Library Office Notes

Present:  Tina Chrzastowski, Tim Cole, Tom Kilton, Bill Maher, Frances O'Brien, Bob Wedgeworth, Mitzi Williams

Absent:  Barbara Jones, Martha Friedman, Karen Schmidt

I.  Approval of past meeting minutes

--The editorial change to the March 22 meeting minutes that was requested by Karen Schmidt (in a     March 24th email note) was accepted.

--The March 22 meeting minutes were otherwise approved as submitted.

II.  Information Reports

A.  Wedgeworth announced that Jean Pierre Angreay has accepted our invitation to speak at the     Proust 2000 symposium (to be held here at UIUC in April 2000).  About 17 other of the               world's most important Proust scholars have also agreed to give papers at the symposium.   Related events will be held at the Krannert Center near the time of the symposium.   This will be an important event for the Library World and will mark the formal debut of the UIUC Kolb-Proust Archive.

B.  Due to a conflict with UL candidate visit and a visit by Jean Wilkins, Director of the Illinois State Library, Wedgeworth suggested that the Library Faculty meeting, originally scheduled for April 16, should be rescheduled.  The EC concurred.   Wedgeworth indicated an effort would be made to reschedule to April 20 or 21.

C.  Wedgeworth reported to the Committee regarding a number of pending personnel matters

--Wedgeworth reported that the Dean of the College of Communications had recommended a College faculty member for the Communications Librarian Search Committee.  Wedgeworth had accepted the recommendation and invited the faculty member to serve on the search committee, which completed the appointment process for that committee.

--Wedgeworth reported that the Library and Information Science Librarian Search Committee was also in place and ready to go.

--Wedgeworth reported that appointments to the Government Documents Librarian Search Committee were still in progress.

--Wedgeworth reported that the Law Librarian search was in its final stages.

--Wedgeworth announced that Tim Cole would be reassigned full-time to Grainger (previously half-time Library Systems Office, half-time Grainger).  Cole's title would be changed to Assistant Engineering Librarian for Information Services. The change accomplished two objectives:  First, it removed Cole (a member of the Library faculty) from a unit that was now to be headed by an individual without faculty status.   Second, it resolved a need that had existed since an earlier search for this position at Grainger had been suspended in progress due to budget limitations.

--Wedgeworth announced plans to normalize Beth Sandore's assignment by naming her to a new position--working title Director of Digital Imaging Initiatives.  This new title would better reflect the work Sandore has in fact been doing the last few years.  In response to a question, Wedgeworth indicated that the position would not include any permanent staff other than the Director herself.  He said that he did not consider it a line position.  Other than funding for the position itself, he anticipated that other activities in this area would be funded by soft monies.  Chrzastowski asked for clarification about what special functions were implied by the use of the title Director (e.g., rather than Head).  She also asked about the relation to Director of Library Systems.  Wedgeworth indicated that he would defer detailed discussion of exact duties to the next EC meeting, when he could present a draft job description.  He did say that he expected Sandore to work closely with Director of Library Systems, but that he felt it important to maintain a separation between operational systems and systems research and development which was why there was no formal organizational reporting relation between the two positions. Several members expressed concern about appointing another Staff Director, at this time, given continuing budget uncertainties and the concerns voiced in the Strategic Plan about present effectiveness of Library's administrative structure.  Wedgeworth suggested that the Committee was not willing to give appropriate title and recognition for work being done.  Kilton asked how, under proposed organization, priorities for work in area of Digital Imaging projects would be set.  The discussion then carried over into the discussion of the Library Information Technology Group proposal (see below).

--Wedgeworth reported that the Library had accepted in principle a GSLIS proposal to appoint Alvan Bregman to a permanent position in the Library under the terms of the campus spousal hire program.  Wedgeworth indicated he would provide a draft job description for Bregman's new position at an upcoming EC meeting.

