December Amigos Board Meeting Highlights

Amigos Chair Jennifer Goodson, Ft. Smith Public Library, AR, introduced her December 14, 2012, report with a reference to her “Viewpoints from the Chair” column in this publication. She reported that her column in the last issue of the Amigos quarterly newsletter ¿Que Pasa? focused on the New Directors’ Orientation session and how incoming Amigos Directors are informed about the organization’s operations. She also reported on her trip to Springfield, MO, where she and Amigos Chief Communications and Membership Development Officer Tracy Byerly co-presented the Missouri Library Association/Amigos Ronald G. Bohley Award. The award is presented to an individual or individuals whose actions have led Missouri libraries to work better together, and who exemplifies the best efforts to reach out beyond his or her own institution to promote cooperative activities among Missouri libraries. Goodson and Byerly presented the 2012 award to Jim Cogswell of the University of Missouri, Columbia.

In his Treasurer’s report, Amigos Treasurer Art Lichtenstein, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, reported that October net operations results for Amigos exceeded the FY2013 business plan and the organization’s net performance was positive. He noted the Amigos investment portfolio performance for October included unrealized losses. As part of the report, Directors received the results of the Amigos audit for FY2012. Bill Sims, a partner in the Dallas accounting firm Salmon Sims Thomas & Associates that conducted the audit, delivered the report. Sims noted his firm issued Amigos an unqualified opinion, the equivalent of an “excellent performance” report.

In other business, Directors approved borrowing from the organization’s cash reserves to fund additional staffing for the Amigos Open Source Integrated Library System program. Directors discussed the way the organization will apply member fees for the coming fiscal year (see Viewpoint from the Chair elsewhere in this issue). President and Chief Executive Officer Bonnie Juergens provided various reports to update Directors on the operations of the organization.

Dr. Anne Prestamo, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, and Chair-Elect of the OCLC Global Council, reported on council’s November meeting. Presentations from the meeting are available at http://www.oclc.org/us/en/multimedia/2012/global-council-11-2012.htm.

The next meeting of the Board of Directors is scheduled for March 6, 2013.