Suffolk County Library Association

Minutes of the Annual Meeting

November 8, 2003

Location: Atlantis Marine World Aquarium, Riverhead, NY

1. Call to Order: Rona Dressler called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.

2. President’s report: Rona Dressler thanked the 2002 Board and all Committee Chairs for a successful year. She thanked Cynthia Guzzo and the Annual Dinner Committee for all their work. Rona spoke about SCLA’s cooperative efforts with NCLA, and she mentioned the Legislative bus trip, the Legislative workshop, and the L.I. Reads program. She introduced Janis Schoen, Director of the Elmont Library and chair of the L.I. Reads Committee and Trina Reed of the Elmont Library, a member of the Committee for 2003. Ms. Schoen spoke briefly and announced that Julia Alvarez’s How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents would be the committee’s choice for 2003. 

Rona Dressler then resumed her report. She continued her overview of the past year and thanked the following people: Angela Richards, for work on the Walk-a-thon; Debra Engelhardt, for arranging the L.I. Ducks outing; and Edana Cichanowicz for organizing “Writers on the Vine.” Rona reported that SCLA has obtained (at no cost) coverage for general liability insurance. The L.I. Library Conference moved to the Crest Hollow Country Club and was a big success, with over 830 attendees. This past year the SCLA Handbook of Committee Responsibilities was updated. She thanked Stephen Ingram and Sue Holden for their work on the Public Awareness and Long Range Planning Committees, which have begun visiting orientation programs at nearby Library Schools. Rona thanked Fran Altemose for beginning a new campaign to sell SCLA t-shirts. Rona mentioned that Joe Loughren had worked on obtaining tax-exempt forms for the various Divisions. She also thanked Laurene Tesoriero for her work on the Legislative breakfast. 

3. Approval of minutes: Rona asked for a motion to accept the minutes of the previous Annual Dinner (Nov. 9th, 2001). James Olney made a motion and Joseph Loughren seconded it. The motion passed.

4. Treasurer’s Report: Joseph Loughren reported $16,414.62 in the general fund, $3,365.50 in the Scholarship Fund, and $342.50 in the Intellectual Freedom fund, for a total bank balance of $20,122.62. Cynthia Guzzo made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report. Laurene Tesoriero seconded the motion. The motion passed.

5. Announcement of the newly elected incoming Executive Board members: Joan Clemens announced the 2003 SCLA Board members.

President: Joan Clemens, Harborfields Public Library

V.P./ President-Elect: Cynthia Guzzo, Longwood Public Library

Secretary: Patty Thomson, Longwood Public Library

Treasurer: Joseph Loughren, Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

Members-at-Large:

Edana Cichanowicz, SCLS

Angela Richards, Northport-E. Northport Public Library

Past President: Rona Dressler, Patchogue-Medford Library

6. Announcements of newly elected Division Officers:

DASL – Sue Ketcham announced the names of the incoming officers:

President: Kevin McCoy, SCC/Ammerman Campus

V.P./President Elect: Virginia Antonucci, LILRC

Recording Secty.: Jeffrey Santorello, MLS candidate

Corresponding Secty.: Regina McEneaney, SCC/Ammerman Campus

Treasurer: Joan Lauri, NYIT/Central Islip Campus

Past President: Sue Ketcham, LIU/Southampton Campus

Members-at-Large:

Carole Gambrell, SCC/Ammerman Campus

Matthew Sheehy, Dowling College

Sue Ketcham also invited everyone to DASL’s annual meeting on Dec. 6th.

RASD – Jo-Ann Carhart announced the names of the incoming officers:

President: Deborah Cunningham, Harborfields Public Library

V.P./ President-Elect: Sue Gottesman, Smithtown Library

Secretary: Peggy McCarthy, Smithtown Library

Treasurer: Kitty Grinnell, Longwood Public Library

Jo-Ann also announced that Christine Farrugia had just given birth to a baby girl, Savannah Rose.

CATS – Laura Hawrey announced the names of the incoming officers:

President: Laura Hawrey

Vice President: Matthew Sheehy

Secretary: Melanie Weiss

Treasurer: June Zinsley

Past President: Aurora Tiffany

Members-at-Large:

Joyce Bogin, Renee Capitano, Cynthia Guzzo, Anne Reissig, Angela Richards, Min Liu.

SSD – Fran Byrne announced that the division had dropped the word “services” from its name, and is now simply the Support Staff Division. She then announced the 2003 Board of the division:

Marie Mueller, Westhampton Free Library, President

Gail Dickerman, Sayville Library, V.P./President-Elect

Laureen Andria, Westhampton Free Library, Treasurer

Linda Hoff, SCLS, Secretary

Members-at-Large: Dorothy Curto, SCLS; Rose-Ann Karasavas, Longwood Public Library; Don Klersy, Sachem Public Library; Marsha Greenspan, Sayville Library.

YASD – Jennifer Quirk announced the 2003 officers:

President: Lorraine Squires, Middle Country Public Library

V.P./President-Elect: Rhea Pollack, Brentwood Public Library

Secretary: Susan Tychnwicz, Sachem Public Library

Treasurer: Jennifer Quirk, Patchogue-Medford Public Library

7. Excellence in Library Service Award: Gail Pepa thanked the committee and acknowledged all ten outstanding nominees: Rosetta Barbera, North Shore Public Library; Karen Eisinger, North Babylon Public Library; Christine Farrugia, Smithtown Library; Gilbert Hardy, Rogers Memorial Library; Donna Headley, Dowling College; Jeanne Moroney, Middle Country Public Library;

James Olney, Northport Public Library; A.J. Olsen, South Huntington Public Library; Theresa Selg, Islip Public Library. Nominees who were present came up received their certificates of recognition. Gail then reported that the committee’s unanimous choice for the 2002 ELSA was Outreach Librarian Carolyn Hasler, of Huntington Public Library. Carolyn Hasler was presented with a framed certificate and a $200 savings bond. She spoke briefly, saying she enjoyed the variety of her work that the award was precious because it had come from her peers. 

8. Scholarship awards: Jennifer Quirk and Will Salas thanked everyone for buying raffle tickets and supporting other fundraisers that contributed to the Scholarship fund. They presented the 2003 Scholarship to Serena Brooks, an MLS candidate at the Palmer School and a Trainee at the Smithtown Library, Commack Branch. Serena accepted the scholarship, expressed her gratitude and vowed to continue to work hard in library school. Jennifer and Will then announced the winner of the new Continuing Education Award for Library Support Staff. This award went to Barbara Anne Schott. Barbara is a computer technician and instructor of seniors at Floyd Memorial Library.

9. Adjournment: Rona asked for a motion to adjourn. Cynthia Guzzo made a motion, and Kris Minschke seconded it. The meeting was adjourned.