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Updated 1/98

The grant of $975,000 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supports the following program elements:

 

  1. Seamless access to library holdings . Install a common graphica l approach to catalogs and services of the three libraries to improve student and faculty access to information. A common approach will help the user see the Libraries as shared resource, and may reduce the need to duplicate library holdings at all three colleges. A common interface will give library users easy access to the catalogs of all three libraries, with faster telecommunications and increased library support services to ensure rapid delivery of print and electronic information to all users, irres pective of "home" campus.

    Activities underway:

    1. Develop client, server and other software elements needed to accomplish common catalog display, graphical user interface, and capacity for users to directly request delivery of materials from all CBB libraries. Adopt common policies and procedures to assure that CBB library materials are available on a shared basis to all CBB students, faculty and staff.

    2. This project will support creation of a high speed telecommunications channel among the three libraries.

  2. Videoconferencing. Videoconferencing capabilities at the three colleges will help overcome barriers of distance while controlling costs. These facilities will encourage effective collaboration among students, faculty and administrators on the three campuses, and will also put the colleges in visual communication with students and scholars throughout the world. The goal is three-way video linkage -- with full visual and audio communication at a high standard of resolution--for groups of fa culty and students of up to 10 at each site. We anticipate the capability to teach jointly necessary classes for which there is insufficient demand on each campus, or support electronic conversation between the CBB colleges and colleagues at other colleg es and universities. This system will also support live videoconferences with guests around the world, and potentially, provide ways to connect faculty and students studying abroad with those in Maine.

    Activities underway:

    1. For each campus, install room-based equipment with similar capabilities to support a full range of videoconference capacities. We are exploring options for this service using ISDN lines as well as the advanced ATM system currently being built in the State of Maine. Staff are loo king at installations such as facility that has recently been installed at Hamilton College and Colgate University as part of their Language and Technology Project sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation., as well as ATM sites.

    2. Select and install telecommunications support for videoconferencing and Library applications. We include a three-way bridging system that will allow two-way and three-way video conferencing with enhanced telecommunications links that support both videoconferencing and libr ary telecommunications needs, and ISDN lines to provide each institution with the capability of having individual videoconferencing with other sites that use the same standards.

  3. Faculty development . The colleges are working together to deal with t he dual challenges of helping students learn how to move around in an information-rich electronic environment and use information effectively, and supporting faculty members who need to learn these skills themselves. The project is an opportunity to recon sider how we provide training for faculty and students in new information resources, and as an opportunity to provide support for faculty members who wish to incorporate use of new information sources, and new technologies like videoconferencing, into thei r teaching. We will develop a coordinated and creative program in information and information technology training.

    Faculty members, librarians and information services staff of the three colleges will work together to build a joint program that can take a number of forms:

    Workshops, seminars and formal events to demonstrate successful approaches to information use.
    Coordinated programs to develop shared training materials.
    Informal events for working groups or affinity groups to help promote face-to face contact among CBB colleges.
    Activities of teams comprised of library staff, information services staff, and faculty members to address particular curricular needs.
    Direct support of faculty members who wish to explore more extensive revision of a course or teaching approach by taking advantage of the technology implemented through this grant

    Activities underway:

    A team comprised of leaders in library public services and information services organizations are developing detailed goals and objectives in 1997/98 academic year for implementation in 1998/99 and 1999/2000..

    For additional information, contact Gene Wiemers, College Librarian, Bates College, who serves as the chair of the steering committee overseeing these activities. (ewiemers@ abacus.bates.edu; 207.786.6260)

Project Timeline

  1. Year 1 July 1997 --- June 1998

    • Development and support of the library software. Installation of software. Development of the policies to make it work.

    • Identification and preparation of videocon ferencing sites at each College, based on a survey of projected need.

    • Purchase and installation of videoconferencing equipment.

    • Begin faculty development and library staff training. Develop detailed goals and objectives

  2. Year 2 July 1998 --- June 1999

    • Evaluation of library software; how well it works.

    • Videoconferencing experimenting and exploration projects. The facility would not be available for courses that would depend on using it regularly during this experimental year.

    • Faculty development, including library staff support. The faculty development will be coordinated with the library software evaluation and the videoconferencing experimentation.

  3. Year 3 July 1999 --- June 2000

    • Faculty development and library staff development (final 40%). This will include faculty development on the use of information products being made available through the library.

    • First courses to make integral use of videoconferencing, as well as its availability for other curricular and administrative uses.

    • Outside evaluators undertake review, including site visits and final report.