Information Services Management Committee

Minutes of the Meeting of March 18, 2003
1:30 – 3:30 pm
Davis Conference Room

Present:   Christy Branston, Helena Calogeridis, Judy McTaggart, Jim Parrott, Richard Pinnell, Susan Routliffe (Chair), Mary Stanley, Melanie Watkins, Rose Koebel (Recorder)

Regrets:  Linda Teather

Guest:  Susan Bellingham

1. Minutes of Previous Meeting
   

   The minutes of the meeting of March 4, 2003 were approved as written.

2. Report from CNAC
   On March 4, ISMC met with the Community Needs Assessment Committee to explore various assessment methods in the context of a reference service review and what role CNAC might play in the assessment of user needs. CNAC members met subsequently and decided the following:

   • They will serve in an advisory/resource role, focusing on methods that might be used for an assessment;
   • Some members might like to participate in the implementation of the assessment, but would do so outside of their role on CNAC;
   • They will suggest some changes to the “outcomes” document;
   • They would like to see the LibQUAL results to know about questions and responses related to reference;
   • They would like some additional copies of Assessing Service Quality.

   Further to the discussion begun at the last meeting on assessment methods, we will likely use focus groups as the primary method.  If we do use focus groups, instead of a survey, it might be more accurate to refer to it as an assessment of trends in user needs, rather than an assessment of user needs. It was noted that this approach would change the scope of our project.  ISMC will manage the assessment and will begin to prepare a project charter for it at the next meeting. Future steps also include inviting others to participate in the implementation of the assessment.

3. Review of the Ghant Chart
   The Committee reviewed the chart for the work breakdown structure, which Linda had updated with the tasks identified at the last meeting.

4. Work Breakdown Structure for an Assessment
   The Committee fleshed out the work required for item 4. Assess user needs. The additional tasks identified today will fall under a new project charter.  Susan will ask Linda to add these elements to the work breakdown structure for item number 4:

   • Develop project charter.
   • Implement project.

5. Environmental Scan
   The Committee identified a number of forces that might affect reference service.  These factors were then placed into the following categories:

   1. Types and numbers of patrons.
   2. Financial considerations.
   3. Technology.
   4. Copyright licenses.
   5. Consortial arrangements.
   6. Staff.
   7. Curricula and programs.
   8. Trends in reference statistics.

   Melanie will document the above list in full before the next meeting. ISMC will then determine which forces impact reference service in the following ways:

   • the demand on reference service;
   • the expectations for reference service;
   • our ability to offer reference service.

Next Meeting: April 1, 2003 at Porter.  Topics for discussion:  project charter for needs assessment; environmental scan.