the customizing.
Hennepin County Library System has beautifully customized HIP, but they also have hired a full-time software engineer to write XML code. How much effort and expense are we willing to put out?

Peter, Cindy and Rick met with a DYNIX engineer, and Peter is convinced that given 2 to 3 years HORIZON will do whatever we want it to do. It took years to get DYNIX the way we wanted it, too.

+++A HIP Customization Options Workshop has been scheduled at WWA from 9:30 on+++

Please note that The September 9 CLAN meeting is at NPT and the November 18 CLAN meeting is at WES.

Rick re-emphasized that on 9/13 and 9/14 we are doing a rewiring project at the CLAN office and that will mean that the Minutes and Reports site and the mail server will be unavailable. We will have a temporary e-mail address of clanoffice@provlib.org

6. LORI COMMITTEE VACANCY

One of CLAN's seats on the LORI Committee will become vacant as Celeste Dyer's term expires. Celeste would be happy to continue if CLAN so wishes.
+++MOTION to recommend to the Membership that Celeste be asked to continue as a CLAN representative to LORI Committee
+++SECOND
+++UNANIMOUSLY PASSED

Kathryn asked if the Library Futures Committee has a CLAN representative.
Anne: we have representatives form various types and sizes of libraries, not from organizations.

7. OTHER

Doug asked if the meeting held at ALA in Florida between Kathryn, David Macksam, Eileen Socha and DYNIX representatives had been authorized by CLAN. He said he was uncomfortable because DYNIX must have seen them as representing CLAN, since Kathryn is the Chair.

Anne: it was only a discussion, not official.
Doug: it was more serious than that because a written list of thoughts/concerns came out of that meeting and DYNIX obviously regarded it as substantial.
Ulla: I agree that there was a possibility of DYNIX misinterpreting the situation.
Doug: was it made clear that you were acting in an unofficial capacity?
Kathryn: anyone who was at ALA could have spoken with them. It was a friendly conversation.
Kathryn was outraged that DYNIX never mentioned that they thought CLAN staff was at fault when she was talking with them, though they put that in their letter to the attorney.

Doug asked if the letter from the attorney had gone out to DYNIX before Kathryn's meeting with Jack Blount et al at ALA.
Ginny said that it had.

Doug: there is no such thing as a "friendly conversation" with a vendor in that situation and that it is unwise to have heart to heart talks with them under such circumstances. It has to be clear in the future that you don't represent the Membership.

Meeting was adjourned at 11:30.