HAWAII: JOY! JOY! READ THIS

[Pat Wallace <DENWALL@AOL.COM>]

THE BIG NEWS FROM HAWAII!!!!!!! Sent by Deborah Gutermuth,
Kaneohe Library in Hawaii and on Hawaii Working Group Panel
at ALA.  Forward from

Patricia Wallace
Chair, Hawaii Working Group
American Library Association
Social Responsibilities Round Table
Alternatives in Print Task Force
denwall@aol.com

Forward>>>>>>>>>>>
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 1997
From: "Grant and Deborah Gutermuth" <gutent@hgea.org>
To: "Patricia Wallace" <DENWALL@aol.com>
Subject: news

Pat-
Here is the digest version of June 19.  9:00 am- Governor's office- Norman,
Ginger and I are among the 20-30 supporters there for the signing of SB538.
9 State Senators and Representatives were also present.  Bi-partisan
support, especially from Senator Mark Moses(R), was INSTRUMENTAL IN
COUNTERING  the VETO requested by Bart's office and the AG's office.  Mark,
who really supports privatization, says he only supports it when it works!!
This sound and dissenting opinion helped the Gov. realize all was not as
presented by Bart.

3:30 PM- Board of Education meeting.

Blue Ribbon Panel gave it's unanimous support to canceling
the B&T contract.

Board went into immediate executive session - (closed door)- and we
resumed at 7:30pm.  Public Testimony was heard.
Senator Tam, Norman  (Norman Fitzpatrick, YA librarian at Kaneohe
and also on HWG panel in SF)  and Faith Arakawa (Librarians Association
of Hawaii  President) spoke against B& T.  Rebecca Bishop (Coalition for
Improved Libraries / COIL President) and I spoke against Bart, and about
the employee (no-confidence) survey.

Board voted to unanimously send recommendation of
cancellation to Bart for immediate implementation,
as State's contracting officer.

 If he stalls or doesn't implement their recommendation, His jig
is up.  Strong indications that he may not get contract renewed.

Bill538, now ACT 2??, will kick in July 1, 1997.
Once formal cancellation of the contract is done,
no further outsourcing of selection allowed.

Our future?
There are several scenarios,  most call for re-hire of catalogers, and
individual in-house processing, with selection on the Branch level, and
either a commercial selection tool as aid, or Selection lists on-line by
various section heads and branches, or some combination of the two.
We will not go back to central selection, or central processing, as there is
no physical place or machinery left that would allow it.  With drop-ship by
vendor, there is really no need, at this point.  The next year will be a
-see as you go- type affair.

JOY! JOY!

Dr. Lee Putnam, administrator  at UH, who was in charge of
the Blue Ribbon Panel, is a former librarian.  We all can think of
NO ONE locally who would fit our hopes for a successor to Bart
better than she. She is decisive, effective, and a great consensus
builder- open to lots of input.  Tailor-made, I believe.

We are putting this bug into as many ears as possible.  When privately
approached, she merely said it might be a bit premature.  Not a turn down-.


Must sign off, and go to work.

Aloha, and Happy Day
Deborah
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