Information Services Management Committee

Minutes of the Meeting of November 27, 2001
1:30 – 3:30 pm
Davis Conference Room

Present: Helena Calogeridis, Judy McTaggart, Doug Morton, Sue Moskal, Jim Parrott, Richard Pinnell, Susan Routliffe (Chair), Mary Stanley, Linda Teather, Melanie Watkins, Rose Koebel (Recorder)

1. Minutes of Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting of November 13, 2001 were approved with changes.

2. Business Arising
   1. conflicting demands for laptop spaces:  This issue was brought to a recent ISR meeting, where it was suggested that a small sign be created for the laptop stations.  The wording is yet to be worked out, but the sign will indicate that the station has a drop, and that patrons occupying the space without a laptop may be asked to move if a laptop connection is requested.

   2. Library Catalogues and Home Pages:  A suggestion was made to re-name the “Ontario Academic Library Catalogues” page to “Ontario College and University Library Catalogues”,  and to add all missing college library catalogues.  There will be further discussion on this page.

   3. virtual reference:  Susan R. will forward a message to the Committee about a live web cast on virtual reference services.

3. Virtual Reference

   The Committee continued working on the scope includes/excludes section of the project charter it began at its last meeting by reviewing each deliverable to see what they suggest as includes and excludes.  No further includes or excludes were identified.  However, we  agreed to make the following changes to the Scope Includes section (changes are in italics):

   • Modify the first scope include to state:  An assessment of available software and associated hardware requirements.

   • Remove budget as a scope include.

   In reviewing the deliverables listed on the latest version of the charter, we decided to revise them as follows:
   • Bullet 3:  An explanation of the potential impact of virtual reference on current library services, patrons, and staff.

   • Bullet 5: The outcome of an environmental scan.

   • Bullet 7:  An indication of cost estimates.

   • Bullet 8:  A list of risks and probabilities.

   • Move bullet 9 (A list of next steps and associated time frames) to the end of deliverables section.

   • Bullet 11:  Pluralize recommendations.

   ISMC noted that it needs to discuss at some point how to keep staff informed during the feasibility study process.  This matter will be addressed when we develop a communication plan.

   The Committee worked through the following categories of Project Parameters section of the charter:

   Constraints

   • There may be time constraints associated with the feasibility study, e.g. the amount of time ISMC members are able to devote to it as a committee.

   Benefits
   • ISMC is learning about project management principles.
   • ISMC will have background information when it reaches the pilot stage.
   • The Committee is identifying some of the unknowns.

   Risks
   • The feasibility study may raise staff expectations that we will be introducing virtual reference.
   • Workload or other projects may prevent the Committee from meeting its deadline.
   • The project may lose momentum.

When the Committee next visits the topic of virtual reference, it will begin to identify the project stakeholders, and develop a scope management plan.