Guest: Michele Laing

1. Minutes of Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting of January 22, 2002 were approved with one change.

2. Virtual Reference

   Linda revised the work breakdown document to reflect the Committee’s discussion of January 22 prior to today’s meeting. 

   Susan R. will ask Cheryl to put the final version of the project charter on ISMC’s Web site.

   ISMC reviewed task #5 Prepare an Environmental Scan.  The discussion began by brainstorming ideas to identify forces that may or should influence the direction we choose to take with respect to virtual reference.  A critical analysis of those ideas resulted in the following list:

   External forces:

   1. Increased enrolment (double cohort, larger classes).
   2. More remote access and services (mature students, co-op students, architecture).
   3. Increase in Distance Education.
   4. Budget cuts.
   5. Staff workload.
   6. Network loading.
   7. Non-student interest.
   8. Time distribution of virtual reference services (24/7, user expectation, younger students).
   9. Trends and demands for reference assistance.
   10. Software availability (vendors of chat resources).
   11. Others are doing it (consortia).
   12. Competing virtual reference services (Ask Jeeves).
   13. Library priorities (mission).
   14. University’s e-learning initiatives.
   15. Student access to computers.

   At this point, the committee is not sure how the environmental scan will be reflected in the report, but anticipates that many of the above points will be explored by the groups and individuals when undertaking their assigned tasks.