For New Yorkers: Notes from the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries, Mar. 13

These are my informal notes from yesterday's conference call (March 13).

News from the State Library (Jeffrey Cannell):

• Both sides of the legislature have proposed increasing library funding for the next fiscal year.
• Assemblyman Bob Reilly, Chair of the Assembly Libraries Committee announced that he will not be running for re-election, which means once again we will have a new library advocate in the Assembly next year. 
• New York State Library has been selected by the Gates Library Foundation as one of 10 state library agencies to work with the Parthenon Group on strategic priorities.  (03/15/2012: Info added for clarity)
• Texas State Library and Archives Commission has said, "The Foundation has a vested interest in seeing that state library agencies remain strong leaders and thus capable partners. They expressed an interest in helping these agencies in their strategic planning, in light of the budget reductions in many of the public library programs. The Foundation offered to provide the services of a management consulting firm used by the foundation for a number of other projects."

2020 Vision Plan (John Hammond):

• John reminded us how far we had come.  The work was launched in April 2010, when the Advisory Council met with members of the Board of Regents (Cultural Education Committee).  The planning committee was formed in the late fall of 2010.  Since then, many public comments have been received and the community has engaged in conversation about the future.
• The 2020 Vision will be presented to the Cultural Education Committee at its April 2012 meeting.  Before that meeting, Advisory Council members will be in touch with the members of the Board of Regents about the document. 
• The plan provides for many opportunities in terms of implementation.  It is a roadmap. A consensus document from the field.
• The Advisory Council discussed our possible actions after this is presented to the Cultural Education Committee.

There were brief updated from the Joseph F. Shubert Award Committee (Mary Muller, chair) and the LSTA Committee (Louise Sherby, chair).

The next meeting of the Council will be in April, when just prior to the meeting with the Regents.  There are conference call meetings scheduled for June and September.