Library Office Notes

Present:  Searing, Rudasill, Dubois, Quinn, Scarborough, Sullivan, Shonkwiler, Jahr, Woodard, Dossett, Schmidt, Schlembach, Ma, Defendeifer

--Action list was reviewed.

Some important points from the Action List

Beth Woodard reported that the Reference had a meeting with Lynn Wiley to discuss adding a link to the ILL page on the Gateway main page.  The current major concerns about this issue are workload for ILL staff to input request items which the UIUC owns to DRA and the needed instructions to educate users about when and how to place a request in DRA and through ILL.  However, Lynn Wiley supported the idea.

Frances O'Brien agreed to provide funding for GA help to support Helen's Web page and Lori's workshop administration.  Helen indicated that a possible funding of 40 hours GA time should be enough for her project.  Lori will also need some funding for workshop administration and additional workshop teachers.

The issue of remote access connection handouts was raised by Lori Dubois.  Sue mentioned that the issue was on hold, waiting for CCSO's new download routine for QVT and for feedback from the Phone Center on the content and format.  Sue appointed an interested group --- Lori, Lynne, Raeann and Helen --- to look at the handouts to see if improvement could be made.

--Task Force discussed the issue of updating the current CD-ROM list or database to serve as an interim resource until Wei's final project is available for use/adaptation.   Lisa German had said that the Acquisition Department  should be able to add new purchases as acquired.

--Helen reported that her Access database contains about 320 UIUC Library Web sites.   She is working with Mary Schlembach to create a query form to allow users search the database.  She has also prepared a list of query keywords and has presented to the WIG for input.

--The WIG group continued working on the Help page.  Beth Woodard pointed out that the Cir. Policy Web page was out of date.  Sue would talk to Betsy Kruger to see if Cir. has any plan in updating the Cir. Web page.

--Wei presented her research project of Building a Database Selection Expert System.   The project, funded by both Library RPC and Campus Research Board, aims to develop a prototype Web-based database selection expert system, which includes all 214 article databases, directories, statistical and Government document electronic resources presently available at UIUC (including Web and CD-ROM licensed bibliographic/full-text resource databases, but excluding Online Catalogs, electronic encyclopedias and dictionaries).   This system will suggest and guide end-users to electronic resource databases most relevant to the topic keyword(s) they type in.  The system will be embedded with library information professionals' database election expert strategies to filter information requested.  The data flow diagram and the screen illustrating the relation between the project and the current Gateway menu system were presented to the group.

Present  C. Anderson, L. DuBois, R. Jahr, W. Ma, M. Scarbrough, M. Schlembach, D. Schmidt, S. Searing, B. Woodard

Absent:  L. Defendeifer, R. Dossett, C. Quinn, L. Rudasill, B. Sandore, D. Shonkwiler, H. Sullivan

Sue Searing provided donuts and orange slice treats before calling the meeting to order at 9:00.

The minutes of the February 8 meeting are still being finished by Beth Sandore.   The minutes of the February 22 meeting were approved and will be sent to LON.

Sue Searing added an item on surveys after the Review of the Action List on the agenda for today's meeting.

Ruby Jahr reviewed the action list and noted action taken since the last meeting.   Many of the items were on the agenda for the meeting, so updates to those activities were taken up later in the meeting.

Surveys

Karen Schmidt and Sue Searing are working on repeating the user needs assessment survey that they did last Spring.  It will be a web survey and they hope to use mass e-mail to solicit participation. They are planning on replacing two questions from last year's survey (What is the best way to learn the library? and How do you find out about new materials and services?) with a DRA-specific question.  We haven't had any opportunities to evaluate our publicity efforts, and this question will allow us to do so.

Karen Schmidt also got a question about the library on the senior survey.  The question must be one that can be rated on a scale of 1 to 5 on the level of satisfaction.   The question will be "How satisfied are you with the education provided on how to use the library?"  Diane Schmidt asked if this data could be analyzed by department.  Beth Woodard suggested that the data will most likely reflect seniors' attitudes about the instruction they got for upper level classes (since it would be their most recent experience) and not the instruction they got as a freshman or sophomore.   Sue Searing also mentioned that Lynne Rudasill is working on a survey/evaluation of political science students' library skills/knowledge.

