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Library Managers

University of Waterloo
Library Managers, November 26, 2008
9:30 a.m., DC 1568

Present: Annie Belanger, Allan Bell, Eric Boyd, Betty Graf, Jennifer Haas, Mark Haslett (Chair), Michele Laing, Sharon Lamont, Susan Mavor, Ann Naese, Bill Oldfield, Richard Pinnell, Susan Routliffe, Mary Stanley, Debbie Tytko, Annette Dandyk (Recorder)

1. Social – meet Annie Belanger

There was a brief social period prior to the meeting.

2. a) Chair’s Remarks

• Updates
Much of the discussion at the November 17 Senate meeting was on the UAE (United Arab Emirates) initiative. There was substantive dialogue and a constructive exchange of opinions that ended with a motion supporting in principle the UAE project.

b) Around the Table Updates

The Managers provided a brief description of their areas of responsibility, and outlined several major initiatives, major challenges, and highlights. The initiatives, challenges and highlights are summarized below.

Susan R
• Managing the Acquisitions budget will be a big project in the coming year(s) as the weak Canadian dollar, inflation, and lack of additional funding are resulting in insufficient funds. In light of this situation, we need to formulate a plan of action should the budget not improve next fiscal year.
• Magdy Salama is a faculty member in Electrical and Computer Engineering who will be on site in Abu Dhabi and will take the lead on coordinating the UAE project. Susan will be the Library’s primary contact and will work with Jennifer to clarify plans for Library services at the Abu Dhabi site.
• In 2008 Susan coordinated the preparation of the Copyright FAQ. At its last meeting in November, the Copyright Round Table reaffirmed that someone with legal expertise in the area of copyright to provide accurate information is required. The group will make a recommendation about this for the Academic Integrity Office.

Sharon
• The next phase of the civil workplace series is planned for next year. The Library Managers group took the online Workplace Harassment course in summer 2008. The next step -- Matt Erickson’s workshop for staff who supervise is planned for late January 2009. The remaining staff will receive a briefer course after that.
• Financial constraints and planning for how we use our space (renovations and planning what to renovate next) are ongoing challenges.

Mary
• A comprehensive communications plan for the Library will be developed over the next year.
• A major fundraising campaign has just finished with great success, but fundraising needs to continue. The challenge is identifying/fleshing out the ideas and developing them into potential projects for donors.
• Recent highlights include the RBC Commons in Davis, Sims silent study in Davis, Sims 3rd floor reading room and study carrels, the Porter main floor renovation, and our success with the Kresge challenge.

Ann
• Staff in Circulation Services are learning how to make use of Ares, a new course reserves management system. Implementation of this new service should be in place in May 2009. The university will begin using a new Accounts Receivable (AR) system. The main accounts receivable in Circulation Services are outstanding fines and replacement charges. As part of the move to a new system they will investigate whether it’s feasible to transfer these accounts to the system at the end of each term, and remove them from the TRELLIS system.
• Challenges include exploring cost savings measures, space for collections, and 24/6 in Davis.
• ILL went to unmediated requesting this year. The change has gone very well with 34% of ILL requests now automatically requested with no staff intervention. Work is continuing to shift the entire Porter book collection to make items better accessible. Completion of this project is expected by April 2009.

Michele
• An Open House in September targeting first year and returning students was well received. A brochure, magnet, displays, and games showcased the resources and services available in Musagetes Library.
• Recognition by faculty members of the importance of information literacy has been a recent highlight. Library staff presented more sessions for undergraduates and an expanded session for grad students which included a popular GIS component.
• The library purchased a new GIS machine courtesy of a grant to the School of Architecture from WEEF (Waterloo Engineering Endowment Fund).
• Plans for 2009 include an inventory of the collection, and revamping the Musagetes Library website.
• The freeze on the book budget is a major challenge because Architecture is almost completely dependent on print resources. Michele will explore alternative ways to meet user needs by publicising new architecture related books at UG and Cambridge Public Library.
• Casual staffing needs are being reviewed.

Debbie
• While preparing for and moving to the Ex Libris Verde product to manage electronic serials has been challenging because of the steep learning curve, it was also a highlight.
• Providing access to electronic journals is an ongoing challenge.
• The freeze on the Acquisitions budget has resulted in a decrease in work for some Acquisitions staff; however, they are using this opportunity to clean up a backlog in some areas, and assist with projects elsewhere.

