Minutes of the Masonic Library and Museum Association 2007

Masonic Library & Museum Association - MLMA

An International Organization of Librarians, Archivists, Curators, & Directors

Minutes from MLMA Meeting 2007
at the Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, PA
October 11-13, 2007
Minutes
October 11 (Thursday)

Attending: Dick Browning, Jeffrey Croteau, Tim and Mary Louise Daley, John Dorner, Jim Dufresne, Dick and Judy Fletcher, Jeff Fox, James Graham, Jay Hochberg, Val Korsniak, Bill Kreuger, George Lapham, David Lettelier, Larry Loyer, Albert and Virve Martin, Brian Rountree, Jerry Stotler, Mark Tabbert, Eric Trosdahl, Glenys Waldman.

Guest: Carolyn Bain from the Masonic Information Center, introduced by MSA Director Dick Fletcher, PGM.

Welcome by Grand Secretary of Pennsylvania Mark A. Haines and Executive Director Andrew Zellers-Frederick of Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania.

President Dick Browning called the meeting to order at 9:00.

Round-the-table introductions (to Mark Haines' delight, hearing so many jurisdictions represented)

Overview of meeting agenda: Dick Browning, President

Report by MSA Director Dick Fletcher, PGM on the first ever meeting of the Northern and Southern Jurisdictions of the AASR at the House of the Temple in Washington, DC - a great success.

Dick also exhorted us to up-date the MSA's Masonic Libraries: 1. Historical preface: Brian Rountree to write on Canada; Dick Browning, the USA and the foreword; Glenys Waldman, the history of MLMA. 2. A contribution to the revision of the Library and Museum Directory part must have a brief summary of the Library/Museum collections and its operation/programs. Brian Rountree handed out draft questionnaires to be revised and sent back to him. He will send out/post on the website a final version to be filled out (!).

Discussion of next year's meeting. Bill Kreuger of the Grand Lodge of Iowa handed out a preliminary agenda. The meeting will be in Cedar Rapids October 22-26, 2008. We would like to have the 2009 meeting on the west coast (Alaska, Glenys Waldman's suggestion, seems to be too far west). In 2010, we may meet at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial (in cooperation with The House of the Temple).

Adjourned for a tour of City Hall with Greta Greenberger, Coordinator of Tours; then to the National Constitution Center for lunch, orientation, and enjoyment of exhibits.

Informal dinner at Dark Horse Restaurant and dessert at Franklin Ice Cream

October 12 (Friday)

President Dick Browning called the meeting to order at 8:39.

Invocation by Brian Rountree (GL of Manitoba)followed by his talk about the online Masonic Catalogue in Manitoba (reference: http://www.libraryworld.net then "Manitoba Masonic Library"). He mentioned a free cataloguing system: www.mlasolutions.com which stands for "Mandarin Library Automation".

George Lapham (GL of the State of Washington) discussed the sharing of bibliographical data. Small discussion of subscribing to OCLC (very expensive).

Mark Tabbert (GW Masonic National Memorial) talked about 1. the Masonic Union Catalogue (MUC) - which would not be in competition with OCLC. Mark offered to digitize GL (and presumably other Masonic Bodies') Proceedings, and hopes to have One GL's Proceedings done for the February conference of the Grand Masters, Deputy GMs, and Grand Secretaries. Librarians should ask their GL if they would like to participate in that program (GWMNM would help with shipping costs) and in the MUC. Mark hopes to have finances and technical aspects of the digitizing project worked out in the next few months. 2. Mark also discussed having a "genealogical chart" of every lodge in the USA (where, when chartered, where moved, etc.) for the use of Grand Secretaries. {Secretary's note: I have done such a chart for the Grand Lodges}. 3. Concerning membership records: Each GL to determine which records to be released. At first: deceased members. 4. The first International Conference on the History of Freemasonry in Edinburgh, Scotland May 25-27, 2007 was very successful. All three British Isles grand masters were in attendance Ireland, Scotland, England (Pro-Grand Master, not Duke of Kent) - a first. Scotland is annoyed with popularizers and academic students of Freemasonry who do not acknowledge its Grand Lodge.