Revised Quick Guides

Diane Schmidt and Ruby Jahr presented revised copies of the telnet and web quick guides.  On the telnet quick guide, they added information about limits needing to be reset for each search and omitted the spaces in the call number search example.  On the web guide, they switched the Browse and Keyword columns to mimic the search screen, added information about numeric searching and information about the limits remaining until removed or changed.

Comments on the Guides

1.  Re-word the section on library card number to indicate that it is a 14-digit number and eliminate         references to Social Security number.

2.  Change wording of simple and complicated to basic and advanced

3.  Verify that the web interface ignores punctuation; if not, make double dashes separate dashes.

With this new version of the web interface, there is still no on-the-fly login and no requesting.  Sue Searing indicated that the PAC team would be discussing the new interface at their 3/9 meeting.  If anyone has comments about the interface, please let Jo Kibbee know.

Beth Woodard questioned the future of PAC and the Task Force on User Education.   The Task Force has always been seen as a DRA team, but we do so much more than just DRA activities. Chris Anderson pointed out that the Committee Handbook has the Task Force expiring in August 1999 and the User Education Committee being reinstated.  Sue Searing suggested that our next meeting be devoted to internally examining our charge and membership.  This activity will help to provide the basis for the report she is writing for the Executive Committee.

Daily Illini Ad

Sue Searing presented an ad to appear twice in the Daily Illini announcing workshops and Term Paper Research Counseling. She would appreciate any comments on how to jazz it up.  The add will be 5x5 and cost $200.  A portion of the money Frances O'Brien has provided for workshops will be used to pay for the ad.

Comments about the Ad

Wei Ma suggested that the part about Term Paper Research Counseling is misleading.   We provide the same services at the Reference Desk when it is not TPRC time, and publicizing the particular dates may make it seem that those are the only times that students can receive help.  We re-worked the wording to de-emphasize the dates and times and emphasize instead the fact that there are extra staff available to help with research.  Sue Searing will check with Linda Ballinger, TPRC Coordinator, about the changes.

Handouts

Expert Keyword--Raeann Dossett was not at the meeting, but the handout had been used at the Advanced Catalog Workshop.  Sue Searing emphasized that the handout would be made into a GEN document.

Reserves--Marlys Scarbrough surveyed a few reserve clerks and/or librarians to get feedback on Reserve Room and has given comments to Lori DuBois on the first draft of the handout.  There was a question about whether this handout was needed right now since many units are not using Reserve Room.  It was decided that we would go forward with the handout for those units that are using Reserve Room.  Creating the handout is difficult because of the inconsistent processing of reserve materials from unit to unit--not using timetable codes, incomplete information in the author and title fields, some units putting in articles in the titles.  It was stressed that reserve clerks need additional training on Reserve Room with a simple set of standards.  Marlys Scarbrough will take our concerns about the need for additional training to the Circ Team.   She will also share a copy of the Reserves handout to get additional comments. Lori DuBois will send a copy of the handout draft to task force members.

Remote Access--Lori DuBois was the only one present at the meeting working on the handout.  It was unclear after the last meeting whether the people working on the handout were supposed to get together and look at the handout or simply send comments to Sue Searing individually.  It was decided that the group would look at the handouts together at the next WIG meeting (since the members looking at the handout are on that group, too).

Report on the first Advanced Online Catalog Workshop

Lori DuBois reported that the registration for the workshop was full (20 people), but several people canceled due to conflicts when they received the e-mail reminder.  A few people also did not show up.  Total attendance was 10.  Raeann Dossett is re-working the script a little bit to make it flow better.

Beth Woodard asked how sign-ups looked for after Spring Break.  Lori DuBois reported that the sign-ups at this point were very low, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays--perhaps because these workshops are in the CCSO Nevada site.  Advertising should help.  Students also tend to think about the semester as pre-Spring Break and post-Spring Break and can't really see beyond Spring Break.

Strategies for Prioritizing and Responding to Requests for User Education

In response to many people outside of the Task Force saying that particular issues are "user education issues," Sue Searing has created a User Ed Decision Checklist to keep track of these other issues.  The checklist will be used for internal use only to gather information about user education need and help the Task Force prioritize these requests.  By using this form, we will be able to get consistent and complete information about the desired user education activity.  The form will be great when we get a user education coordinator with a staff.  Right now, the committee's work is done on a voluntary basis, and who would be able to work on these requests?  Beth Woodard pointed out that the form needs a column for "date to be implemented" to be able to coordinate communications about separate efforts--we don't want to fill people's e-mail boxes with many messages.  She also indicated that staff training should also be taken into consideration.  At the next meeting, we will return to this form and the list of requests we have already received.

