Information Services Management Committee

Minutes of the Meeting of November 5, 2002
1:30 – 3:30 pm
Porter Conference Room

Regrets:  Helena Calogeridis

1. Minutes of Previous Meeting
   The minutes of the meeting of October 29, 2002 were approved with minor changes.

2. Project Management Tools and Techniques
   The Committee reviewed some of the basic elements of the project management approach with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation Susan had prepared in October 2001 for the Virtual Reference Feasibility Study. The first tool that will be used for this review is a project charter.

3. Project Charter for the Review of Reference Service
   Before beginning to explore and identify what should be included in the charter for the review of reference service, ISMC looked at two sample charters: Project Charter for Virtual Reference Feasibility Study, and Project Charter for the Review of the Public Workstation and Network Environment in the University of Waterloo Library. 

   Context and Purpose
   The Committee reviewed the statement of rationale that Susan had prepared, and agreed that it could provide both the context and project purpose of the charter:

   Reference is a long-standing, highly visible, and resource intensive service.  In recent years, a number of ad hoc changes have been made to the service, usually in response to changes in the broader environment.  There has, however, been no comprehensive review to determine how well the service is meeting user needs.  We are undertaking such a review now to determine what improvements are needed and possible.  The review will take into account current and anticipated conditions and constraints and will attempt to set a direction for the next five to ten years.

   It was suggested that the statement reflect the recommendations in the Information Services Review Report that pertain to a review of reference service.  Susan will incorporate this suggestion in the above statements.  It was questioned whether the work of other Library groups could provide further context for the current review of reference. Richard will review the minutes of the Client Services Processing Group to this end. 

   Scope Includes
   The Committee determined that the review will include an examination of the following categories:

   1. Definition of reference, including service philosophy.
   2. Client needs assessment.
   3. Environmental scan (TUG, Information Commons, current trends).
   4. Inventory of elements of current reference service: hours; locations; staffing; methods of delivery; skills; training; statistics; promotion; infrastructure support (hardware, software, furniture).
   5. Identification of gaps between service offered and user needs.
   6. What needs to be done to close the gaps.
   7. What can be done to close the gaps.
   8. Reference resources.
   9. Performance evaluation (e.g., in quality of responses).

   Scope Excludes
   1. Review of public workstations (hardware, software).
   2. Evaluation of instructional programs (classroom-type sessions and publications, both print and web).
   The discussion on the scope excludes will be continued at the next meeting. Richard will formulate the scope includes and excludes, as identified today, of the project charter.