Information Services Management Committee

Minutes of the Meeting of January 8, 2002
1:30 – 3:30 pm
Porter 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)

Guest: Michele Laing

  1. Minutes of Previous Meeting

    The minutes of the meeting of December 11, 2001 were approved with changes.

  2. Virtual Reference

    The Committee did a final review of the Project Charter for a Virtual Reference Feasibility Study at the University of Waterloo.  Susan will modify the charter to include the suggestions made at today’s meeting. 

    Work Breakdown Structure

    The Committee began creating a Work Breakdown Structure, which will describe the work to be done in conducting the feasibility study.  Susan R. distributed a sample document to illustrate how activities associated with a given task can be arranged into a hierarchy.  The Committee began to review the project deliverables to determine the higher levels of activity associated with each one (the project report being at the top). Responsibility was assigned for the review of each deliverable as follows:

    1. An explanation of what virtual reference is (completed today)
    2. An explanation of why we are considering virtual reference (Helena)
    3. An explanation of the potential impact of virtual reference on current Library services (Sue M.)
    4. An explanation of the potential impact of virtual reference on Library users and staff (Judy)
    5. An indication of the stakeholders (already completed)
    6. The outcome of an environmental scan (completed today)
    7. An indication of staff and resource needs (Melanie and Mary)
    8. An indication of cost estimates (e.g. hardware, software, furnishings and equipment) (Linda and Michele)
    9. A list of risks and risk probabilities associated with the introduction and delivery of a virtual reference service (Richard)
    10. An explanation of issues associated with any of the foregoing and the implications of such issues (Jim)
    11. Recommendation, with rationale, about whether to introduce the service and proceed to a pilot project and specific recommendations related to implementation (if we recommend introducing virtual reference) (Doug)
    12. A list of next steps and associated time frames (Doug)

    Linda agreed to compile the results of the reviews electronically using Microsoft Project.  Committee members will send her their contribution before the next meeting.

Next Meeting:  January 15, 2002 at Davis. 

Topic:  Continuing the Work Breakdown Structure.