Library Office Notes

Monday, September 13, 1999

Present:  Jim Cotter, Lori DuBois, Ruby Jahr , Wei Ma, Chris Quinn, Lynne Rudasill, Mary Schlembach, Dee Shonkwiler, Sue Searing (chair), Jane Wiles, Beth Woodard

I.  Introduction of new members

* Jim Cotter from Undergrad is taking Marlys Scarbrough's place as the Circ. Team representative.

* Jane Wiles from ACES is taking Diane Schmidt's place as the Life Sciences representative.

* Lynne Rudasill is representing the Social Sciences division until after they hold elections (either Lynne or Priscilla Yu will be the representative).

* Beth Woodard asked who the CPS representative is supposed to be, and Sue said that the people from CPS could decide.

II.  Housekeeping

* Reviewed/revised agenda

* Sue noted that there were some typos in the July 12 minutes.  Review minutes and let Sue know of any additional changes.

III.  Review of action list (see action list for details)

IV.  Memo to Paula Kaufman requesting GA support

* The Central User Ed Coordinator is not in this year's budget, but the User Ed Working Group for the Strategic Plan had asked for a 1/2 time GA for this fiscal year.

*Issues that still need to be considered

1. To whom will this GA report?  Consensus was that the GA should report to the chair of the Task Force who will assign the GA to work with others, as necessary

2. Is this a 9-month or 12-month position?  Agreed that we want a GA throughout the summer months, since that is when major updating of materials occurs.  It would also be good to get someone who is planning on staying for two years, so that we will have an experienced person in place for the Fall semester.

V.  Updates on other business that occurred during the summer

* The Web Instruction Group (WIG) will remain in place with the current members plus the new user education person in Reference.

1. Mary Schlembach ask if we should make a link from our Visitors page to the Development Office's page for making donations.

* Handouts

1.  Revisions have been done (except the Quick Guides which need the UI logo put on them).

2.  Journals handout will need to be revised again to reflect changes in the PAC due to the Serials Implementation; the Acquisition line and Additional Information line continue to be a problem.  Sue suggested that we contact Leslie Troutman, the chair of PAC, to express our concerns about the display of journals in the PAC (especially the implications of the serials module).

3.  Sue went through the GEN documents at Graphic Services and retired many old handouts.  She has kept a copy of all retired handouts.

 4.  Ruby brought a copy of a handout Mitzi Williams is working on for finding medical items (a similar handout existed for the old catalog).

5.  Mary Schlembach asked for a listing of all GEN documents at Graphic Services.   (Lori will ask about a list)

6.  IRRC has made a bookmark for using the CIC/VEL.

*Beth mentioned that Anna in Reference is also working on a more detailed handout.

7. Sue worked with the Circ Team to draft a bookmark and sign about the new Circ policies.

8.  Sue also attended the Graduate Student Advisory Council information fair.   Approximately 25 students were there and were very interested in the library.

9.  Wei is working on a web page for Reference for new faculty orientation.   This page may be link from the WIG site

VI.  Senior Survey Results

* For years the library has not had a question on the senior survey because the question we had consistently got good marks and didn't really mean anything.  This year, Karen Schmidt got a question on the survey asking about seniors' satisfaction with "Education provided on how to use the library"

* On a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) satisfaction, the mean score of our question was 3.2.  The only things that ranked lower were career counseling and the feeling that the university cared about them.

* At the Council of Deans meeting, the Chancellor specifically pointed out to Paula Kaufman how bad this result was (in relation to other items).

* Hopefully, this result will help us get more support for user education.

VII.  Brainstorming of priorities for 1999/2000

* maintain WIG and database [identified as a priority for this year]

* maintain workshops [identified as a priority for this year]

* maintain handouts [identified as a priority for this year]

* develop faculty relationships

* develop marketing plan [identified as a priority for this year]

* bring in an expert using IL State Library grant money--needs to be a  person in IL; explore Teaching Advancement grants, OIR

* raise consciousness within the Library about what user education is

* figure out what user education activities are happening in departmental libraries

* create more scripts for databases that can be used by departmental librarians; get individual departmental librarians to "own" a database and come up with examples for scripts.

