Friends Minutes for the Annual Meeting of 20 May 2010

The Friends of Albany Public Library, Inc.

Minutes for the Annual Meeting of 20 May 2010.
Submitted on 24 May 2010. 7:17 to about 8:30 pm

Annual Meeting held in the Albany Public Library, Main Branch, Auditorium

Attendance not taken. There were about 28 attendees, of which the Recording Secretary identified about 17 as members of the Friends of Albany Public Library, Inc. Some people arrived late, in order to hear Joe Donahue’s talk.

Gene Damm presided, calling the meeting to order at 7:17 pm.

Reports

Gene Damm, the President, reported that the Friends had partnered with the NYS Writers Institute in sponsoring the talk by Douglas Blackmon and that has plans to cosponsor another event in the fall with them. The Friends had also cosponsored a talk with the Center for Jewish Studies at SUNY at Albany and plan to repeat this in July. We gave $2,000 to the Library for the summer reading program. We had special events, including talks by Bishop Hubbard and Congressman Paul Tonko.

Roger, the retiring Vice President, reported that he has maintained the blog for the Friends: aplfriends.blogspot.com. It gets one or two dozen hits each day. His priority in posts is first, items about APL; second, about the Friends; third, events in the Library buildings. He noted that library budgets around the country are being cut, although usage of the libraries is up. Please send him items to be posted (rogerogreen@gmail.com).

Judi Baum, the Corresponding Secretary, was absent.

Jonathan Skinner, the Recording Secretary, reported that minutes and agendas for all meetings had been sent out in a timely manner. We had upwards of 50 book review meetings in the last year. The minutes are public and may be obtained from the recording secretary upon request. [They also will be available on the Friends blog.]

Roger Green presented Peg Lazarczyk, the retiring Treasurer, with a certificate of appreciation for her many years of service as treasurer. Peg responded that she had decided to step off the stage and that she has enjoyed being treasurer. She also provided a report that covered the period, 25 April 2010 through 20 May 2010 (transcribed into the minutes below). There will be a luncheon on Tuesday, 25 May 2010, after the book review to recognize and honor Peg.

Eleanor Billmyer received the George Held Friends Volunteer Award in recognition of her service to the Friends.

Paul Hacker, speaking for the Nominating Committee, which consists of himself (chairman), Mary Alice Maynes, and Grace White, gave the nominees for officers: Gene Damm for President; Grace White for Vice President; Jonathan Skinner for Recording secretary; Nancy Dover for Treasurer; & Judi Baum for Corresponding Secretary; the nominees for members of the Board of Directors for the term to expire in 2013: Eleanor Billmyer, David Colchamiro, Lois Parsons, Peter G. Sokaris, & Willie Mae Spencer; and the nominee to replace Grace White, who is resigning to become Vice President, hence for a term expiring in 2011: Roger Green. Grace withdrew her nomination because she is planning to move and because of her health; this left no candidate for Vice President. Gene called for nominations from the floor, and there were none. He then asked for acceptance of the Nominating Committee’s report, which passed verbally with no dissent. [This completed the election. The Recording Secretary will send out an updated list of board members when he has obtained the necessary information from the new members.]

Carol Nersinger, Executive Director of APL, thanked the Friends for helping pass the budget and noted that the Friends board member Mimi Mounteer received the largest number of votes in the recent election of Trustees of the APL.

Joe Donahue told us about his love for libraries, which started when he was a child riding in the bookmobile that his mother, a librarian, took around Washington, DC, and about his life as a radio interviewer with WAMC. His talk was followed by many questions sparked by his talk.

The meeting ended at about 8:30 pm.

Next Meeting:
Time: Monday, 27 September 2010 (last Monday of the month), 5:00 to 6:00 pm
Place: Meeting Room 1 on the second floor of the Main Branch, APL.

Treasurer’s Report
Submitted by Margaret Lazarczyk
Transcribed into the minutes by Jonathan B. Skinner

25 April 2010 through 20 May 2010

Income

Membership $935.00
Hospitality 20.00
Interest 0.94
955.94

Expenses

Tim Truset--labels 28.07
Judi Baum card 3.03
31.10


Account Balances

Gibson-Silverman Account $11,480.82

Elizabeth Wagner Account 843.53

Savings account 3,895.88

Checking ccount 1,306.02
16,458.65

Date of this document: 24 May 2010.
Prepared by Jonathan B. Skinner, Recording Secretary