The Action List was reviewed and the meeting adjourned at 1030.

Respectfully submitted,

Lori DuBois

User Education Task Force
March 22, 1999

In Attendance:  Linda Defendiefer, Lori DuBois, Raeann Dossett, Ruby Jahr, Wei Ma, Lynne Rudasill, Marlys Scarbrough, Diane Schmidt , Dee Shonkwiler, Helen Sullivan, Beth Woodard.

The meeting was called to order at 905.  In the absence of Sue Searing, Lynne Rudasill chaired.

Minutes of the 03/08/1999 meeting were approved.  It was noted that the 02/08/1999 minutes had not yet been received.

Ruby Jahr reviewed the action list and noted the following actions since the last meeting

-- Beth Woodard reported that the task of collecting and compiling information on various classes of visitors and their access to the library had passed to Terri Tickle.

-- Lori DuBois reported that the Gateway Committee has reviewed the instructional web pages.       She has received comment from one member of that committee so far.  Due to other demands on the Gateway Committee, it is unlikely the instructional pages will be linked to the Gateway before the end of the semester.

-- Lynne Rudasill reported that she needs a volunteer to meet with the Illini Guides, since she has a conflict with the date.  She will send the date out to the group to see if anyone else is available.

The Future of Books and Bytes

Lynne raised the question of whether or not the Task Force wants to continue to support the Books and Bytes web pages.  She reminded the group that this was planned as a vehicle to publicize the transition from old IO to DRA and suggested that perhaps the site had served its purpose.  Lori pointed out that the new "Hot News" function of the gateway should begin to serve the purpose of publicizing changes in the online systems.  Wei Ma suggested that "About the Library" also served some of the same functions as Books and Bytes.  After further discussion, the decision to cease development and support of Books and Bytes was made.  To tie up the loose ends, Lynne will

1.  See to it that the work is archived in its current state.

2.  Notify departmental libraries to remove any links they still have to Books and Bytes.

3.  Notify the library webmaster that the site is being taken down.

Web Handout/Quick Guide

Ruby and Diane discussed the work they had done on updating the Quick Guide to the online catalog web interface.  They will send copies of the updated handout to members of the Task Force.

Evaluation of the Task Force

This discussion was deferred to a time when Sue Searing could attend.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:45.

Submitted by Raeann Dossett.

Minutes of the Library Staff Steering Committee
28 April 1999

Present  A. Bendel, A. Conrad, J. Gammon, F. Huang, P. Lindell, L. Roberts, E. Schroeder (Admin.), B. Trumpinski-Roberts, D. Walters, and G. Witte

 I.  The minutes of the April 14, 1999 meeting were approved as revised.

II.  Reports

    A.  Admin.. Council - (see LON for detailed minutes)

              --staff should inform their supervisors of membership committees.

    --The library user survey is not a project of the Task Force on User Education.  Karen Schmidt and Gil Witte are leading the survey effort, and they request that staff (and library faculty, as well) not respond to the survey.  Student and staff were welcome to respond to the survey from their viewpoint as library users, rather than as employees.

FYI, we had two concerns:  (1) that library staff and faculty are not typical users and could skew the data and (2) that it would look pretty fishy if a library employee won that $150 gift certificate.

    --policy on New Books was discussed at Council.

     B. Faculty Meeting - an informational meeting held April 20th, chaired by Robert Wedgeworth.

     C. Library Reconfiguration - meeting cancelled.

 III.  Updates

    A.  Fire Extinguishers - B. Clark indicated that any extinguishers that do not meet code standards             will replaced during the annual check.

    B.  P. Lindell will contact the webmaster with updates for LSSC page of the Library homepage.

 IV.  Discussion

    A.  LSSC discussed its recommendation to the Provost per the University Librarian candidates.

    B.  Overdue fines & billing were discussed.  A notice is to appear in the Daily Illini regarding             fines.

 V.  New Business

Guest speaker Vera Mitchell spoke to us on the progress and procedures in hiring a University Librarian.

 Respectfully submitted,

Jane Gammon
Transcriber