* develop a generic advanced research skills workshop

* begin facilities planning for wired classrooms (if included in Main Library reconfiguration) and office space (if we get the Central User Ed Coordinator) [identified as a priority for this year]

* provide professional development activities for UIUC library; use our own expertise to train other librarians on user education issues; plan to do a session on creating web tutorials (Lori) and learning styles (Beth)

* send people to LOEX, the ACRL Instruction Section's pre-conference in Chicago, Institute for Information Literacy (can only have one person per track); bring a regional institute by partnering with CIC or ILCSO

 VIII.  Recap of action list and meeting adjourned at 10:30.

Respectfully submitted,

September 22, 1999

Present:  A. Bendel, A. Conrad, J. Gammon, F. Huang, H.J. Kim, P. Lindell,
L. Roberts, B. Trumpinski-Roberts, E. Schroeder, D. Walter, G. Witte

 I.  Minutes of the September 8, 1999, meeting were revised and approved.

II.  Reports

A.  Admin. Council--Report from A. Conrad

- Paula Kaufman met with Council.  She wants to work on solutions instead of only communication problems.  There will be a one-day retreat to decide the Council's function and future.

- a sub-committee to oversee implementation of the Strategic Plan will be put together.

- Paula expressed concern about student attitudes toward the Library.

- Paula wants an awards system for faculty and staff to honor outstanding achievements.

- Paula has been asked about longer hours and providing access to the Bookstacks for all undergraduates during her meetings with some University Deans.

- Paula is concerned about user space and the appearance of the Library.

- Madhavarao Balachandran's retirement was announced.

- Alvan Bregman is working on new processing macro for blanket orders.

 B.  Faculty meeting--a report was given by Pam Lindell.  See LON/LibNews for detailed minutes as minutes of future meetings should be available within the week.

 C. Library reconfig.--two meetings have been held.  The charge of the group was restated, reminding members that it was not the Committee's task to decide 'architectural details' but to put forth basic ideals.  Construction will be delayed further as the design plans have yet to arrive.  Bob Burger asked about how the Library will look in 10+ years--should the Committee be thinking long range?  The Committee's report will replace the Cohen Report.

D. Divisional meetings -

III.  Updates

A.  The matter of getting real parking lot lighting has once again been sent before the campus Lighting Committee.  This came about when Gil Witte reported that 9 out of 16 lights in the parking were not functioning.

 IV.  Discussions

 V.  New Business

A.  Upcoming LSSC elections were brought up.

B.  A letter was approved to send to Paula Kaufman welcoming her to the University of Illinois Library and stating a few staff concerns.

C.  Paula Kaufman will be meeting with LSSC on November 2, 1999, at 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted

Jane Gammon, Transcriber

Tuesday, September 28, 1999

Present:  Paula Kaufman, Tina Chrzastowski, William Maher, Mitzi Williams, Margaret Chaplan, Tim Cole, Leslie Troutman

Absent:  Martha Friedman, Mary Stuart

I.  Approval of the Past Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the September 13, 1999, were approved with two changes.

II. Social Events Committee Members

Paula Kaufman announced the nominees for the Social Events Committee.  She is waiting for their acceptance.

III. Strategic Planning Proposal

The Strategic Planning Proposal was accepted without change.  It was decided that it is important to have representatives from each division plus a representative from the staff, the academic professionals, the Executive Committee and the Administrative Council.   Each division will be asked to nominate someone, and EC will approve the nominations.  Paula is in the process of identifying an appropriate library faculty member to chair the group.

In order to keep the group size reasonable, people who can serve dual representation will be sought.  Nominations should be made within a short time frame by October 8.

The length of membership terms will be two years.  Initially, in order to have staggered membership, names will be chosen at random for one-year and two-year terms.

IV. Emeritus Status for Robert Wedgeworth

A proposal from Marty Friedman that was put together by her, Tom Kilton, and Nancy Anderson was presented to nominate Robert Wedgeworth to Emeritus Professor.  The nomination must be sent to the Provost’s Office today for consideration.  At their meeting, the Faculty voted unanimously in favor of forwarding this nomination.   Bill Maher moved and Leslie Troutman seconded that the EC forward the nomination of Robert Wedgeworth for University Librarian Emeritus and Professor of Library Administration Emeritus.  The motion passed unanimously.

V. Acting Commerce Librarian

Recommended procedures to follow for appointing Acting Librarians were documented about a year ago.  If the Head is coming back, it is up to the Head to recommend an acting replacement; if the Head is not returning, a call to the entire Library community should go out to seek recommendations from the broader group.  It is also necessary to get support from the college involved.  Paula will put out the call, and Nancy O’Brien will be in charge of the Commerce Library in the meantime.

Paula said that this is a very important position which she recommends filling as soon as possible.  Since there are no budget restrictions, the Search Committee will be decided on at the next EC meeting.  This will be a national search to be completed within six months, drawing from personal contacts, ads, SLA, and the heads of the top academic libraries.  Margaret Chaplan will compile a list of possible search committee members from the Library, and Paula will ask Howard Thomas for two names from the college.  The membership of the committee will be approved at the next EC meeting.

