Library Office Notes

AUGUST LIBRARY EXHIBITS

Arquitectura Latinoamericana
Latin American and Caribbean Library Display

The Illinois Natural History Survey Biological Collections
Main Hall Display Cases

Evolution 2002
Mueller Case, East Foyer

H. G. Wells
Rare Book Room

The Career of Professor Harry Hilton
Grainger Library, Grand Gallery, 2nd Floor

University of Illinois Library Office of Development and Public Affairs

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EIRC Meeting Minutes
July 12, 2002

1.  Geographical Information Resources Recommended for the Gateway

Lura presented some of the map and geographic information sources recommended for inclusion on the Gateway.  She had some questions about the appropriateness of certain sources, especially those that had a great deal of advertising on the site.   The Committee’s view was that the content was the most important aspect and agreed that the sources Jenny Johnson and Lura were recommending should be included.   Lura will provide information immediately on at least some of the sources to Darlene and will send the rest soon.  Becky Smith asked for a clarification regarding sources listed on Online Reference section of the Gateway under Atlases and Country, State,

2. Discussion of Moving SilverPlatter Databases from the ERL server to the Web

Aart believes the ERL server may be reaching maximum capacity.  Also, regular receipt and loading of CD’s is quite time consuming.  Lura had looked at the web interface when this question was first raised and gave reasons why she would prefer to maintain local loading.  Aart was asked to supply hard data on the positive impact on Systems of moving SilverPlatter to the web including possible cost of a new server, alternate use for the current server, and quantitative assessment of the labor that might be saved in Systems, if local mounting were discontinued.  The Committee did some searches on the web interface but reached no conclusions.  Advice will be sought from selectors who have SP databases related to their area.

3.  Upgrading of Information on the Gateway

Systems asked EIRC sometime ago to help standardize vendor/product/publishers names on the Gateway.  Contact names are also a problem.  Sometimes resources have been added without contacts and many have either Paula Watson or Donna Keleher as contacts.  The Committee began discussion regarding how to deal with these issues, but no firm conclusions were reached.

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EIRC Meeting Minutes
August 15, 2002

Present:  L. German, K. Hogenboom, S. McEathron, K. Schmidt, B. Smith, C. Quinn, P. Watson, D. Ward, M. Williams

1.  New Member

Scott McEathron of Map and Geography is the new representative for Special Collections.

2.  Recommendation Re: Option to Return to Web of Science Portal

Watson asked the Committee for a recommendation re: a recent e-mail from ISI explaining that bookmarks for their new Web of Knowledge product need to made manually and offering the option of linking to the old Web of Science portal rather than to WOK.  The Committee recommended returning to the WOS portal.

3.  Next Steps Re: Consideration of Moving SilverPlatter Database Access to the Web

Although we had 30-day trial access to the web interface in the spring, few selectors had the opportunity to take a look at it.  Aart has provided an estimate of the cost savings to Systems, if we cease to maintain our locally loaded implementation.  A second trial will be postponed until October, when selectors will have more time to evaluate the service implications of the switch.

4.  Discussion and Review of Two Draft Documents:

(1)  "Paula’s Pretty Good Guide to Where our E-Resources come from and What to Do if they Stop"

(2)  "Proposed Standard Vendor ‘Name Authorities’ for the Gateway"

Watson has been working on the "Pretty Good Guide…" in order to provide staff with a general overview of sources from which we obtain e-information.  So far it deals with e-journals sources.  Consortium information will be added.  Watson will distribute what she has finished before going on sabbatical.  However, it looks as though the Troubleshooting Working Group will have to complete the section "What to do if they Stop".  The Committee was generally satisfied with the document as it stood.

Since Systems’ request for standard names was a year old, Watson decided to expedite matters by developing a working list of Standard Vendor ‘Name Authorities.’  She will pass this on to Systems.  Committee members should send comments ASAP.

5.  EIRC Next Year

Since Becky Smith’s term is ending, she asked whether or not the Committee would continue to meet and Social Sciences division should choose a new member.  After a brief discussion it was agreed that, at least for now, EIRC should continue to meet to deal with such issues as possible e-resource cancellations, the SilverPlatter web move, standard source names for the Gateway, etc.

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Academic Search Position Update

Positions Filled:

Brittle Books Coordinator:  Annette Morris

Digital Library Research Programmer:  Yu-Ping Tseng

Title	Search Opened	Search Extended	Search Closes	Search Cancelled	Interviews Scheduled
Vis IL Newspaper Project Cataloger	12-05-01		Extended		Sept 11, & 16, 2002
Mortenson Distinguished Prof & Director of the Mortenson Center for Int’l Library Progams	12-1-01		05-01-02		Final Stages
Middle Eastern Studies Librarian	02-04-02		03-29-02		Offer Pending
South Asian Studies Librarian	02-04-02		03-29-02		Final Stages
Head, Slavic & East European Library	02-18-02		05-03-02		Final Stages

Complete position announcements, including listings of the members of search committees, are available on the Library Human Resources website. The URL is http://www.library.uiuc.edu/administration/human/positions/employment.htm

(J. Lowder)

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