Minutes of Oct. 23, 1997 Meeting [SACOPS]

Present:

Susan Beck, Ben Beede, Natalie Borisovets, Jeanne Boyle, Ellen Calhoun, Judy Gardner (recorder), Jackie Mardikian, Ann Montanaro, Stan Nash, Penny Page, Ruth Simmons, Thelma Tate, Harriette Hemmasi

AUL/PSC Report

• Copies of FY 1996 Central Electronic Resources Budget, approximately 10% of total budget, distributed.
• Reviewed Task force on Fee-Based Educational Programs Report; V. A. And V. B referred to ERC for comments.
• Distributed mousepads from the SCC Dedication.
• 2 PCs have been transferred from Chang to RUCS for CU-See Me videoconferencing pilot.
• Most new databases are active and appear in the alphabetical list, will be listed under subjects soon. WAC discussing possibility of placing two buttons next to each database, one for a description and the other to launch.
• Draft of Timetable for the Selection and Implementation of Networked Electronic Resources discussed. Steps may be concurrent., are not necessarily linear. "Set public availability date" relates to when it's appropriate to make the database available, not when technically possible. Suggestion to add "announce availability" under Publicity to help ensure we are informed when a new database becomes available.
• Full-time Webmaster, public services staff position, will be posted, work with WAC and other groups to develop webpages.
• Dave Hoover worked on the online registration form for library workshops and it is now operational.
• ERC will recommend when to make the Ovid web interface available. Systems will announce when it is available for testing.
• Rutgers users coming into the Rutgers network via aol or other outside provider need access to databases. Telnet an option, some universities using passwords.
• Reported on long range planning, joint SAC meeting, presentation at State of the Libraries. RUL will create the plan. The Steering Committee will advise, clarify issues and principles, and educate faculty. A libraries planning listserv, open to the university community, and a conference on libraries have been suggested.

Systems/LIS Updates Systems

• Some new Citadel databases are linked because we are using left-over ports; waiting for RUCS to provide additional ports.
• Agricola and Environmental Sciences are about to be delivered from Ovid. The Life Sciences database is not yet completed by Ovid.
• Sirsi is not supporting improvements to the Lynx client. The character-based OPAC can be enhanced, but it doesn't support Requests. To try the character-based OPAC, telnet to libserv3.rutgers.edu (setting VT100), login: alepub, password: pubale, pin: alepub. To leave the character-based OPAC, at the new command prompt, enter: N, enter: HALT, override: megacirc.
• Fatal Timeouts are a persistent problem, staff are continuing to send logs to Systems.
• Reminder ISBN is not a browseable index, search results in a list of authors Circulation:
• Will begin to issue logins to students performing specialized tasks, staff have discussed need to move away from reliance on generic (desk) logins for security reasons.
• Submitted enhancements to Academic SIG.
• No longer using overdue fines as surrogate replacement bill, recall fines are beginning to accrue. Will generate lists to assist with placing and removing academic holds.
• Smart barcodes continue to be a problem.
• Running reports to Remove old Requests, gather statistics.
• Will experiment with the Missing User in test database before updating missing statuses in production.
• When will paper request forms (except for reference/law/missing books and photocopies) be totally eliminated? It's difficult to maintain two workflows and statistics gathering for the Request service and staff have asked for agreement and commitment to the electronic. All libraries except Dana, where only 6 Web access machines are available in reference area, have ceased using paper forms for books. Dana will use paper as back-up judiciously, and eliminate totally when more web IRIS access is available. Catalog Implementation: H.Hemmasi reviewed membership (including SACOPS members) and work of PAC, distributed Suggested Changes by PAC for Webcat, 10/97. SACOPS supported suggested changes. An OPAC question & answer session at SCC or offered at each unit was discussed, also suggested next OPAC training focus on internal structure of the database. PAC is looking at revisions we want to make to indexing, will share with SACOPS. Draft of in-context help is written and has been posted for comments and feedback.

Ask a Librarian

Discussed issues relating to Ask A Librarian service. Staffing--who should be answering the questions? Currently rotates among libraries; how does each library divide responsibility for answering questions? How is the extra workload handled? How do we refer, get the right question to the right expert? Would it be beneficial for a team to answer questions on a regular basis? Service Policy--do we have one, a one-page statement of guidelines was mentioned. What should the service policy be? How does Ask a Librarian relate to telephone service policies and PSAM# 18--Information Service at Rutgers University Libraries? Guidelines for staff wishing to update or elaborate on an answer were suggested-- first contact the answerer who will forward updated info to the questioner, then update correction to Ask A Librarian distribution if needed. Eligibility--attempt to restrict access to Rutgers students, faculty, staff generally thought not feasible or desirable Form Revision--no pressing need, additional information from questioner not required. FAQ-- needs to be developed. May cut down on repeat questions, answers could be cut-pasted.

ILL. Patrons are notified when their ILLs arrive by message in their Self Services Hold file. During transition, libraries are also notifying by email or sending copies of forms.

NEXT MEETING: Nov. 25, at LSM.
Postponed Agenda Items: Charges for Mediated Searches on Ovid (and other non-fee databases available to patrons), CD-ROM Work Group Report, more on ILL, Digiprint, Public Workstation Access and Use, Presentation of e-journals.