by Jeanne Gurnee
This is a brief record of recent work between the NSS and the NCKRI:
October/November, 2001 - A single-page proposal from the National Caves and Karst Research Institute: "Proposal to House the NSS Library Collection at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute." We propose that the NSS consider housing its library in the Institute's planned new building in Carlsbad, NM There was no mention of a loan of the Library, only that the NSS retain ownership of its collection.
October 5, 2002 meeting BOG in Detroit, MI - On the basis of the NCKRI proposal to house the NSS Library Collection, the following motion was presented in October:
Gatland moved: The President is authorized to negotiate [later changed to explore] an agreement with the NCKRI* to provide a secure environment, maintained by a professional staff for the NSS LIbrary. The agreement will allow member access to the books, retain NSS ownership, and require their return upon our request. The President shall present the proposed agreement [later changed to 'subsequent proposal'] to the Board of Governors for approval.
There was a motion to amend to add * "and other interested parties" after the words "Karst Research Institute." The vote to amend was defeated. No other proposals were invited.
Three past presidents of the NSS, Mike Hood, Dave Luckins [also chairman of the NSS Ad Hoc Library Committee], and Jeanne Gurnee stated that it was premature to vote to send the NSS Library (as written in the NCKRI proposal and the Gatland motion) to Carlsbad, NM, as the NCKRI had one employee and the new building was still in the planning stage. Following previous letters to the Board, Gurnee reiterated that the work to update the NSS Library could be accomplished in Huntsville and that computer cataloging had already begun some years back, initiated by the National Speleological Foundation, when the book collection was put on disc, with a 200-page print-out.
The suggestion from the floor was that the NSS can cooperate with the Institute to supply a fine reference library when its building is ready and also fulfill the NSS administration's responsibility to its members to maintain its original, institutional library in Huntsville.
October, 2002 - Following the meeting in Detroit the NSS Government Liaison and the Institute proceeded to make drafts of a contract between the NSS and the NCKRI.
December, 2002 - The Library Development Commission was established in the Huntsville Chapter, NSS, Inc. to fulfill the work to bring the NSS Library to its best and highest use. Dr. Charles A. Lundquist [past Associate Vice President for Research at the University of Alabama] would head the work. The NSS is fortunate to have a man of integrity and vast experience in science and administration to take on the job [see resume of Dr. Lundquist in the Library Development Commission proposal].
January, 2003 - The Library Development Commission sent a 24-page proposal and analysis of the NSS Library to each member of the Board of Governors, so that the Board would have a factual report about the details of the Library. The proposal would enable an update of the Library and would also provide for cooperation with the Institute to supply a good reference library. Among other accomplishments, the Commission would continue with data entry online to be shared with NSS members, the Institute, and other organizations, and initiate other library procedures.
The Commission's report gave a background of what had already been done in the Library, mentioning that the Library Development Commission is well positioned to define an appropriate collection to transfer to NCKRI custody. Having an excellent team at the Huntsville site is of important value to the NSS.
The Proposal also describes the library personnel with Charles Lundquist as Library Development Manager, an Advisory Board, and a hired professional Library Consultant. Other personnel includes a Librarian, Information Techologist, Multiple Holdings Coordinator and Exchange Librarian. The duties of each were described.
For the first time, the contents of the NSS Library were explained and the footage of shelf space that they occupy. Contrary to information released by others, the library has 297 running feet of open shelf space--ample for future acquisitions.
Fire protection was explained, safety features assured, including 24-hour alarm system, a drawing was included showing the various parts of this "Special Collection" and unique Library (all neatly on shelves), and a letter from the University of Alabama from the head of Archives/Special Collections. [The NSS Library in its entirety is called a "Special Collection."] Others who made the evaluation from the UAH Library were Head of Systems and Head of Cataloging. Its findings: The NSS Library is a treasure that is being carefully preserved and maintained. The members of NSS can consider themselves extremely fotunate to have such a source for information. Any break-up of the original, institutional Library, then, would destroy its value as a Special Collection.
The Library Development Commission's proposal also included a charting of the number of NSS members by state and a map showing where the heaviest concentration of NSS members are---making Huntsville much closer to the concentration of NSS Members than Carlsbad, NM.
Much more material was included in the proposal, including resumes of some of the Commission personnel and a partial listing of Huntsville Chapter's past experience with government and other contracts.
Following the distribution of the Huntsville Proposal, the NSS President established the Library Infrastructure Committee headed by Paul Stevens.
Meantime, many questions were being asked in caver publications and to members of the administration and Library Development Commission from NSS members around the country. They wanted to know if the NSS was now going to take keep its Library and not send it to another location, as there is now a very capable Commission in Huntsville. [The sending of a collection from the NSS Library rather than the Library itself developed between October and December, 2002 and was not in the October material.]
End of February, 2003 - The agenda was received for the March 15, 2003 meeting in Utah. Point 29 on the agenda is titled "NSS-NCKRI Proposed Statement of Work."
