Coordinating Committees

CUWL User Services Coordinating Committee (USCC) Meeting
Meeting Minutes

December 12, 2008, 10:00AM – Noon

Present:  Steve Frye, Barb Bren, Ella Cross, Leigh Dorsey, Valerie Malzacher, Jill Markgraf, Jana Reeg-Steidinger, Lisa Jewell

1. Announcements/Updates: 

Discussed use of relevancy ranking and using this for all resources. Valerie has it set up at River Falls to see how other libraries have configured Metalib. She will have River Falls library staff send the info to us so that we can view also. WIKI page is set up so that we could provide links. Barb reported that Whitewater is cutting desk hours for both Reference and Periodicals (student hours). They will be undergoing a major weeding of the reference collection and also installing big screen TVs in the library. Stout is following Mr. Movies setup with major movies. DVDs are kept at the circulation desk. Madison and Oshkosh use locking boxes for their DVDs.

Discussion of integrating library guides for courses into D2L. Most have links into libraries through widgets at this point. Oshkosh and Madison both have programmers on staff in the library.  This may be a new direction for library staffing. Jill suggested discussion of how to best use the staff we now have. There is increase in demand for instructional sessions, but libraries are dealing with decreasing staffs at the same time. Jana commented that the survey didn’t really answer staffing question. Students at the reference desk is a trend.  Libraries have their own ways of addressing staffing issues. Steve suggested that the skill set for librarians may include programming.

2. CUWL Happenings:

Make up of coordinating committees will change in June with around ½ of the members changing. Chairs tenure will be reviewed. May serve 3 years with the last year as regular member, not chair. 

Concern was expressed at Regent level over textbook costs.  See need to reduce costs, especially for Madison and Milwaukee students. Library may be part of the solution. Discussion of California State University and the Digital Marketplace. Here is a link to information on this initiative:  http://www.calstate.edu/ats/digital_marketplace/

Libraries may be looked at as taking leadership role here, making it easier to sell texts or parts of electronic texts to students.  Potential for librarians to be liaisons in providing access to electronic texts.  National Center for Biological Information also offers free information.  Librarians can become the human portal for other digital information. Valerie commented that California may be making it too simplistic, with a single enterprise trying to bring it all together. Librarians would play a role in letting instructors and students know what resources are out there. Ed Meacham will be bringing this up again.

Valerie reported that the budget was still undecided.

3. Improving communication:

CUWL USSC currently lists 109 members. CUWL Wiki lists 104 members. The Wiki is a good place to share information, suggestion of setting up a grid to see what everyone is doing.  Jill suggested that we look at using it as a larger venue for discussions, trying to do some things like the iSkills session. Suggested having monthly Brown Bag sessions, with topics that don’t take too much prep time. We have links if we need visuals. Suggestions for future sessions:  New Reference Models (January), Metalib (February). It was decided to try this out on the 3rd Thursday of the month, from noon to 1 pm.  Jill and Renee would take the first session. At the January meeting of the USSC we will decide on the remainder of the schedule. Suggested that we email others on CUWL lists for ideas for future sessions.

Steve will set up the Free Conference for the first Brown Bag and send information out to the CUWL userlist. Will ask those interested in participating to respond so that he knows approximately how many connections are needed. 

4.  Reports of Working Groups:

What are the next steps for the working groups? Some of the things discussed:

  • New Reference Models, working group formed on changing nature of reference service.
  • Training and preparation of non librarians serving at the reference desk
  • Madison has twice a month training on different topics for those working on the reference desks
  • Information literacy instruction – where are we going with assessment?  How to assess library piece.  How do we measure and define outcomes. The major tests such as iSkills may not be what we need. There still is money, around $8,000 available for libraries wanting to use iSkills. Discussion of library role in assessing student learning. We may need to find a tool that we can pilot and get data that is meaningful.

5.  CUWL Resource Discovery and Library Management Task Forces:

There are two sections: one in Technical Initiatives Group and one in User Services. Discussion of resource discovery and what people think of it. Need someone to serve on Exploratory Task Force. Barb Bren volunteered. We also need someone for the Library Management Task Force. Asking for volunteer by December 17th. 

6. CUWL committee Structure:

Valerie reported that there will be an assessment of the CUWL reorganization.  In the process of setting up the first committee meeting. Will need input from everyone. Survey across the system and get a sense of how the reorganization is viewed. Also need to hear from the various committees. The report is due at the CUWL spring meeting.

7.  June Conference:

Planning committee: Right now are Steve and Lisa. At some point will need to hear what topics should be. Not asking for ideas yet, but will need for January meeting. Discussion how people felt the conference went, how could we improve the structure. Location will probably by the Pyle Center, Madison campus. 

Meeting Adjourned: 11: 40 AM

Respectively submitted by Ella Cross