[Bookstoprisoners] Fwd: [Imc] Steering Notes April 5, 2007

[Danielle Chynoweth]

Hi Deb,

I totally hear where you are coming from.  19 missing books since
January is not acceptable.  February's utility bill was over $6000,
which is the largest bill we have ever had.  Addressing these issues
is needed.  It is the solution that I have concerns with.

On the lights issue, Chris uses the B2P space regularly at early hours
in the morning (which is probably why lights are found on at 8 am).
He also is a notoriously bad light turner-off-er.   I know, I live
with him :)   So locking the door and giving Chris access (which he
has to have as building coordinator) won't fix the lights on problem.
I just called Chris and he has agreed to be diligent about this.

As for the books, might I suggest what other working groups have done?
  Instead of locking up a whole room, they have locked up the
equipment they need.  Shows group has a cabinet next to the sound
board, for example.  Finance had a locking cabinet and desk. From
looking at the book inventory, it is a fraction of that room's space.
Perhaps a locking cabinet would work?  Or locking the books in the
Avalanche room by installing a door?  Since you posted the sign and
put the drape over the bookshelf, have you had any missing books?

>From the perspective of the Space Coordinator, I have to tell you that
for 2 years I have heard various groups and tenants insist "other
people" are messing with their space.  One tenant was sure someone had
broken into their space, only to find out it was their office mate.
OJC constantly says IMC people are leaving their lights on and doors
open only to find out it is OJC staff doing it.  And I could tell you
many more stories.  Since we have little history of theft at the IMC
in our 7 years of existence, I wonder if volunteers working the
ante-room grabbed books off the shelves not knowing better.  I don't
mean to dismiss the concern, I just have been watching this consistent
and incorrect phenomenon of finger pointing for awhile.

Lastly, giving a few IMC people access doesn't address the problem
because many IMC members give tours of the IMC and who gives tours
changes often.

I will tell you my personal experience of showing off the B2P space to
people - they gasp, they ask how to donate, they ask how to get
involved.  I always pull a letter off the shelf, read a piece of it,
and then carefully return it from where it came.  I always ask people
Sandra's line - "what is the number one book people ask for?"  They
guess the Bible or the Joy of Sex.  I tell them "the dictionary."  It
is a really profound moment.  I can hear them think: "We are locking
up people who want to know what the words mean."  I will argue that
the ability for non-members, non-involved people to SEE your space is
really an important part of what you do.

I don't mean to be obstructionist.  I am one of your biggest fans.   I
write grants to pay the building's bills that include B2P prominently.
  I strongly respect the IMC ethic to let those who do the work make
the decisions for their working group.  I just would like the group to
carefully consider what the root of the problem is and what the
consequences to your public face when making this decision.

Thanks for reading.

