Information Services Management Committee

Minutes of the Meeting of November 18, 2003
1:30 – 3:15 pm
Davis Conference Room

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

Regrets: Richard Pinnell, Jackie Stapleton

Guest: Marina Wan

1. Minutes of Previous Meeting

   The minutes of the meeting of November 4, 2003 were approved.

2. Website Issues

   In her role as Chair of the Web Operational Management Group (WebOps), Marina Wan joined today’s meeting to discuss concerns related to the content of the UW Library website. Since we consider the Library website as a service, Marina felt that ISMC would be an appropriate forum to bring these issues to for discussion and feedback. Marina outlined the Terms of Reference for WebOps, and the issues she would like to discuss. In ensuring the effective maintenance of the Library Web and Library Staff Web, the role of WebOps is largely a technical one. The group advises on the structure and design of web pages, while Library departments, groups and individuals are responsible for the content of their own pages. There is no formal procedure to deal with requests for changes to the Library’s home page. Any requests for changes that WebOps receives usually require consultation (and sometimes negotiation) with others in the Library. The issues that concern the group include the following:

   • While WebOps is responsible for the effective day-to-day operation of the UW Library Web, no one is responsible for regularly reviewing the content of the whole site for duplicate or outdated information.
   • Many other sites have a webmaster. Responsibility for the Library Web is distributed to Library departments or groups, and updating their web pages may not be a priority.
   • Should the Terms of Reference for WebOps be expanded to include overseeing the content of the Library Web?
   • At times, the group feels that its current composition is inadequate to deal with requests for changes to the content of the Library Web. Another librarian from Information Services and Resources would add some balance to the membership’s perspective.
   • The Library Web has grown and matured since its inception in 1995, and the information it delivers has become very important.

   ISMC agreed that the website is an important service and that the content should be updated or revised as appropriate. The Committee also commented that:

   • The Library’s current system of website management does provide a mechanism for maintaining the content of the Library Web. This responsibility is decentralized and distributed throughout the Library.
   • It would be a challenge for one webmaster to manage the content of the entire website. We would also want to avoid creating a bottleneck by centralizing this task.
   • Systematically reviewing the whole site more often than once a year would be difficult.
   • Each department should review its own web pages (this would be in the context of related work that they are already doing, e.g. if details of a particular service change, those details should be reflected on the website).
   • The decision of whether to add reference to new services or developments to discipline pages rests with individual liaison librarians.
   • Perhaps a training session or presentation on how to review one’s web pages by looking at other esteemed websites could be organized for librarians or others as appropriate.
   • Encouraging departments to regularly review their web pages could be done at a managers meeting.

   Action items from today’s discussion include the following:

   • Susan will raise the matter of regularly reviewing web pages at an upcoming managers meeting.
   • Marina will issue another invitation to ISR for a librarian to join WebOps. (Note: Subsequent to today’s meeting, Christy Branston joined WebOps.)

3. Reference Philosophy

   At the last meeting, the Committee agreed with much of the statement that Jim provided, but questioned “accuracy of information”. Suggestions for alternatives to “accuracy” were considered during today’s discussion. Susan will incorporate these changes into a final statement. Christy agreed to put the reference philosophy statement on the agenda for the next ISR meeting.

4. Skills Required for Reference Work (Deferred)

   This topic was deferred. In the meantime, Committee members will do some background reading for our discussion about skills (or competencies) at the next meeting. The two documents “Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians” and “Guidelines for Behavioural Performance of Reference and Information Services Professionals” can be viewed at: http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/RUSA/Professional_Tools4/Reference_Guidelines/Professional_Competencies_for_Reference_and_User_Services_Librarians.htm.

Next Meeting: December 2, 2003 at Porter. Topic: Skills required for reference work.