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Present: Aurora Cruz, Ann-Marie Cutul, Karyn De Luca, Maxine Grandison, Dulce Juarbe, James Leftwich, Srivalli Rao, Carolyn Reznick, and Sharon Rothman

Excused: Tim Baird, Zahra M. Baird, Diane Batemarco, Francene Costello, Ed Falcone, Harriet Huang, Marybeth Kendrick, Opal B. Lindsay, John Monahan, Cathy Paulsen, and Karen Zielinski

The meeting came to order at 10:20. Motion (De Luca/Juarbe) to accept the Minutes from November 13 meeting passed with two minor corrections.

President’s Report:
·    Leftwich reported that WLA needs to have an official address or P.O. Box in order to set up a Paypal account. Cutul will investigate if the old Eastchester P.O. Box is still active.
·    Leftwich will also check with Falcone what address is used for WLA for our bank accounts. Leftwich will investigate setting up a P.O. Box for WLA in White Plains.

Treasurer’s Report:
·    Leftwich reported on behalf of Falcone who was excused. There has been no major activity. Only a small amount of interest has been credited to the Savings Account.

Membership Report:
·    Rao reported that she will send out membership renewals in the beginning of next week and attach the flyer for the Winter Social at O’Malley’s February 5, 2009.

Youth Services Section:
·    Leftwich reported on behalf of Zahra M. Baird who was excused. The Mock Awards program will take place January 15, 2009, at the Scarsdale Public Library, 6 – 8:30 p.m. Public and School librarians in Westchester and the NY Metropolitan area will be invited, as well as Westchester authors. The format will be breakout discussion groups for Caldecott, Newbery and Printz Awards. The program will be free, and refreshments will be served.
·    The Board voted to allot $500 to fund the event.

Support Staff Section:
·    Grandison reported that she has secured Ma’lis Wendt as a workshop speaker for the Annual Conference.

O’Malley’s Winter Social:
·    Reznick reported that she has made arrangements for the WLA Winter Social to be held at O’Malley’s Bar and Restaurant in Mount Kisco, Thursday, February 5, 2009, 6 – 9 p.m.
·    For $1200  and approximately 40 people, O’Malley’s will provide a buffet with chicken, a pasta dish, Caesar salad, nachos, beer, wine, soda, coffee and tea. There will be entertainment by Andrew, the guitarist. WLA members will be charged $10 a piece.
·    Rothman suggested we have a storyteller and offered to contact Cathy Storfer, a professional storyteller. Reznick also volunteered to contact Carol Birch of the Chappaqua Library.
·    Deadline for signing up will be January 23, allowing the possibility of extending the deadline if we have too few sign-ups.

Bowling Event:
·    Rothman reported on behalf of Paulsen who was excused. Paulsen is investigating repeating last year’s bowling event at the White Plains Bowl. The event would tentatively take place on a Friday night in March.

2009 Annual Conference:
Schedule: The Board agreed to the following schedule:
    Registration & Exhibitions 8 – 3 p.m.
    Breakfast 8 – 9 a.m.
Exhibitions 8 - 9 a.m.
    Business Meeting 8:45 – 9 a.m.
    Guest Speaker 9 – 9:45 a.m.
    Exhibitions 9:45 – 10:15 a.m.
    Program I 10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
    Exhibitions 11:15 – 11:45 a.m.
    Program II 11:45 – 12:45 p.m.
    Lunch & keynote speaker 1 – 2:15 p.m.
    Exhibitions & Book Signing 2:15 – 3 p.m.
    Raffle in Exhibition Area 3 – 3:15 p.m.
    Program III 3:15 – 4:15 p.m.

Washington Irving Author Program:
·    De Luca, chair of the Washington Irving Adult Book Selection Committee, reported that the Committee had developed a preliminary list of Westchester authors with fiction and non-fiction works published within the last two years. She would welcome any additions to the list. De Luca suggested posting previous lists compiled by the Committee on the WLA website. The suggestion was strongly endorsed by the Board.
·    De Luca requested that the Washington Irving author panel be a morning program and asked Board members to assist with conversation at the author luncheon tables.

Book Selling:
·    Leftwich reported on behalf of Zahra M. Baird, that the owner of the Pleasantville Village Bookstore has accepted the invitation to be on site to sell books by guest speakers and award winning authors. The Committee consequently voted not to allow Washington Irving award winning authors to bring their own books to sell.

Possible Speakers:
·    Rothman reported that she had investigated having fashion consultant Pamela Parisi as a program speaker. Ms. Parisi’s fee was too high, and the Board voted against it.

Post Conference follow up survey:
·    The Board agreed to use the online site SurveyMonkey for a post Conference follow up survey. Rao will send out a reminder e-mail on the Monday following the Conference to WLA members to fill in the survey. No paper surveys will be passed out.


The meeting was adjourned (Grandison/Cruz) at 11:45 a.m.

                        Respectfully submitted by Ann-Marie Cutul
Upcoming Meetings:
January 8, 2009, 10 A.M. – Noon, Chappaqua Public Library
February 5, 2009, 10 A.M. – Noon, Yonkers Will Library
March 5, 2009, 10 A.M. – Noon, Eastchester Public Library