Library Office Notes

Administrative Council

Meeting of July 6, 1998 - Minutes:

Present: Pat Allen, Alvan Bregman, Bill Brockman, Tina Chrzastowski, Bart Clark, Sharon Clark, Alan Conrad, Tom Kilton, Sharon Kitzmiller, Betsy Kruger, Barbara Jones, Nancy O'Brien, Aart Olsen, Karen Schmidt, Sue Searing, Beth Stafford-Vaughan, Mary Stuart, Robert Wedgeworth (chair)

From ISICC and the Cataloging and Authorities Implementation team:

There is a problem that since the DRA system will be a unified catalog of all the members holdings, the security levels for those in cataloging must be restricted on Day One so that the stability of the new DRA system can be checked before moving on. Only those who have taken the cataloging training and are in units that do original cataloging (Tech Services, Slavic, Music, Asian, Map) will be at Level 5 security and will be able to change records. Others will be at Level 1 and will not.

Points Discussed: How will this affect staff doing Reserves? People may need Netcat level 4 or Circulation level 6 clearance to work on records

Are there other units doing original cataloging on OCLC?

When will the system be ready to move on?

From Executive Committee - as drafted and checked through FRC & RPC

Draft Policy on Research Time: A short document that stresses the importance of research and the need for Library faculty to take research time as needed. Important sections: "It shall therefore be expected that Library faculty will take up to ten hours during regular business hours for research activities.."; "research time shall be decided upon in consultation with other members of her/his unit . . . research time may be taken in blocks of up to eight hours"

Discussion points:

How will this document affect service levels and personnel levels?

What is definition of proper time for librarianship, including research?

What is a proper definition of regular business hours in Library?

Difficulty untenured faculty have of getting time to do necessary research.

Does Library know what actually happens during "Library day?"

Need data on how much time is routine for average faculty.

What expectation is there from staff of how this policy will affect units?

What is the perception from Campus of this type of document?

When finished, document will be sent out on library wide communications.

There is a need for the entire Library faculty to be more supportive of the entire Library faculty, and nurturing of junior faculty is there a consensus on what the role of Library faculty should be (5-3-2)?

Provost office has asked Library for answers on this issue.

If implemented some units would have severe service changes (cutbacks).

This document will be redrafted and rediscussed in Executive Council and Administrative Council. This is an important issue that will affect a great many of the things the Library must do soon.

There was a question about the tornado procedures, after problems from storm on Monday the 29th.

Question about the state of the Reconfiguration: Bart replied that the nominations for the Space Reconfiguration Committee were not yet finished. A program statement is due by August 1st; architects will then start on design; bids to go out in November.

Mr. Wedgeworth stated that the Committee Handbook will be out by the beginning of the semester.

Submitted by: Alan Conrad

Minutes of the 7/27/98 Executive Committee Meeting

Present: Anderson, Cole, W. Maher, F. O'Brien, K. Schmidt, Stuart, R. Wedgeworth, M. Williams. Guest: Searing

I. Minutes: Minutes of the 6/22 and 7/20 meetings were approved.

II. Informational Reports:

A. Wedgeworth reported that most of the salary letters were sent out, posting the ranges of 2.8% - 3.5% - 4.0% increases. Letters for those in the Tech Services Division and the Systems will go out this week.
B. Due to Sandore's illness, Wedgeworth asked to defer items III B, C, & D to a special meeting at10am - 12 noon, Wed. July 29. Wedgeworth will confirm the place and notify Sandore and Mischo. Cole requested to defer the item IIIE: Guidelines for Acting and Interim Appointments.
C. Appointments to the Strategic Planning and the Gateway Project Advisory committees were reviewed. It was noted that the Coordinators should serve on the Strategic Planning Committee. Wedgeworth will check on the status of the appointments for the four individuals who are going off the Gateway Committee. Wedgeworth indicated that the Committee Handbook would go to press in the first week of August. The publication of the Staff Directory will be held back until September in order to include all new people.

III. Old Business:

A. Task Force on User Education update: As an update on the Task Force activities since the last report on June 22, Searing reported some membership changes, the addition of a temporary grad hourly staff, and clarification of short term goals to concentrate on the telnet version of DRA. TFUS does not anticipate the Web version to be a problem. Instructional materials being prepared include: press-ready pocket guide for distribution to all grad students as well as detailed instructions
on regular size paper (under final editing). Scripts for a one hour session as well as for 10-minute brief sessions are being drafted also for use by the library staff. Searing received CCSO's agreement to insert a sheet in the remaining stock of 'Computing @UIUC' though no revision is expected on the book and to update the web version.

