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Library Managers

University of Waterloo
Library Managers, September 3, 2008
9:30 a.m., LIB 428

Present: Allan Bell, Eric Boyd, Jane Forgay, Jennifer Haas, Sharon Lamont, Ann Naese, Alex McCulloch, Susan Mavor, Bill Oldfield, Richard Pinnell, Susan Routliffe (Chair), Mary Stanley, Annette Dandyk (Recorder)

Regrets: Betty Graf, Mark Haslett, Michele Laing, Debbie Tytko

Guests: Ann Williams-Gorrie (Finance), Christine Gillis-Bilton (Finance), Tracey Ens (Procurement & Contract Services)

1. Purchasing Card


The Purchasing Card (pcard) Program using the Scotiabank VISA was introduced on campus in 2005 and has gradually been deployed in some units. The pcard is the preferred method for making low dollar value purchases under $3,000. At some point, the pcard will be mandatory.

The current system of procuring and paying for items is labour intensive, out of date, and costly to UW and vendors - it is costly for vendors to generate invoices, and they want payment quickly. The pcard program allows cardholders to acquire goods quickly and easily. Benefits include:
• Reduces turnaround time for acquiring goods
• Reduces personal reimbursements and out of pocket expenses
• Reduces petty cash purchases
• Allows cardholder to order via internet, phone, fax or in person
• Reduces payment time to suppliers
• Reduces the number of small dollar purchases currently handled by Procurement and Finance

Managers heard about the principles of the program and were shown a demo of the Scotiabank site. The university is liable for the card (it does not affect the cardholders credit), and the card may be used by the cardholder only (no sharing or delegating).

It was agreed that we will work with the process we currently have, i.e. the people who order supplies now will continue to do it using the pcard.

Managers will inform appropriate staff of the university’s move to use purchasing cards for low-value dollar purchases, i.e. under $3,000 and have them complete the Purchasing Card Application Form http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infofin/p-card/Forms.html . Managers should also consider:
• the need for a backup;
• if the cardholder and reviewer will be the same person or two separate people. If someone else will be the reviewer, that individual should also complete an application form, write ‘for review purposes only’ on it, and attach it to the other form;
• records retention - hardcopy records must be retained for seven years. Managers should give some thought to where the records will be kept (both current and the longer term).

Completed forms should be sent to Annette Dandyk by September 19 for authorization. Annette will set up a training session for new library pcard holders.
Action: Annette

2. a) Chair’s Remarks


• Recognition and Commendation
Anniversaries:
August 11 – Shirley Fraser, Circulation Services, 10 years
August 22 – Laurie Strome, Circulation Services, 20 years
September 1 – Bill Oldfield, Systems, 30 years

• Porter Main floor renovation
Work is progressing well. It is expected that Facilities and Systems staff can begin moving workstations, furnishings and the reference collection the week of September 22nd. The floor will be reopened to the public early October.

The 2nd floor reno team will meet with Mary and Nancy Collins to discuss details about the reopening that will include a sneak preview for the editors of Imprint, the Daily Bulletin and other media people on campus, a sneak preview for staff prior to the public opening, and the official VIP event on October 28.

Alex will prepare an update for staff.
Action: Alex, Mary

b) Around the Table Updates


Sharon
• Catherine Fry and Matt Erickson will attend the September 17 Managers meeting for feedback on the Workplace Harassment course. Managers should have finished the course by then.
• An informal luncheon for Managers to meet new hires is scheduled to follow the October 1 meeting.
• Michele is offering a visit and tour of Musagetes for new staff or anyone who missed the opportunity a few years ago. Michele will communicate with library staff to determine how many are interested and the best time.
Action: Michele

Susan M
• Special Collections recently contracted with a local company to convert old images, film, and VHS in the Oktoberfest collection to DVD. Generally she is happy with the results of this pilot project and will arrange to have additional items scanned.

Ann
• Statistics for UW ILL and TUG docs book requests by grads and faculty are now available. This information will be useful for selectors. Don Hamilton did the mapping and Wish Leonard formulated the criteria of keywords.

Richard
• Eva Dodsworth has been approached by Google Inc. to sign a contract with them to put the GeoRef air photo project on the web.
• Eva and Jon Morgan have been working on a display of satellite images and maps for a display that the Map Library and Render, the Art Gallery will be hosting in the Modern Languages Gallery September 15 – 19. Geo-Abstract is about the art of map making and making maps into art.

Bill
• Justin Stone is the coop student working in the Systems department this term.

Mary
• Student services tours are underway and are all being done at Davis this term. Laurie Strome coordinates the tours; some of our casual staff are doing the presentations.
• Some of the liaison librarians will be manning a booth at the grad student orientation in the Davis fishbowl next week.
• Nancy Collins attended the Don’s lunch – a wonderful opportunity to meet and provide library information to the Dons.
• The official reopening of Porter is scheduled for October 28 and will coincide with the Board of Governors meeting. Board members will be invited to attend the opening after the meeting.

Eric
• Plant Ops has advised that they plan to begin working on the surrounding terrace of Porter to address leaks in Special Collections.

Jane
• ISR is gearing up for fall orientation. Two coop hires are being trained, and a Western FIS coop will begin next week.


Jennifer
• Three interviews are scheduled for the vacant Davis Liaison Librarian position. Interviews begin September 5.

Allan
• A draft job description for a new position (Emerging Technologies Librarian) will be sent to Librarians and Managers for review.
• The target date for Primo to go live is September 10.

Susan R
• An interview for the Porter Liaison Librarian position is scheduled for mid September.
• Interviews for the Porter ISR department head position are scheduled for the end of the month.
• Mark received comments from copyright specialists in Ottawa about the draft version of the Copyright FAQ that was completed in the spring. Based on these comments, Mark, Susan and Chabriol Colebatch fine tuned the FAQ during the summer, and have sent it back to Lois Claxton for final review. The launch of the FAQ likely will be at a luncheon for Department Chairs later in September. Susan is drafting an announcement for news@your library and the Daily Bulletin. A presentation will be scheduled for interested Library staff.
• Occasionally, Susan receives calls from people about the possibility of sending withdrawn books to libraries in developing countries. When she explains that they would have to pay for the boxes and shipping they usually drop the matter. Because of a recent request, we’ve learned that the Used Bookstore (which is where we send our withdrawn material) regularly works with groups interested in supporting third world libraries. The groups still have to pay for boxes and shipping but the Bookstore can provide books, including ones that were recently published and never used (overstocks of text books). In future, we will refer requests about our withdrawn materials to the Used Bookstore. Gifts that we are unable to accept could also be referred there.

3. Business Arising from July 16

Deferred.

4. Report of the committee to give suggestions to reduce noise in Porter

Deferred.

 

Next meeting: September 17; Davis



 




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September 17, 2008