University Librarian's Cabinet: Minutes of the March 23, 2004 Meeting

Present:

Agnew, Boyle, Fultz, Gaunt, Millerand, Mullins, Puniello, Sewell, Tehrani, Zapcic

Videoconferenced:

Golden

University Librarian's Report – Gaunt

• Peggy Barber and Linda Wallace, Library Communications Strategies, Inc., are on campus this week working on the communications audit. They met with Provost Diner and others at Newark and today are in Camden meeting with Provost Dennis, library staff, and others. They will be doing interviews for most of the week. Audit process is going extremely well.
• Everyone is invited to the exhibition opening and reception for faculty authors on the New Brunswick campus on Thursday, March 25 at the newly renovated Douglass Library. Camden and Newark will have their events in the fall.
• The deans have not been given dates for their accountability meetings, which are also used to plan the budget request for next year. Cabinet members' mid-year reports are due by April 1. They are very important for the context for next year's budget request.
• Major new program initiatives will focus on area/ethnic studies. We know there will be an initiative in South Asian studies and will have to maintain close contact with the various departments to see what other areas and initiatives emerge. Some of these may have an impact on the Libraries where we do not already have strong collections or language and staff expertise. Dr. Furmanski is already aware of the connection to library support. Sewell attended a launch meeting of the South Asian area studies program. Currently only a minor is offered, but there is an expectation to offer a major involving literature, history, and other disciplines. Local community support is strong for the many related activities that will be established. Furmanski has said that he wants Libraries input on the impact of these initiatives incorporated into upcoming budget request.

DAWG Operating Assumptions - Agnew

• Agnew presented report of "Rutgers University Digital Repository Operating Assumptions." She noted that the intent behind digital repository continues to be a moving target. Bids have been solicited for the digital storage system. One of two final vendors will be selected and installation of hardware will begin in Fiscal 2005. It was necessary to acquire an understanding of how products work. Repository includes Rutgers-created materials, not just collections of libraries. Focus is on integration and preservation.

Digital Collection Project Proposal Application - Sewell

• Sewell presented and discussed the "Digital Collection Project Proposal Application for the Rutgers University Repository." The document addresses the critical elements for anyone proposing a digital collection for repository, which includes a Project Narrative Summary; Collection Development and Management Criteria (rights and permission issues, collection development, impact and dissemination, preservation, and collection management) and Technical Support. A digital project review committee will be established and charged to evaluate and consult on proposals for collections housed in the Rutgers University digital repository. Committee will include members with technical and collection development expertise. Following Cabinet discussion, it was decided that the purpose of the application should be summarized at the beginning of the document; the summary should clarify the application's use in prioritizing funding and staff support. Need to identify those proposals that are strategic for RUL, but do not want the release of the application to raise expectations. Sewell stated that projects would take serious commitment by the project applicant; anyone who fills out the form is making major commitment. The document and committee will be announced to RUL and the application form will be posted on the RUL Web site.

PSPM 6 Update for Cabinet Approval - Boyle

• Boyle presented revisions to Public Service Policy Memo #6 previously approved by Public Services Council. These changes update the cooperative agreements, adding PALCI and the Hungarian Foundation and changes to OCLC/RLAC, New Jersey Library Network, Princeton and METRO revised for accuracy. Cabinet approved update.

DLI-II Planning - Gaunt

• Gaunt presented the draft "Potential Themes for DLI-II Focus Group Discussion." Planning document has been circulated to selectors; comments were due by March 15. Focus groups will be held at the end of April on the three campuses with faculty and students. Dan O'Connor of SCILS will advise. Gaunt requested Cabinet input on what questions to pose to the focus groups. Discussion followed on need to focus on the user, not the libraries. Could actually be only one question: Tell us how you interact with information. How often does that involve the library? Give us a snapshot of your last research project. Did it involve library physically or virtually? What was missing, what was hard, if perfect what would it look like? The object is to get faculty to think about last paper or book and shape questions around the experience. If focus groups talk about way they use information, the result gives a range of scenarios. This way we will hear about their collaborations, which are not necessarily within the university. This is important, as in the next five years we will have to contend with licensing issues. Who really are their research partners? What does that imply? Are there ways that we should be providing globally access to other things? Gaunt will formulate the single main question and possible sub questions. Will take these to Coordinating Committee.

Travel Policy - Gaunt

• The "Library Policy on Travel Funds" exists because we need a statement about our own travel funds in compliance with the Universities' policies. Changes proposed in Nancy Hendrickson's updated draft did not change substance but are only technical updates for accuracy. Cabinet discussed the distinction between system-wide and administrative travel, added travel from "other" funds, expanded travel advance information, and accountability for reporting on travel to conferences and professional meetings. Gaunt will make changes suggested during Cabinet discussion and will put on agenda for next meeting.

Announcements

Puniello

• Douglass Library is open, but no formal announcement has been made yet.

Boyle

• In preparation for DLI-II, Marilyn Wilt has been working with the Planning Committee to develop an ambitious workshop, which will be held on July 22, to set the stage for our librarians and staff on the bigger picture of what is happening in higher education. The keynote speaker will be Clara Lovett, President of the American Association on Higher Education.

Mullins

• New Brunswick Libraries director candidate will be here on March 25.
• As part of Rutgers-Newark's continuing observance of the 35th anniversary of the 1969 takeover of Conklin Hall, the John Cotton Dana Library will host a March 31 symposium, "The Relevance of the Conklin Hall Takeover to the Hip-Hop Generation." The panel will contrast a student overview of life at Rutgers-Newark today, with a detailed look back at how it was during the Conklin Hall takeover by the Black Organization of Students and sympathetic supporters, which came at the height of nationwide student activism. The exhibition will remain on view until April 30, and then will be donated to the Dana Library Archives. Michael Immerso, a cultural historian and one of the R-N student activists from February 1969, is curating the exhibition.
• Ed Berger and Vincent Pelote will present to the New Jersey Communications Society meeting on March 27 at SCILS on the topic of "How Jazz Musicians Communicate."
• "Unbuilt Newark" exhibit curated by Prof. Marc Holzer documenting buildings planned but not built is scheduled at Dana for Fall 2005
• The May 8 Fats Waller Centennial Celebration is being funded by the Friends of the Rutgers University Libraries and presented by the IJS.
• "Artwork by Joanne Leone Corris" will be in the Dana Library Gallery (fourth-floor) from April 22-June 7, and on display in the Dana Room through April 2005. It is open to the public free of charge, as is the opening reception on April 22 from 4-8 p.m., in the Dana Room.

Zapcic

• Inaugural event for Douglass Library is scheduled for May 17. Deans Ambar (Douglass College) and Stauffer (MGSA) and Dr. Furmanski will speak.
• Johns Hopkins has implemented a policy that every endowed chair includes a quarter million dollars for libraries collection development related to the subject area. This is useful to know, as the university's next campaign will highlight undergraduate initiatives and endowed chairs.