O'Brien suggested an article to be put in the graduate student newsletter. Cole suggested that instruction includes the type of telnet client the user will need, i.e., QVT or Smartterm for PC's and NCSA Telnet for Macs. Stuart asked if the number of workshops was too high. Searing answered that they would be canceled or used to give additional training to the staff. Schmidt asked if the library was promoting one version over another by focusing the training sessions on the telnet version. Williams commented that an informal discussion in the Life Science Division favored training of staff on the telnet version and training the public on the web version. Searing indicated Central Public Services will focus on the Telnet version and will handle questions from all directions.

Searing also indicated that the delay has been noted on the announcement on the Gateway page, and that signs and bookmarks would (will) be given Gen order numbers and distributed to units. Balloons and "Ask Me" buttons will be available on Day 1. A publicity event with soft drinks will be held on August 31 outside the Undergrad. Library. Wedgeworth suggested that the Task Force sends information about the event to the Daily Illini. Cole expressed concern over student e-mail lists which could perpetuate inaccurate information. Searing assured the Committee that plans were
underway to give out accurate information by designating "who to call" and keeping logs at Central Circ of questions from the users and staff members. Schmidt commended Searing for a job well done at the Senate Library Committee meeting. There was a general agreement that Books and Bytes section on the Gateway was receiving favorable comments from the users.

B. Wedgeworth distributed a copy of the memo from the Technical Services Division outlining the scope of each team. The process of reorganization will involve team leader selection followed by member placement. F. O'Brien is studying the salary matters. Wedgeworth and O'Brien, after reviewing staff input, will recommend the team leaders to the Exec. Committee in the near future.

IV New Business

A. Williams suggested that the Executive Committee members elect be invited to attend the next EC meeting on August 10. Wedgeworth will invite them.

B. FY99 Budget
Schmidt reviewed the FY99 Materials Budget Distribution document which was introduced at the library faculty meeting on July 17, 1998. Wedgeworth indicated that the $64K targeted distribution was based on many factors which identified these 9 funds as "woefully underfunded". In response to Anderson's comment that some other funds might belong to this category, Wedgeworth said that this was a part of a 5-year budget restoration program and that it would take a while before a general consensus is reached. Schmidt indicated that one of the major activities was to determine the impact of new courses and programs on the library. The Library did not monitor them in the past. Anderson added that a new faculty member could also have an impact on the library budget. Schmidt said that the size of the replacement fund, as well as all of
General funds, would be reviewed by the General Funds Subcommittee of the Collection Development Committee. Cole raised a concern over the 6.2% across the board increase. Wedgeworth noted that the strength of the U.S. Dollar currently gives us much more buying power in Europe and, therefore, reduces the need to consider differential increases due to price increases.
Schmidt indicated that the inflation was based on EBSCO's 10% estimation and the $121,808 inflationary cushion would be released if not needed. There was a general consensus that the removal of the price cap, initially thought to be of help to Art and Architecture, would be of help to the sciences as well. B. Jones will be asked to report on the use of the preservation funds at a future meeting.

C. Staffing Survey Advisory Group
Wedgeworth explained his rationale for suggesting that the full Executive Committee serves as an advisory body to B. Clark on staffing survey. He recommends that Burger be asked to work as a special assistant to BC. This will be a first stage of staffing survey and B. Clark will be responsible for administration and basic data gathering activity. Agenda will be presented at the next meeting.

D. Anderson raised a question about the need to release the Visiting Committee report to candidates for promotion to Professor. The logistics as well as the pros and the cons of providing the report were discussed, and it was decided that the reports should be made available to the candidates early in the process. Anderson will prepare a clean copy to present to the Executive Committee by around August 10, and to the library faculty at a future faculty meeting.

E. Collection Development Committee
The relationships between CDC and Electronic Information Resources Committee was discussed focusing on the suggestion that EIRC become a subcommittee of CDC. Stuart brought up an example of Chadwyk-Healey proposal as something which required discussion in a larger collection needs context. Williams indicated that EIRC has clarified many points raised by the initial memo by Lavagnino, and dealt with many questions initiated by the selectors, the Systems Office, and the Gateway Committee, some of which are outside of CDC's concerns. Wedgeworth suggested that EIRC be given more time as presently constituted and that they be charged with developing a plan to seek CDC input on proposed omnibus resources. Wedgeworth will ask both
committees to report on their activities and limitations at the end of AY1998-99.

