CBB Mellon Project For Library And Information Technology Working Groups

Working Groups
CBB Libraries
CBB Mellon Project for Library and Information
Technology Working Groups
Revised January
1998
GROUP COMPOSITION AND EXPECTATIONS

Group composition
- Groups should be as small as possible.
- Every group needs someone from each school.
- Each group needs a leader who is assigned to drive project
  and is charged with process and reporting.
- There will be a steering committee for CBB project to provide
  overall coordination.

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.
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 (list no longer available)
- 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/ (link no longer available)
  . Over time, this will evolve as the work of the Project develops.
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.
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.
Library Directors’ Role
- Take recommendations from steering committee.
- Present plans to Deans.
- Recommend actions to Deans.
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.

GROUPS

Library software infrastructure implementation
Composition: Lynda Kresge (leader), Katherine Kott, Frances Parker,
John Likens
Deadlines: Mini RFP summer ’97.
Basic software choices Nov 97.
Assumes “Webpac” installed at each library no later than Jan ’98.
Testing Winter for implementation Fall ’98.
Completion: Initial work completed, December 1997, subject to Circulation
Implementation
Tasks: Recommend best package of functionality .
- Required:
  - Simultaneous search and display of three catalogs in public
    and staff mode.
  - Patron direct initiated borrowing.
- Desired:
  - Search simultaneously other libraries
- Other?
  - Assess available options.
  - Work with vendor to resolve function or product.
  - Work with software design group to explore options on
    the relationship between functionality and design.
  - Minimize amount or number of times to pay.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
——–
Two groups not directly related to Mellon grant, but which directly
support the collaborative goals of the grant:
Collection development
Composition: To be named.
Charge: Currently in discussion
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.