June 11, 2008,
Present:
Committee Members: Kathleen Lamb,
Susan Mackert, Pierce McNally, David Pratt, Amy Ryan, and Cynthia Steinke
Hennepin
Tour of
special collections and vault – Special Collections Senior Librarian Heather
Lawton
Heather explained to members the Athenaeum collection
in the Reister Reading Room and in the vault.
Welcome and
Purpose – Committee Chair David Pratt
David Pratt welcomed attendees and stated the purpose
for these meetings is the start of a new relationship with the Minneapolis
Athenaeum and the Hennepin County Library.
Our goal is to seek ways to move forward that will enhance and benefit
our partnership and be of great service to our customers.
Athenaeum
Overview
Information was distributed with background
information on Minneapolis Public Library and the Athenaeum. Included were annual reports from 2001-2003. Past contracts were written in 1885, which
was a 99 year contract and renewed for 50 years in 1984. The contract was not renewed at the time of
the merger.
Discussion lead by Ms. Mackert and Mr. McNally included
their concerns about Athenaeum books sent to Etherington
Conservation Services in
Ms. Mackert described how Minneapolis Public Library
handled administration responsibilities.
Former Athenaeum Librarian Edward Kukla evaluated the collection as interest to
scholars into five different levels. He
decided that some collections were better than others, but that a scholar would
not come to visit at the level of the Athenaeum collection. Therefore, the collection should not be
hidden from public viewing. It is
extremely important to get the collection into a form for customers to see and
touch. Of the 6000 rare books about 5000 items can be viewed without any
significant wear and tear. Many things don’t need the vault and can be
displayed in the Reister Room. They are
concerned regarding the conservation, preservation, and collection development
of the Athenaeum.
Discussion included potential areas for further
discussion:
- Athenaeum collection be
accessible to staff and customers; collection displayed in format for
customers to see and touch
- Training for staff as
to how to show materials to customers and working with volunteers
- Administrative
assistance
- Collection
development; reception for people to come see it
- Marketing enhancements
- More hours for greater
exposure; open one more day a week
- Establish more
programs to increase support and various funds to purchase books and some
operations
- Memo of understanding
between the Athenaeum and HCL for professional services, facility usage
and collection storage and preservation will be developed.
How have the
two entities worked together, including successes and concerns?
Discussion included these ideas:
§
Partnerships in
programs and events have been successful.
The Iraqi exhibit was successful with help from the Library with
security personnel, volunteers recruited, and brought
in 700 new customers who had never been in the building.
§
Shared staff
§
Facility and
space is an opportunity
§
Athenaeum is open
to working with Friends and Foundation
How does the
Athenaeum support the Library, how does the Library support the Athenaeum?
The Athenaeum raised funds for the capital campaign to
support the Minneapolis Central Library construction. The Athenaeum houses
their collection at the Library. They
have purchased the books for loan to the special collections at the
Library.
How does the
public benefit from an Athenaeum/HCL relationship? How do Athenaeum members benefit? Other benefits?
The Athenaeum said they have members who pay dues,
receive a newsletter, have access to books, invitation to programs, and put on
social functions. They are building
their own Friends. They solicit for
membership at events, hand them materials, and address them for rose scholars.
What are the
shared aspirations and potential for advancing this relationship into the
future?
Ideas discussed include the opportunity to market
reproductions of their collections.
The Athenaeum would like to reach a younger audience
and bring the collection into today. The
relationship with HCL needs to reflect a win/win situation with a huge
opportunity for everyone to be successful as they move forward.
The Athenaeum Board could come to Library Board
meetings to talk about the Athenaeum. The
Athenaeum could partner with the Minneapolis Institute for Art as a fundraising
opportunity. They could explore
digitizing the Audubon collection. There
are unlimited possibilities.
Next steps
The Library’s concern is a Property Services issue
regarding the building. The Athenaeum
vault door and the temperature/humidity settings are being reviewed by
Architectural Alliance. The county will
arrange for this to be completed within the next couple months.
The memo of understanding will be discussed at an
upcoming meeting. Some of the issues brought
up as next steps include insurance and liability, role of Athenaeum with HCL,
long term relationships, policies and procedures, governance and HCL liaison,
how Athenaeum advances the new HCL mission and vision which is under
discussion.
Next meeting:
Wednesday,
August 6,
Marilyn
Zastrow,
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