--Wedgeworth reported that he had authorized two searches in Technical Services:   One for a cataloger and one for a research programmer.  In response, the Committee recommended search committee members for the cataloger search, but several members of the Committee indicated surprise at the creation of a new research programmer position in Technical Services since there had been no proposal for such a position in the Strategic Plan nor in budget submittal documents prepared earlier in the spring.  In particular, Cole asked why this position was being filled ahead of research programmer positions in the Library Business Office and in the Library Systems Office, both of which had been mentioned in the Strategic Plan and/or in budget documents.  Wedgeworth replied that Technical Services had made a compelling case that their need was greatest at this time, particularly in light of the recent departure of Jeff Carrico.  Carrico's staff position was being filled, but at a lower level.  There was still a need to replace his computer skills.  Chrzastowski expressed concern that this new position would initiate a trend away from a centralized Library Systems Office and, therefore, lead to less efficiency in this area and less effective deployment of resources. Wedgeworth replied that, because of the work performed in Technical Services, they needed this support within the unit as well as support from a central systems office.  O'Brien added that Library Systems had been consulted and had voiced no objections to the creation of this new position. Discussion ended without a consensus on this matter being reached.

--Cole then asked if new searches to permanently fill two assistant librarian positions at UGL, presently filled by visitors, had also been authorized.  O'Brien replied that the searches had been authorized and indicated that she would be sending proposals for search committee members to the EC via e-mail in a few days.

III.  Old Business

A.  Proposal for formal creation of a Library Information Technology Group.   The Committee discussed Mischo's proposal to create a Library Information Technology Group.  (This proposal had been given to the Committee by Wedgeworth at the end of the previous EC meeting.)  Maher expressed his belief that the proposal was logically laid out.  A question was raised about whether Group members might have a conflict of interest, given their unit roles and responsibilities.  Wedgeworth replied that in any such group or committee assignment, you must take on broader roles and responsibilities.  LITG members would have the same obligation.  A number of logistic and procedural questions were discussed relating to how the Group would function and how membership would change to reflect changing information technology priorities.   Cole suggested that, since the proposed Director of Digital Imaging Initiatives would be member of LITG, LITG could help advise her on imaging project priorities, which would help address concern voiced by Kilton in earlier discussion of that position (see above).  A consensus was reached that the Group should be created as a standing Library Committee, rather than as a Group (since Group has no precedent within the current Library organization).  The Committee also agreed that since preliminary discussions about creating a subscription services unit had not yet matured, the Head of IRIS should replace the Director of Subscription Services on the proposed Information Technology Committee membership list.  Cole moved that the EC recommend adoption of the proposal, incorporating these two minor changes.  Maher seconded, and the motion was passed by the committee unanimously.

IV.  New Business

A.  Agenda Items for the April Library Faculty Meeting

Wedgeworth reported that he intended to discuss budget contingency planning at the next faculty meeting.  No other agenda items were proposed by the Committee.

B.  Proposal of Paper Preparers for 1999-2000 Library P & T cases

Only one request for promotion had been received by the FRC.  The EC recommended a paper preparer for that one case.  EC deferred appointment of a visiting committee for this case.

C.  Committee Assignments

The EC reviewed appointments to Library standing committees.  EC recommended changes for AY 99-00 for the following committees/appointed positions:

--Library representative to Div. of Rehabilitation Education Services

--EEOC

--Exhibits Committee

--Preservation Committee

--Research & Publication Committee

--Social Events Committee

EC recommended no changes at this time for AY 99-00 for the following committees/appointed positions:

--Affirmative Action Officer

--CPAC (charge and composition revised earlier this spring)

--Parliamentarian

--Chair of Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee

Further work on Committee assignments was deferred.

D.  Upcoming Visit by Director of the Illinois State Library

The Committee discussed the upcoming (April 16) visit of Jean Wilkins.  An agenda for the meeting was developed.  Wedgeworth took action to transmit this tentative agenda to Wilkins prior to the scheduled meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Tim Cole, Secretary
Library Executive Committee

Members in attendance:  Tom Kilton, Bill Brockman, Mary Stuart, Bob Burger, Karen Schmidt, and Frances Jacobson (Chair)

The Committee discussed a way to disseminate the notes Stuart took at the May 4 forum, held to discuss the new draft of the promotion and tenure guidelines.  It was decided that Jacobson will send them to LIBFAC-L, explaining that they are "sense of the meeting" notes and not an official document.  Members felt it was important to share the notes with faculty who were absent and to keep some record of the discussion for future reference.

The rest of the meeting was devoted to discussion of the guidelines document.

Jacobson will assemble a revised version of the document and forward it to the rest of the members for comments.  After incorporating comments, she will send the document to the Executive Committee for future action.