Working Groups

CBB Libraries

CBB Mellon Project for Library and Information Technology Working Groups

Revised January 1998

1. 
   

2. Group expectations
   
   

   • There will be overlap of areas of activity. Groups will communicate with other groups, especially leaders will talk to leaders. Group members will communicate within their home colleges.
     
   • Groups will share minutes within the group, and send summaries to a listserve and to steering committee.
     
   • Agendas will go to group members and to the listserve in advance of meetings.
     
   • Groups will call in expertise as needed, get information from experts.
     
   • Groups will develop written proposals for action, including budget plans, for submission to steering committee.
     

   
   

3. Communications
   
   

   • E-mail will be the norm for working groups. They will develop their own mechanisms to set up meetings and communicate about the details of what they are doing.
     
     
   • For posting agendas, minutes, summaries, Frances has set u p a listserve called cbb-info-coop. It is an unmoderated list with Janey Adams, Suanne's secretary, as the owner. Its stated purpose (in brief and long forms) is:
     
     Brief: CBB library and information technology cooperation.
     
     Long: The purpose of this listserve is to facilitate communication among the working groups of the Colby Bates Bowdoin library and information technology collaboration and between the working groups and concerned staff and faculty of the three institutio ns. Working groups may use t he list to post agendas, summaries of minutes, and documents. The list will provide an open forum for discussion of issues raised in the working groups and a convenient mechanism for all those interested to share ideas and information with the groups.
     
     The listserve is open to any individual within CBB interested in the progress of CBB cooperation in library and information technology. Sign up by e-mailing to: majordomo@colby.edu and entering in the body of the message: subscribe cbb-info-coop
     
     
   • Colby will also set up a web page for documents and information of a more permanent nature. The first page is set up at http://www.colby.edu/cbb/info-coop/ . Over time, this will evolve as the work of the Project develops.
     

   
   

4. Reporting
   
   

   • Recommendations for action will be made to Steering Committee in writing. This will include substantive recommendations and budget recommendations.
     
   • Groups will present periodic progress reports to Steering Committee. These communications will be available to all relevant staff on the listserve.
     
   • All groups will know who is on which groups, and what they are doing.
     

   
   

5. Steering Committee
   
   

   • Steering Committee for Mellon project will be composed of library directors and assistant directors, and chairs of all groups. This includes Suanne Muehlner, Sherrie Bergman, Gene Wiemers, Frances Parker, Judy Montgomery, Paula Matthews, Lynda Kresge, Suzi Cole, Linda Spugnardi, and John Connell. Gene Wiemers will serve as leader.
     
   • Establishes budget guidelines for groups.
     
   • Reviews (and approves or amends) action plans and budget proposals from groups subject to guidelines established by Deans.
     
   • Coordinates work of groups.
     
   • Receives and pays attention to summaries of activity.
     
   • Plans for external communications about grant.
     

   
   

6. Library Directors' Role
   
   

   • Take recommendations from steering committee.
     
   • Present plans to Deans.
     
   • Recommend actions to Deans.
     

   
   

7. Executive Committee
   
   

   • The CBB academic deans form the executive committee of the Mellon project, with Martha Crunkleton (Bates) as Project Director. The deans and library directors will form a project committee, with the expectation that library directors will take a strong role in preparing recommendations for this decision-making function at regularly scheduled meetings. As the work of the grant is completed, library directors will continue to involve Deans in necessary decision making roles to make the consortium work.
     

1. 
   Other Considerations:
   
   Expect discussion with vendor to go through group leader.
   Work should not preclude integration of catalog software with software currently in place or possible for future (e.g. Software that shows holding library with i ndexes, ERL). Software itself may not be III, but assume III continues to be the catalog software.
   Identify potential concerns for cataloging, indexing, and locating materials.
   
   
   

2. Library software design
   
   Composition: Judy Montgomery (Leader), Shana Goodall, Sara Amato, Tom Hayward, Susan MacArthur, Frances Parker, Keith McGlauflin
   
   Deadlines: Assumes "Webpac" installed at each library no later than Jan '98.
   May 98 plan completed.
   Fall 98 plan implemented.
   
   Tasks:

   • Develop shared approach to electronic access to ca talogs and electronic resources.
     
   • Coordinate Webpac design & other CBB web development.
     
   • Recommend how to build CBB presence on web.
     
   • Develop plan for ongoing administration, update and coordination (web).
     
   • Recommend the level of uniformity needed.
     
   • Share expertise and reduce overhead to build and maintain.
     
   • Work with software infrastructure group to explore options on the relationship between functionality and design.
     

   
   
   

3. Shared circulation policies
   
   Composition: Library Directors and Associate Directors. Sherrie will convene.
   
   Deadline: Jan 98.
   
   Completion: Work completed, December 1997
   
   Tasks:

   • Develop shared access policies for CBB. Borrowing, lending, fines, privileges e.g. for online searching, ILL, document delivery.
     
   • Review with each Library and College to identify problems and resolve them.
     
   • Get administrativeand faculty support/consent/information.
     
   • To what level do we expect things to be uniform?
     
     Other considerations:
     
     Directors and associate directors will establish basic framework for shared po licies, and assign staff from each library to work out details.
     

   
   
   

4. Circulation Implementation
   
   Composition: Leanne Pander, Phyllis McQuaide, LaVerne Winn, Julie Retelle, Eileen Fredette, Frances Parker (Leader)
   
   Deadline: June 1998, with full implementation by Fall 1998
   Charge:
   
   

   1. Receive recommendations from Circulation Policies and Software Infrastructure Implementation Groups and work toward implementation of changes, with target of June 1998. This will allow sufficient time for ironing out difficultie s by beginning of school in Fall, 1998.
      
