Minutes of May 9, 20015 Meeting

Present:

Jeanne Boyle, Vib Bowman, Sam McDonald, Pat Permetti, Brian Hancock, Linda Langschied, Leslie Murtha, Rebecca Gardner, Theo Haynes, Dave Hoover

Design Group report:

• Design concept of new web pages was passed at Public Services Council. (this is the design that adds "How do I .." links, and makes some of the) (text be revealed only by doing mouse overs.)
• It will be released for all to review shortly.
• Discussion ensued involving how to get the "How do I .." links available from lower level pages. Right now they are only on the main page.

Research Guides report:

• Agriculture is revised and updated.

Instruction Liaison report:

• The last meeting was cut short.
• Workshop was held at the end of March on Web based instruction. Sam and Scott presented Web Management Tools.
• Looked at Texas library Tutorial (TILT). Subcmte formed to look at it closer. Was not as good as it looked. Too much work with systems (systems was not consulted). External vendors will be be reviewed to see if there are other solutions. Texas is using PHP, Java and FLASH. Sam recomended not using FLASH.
• Jeanne mentioned that there could be a PROP proposal regardng both a TILT like tutorial and My Library application. Recomended that a tutorial gets done quickly. Questions were raised as to whether tracking of use was necessary - it was not deemed as important as having a usable tutorial.
• Leslie was asked to keep systems in the loop if they are to be involved with implementing proposals that are made.
• Search for 2 Instructional services librarians will have recomendations in 2 weeks.

I' Things report:

• 9 new databases are moving from the forthcoming indexes page to the main Indexes page. Theo has sent out announcements for each of these.
• A Spreadsheet has been designed to help Theo keep track of the various states that and Index/Database is in.
• Sam put up Style Guidelines for Indexes/Database Descriptions. This Database Description Template should be used by all who are obtaining new databases.
• A link may be added from the request search form to the DB Style Guidelines.
• Should "Available from vendor" be removed from the request form as people are just chosing this and not supplying any info.
• Should we list Print equivalents? RU sometimes stops print when electronic is available. Other institutions get elaborate on how the print and electronic differ.

SCC report

• No general SCC report will be given. Reports will only be made if they relate to RUL Web matters.

Restricting Staff Web Pages

What to restrict

• Any document from Sirsi, or procedures about Sirsi cannot be made public.
• Budget Info / Collection / Cabinet Minutes
• Policies will be moved from staff web pages and be made more public.
• All Staff web pages will be looked at to see how to make the private/public split.

How to restrict

• Easiest is to make a directory that has a web restriction placed on it. All restricted pages will live in or below this directory.
• Do we want IP address authentication for staff pc's in the libraries ? If so we will need to identify and keep track of all public vs staff subnets so they can be included in the restriction. This was deemed unnecessary.
• Can we offer online registration as other online companies do ? We would need some way to verify they were staff and a mechanism to store information about them. Deemed a little more complicated than we needed.
• Sam suggected that sensitive files be kept only on the Novell T:\ drives and notes be added to the web pages to direct users there instead of making them web accessible. The limited nature of access to the Novell drive would make the files restricted but would also prevent user from gaining access from outside of our Novell network. Deemed too restrictive.
• Decided - Public / Private split of staff content. Password access only (even from on campus). Passwords will be rotated at least 3 times a year. Staff Resources are going to be restricted in general and then public things will be pulled out. A subcommitte of Sam, Jeanne, Rebecca and Dave will meet to pull this together.

Thank You button

• Should a button be added to the web page for people to send "Thanks" to the staff. This was discussed in detail. Basic points were :
  • Would both positive and negative comments be posted ?
  • Is it too much like soliciting praise ?
  • Who would review and post comments ?
  • What would happen to questions that were posed here and how would it relate to Ask A Librarian ?
  • A suggestion was made that a Feedback button be used instead of a "Thank You" - same questions arose as to who would receive the feedback and how would it relat to Ask A Librarian.
  • It was also thought that with the RUL Webmaster mail address and Ask A Librarian there were already sufficient forums to receive user feedback.
  • Issue was tabled.

Next meeting 6/6/2001 9:00 am - 11:00 am.