Respectfully submitted,

Mitsuko Williams, Secretary Pro Tem

Cataloging Policy Advisory Committee

Minutes of the August 17, 1998 Meeting

Present: L. Ballinger, A. Bregman, R.Burbank, N. Davis (for original cataloging), G. Hueting (Chair), J. Johnson, J. Lee, N. Miller, C. Penka, F. Simpson, P. Smiley, S. Smith, P. Thurston

1. Announcement:

New member, Jenny Johnson, Map Librarian, will represent the Division of Special Collections, replacing Nancy Romero.

Barbara Henigman, the team leader of original cataloging in Technical Services, will chair CPAC starting next month.

2. DRA report and issues:

Gail provided a list of contact persons for NetCat-OCLC related problems; this list was added to the list contacts on the UIUC DRA implementation web page:

Maintenance of records: Nancy Luker
OCLC Inputting for DRA: Virginia Clark
Added Copies: Mariella Capes
NetCat Searching (including call number searching): Gail Hueting
NetCat Editing: Stephen Smith, Patricia Thurston
Workflow issues (who does what, routing): Alvan Bregman

Questions on the specifics of holdings conversion related to material codes, loan periods, or request exempt flags: contact the Transition Team member for your division.

Bregman asked units to random check some of the single monographic records after the records in the gap period shelflist are loaded into the database. This is to make sure the records and holdings appear properly on DRA. Contact Nancy Luker, if changes are necessary. ARM will add the
multivolume and serial holdings in DRA. Continue to check the gap period shelflist until it merges into DRA seamlessly. In the future, the printed shelflist will be created internally in the Technical Service on a daily basis. Burbank asked about the authority control. The issue will be discussed with the new chair. Hueting reminded that individuals with level 5 clearance in NetCat already have passwords assigned and delivered to their units.

There is no need to change or send in requests for changes in serial notes--we have been requested not to do so. ILCSO and DRA will do programming to fix the serial notes later, in October.

AISS is working on putting order records into the Marion (DRA) database. There is a group also working on web-base order form.

3. Reorganization of Technical Services set to take effect August 21

Bregman reported about the reorganization of Technical Services. All of the members
of the division will be organized into four teams. The team leaders are:

Original cataloging: Barbara Henigman
Rapid cataloging: Stephen Smith
Serial cataloging: Ann Copeland
Acquisitions: Lisa German

Other changes: Merdy Smith moved to another position outside the Library. Winnie Chan will move to Grainger Library.

These teams will streamline the process of Technical Service, and it will be easy to know the contact persons. Technical Service reorganization will change the organizational structure, but not the nature of the work. Burbank asked about the existence of maintenance team. The record
maintenance unit will continue as usual and accept requests from units, but maintenance activities may be integrated into the teams. For example, all serial activities will take place within the serial cataloging team which may include cataloging, maintenance, even some serial check-in. The
original cataloging team will process original cataloging, backlog cataloging, thesis cataloging, etc. The acquisitions team will remain more or less the same. Team leaders will work out the actual content of team activities and build effective communication with other units.

4. Membership of CPAC:

Discussion took place about whether CPAC need more representatives from units that cataloging special format materials. The composition of CPAC needs to be addressed in the next meeting.

5. Discussion of the draft of Processing of Cataloged Materials.

The detailed document on OCLC inputting conventions was distributed through the last ILCSO Technical Service Forum in June. The title is: Using OCLC for ILCSO online Catalog/DRA Data Entry. Ask Hueting for a copy, if needed.

Currently there are three methods for processing holdings through OCLC inputting: No Holdings Mode ; ILCSO Express Mode; Embedded Holdings Mode. The latter allows translation of some holdings from OCLC into DRA without making further correction on MFHDs. Some units doing direct OCLC inputting may experiment the Embedded Holdings Mode and report the results.

ILCSO plans to make backloading into OCLC a priority for the next year.

6. CPAC annual report for 1997-1998

Hueting distributed the draft of CPAC annual report for 1997-1998 and will send it via e-mail for members also. Please send comments and additions to her by August 24.

7. New Business from Divisions

Thurston will contact OCLC to find out whether and when OCLC will implement the new Geographic Area Codes for the Soviet republics and Hong Kong.

Bregman thanked Hueting for serving as the interim Chair for four years.

Hueting wanted to share two principles of cataloging: 1) Access is the best service; and 2) It's just as easy to do it right the first time.

Next meeting: Lee suggested that CPAC hold a special meeting in September or late August, so more DRA-related questions can be addressed right away after Day 1.

Respectfully submitted by Fung Simpson