CALL Executive Board Meeting Minutes – January 2022

CALL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
Conference Call
January 11, 2022 9:06 a.m.

Board Members Present: Jamie Sommer, Scott Vanderlin, Carrie Port, Lindsey Carpino, Sarah Andeen, Mandy Lee, and Tom Keefe

Board Members Absent: None

Guests: Jean Wenger called in for part of the meeting

Significant Actions:

  1. Call meeting to order – President Jamie Sommer called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m.
  1. Approve agenda – The agenda was approved.
  • Approve Secretary’s minutes – The November meeting minutes were approved.
  1. Treasurer’s Report 
    • Harris Balances as of November 1,2021: $20,854.50 in our CD and $16,982.74 in checking.
  1. Membership numbers: 210 active members.

Old Business

  1. Strategic Plan Review – Reviewed plan point by point
    1. Goal I A(2) we agreed to up the deadline to 18 months
    2. Goal II – Heard that maybe the U of I might be doing a joint MLS – JD, but no proof.  Plan will remain the same, but it is something to keep an eye on.  Maintain relationships.
  • Goal III -A(1) Hot topics – do we still need? Now that they are monthly regular CE programs. Many years ago stopped doing the institute day and started doing mini-AALL meetings.  Local presenters would do their presentations early.  This was popular because it was not a full day.  Getting people to commit to a full day in person is just too much time away.  Mini AALL is much more popular.  Either in person or online.  How about changing the strategy to host Hot Topic to host mini AALL or Hot Topic (AKA anything of interest to members)
  1. Goal IV A(2) – should we change longer term members to something else. Original meaning might have been to engage longer term members, but that is covered.  Develop training and education as they progress through their careers.
  2. Goal V A(2) – Pushing the outreach with ILA and maybe other public libraries and then also maybe legal clinics as well to support Goal IV helps to cover corresponding with leaders in the legal community.
  3. Goal VI – Should we be the leader in a DEI plan or let AALL take the lead? AALL has formed a committee.  Maybe we could form a committee as well to follow AALL using their ideas and then it will be ongoing and more of a commitment rather than a simple statement.  What would they do?  Monitor what AALL is doing and other Chapters are doing.  Come up with ideas for events, generate content for the newsletter.  Maybe put out an announcement in the next meeting that we are coming up with a special committee.  Hold off creating a policy until we form the committee and get a sense of the landscape.   As far as the diversity training for board members go – everyone is getting a lot within their institutions and we do not have a strong formal onboarding process.  Scratch the line item and roll it into the DEI section and make one of their charges is to advise the board as to DEI training for the organization.  Meeting policy section should be ok and may just need updating on the website and the handbook.
  1. 75th Anniversary of CALL
    1. Call for volunteers was not a success. One volunteer. Jamie will send out another plea today. Maybe reaching out to former board members or retired people.  Personal pleas.  Also putting together as summary of what is in the CALL Bulletins as to what was done in the past.
  2. New Business
    1. September Committee Chair visits/call-ins: 9:40 – Jean Wenger for Strategic Planning
      1. Went over proposed changes outlined in the Old Business section. Changes were agreed to with discussion held on the following points – as far as removing items from the plan, leave it in, but put in a note that board decided not to pursue – this allows for better historical memory.  As far as the planning and outreach for the 75th – Corporate Memory has some ideas and will be updating the board.  We may have to do more in the Fall rather than the Spring.  Jean views committee as an advisory committee and then the Board should edit, change as needed – with regards to policies and timing. Board will revise the plan, but just wanted to make sure that there was nothing we were missing in terms of what the strategic planning people were thinking when they drafted the plan.  Answer was these strategies are just guides or assists to the board as to what they should be considering to make sure that the goals and objectives of the plan get met.  Plan to roll in the DEI training for the board into a special committee charge makes sense according to Jean.  Gives a good framework, but also provides flexibility.  The committee charges have been updated – so how do we reflect this accomplishment.  Jean says leave it in the plan, make a note that it was done, and modify the charge slightly to say committees should always be looking to make sure they are up to date.
      2. How do we track what has been accomplished? Two parts – Strategic Plan and then day to day operations.  Maybe a spreadsheet – Goals and Objectives and then Strategies.  This gives you a way to have the information available for the members.  Maybe have a section at each Board meeting where the strategic plan was updated if needed. Maybe do it as a Google Doc.  If everything is not accomplished by the end of the plan in 2023 it is not a failure, just knowing what happened is a success.
  • Jamie will send around a revised version of the plan to formally approve the document at the next meeting.

 

  • Committee Reports
  1. Archives – Tom – No updates
  2. Bulletin – Sarah – No updates
  3. Bylaws – Jamie – No updates
  4. Community Service –Carrie – No updates
  5. Continuing Education – Tom  – event coming up on Wed. Nothing planned beyond that.
  6. Corporate Memory – Sarah – A late e-mail from the Committee outlined the following: There are currently no additions to the policy log. The committee is wondering if when the Board is actively making a policy change that the minutes highlight that in some way.  Currently members read the minutes and make determinations of this, however it is better determined/indicated by the Board at the time. Also some suggestions for the 75th celebration: Working with the city to have street banners put up recognizing the anniversary; Creating a special 75th anniversary logo for use this year; Depending upon health/safety measures, have a celebration outside the business meeting.  Outdoor locations or university locations may be best to avoid cancellation fees.  It was mentioned that the DePaul building on State Street has an indoor/outdoor rooftop space that might be a good location.; For the 50th the Bulletin did an issue that focused on each decade of the organization.  This would be a good thing to do again.; Several special speakers (virtually) throughout the year.
  7. Government Relations – Mandy – Managed to export Finding Illinois Law to Pressbooks and some formatting issues, but mainly good. Also promoting the AALL advocacy training.
  8. Grants & Chapter Awards – Lindsey – No applications as yet.
  9. Meetings – Scott – Finalizing details for the speaker and Claire Willis has agreed to do the next media meeting.
  10. Membership – Lindsey – No updates
  11. Mentorship – Mandy – Feb 17th, all new members since fall 2020 will be invited.  New mentoring cohorts will be rolled out at the breakfast.  CALL website has been updated and will continue to add new materials and some oral histories from HEIN.  Planning on an adaptive leadership program in April and have a CALL bulletin coming up in the next one.
  12. Nominations & Elections – Jamie – All good to go for Feb 15th.
  13. Placement/Recruitment – Carrie – No updates
  14. Public Relations – Scott – Change in leadership due to maternity leave.
  15. Strategic Planning – Carrie – Discussed in meeting
  • Adjournment – The meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m.