Carolyn Bain (Masonic Information Center) had also been in Scotland. She spoke about the presence and music of the National Youth Orchestra underlining the Performing Arts and Freemasonry, with the keynote of excellence. GLs should consider fostering an interest in music by Masons.

Adjourned to the University of Pennsylvania for an 11:00 tour of the Van-Pelt-Dietrich Library: Rare Books Collection with Lynne Farrington and Marjorie Hassen and the David Rittenhouse Orrery with Daniel Traister. After lunch: the video-conference (at PennVideo) with Professor Margaret Jacob of UCLA, who spoke on "Eighteenth- Century Freemasonry and the Cosmopolitan Ideal". There was a lively discussion, ending with applause from both sides for our work.

Reconvened at the Temple at 3:45.

Brief discussion of Prof. Jacob's books.

Dave Lettelier spoke on E-books and distributed a DVD of the basic Masonic Library. Discussion of possible sales thereof (Please: $2.00 "royalty": $1 to Phoenixmasonry and $1 to MLMA for each sale). Checks to be sent to Treasurer Eric Trosdahl). Contact www.discinthecity.com They duplicate DVD's. All the works on the DVD are in the public domain, so there is no copyright issue.

Re: Grand Master's...Conference in February. Mark Tabbert would like the display shipped to him. Needs a new one, says Dick Browning. There was agreement to purchase a table-top display with Browning and Tabbert getting it ready. We will keep the same brochures we currently have for the next GM Conference, but supply is low, so we shall have to consider reprinting it next year.

Secretary's report - Glenys Waldman, which included a report on attendance at Association of Masonic Museums, Libraries and Archives - Europe, in Paris. Attached.

Treasurer's report - Eric Trosdahl; report attached.

Motion to accept reports: seconded and carried.

Resolution of thanks to Dick Browning for his service as President (which term is for two years only - no re-election)

Election of Officers: President: B. Kreuger nominated Glenys Waldman; J. Stotler seconded. Vice President: J. Dufresne nominated Mark Tabbert; A. Reeves seconded. Secretary: J. Dorner nominated Brian Rountree; G. Waldman seconded. G. Waldman nominated Eric Trosdahl to a second term; J. Dorner seconded. Each carried by voice vote. Jay Hochberg was appointed Editor of The Beehive by acclamation.

Discussion of writing articles re MLMA to promote ourselves - for journals with wider circulation than individual Jurisdictions (e.g. Northern Light, Scottish Rite Journal, Heredom and other research lodge transactions).

G. Waldman moved to adjourn; J. Fox seconded. Carried. (ca. 6:15 pm). Agreed to meet Saturday (October 13) in the hotel for an informal breakfast at 9:00.

Dinner at the Masonic Temple at 6:30.

Addenda: Just so everyone knows:

1. Larissa Watkins' Bibliography of the Lincolniana Collection in the Library of The Supreme Council, S.J., entitled Our Very Illustrious Brother Abraham Lincoln, was published this year by The Supreme Council and Oak Knoll Books: http://www.scottishritestore.org then click "Books" then "History and Biography". Congratulations to Larissa!

2. Dick Bish answered my inquiry about Carol: she is making good progress in her battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and that both of them hope to be with us next year in Iowa. Dick added that they are using the Heritage system for cataloguing museum artifacts, and that anyone may contact him for information.

Respectfully submitted,

Glenys A. Waldman, Secretary

Secretary's Report - 2007

Greetings from Roland Hanke (President of AMMLA), John Wallsteadt, Michel Brodsky.

John Wallsteadt, among others at times, complains of not getting e-mail: Please make sure your contact information under "MLMAssn > members" is correct. E-mail Dave at webmaster@mlmassn.org .

Your secretary went again to AMMLA - this year in Paris, May 6-9, earlier than usual. We met in all three French grand lodges: the Grande Loge Nationale Française (near the hotel), the Grande Loge de France, and the Grand Orient, which is in a little street not far from the Opéra in an old former church.