"Fee moves: The NSS concurs with the proposed cooperative 'Statement of Work' [see President's Report] understanding between the NSS and the National Caves and Karst Research Institute regarding the NSS Library."
The "Statement of Work" in the President's Report is the exact wording of the important commitments listed in the draft contract worked on between the NSS Government Liaison and the Institute since last fall.
If the motion is interpreted, it means that the NSS agrees with the drafted main purpose of the contract that gave a numbered list of what the NSS is committed to do as well as the Institute. Among other points, it includes providing a valuation of each book or item transferred, providing a valuation of the annual dollar amount for use of the NSS collection by the Institute, which will constitute an in-kind match of funding, provide an annual [federal fiscal year] valuation of NSS volunteer hours for activities related to the NSS collection, which will constitute an in-kind match of funding.
Also the NSS would transfer possession of mutually agreed upon new acquisitions to the Institute at least once a year. These would include 5 copies of any newly published NSS books, as well as five copies of NSS News and Journal of Cave and Karst Studies to the Institute when they are published. Also three sets of the bound periodicals will be forwarded after they are bound by the NSS.
Most problematical is that the NSS will fund the shipping costs of any or all books in the NSS collection housed at the Institute that the NSS requests in writing to be returned. As the NSS does not know what the building will be in Carlsbad, it is necessary to be certain that it is safe and has all the necessary safeguards present in the main library. Also that the location is not near a watercourse. Much discussion is necessary before the NSS entrusts any but a duplicate collection to the Institute.
It also encumbers NSS BOGs of the future to expenditures that they will want to consider now.
Mostly, the NSS will want to assure that it maintains any one-of-a-kind library materials in Huntsville as its "Special Collection." There is a great amount of material from multiple holdings that will give a fine library collection to the Institute; and full cooperation has been offered to share computer catalog data with the Institute and others.
The President and others on the Board had assured NSS members that there would be only a discussion of the contract and that a vote would take place at Convention in California. The March motion asks for a vote to agree to the above conditions and others listed in the contract (Statement of Work).
The motion could read: The BOG agrees in principal with the Statement of Work. In this way the membership would know that the Board at the Utah meeting is not committing itself to the terms of the contract when they had assured that they would not be taking this vote, and also in a location where most members are not in a position to attend and give input. The adjusted wording would allow the Board latitude to work out details instead of locking itself and the Boards of years to come into contractual terms and commitments that will undoubtedly require further refinement as the relationship between the NSS and the Institute moves on.
No mention in the reports of the Officers in preparation for the March meeting is made of the 24-page Proposal from the Library Development Commission of the Huntsville Chapter, NSS, Inc. For an accurate recording of proposals and for historical record purposes, this should be included so that members, as well as Boards of the future, will know that a viable offer was made by a Commission that is working continually on the site making its first priority its work for the benefit of the NSS. This should also be the first priority of the BOG.
Unfortunately the main body of members of the NSS did not have information about the BOG's intentions to move all or part of the Library, as nothing had appeared in any official NSS publication from the beginning of negotiations until present. Many of the 11,000+ members of the NSS were still unaware of Board's intentions regarding this very important responsibility of the NSS, as they do not frequently check the web for the most recent actions of the BOG.
NSS members have trusted their elected representatives to accept the responsibility for the care, custody, and control of the historical collections of the National Speleological Society by maintaining the irreplaceable, institutional NSS Library in Huntsville.
Updated information (submitted by Pat Kambesis)
March 2003: Prior to the March Board meeting, changes to the wording of the Motion were made as suggested above. The Huntsville Grotto Library Development Commission Proposal was included on the March Board Meeting agenda.
March 2003 Board Meeting, Park City, Utah: The motion for the NSS-NCKRI proposed statement of work passed as follows: 29. NSS-NCKRI Proposed Statement of Work (NSS Library) Fee moved: The NSS tentatively agrees in principle with the 'Statement of Work' in Attachment One to the Presidentís Report dated February 15, 2003 that describes a potential future relationship among the National Park Service, the National Speleological Society and the National Cave and Karst Research Institute. The NSS will reconsider the Statement of Work at its 2003 convention meeting. No agreement shall be consummated or NSS Library items be decided upon or transferred without the knowledge of the NSS membership and explicit approval of the NSS Board of Governors. Medville seconded.
VOTE: Unanimously in favor
PASSED
The Huntsville Grotto NSS Library Proposal was acknowledged and the following motion passed:32. Huntsville Grotto NSS Library Proposal
Stevens moved: The NSS gratefully accepts the offer from the Library Development Commission of the Huntsville Chapter of the NSS, Inc. to work with the NSS Library Committee and the ad hoc NSS Library Infrastructure Committee to improve the NSS Library and library services for NSS members. The NSS would appreciate the Commission's recommendation as to what NSS Library items might
VOTE: Unanimously in favor
PASSED