      
   2. Take necessary steps to implement recommended policies for borrowing functions:
      
      
      1. Acquire and install patron loader tables.
         
         
      2. Establish procedures for loading and maintaining patron records. Standardize fields as necessary.
         
         
      3. Analyze requestor function in detail an take steps to implement it so its functionality is consistent among the three colleges.
         
         
      4. Develop common notices for requests, paging and pickup.
         
         
      5. . Develop routines at each site fo r paging and pickup consistent with prompt response to user requests. A working target is to fill all requests, by sending the book or article, or by sending a response to the user that material can not be found, by the end of the next business day.
         

   1. 
      
      

   2. Translate recommended circulation policies into functional and consistent loan rules.
      
      

      1. Identify any gaps or inconsistencies in policies and seek clarification from Steering Committee.
         
         
      2. Identify problems or obstacles in implementation and seek review by Steering Committee of policies when they can not be implemented as proposed.
         
         
      3. Develop common procedures, messages and steps to implement among the three sites for:
         renewals and self-renewals
         holds
         recalls
         notices
         bills
         item status
         
         
      4. Develop mechanisms for the system to accept request for journal articles in such a way as to implement the Circulation Group recommendation that article delivery be the preferred option for patron requests. This may or may not be in the requestor fun ction, but should guide the user clearly down the right path.
         

      
      

   3. Identify any obstacles impeding the proposed software linking the circulation systems, and call upon SIIG, as needed, to identify alternative approaches. Meet with SIIG to define all elements needed to make systems work. (A set of questions is attach ed). If software approach must be changed, please review any proposed changes with the Steering Committee.
      
      
   4. Work with Document Delivery group to establish a routine for collecting and analyzing statistics on performance in delivery and response to users, as well as impact on staffing. This should be done at least quarterly for the 1998/99 academic year so necessary adjustments can be made in expectations or staffing.
      
      
   5. The Leader of this group should be the high contact with III regarding this implementation, and should be the one that communicates with the III Help Desk. If routine Help Desk services do not suffice for the activity you propose, the Leader should wo rk with the group and others to develop a proposal for consulting services with III to meet CBB needs. Please coordinate any consulting requests with other groups so as not to overlap.
      

   
   
   

5. Document delivery
   
   Composition: Suzi Cole (Leader), Peggy Menchen, Kathleen Kenny, LaVerne Winn, Elaine Ardia, Guy Saldanha
   
   Deadlines:
   
   Assess current status of delivery systems by Jan 98.
   Implement changes and improvements as identified.
   
   Tasks:
   

   • Assess current performance of delivery of materials among CBB libraries and make recommendations for needed improvements.
     
   • Explore and propose alternative ways to deliver information (e.g. use of commercial document delivery systems and electronic formats).
     
   • Make recommendations for needed changes.
     

   
   
   

6. User education
   
   Composition: Bill Dennen, Toni Katz, Paula Matthews, Linda Spugnardi (Leader), Judy Montgomery, Peg Shultz.
   
   Deadlines:
   
   Develop goals and frameworks - May 98
   Develop and implement programs - May 99
   Work with faculty (no date)
   
   Other considerations:
   
   This may become an ongoing coo rdinated activity, so careful attention to successes/failures/learning will be needed.
   
   Tasks:
   

   • Identify common goals and objectives for joint user education/ faculty development programs.
     
   • Look at other sites and get ideas.
     
   • Plan specific programs, workshops, content designed to help people learn how to use information and use information to learn.
     
   • Identify needed point of need documentation.
     
   • Develop programs for shared education with electronic and videoconferencing, and share expertise in building them.
     
   • Develop material to teach about new services developed as other components of the grant.
     
   • Facilitate faculty involvement and sharing among colleges and departments.
     
   • Build partnerships among library, IT/IS staff and faculty on each campus and among the campuses, and ensure coordination of the work with individual initiatives on each campus.
     
   • Link efforts with Mellon language grant.
     

   
   

7. Videoconferencing and library telecommunications
   
   Composition: John Connell (Leader), Jim Bauer, Peg Schultz, Carmen Greenle e, Jackie Tanner, Sam Atmore
   
   Deadlines: Analysis documentation, October 1997.
   Logical and physical design, November 1997.
   Prototype system, January 1998.
   Assessment and refinement, January - July 1998.
   Functional system for initial use, September 1998.
   
   Tasks:

   • Develop three-way videoconferencing system to support course offerings for small courses when faculty expertise is only available from one faculty member.
     
   • Explore use of this technology to improve other face-to-face communication among campuses for faculty, student and administrative uses.
     
   • Provide high speed telecommunications capability that supports videoconferencing as well as expanded library functionality.
     
   • Visit sites with similar installations to gather information.
     Develop specific functional requirements, and design and implement accordingly.
     
   • Develop program for initial training, and work with user education group to identify programs that test capability and effectiveness.
     

   
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   Two groups not directly related to Mellon grant, but which directly support the collaborative goals of the grant:
   
   

8. Collection development
   
   Composition: To be named.
   
   Charge: Currently in discussion
   
   
   
9. Off-site library storage
   
   Composition: Gene Wiemers, Sherrie Bergman
   
   Deadlines: Summer 1997
   
   Tasks:
   Develop shared off-site storage plan for CBB that addresses immediate needs of Bowdoin and Bates and eventual use by Colby.