The discussion of waiving dues for each of our groups with the other did not come up, partly because Dr. Roland Hanke is a member of MLMA on his own. After being given a rather broad hint, I paid for a membership on my own (the first time in the four years I've attended) but I consider it a contribution to be divided, as it were, over those four years. I am always treated very cordially, so I'm sure that anyone else who wishes to attend, would be welcome, as Georgia Hershfeld from New York was.

There was discussion of how they can "harmonize" their cataloguing. It was decided that the 2008 meeting will be in Bucharest, Roumania, maybe around May 20th. (2009 Bayreuth, 2010 Brussels). The question was asked whether any libraries have anything on Roumania and Masonry. Apparently, they don't have much - between the Nazis and the Communists. If you do, please let me know.

The highlights for me were the Architectures of the GLNF (inside and outside) and the Grand Orient and their museums. The GL had a great view and good food, but the building was relatively sterile. A son of a member of the GLF is chef at the national automobile club, so our final banquet looking out toward the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Parliament, and the site of the original guillotine, was very grand.

The three grand lodges cooperate on exhibitions and other projects: they just do not sit together in lodge! The GLNF is the one with which we are in fraternal correspondence, because as I understand it, they are the only one of the three which demands a belief in the GAOTU.

GAW
Treasurer's Report - 2007

The association recognized a significant gain in financial assets for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007.

Total assets increased from $10,080.35 as of September 30, 2006 to $12,553.05 as of September 30, 2007, for a net increase of $2,472.70. Assets consisted of $7,335.95 in

checking and $5,217.10 in a certificate of deposit which was renewed on December 2, 2006, at an interest yield of 5.10% and will mature on January 2, 2008.

The income for the year included dues of $2,600.00 and donations of $5.00, for total income of $2,605.00. The expenses for the year included registration fees of $50.00 (a deposit for the tour of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in October, 2007) and internet web hosting expenses of $299.40 ($24.95 monthly), for a total of $349.40.

It is anticipated that the association will continue to maintain a healthy financial statement for the foreseeable future.

Oct '06 - Sep 07

Oct '05 - Sep 06

$ Change

% Change

Ordinary Income/Expense

Income

Donations Received

5.00

5.00

0.00

0.0%

Dues - Affiliate

290.00

180.00

110.00

61.11%

Dues - Institutional

1,800.00

1,380.00

420.00

30.44%

Dues - Regular

510.00

355.00

155.00

43.66%

Total Income

2,605.00

1,920.00

685.00

35.68%

Expense

Registrations

50.00

470.00

-420.00

-89.36%

Internet Web Hosting Expense

299.40

343.95

-44.55

-12.95%

Conference Expense

0.00

1,798.55

-1,798.55

-100.0%

Postage and Delivery

0.00

27.72

-27.72

-100.0%

Printing and Reproduction

0.00

548.32

-548.32

-100.0%

Total Expense

349.40

3,188.54

-2,839.14

-89.04%

Net Ordinary Income

2,255.60

-1,268.54

3,524.14

-277.81%

Other Income/Expense

Other Income

Interest Income

217.10

0.00

217.10

100.0%

Total Other Income

217.10

0.00

217.10

100.0%

Net Other Income

217.10

0.00

217.10

100.0%

Net Income

2,472.70

-1,268.54

3,741.24

-294.93%

Sep 30, 07

Sep 30, 06

$ Change

% Change

ASSETS

Current Assets

Checking/Savings

Central Bank - Checking

7,335.95

5,080.35

2,255.60

44.4%

Central Bank - CD

5,217.10

5,000.00

217.10

4.34%

Total Checking/Savings

12,553.05

10,080.35

2,472.70

24.53%

Total Current Assets

12,553.05

10,080.35

2,472.70

24.53%

TOTAL ASSETS

12,553.05

10,080.35

2,472.70

24.53%

LIABILITIES & EQUITY

Equity

Retained Earnings

10,080.35

11,348.89

-1,268.54

-11.18%

Net Income

2,472.70

-1,268.54

3,741.24

-294.93%

Total Equity

12,553.05

10,080.35

2,472.70

24.53%

TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY

12,553.05

10,080.35

2,472.70

24.53%

Respectfully submitted,

Eric J. Trosdahl, MLMA Treasurer