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Library Managers • Minutes

Library Managers, March 1, 2006
Porter

Present: Susan Saunders Bellingham, Eric Boyd, Betty Graf, Jennifer Haas, Mark Haslett (Chair), Michele Laing, Sharon Lamont, Richard Pinnell, Shabiran Rahman, Susan Routliffe, Mary Stanley, Linda Teather, Debbie Tytko, Melanie Watkins, Annette Dandyk (Recorder)

Guest: Christy Branston

  1. Presentation on Gaming Theory
     Christy gave a modified version of her presentation at the Gaming, Learning and Libraries Symposium in Chicago, December 2005. It was the first conference involving video games and libraries, and will become an annual event.

    In her talk Christy covered her own personal gaming experience, game based learning, applications in library instruction, and her involvement with the government information training program. She went on to describe how gaming is a new expanding area of library instruction, and the theory behind why games are good for education:
    • Games encourage children to experience the world in new ways
    • Games develop problem solving skills
    • Games demonstrate the importance of affinity groups as sources of collaboration.

    There was discussion at the conference about game based learning and library instruction – is it effective? Game based learning has failed in the past and it is believed that Libraries need to take a more commercial approach (vs educational games) for it to become effective. Game based learning is seen as entertainment with learning as a bi-product.

    Christy described her experiences while taking Arts 303, a course on gaming, simulation and learning. She then outlined the recently developed staff government information training course, an online training program to equip staff with the skills necessary to answer some of the government-related reference questions received at the information desks. It followed the ‘Survivor’ model and included challenges and prizes. The approach for staff is to recognize different learning styles – set the stage early, have a vision, see it through. With assistance from Marian Davies, a poster session about the training program was set up at OLA recently.

    Next steps:
    • Let’s fit it in where we can.
    • Mark will follow up with Christy about talking to the UW ACE steering committee. Possibility of using with UWACE.  http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/staff/isr/gp2/.
    • Possibly tie in with LINK in the coming Fall term.
    Action: Mark

  2. Demo of RSS Feeds
    Christy briefly described really simple syndication (RSS) - a means of getting information to the user in a simple way. It allows people to bring website content into their own page to read at their leisure. This is done by copying the URL from the feed and pasting it into the site; updates are then received automatically. RSS feeds can be identified on web sites by a link that is labelled either rss or xml.

  3. Chair’s Remarks
     There was no report.

  4. Business Arising from February 15
    #1 Reserves Survey – Rachel Caldwell is preparing an article for news @ your library.

    #3 Business Arising, Podcasts - Doug Horne will be asked to give his presentation in April.

    #6 TUG Circ, Request to allow Alumni to place holds – the matter will be discussed at the March 1 meeting.

  5. Preservation and Archiving of Survey Data Collected by Library
     Questions about preservation and archiving of the various kinds of data collected in the Library were raised at CNAC. Questions include:
    • What kinds of data should be preserved? (raw survey returns; summarized data in Excel, Access, Powerplay etc; concluding reports of the summarized data; associated support data such as email lists used in mailing, randomizing processes; and minutes and charter of process, especially recording of decisions that shaped the character of the survey). We also don’t have guidelines for various other Library reports and documents
    • Who has responsibility? Currently CNAC does not play a role. Should they be responsible for data/surveys done by other groups, e.g. the reserves survey?
    • Where to archive/preserve? (issues include physical space, disk space, data format, data medium)
    • How long should data be preserved?

Susan B noted that the outcome of the UW records management development committee may dictate what the Library decides to do. Once that report has been released the Library can draft a retention policy geared to the Library’s needs. The archival policy for TUG reports would feed into the Library policy. In the meantime CNAC and other groups should continue to hold on to their data.

  1. Faculty Council Meeting Reports
    In order to address the need for support and resources for new academic programs when they are first introduced, liaison librarians have been attending faculty council meetings. It was decided that it might be useful for the librarians to prepare brief reports to give other liaison librarians a sense of new programs being put in place and what is required. The Managers discussed this process and agreed that there would be merit in sending the report to all librarians and to the Library Managers Group.

    Susan R attends Senate Undergrad meetings and Mark attends Senate meetings. They will report the highlights at Managers meetings. This does not preclude the need to tell people about something that they need to know, or that should be drawn to their attention.

  2. Recording Medical Appointments
    Deferred.

  3. The Education Institute Training Sessions
    Group training sessions are being offered through the Partnership: Education Institute in March, in Porter 428. The Library has signed up for four sessions, which are open to all staff. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Marina Wan (to ensure that there is enough space). The sessions are:

    Just-in-Time Tutorials using ViewletBuilder (Webcast; March 7)

    Exploring the Information Ecology (Teleconference;  March 16)  

    Library Terms that Users Understand (Teleconference; March 21)

    Libraries Post 9/11: Privacy and Security Issues (Teleconference; March 29)

  4. Space Report
    Mark made a few introductory comments about the Library’s January 30 submission to the UW Space Needs Review Committee. Managers will review the report at the March 15 meeting.

    Concerns that the Annex might be in violation of fire code were assuaged when the Fire Marshall determined that there were no major violations. It had been thought that some isle widths needed to be increased, which would have decreased the amount of shelving. Next steps: the freeze on sending items will remain, the collection in the Annex still needs to be weeded, and the amount of growth space needs to be determined.

    The Library and the University Architect (Dan Parent) have been working with the Walter Fedy Partnership to develop a strategy for reviewing current use of space in the Porter Library and to identify short-, mid-, and long-term plans. A quote for the project has been received. When sufficient funds have been raised through the Kresge challenge we will be well positioned to begin the next stage of renovations.

Next meeting: March 15, Davis

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July 22, 2010