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Library Managers

University of Waterloo
Library Managers, July 22, 2009
9:30 a.m., Davis

Present: Allan Bell, Eric Boyd, Helena Calogeridis, Nancy Collins, Betty Graf, Jennifer Haas, Mark Haslett (Chair), Michele Laing, Sharon Lamont, Alex McCulloch, Richard Pinnell, Mary Stanley, Debbie Tytko, Carolyn Vincent (Recorder)

Regrets: Annette Dandyk, Susan Mavor, Bill Oldfield, Susan Routliffe

1. Library “Brag Sheet”
The Office of Development is creating a series of “brag sheets” focused primarily on the Faculties. The Library is the first service department to have a “brag sheet”. The publication will be targeted primarily to an external audience including alumni and prospective donors.

Words that help to frame and position the University will be used to promote the Library as well: unconventional, collaborative, innovative, connected, risk taking, creative, critical thinking, courageous.

Mary and Nancy provided the managers with an opportunity to brainstorm possible ideas for the Library’s “brag sheet”. Suggested items included: the Primo award, e-books and e-journals, Scholar’s Portal (odesi), unique and special collections, the Coalition of Acid Rain, the RFID project, the IBM connection, the Air photo project, the number of students hired by the Library etc.

The publication will be completed in early Fall.

2. Chair’s Remarks
• Recognition and Commendation
The following Library staff members reached milestone anniversaries in July:
July 10 – Christine Jewell, 20 years
July 17 – Annette Dandyk, 35 years
July 19 – Gail Henry, 20 years

• Updates
Feridun Hamdullahpur has been appointed the new VP, Academic and Provost for a five-year term commencing September 1, 2009.

In the coming weeks, the Government of Canada will be hosting a nationwide consultation on copyright modernization. Upcoming meetings will take place in Vancouver and Calgary.

3. Business Arising from June 17
There was no business arising.

4. Circulation Services – Casual Staff Wage Proposal
Alex outlined the two primary reasons for reviewing the wage rates of casual staff:
1. The current wage structure has been perceived as inequitable for some time.
2. Ontario’s minimum wage increased on March 31, 2009 to $9.50/hour, and will increase on March 31, 2010 to $10.25/hour.

To address questions of inequity this proposal recommends:
1. A system that rewards staff for taking on higher levels of training and responsibility.
2. Paying for the benefit that comes to the Library from having more experienced casual staff.

This proposal has been approved in principle by Lib Exec for the Circulation Services department, and was brought forward to the Managers meeting for information/discussion on how it might affect other departments within the Library. The changes will take effect on September 1, 2009.

5. Proposed Changes to the TUG Lending Policy
Mark wanted to discuss the proposed changes to the TUG Lending Policy document in advance of the TUG Exec meeting scheduled for September 2, 2009.

This proposal is being put forward by the Musagetes Library, in conjunction with the Architecture Graduate Officers. It is designed to address a unique combination of factors at the Musagetes Library that have led to a problem in the use of their collection. The exceptions that are being proposed are:
1. Limit UW borrowers to no more than 25 books at a time from the Musagetes collection.
2. Limit UW borrowers to no more than 2 renewals of a book.

Statistics show that only UW borrowers sign out more than 10 Musagetes books at a time, therefore only UW borrows are being affected by this proposed exception.

It was suggested that the proposal could be implemented on a trial basis starting in September with a review conducted in a year. A larger discussion of the proposal will take place at the TUG Exec meeting to be held on September 2, 2009.

6. Around the Table Updates
Richard
UML is in the process of investigating the possibility of hiring a contract worker on a full-time basis for twelve months. The contract worker will support the desk and user instructions, as well as work on GIS projects.

Sharon
Porter Patio - The RFID Inventory and Security Team generously donated their Recognition Award of $5,000.00 to fund tables for the Porter patio renovation. A memorial bench and tree in memory of John Sitler will also be part of the renovations and should be ready for the Fall. Any additional funds required will come from the operating budget.

One staff member in Cataloguing will start working from home August 1, 2009. Two new requests are being considered. People interested in working from home should make a statement as to why they want to and their manager will make a support statement including what if any benefit this arrangement will have for UW.

Marie Armstrong in the Secretariat’s Office has suggested that the Library should be posting signs regarding personal property. The signs should indicate to patrons not to leave their personal property unattended or it could be removed. The signs would make clear that the University of Waterloo is not libel for any missing items.

Action: Melanie will work with Esther to create a sign. Once finalized, the sign will also be sent to UML and Musagetes.

Mary
Three events are planned for the Fall:
1. The opening of the Grand River Conservation Authority collection on September 22nd.
2. UW Day at IBM on October 15th.
3. The Library will be working with the Bookstore on a launch of the 2nd volume of John English’s book on Trudeau, which will be held on November 11th.

Mark
Mark informed the managers that each year, Debbie is required to reconcile the Acquisitions budget yearend figures with Finance. This year, for the first time, the two budgets reconciled to within $1,000.00 of each other. Considering the size of the Acquisitions budget, a difference of as little as $1,000.00 is quite a remarkable feat.

Alex
Ares will be put into production around August 5. The exact date is contingent on publicity and procedures for faculty that is currently being prepared. IST will be showing the new Ares/Angel interface to instructors during the training that they provide in mid-August. According to IST the new interface will work well for most on-campus courses. DE has different needs and a tighter time-line for making changes, and as there is no longer enough time to work out these details for the fall term, reserves staff will ensure that ereserves for DE will continue to be available in TRELLIS for the fall term, for the purposes of pushing links into Angel.

Allan
Allan reported that Systems is exploring and scoping a project to migrate library email services to the central campus Exchange Server. More information will be available as they work on a communication and implementation plan.

Betty
The Dept. of Recreation and Leisure Studies returned to the Library books previously held in the Elliott Avedon Museum & Archive of Games. A list of these items was distributed to liaison librarians who determined that none of the material was to be added to the Library’s collections. Because some of the material was last TUG copies, lists were also sent to Laurier and Guelph. Laurier has chosen some of the titles for retention as they support the Education curriculum. The remainder of the collection will be donated to the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa.

Next meeting: August 19, Davis


 


 


 


 


 

 

 


 


 


 


 


 




 




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July 31, 2009