- Danielle









On 4/10/07, Sand and Sea Sells Used Books Etc.
<sandncsells at ameritech.net> wrote:
>
>
> Daniel,
>   One of the concerns we have is that the listed AMAZON books (which were
> clearly marked in the anteroom and are now also covered) have come up
> missing from our book cases.  During the last few months (since mid January)
> we have had to refund or replace by drop shipping and other means well over
> $200 in books (approx. 19 books).  Due to the large number and amount of
> refunds for "no stock" (which also gave us some negative feedback), we are
> now on a type of "probation" with Amazon. We have been given a warning to do
> better or they will terminate the account. We do not want to lose that
> source of income.  This provides shipping and supply money, which is
> essential to our program.  This area is also where our debit card (several
> of us need access to it at different times) is kept.
>
> One problem that we have been having is that the entrance door is left
> unlocked by person's unknown and ALL the lights left on.  We have posted
> signs all over our work space and the door to remind people to turn off all
> lights and lock the door before leaving.  With the cost of energy these days
> (I can't even imagine how high the IMC bill is after seeing how mine has
> more than doubled), this is a terrible waste.  Saturday morning I came in at
> 8am for the book drive and found the rooms wide open and all lights on.  I
> can only assume it had been that way all night.  Many other volunteers have
> noted coming in at different times and finding either the door unlocked, all
> lights on, or both (including the lamps over the computers).
>
> At our Saturday meeting we discussed again the problems with missing items
> and energy wasted.  Our thinking was that we could move the copier out to
> the anteroom as well as the packing station, move the Amazon books into the
> main library, and secure the door with a lock that limits the number of
> people having access.  SOOOO many people have keys that we discussed giving
> keys to B2P keystaff and of course key IMC people.
>
> We are not trying to make it a "private" area.  Just one that is more
> efficient in power usage and more secure for our books and financial items.
> Brian and Chris will still be able to have their "meetings" in the library
> or feel free to use the tables in the anteroom.
>
> I hope this clears things up a little.
>
> Thanks,
> Deb
>
> Deb Sanderson
> Owner/Buyer
> Sand and Sea Sells Used Books Etc.
> www.sandncsells.com
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Danielle Chynoweth
> To: wmullins at insightbb.com
> Cc: bookstoprisoners at lists.chambana.net
> Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 10:13 AM
> Subject: Re: [Bookstoprisoners] Fwd: [Imc] Steering Notes April 5, 2007
>
> Hi B2P -
>
> B2P is an essential part of the numerous tours we give at the IMC.  It would
> be a same to miss this public education opportunity at the IMC by locking
> B2P because of 1-2 incidents in 2 years.  I would urge you, not that you
> have made it very clear what books are not to be touched, to take a "wait
> and see" policy before changing the locks.
>
> It is important that the IMC and its groups do not appear like closed clubs.
>  I think adding more and more locks hurts us more than it helps us.
>
> - Danielle
>
>
>
> On 4/10/07, wmullins at insightbb.com <wmullins at insightbb.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > Here are Mike Lehman's minutes from the 4/5/07 steering meeting.  I was
> too busy Saturday to write up my own usual notes.
> >
> > A few things to add: I did confirm that there are no other events on 4/16
> until the evening dance classes and that we can use the loading dock into
> the evening if, for some reason, we're not done removing books by 5pm.
> >
> > Also, the concerns about the production room brought up by the Public I at
> the meeting (see notes) are similar to the discussion we had at the B2P
> Saturday meeting about possibly changing the lock on the inner door to the
> B2P room to secure the Amazon books, etc.  Steering had a long discussion
> about sharing space vs. securing space, with consensus that Working Groups
> that need to secure particular resources need to be sure that there's some
> policy or mechanism by which other IMCers who have legitimate reasons to use
> those resources have access to them.
> >
> > I'm not sure what that means in our case.  The Steering discussion
> centered on use of computers, audio and video equipment et cetera that is
> earmarked for a particular working group but that other IMC members might
> want to use for short-term projects.  If B2P has separate keys for the inner
> door, does that exclude any IMC members who might have a legitimate reason
> to use the room outside of B2P shift hours?  Sorry if I'm getting a little
> abstract.  Concretely, I guess that means: Who gets keys?  How do we handle
> requests/complaints from IMC people who might want to use the room too?
> >
> > Okay.  I'm getting longwinded.  I'll leave it there. BTW, my daughter has
> a chorus school thingy Thursday 4/19.  I might be able to show up at the
> Steering meeting late,  but is anybody interested in showing up as the spoke
> that week?
> >
> > Bill
> >
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > From: Mike Lehman <rebelmike at earthlink.net>
> > To: imc at ucimc.org
> > Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:13:40 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
> > Subject: [Imc] Steering Notes April 5, 2007
> > IMC Steering Meeting April 5, 2007
> > Attending: Mike, Dan, Bob, Rory, Bill
> >
> > Shows
> > Made arrangements with David J. for May Day event payment
> > $300 allocated from Show fund for cabinet and mixer to replace the current
> board
> >
> > Print
> > Bob raised issue of Print production delayed in part by having gear
> dismantled again, but Dan and Mike suggest that Print lockdown their gear
> and post it so that people will respect the set-ups needed for Production,
> may need to revisit making policy on understandings needed for shared
> resources in production room, also reminder about need to accommodate
> increasing diversity in all those now using these facilities
> > Reminder to Print about ad for B2P book sale to rerun artwork from last
> time
> >
> > B2P
> > Book sale, April 12-16, half price books starting the morning of the 16th,
> > Still need volunteers for setup on the 11th and takedown noon-5pm on the
> 16th
> > RSVP to bookstoprisoners at lists.chambana.net or
> susanpbruce at yahoo.com
> > Still taking your book donations…
> >
> > Finance
> > Audit is finished, Hooray!
> > Working groups should be able to check their balances shortly with Finance
> and address various requests. Please be patient.
> > Building is showing as basically breaking even up to this point, but with
> energy prices going up we obviously have to continue to watch our finances
> closely as we carefully manage building operations. Please turn out unneeded
> lights!!!
> > Energy audit also conducted recently, may be some suggestions coming from
> that on best ways to be greener and save dollars.
> >
> > Tech
> > Working on new servers.
> >
> > RFU
> > Will have a mailing to IMC list for permanent tower fundraising campaign
> going out shortly.
> >
> > Video
> > Two people interested in getting video going, Dan assisting them, Video
> list reactivated, if interested send them an email at
> imc-video at lists.chambana.net .
> >
> > Generally, everyone present agrees that the production room, gear in vault
> and other resources needs lots of TLC as we grow and more people are getting
> involved in making media at the IMC – wanna volunteer to help?!?
> >
> > Some concerns continue to be expressed about the state of web editing, but
> leaving it to IMC-web for now.
> >
> > Reminder: UC IMC General Membership Meeting and Second Birthday Bash for
> the Building coming up on May 5. This will need a mailing at the end of
> April and some organization for the day of the GMM
> >
> > Notes by Mike
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > IMC at lists.ucimc.org
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> >
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> >
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>
>
>
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