Jennifer
• In the area of information literacy - notable progress has been made in several departments where librarians are working closely with faculty members to develop an information literacy program that spans required courses from first to fourth year and in departments where librarians are team teaching a series of classes in partnership with course instructors.
• Some Davis ISR staff have been working with Circulation Services and other groups on issues related to noise, space planning, and comfort and safety in the Great Hall including better lighting at night and advocating for better doors into the building.
• Other initiatives include: investigation and improvement of a database to record information about information desk queries; investigation into the use of SharePoint to share and store documents; investigation into automated harvesting of usage stats using the SUSHI protocol and the potential use of Verde as a repository for these stats, and looking for opportunities to develop metrics that can be used in collection development and assessment activities.
• Maintaining and continuing to build a collection to support teaching and research in the face of budgetary constraints and the growth of new programs and research areas is a major challenge.
• Recent highlights include the successful recruitment of three new Liaison Librarians, and two Library Associates.

Susan M
• In 2009 the focus will change from acquisition to providing enhanced electronic access to the collections, particularly in the areas of urban and local heritage. Special Collections staff are working with Systems on a digitization project, ‘Turn the Past into Pixels’.
• A major challenge is handling donations; there are implications for cataloguing, tax receipts, cultural property deadlines, and integrating materials into the collection.

Eric
• Space and renovations continue to be the focus of Facilities work.
• A highlight of 2008 was the Porter main floor renovation.

Allan
• The new TUG Initiatives (TUG Init) group focused on three projects: Voyager upgrade, Verde, and Primo implementation.
• They are currently working on an infrastructure review to determine if it meets user needs at the three TUG universities.
• Allan is working on a governance model, reviewing projects that are underway and introducing new ones. Work continues on two e-initiatives projects begun last summer. He will work with Mary on funding opportunities, e.g. exploring Mark Logic platform.
• A major challenge is to address the single points of failure within the system. Single points of failure are defined as critical aspects of what we do that are dependent on one person or system.
• Highlights include scholarly publishing and receiving financial support for it, and the significant strides TUG Init has made.

Betty
• The Cataloguing unit was reorganized into two teams of Cataloguers with Librarians as team leaders. The Cataloguing Associates job description was made into a career path position. A newly formed Cataloguing management team is looking at ways to improve operations.
• Thousands of discards from Porter and the Annex are being processed, including identification of other editions/copies within TUG. Withdrawal bulletins for selectors and faculty are being generated. Work is underway to catalogue/load electronic records into TRELLIS as quickly as possible.
• The Cataloguing department has taken over cataloguing cartographic and rare book materials in the past year.
• The high turnover of Cataloguing Associates and subsequent training, and finding space to store items on each withdrawal bulletin in a manner that allows for easy retrieval of items for review or return to the stacks are ongoing challenges.

Bill
• Several projects are planned or already underway: enhanced server infrastructure (migration to IBM Blade Server hardware and a VMWare virtual server environment); a workstation review; Primo (additional functional capabilities will be introduced); a SAN, providing redundant backup; and, Ares, a new course reserves management system.
• Time, staffing, and budget uncertainties impact heavily upon the department. A major challenge will be workstation rollovers.
• Significant accomplishments in 2008 include: blade server deployment and VMWare virtual server environment; Tivoli storage Management system and VRanger online backup; SAN (high speed redundant backup storage for the Blades and virtual servers); new public Ejournal interface (SFX); upgraded website search engine; UWspace upgrade (e-theses archive); improved website stats using Google Analytics; Voyager upgrade for TRELLIS; Primo (new public face to Library services); Verde (e-resources management system); and renovation of Porter main floor.

Richard
• In 2009 casual staff will continue scanning and georeferencing local airphotos and making the images available on the web. The physical environment of the Map Library may be refreshed in 2009, with new carpet, replacing ceiling tiles, and possibly painting the walls.
• Staff support for delivering geospatial data service is challenging, as it is difficult to staff the information desk for 30 hours per week. Networking connectivity has been a problem.
• The Map Library had much success in outreach and user instruction programs in 2008 in terms of numbers of students and numbers of courses. Staff prepared the GeoAbstract exhibit, an exhibition of cartographic works and remote sensing images that were on display in the Modern Language art gallery. The annual GIS day attracted over 200 students and faculty. A license agreement was signed with Google Inc for copies of scanned georeferenced airphoto images.

Mark
• Focus in 2009 will include “next steps” after the Kresge challenge, and as well addressing budgetary challenges in the context of the current world economic climate, including finding better ways to set annual library wide priorities.
• Significant challenges in the coming year will be maintaining a high level of service and access to scholarly resources during this period of fiscal constraint.
• It is clear that there were many highlights in 2008. The highlight for Mark was the continuing strength of Library staff: we continue to recruit good people and long service staff continue to have a high sense of service and a willingness to take on new challenges.

3. Business Arising from November 12

There was no business arising.

Next meeting: Dec 10 cancelled; next meeting is January 14, Porter


 


 


 


 




 




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December 15, 2008