VI. Old Business

Bart Clark arrived at 11:00 a.m. to discuss management data.  He had a series of handouts and went over the material with the committee.  He stressed the importance of establishing definitions for future reference.  He wasn’t sure that the details were important, but Tina Chrzastowski assured him that they may likely be very useful at some point in the future and should be included.  There was concern about DRA Telenet and Web statistics.  It is not acceptable that they are not available.   Bart is trying to get better information with the help of John Weible.

Bart will set up a sample, test it for a year, and then begin collecting data using the refined model.  He will seek assistance from graduate assistants and from the units.   He will have a report for the EC by October 8, indicating which statistics are needed, which won’t be, which he can get and why he can’t get others, which he can get now and which will have to wait until later.  Tina Chrzastowski will help Bart with this project.

Bart also handed out a copy of a detailed Administrative Calendar.  He proposed doing a Library calendar of important dates and deadlines.  Once the initial calendar is done, it can be updated easily.  EC endorsed it emphatically.  A Web site will probably be the most useful means of making it available to the Library community.

VII. Positions in the Law Library

Money for the two current vacancies plus two new positions in the Law Library is in the budget.  Janis Johnston is proposing doing four searches at once to fill the vacancies as soon as possible.  In the past, the Law Library had eight positions.   Dean Mengler has received correspondence indicating the possibility of losing accreditation, if positions are not filled.

EC suggested using the same search committee for all four positions.  Margaret will give Janis possible names to select from who were on the committee that investigated what was desired in a new Law Librarian names of people from several related and interested departments.

VIII. Notice of Sabbatical Leave Requests

Alvan Bregman is willing to receive the Notice of Sabbatical Leave Requests that formerly went to Frances O’Brien.  He will be the contact person for these requests.

IX. Colloquium Committee

Current membership of the Colloquium Committee is Mark Jacobs (Chair), Phyllis Danner, Beth Stafford, and Martha Zarate.  An additional member needs to be appointed.   The EC made a recommendation, and Paula Kaufman will follow up.

X. Visiting Committees

Visiting Committee reports have not been done in a timely manner, and this situation is creating a serious problem for people who are not tenured.  No one is designated lead person within the teams; in the future, the two people involved will sort out who will be the lead person to take the initiative for contacts and reports.

A new chair of FRC is forthcoming.  Paula will write to the chair with an urgent request for the status of all Visiting Committee reports.  She will routinely see the 3rd Year reports and will also meet with each untenured faculty once a year to insure successful P & T progress and address problems early on.  The clerical support for the Visiting Committee will come from the University Librarian’s Office.

EC needs library-wide consensus on 3Y report recommendations.  The May 28, 1999, draft of the "Statement on Promotion and Tenure to the Library Faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign" will be on the agenda for the next meeting.  It is hoped to get it approved to use for 1999 reports, replacing the 1994 version.

The meeting adjourned at 12:25 p.m.

(Rachel Bermingham)

Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

October 12, 1999, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.

Present:  Bill Brockman, Leslie Troutman, Karen Wei, Karen Schmidt, Mary Stuart, Dick Griscom, and Frances Jacobson (chair)

New members of the Committee (Wei and Griscom) were welcomed.  Jacobson

brought the group up-to-date on current projects and personnel actions that have taken place since last spring. 

No members of the faculty are up for tenure this year.  One associate professor is being evaluated for promotion.  The progress of this evaluation was discussed.   The major work of the Committee this year will focus on final completion of the new guidelines document and the preparation of internal "help guides" for untenured faculty.  The Executive Committee will bring the guidelines document to the November faculty meeting.  The Committee decided to incorporate reference to Communication #13, which covers the third year review.  Jacobson will make the necessary changes and forward the revised document to the Executive Committee. 

The Committee discussed what form the new internal document should take.  Much useful information already exists, though it's scattered.  For example, the Research and Publication Committee pages contain Lori Foulke's very helpful page for junior faculty, which is now out-of-date.  The Committee agreed that an FAQ-style web page would be a useful and flexible format for the internal document.  It could include links to relevant documents prepared by other committees and campus units.  Sample statements of research and promotion papers could also be included.  However, keeping the pages up to date will be an ongoing challenge.  The Committee will solicit input from the faculty about topics to be covered in the FAQ section, etc.

The Committee agreed to meet after the November faculty meeting, communicating by e-mail until then.

Respectfully submitted,

Frances Jacobson