Minutes of August 10, 2012 Meeting

Present:

Joe Abraham, Kevin Mulcahy, Tom Glynn, Mei Ling Lo, Stephanie Bartz, Karen Hartman, Jane Sloan, Jill Nathanson, Megan Lotts, Jim Niessen

1) Chair's report

• USC brought up the idea of Guide on the Side embedded software (see: code.library.arizona.edu/gots). Guide on the Side is "is a freely available tool that allows librarians to quickly and easily create online, interactive tutorials that are based on the principles of authentic and active learning." Many individuals have expressed interest in the product and would like a trial set up. It was also mentioned that Joseph Deodato will give a demo at the next NBISG meeting. At the USC meeting there was concern from Tibor and Grace, who weren't sure this program was all that sophisticated but needed further investigation. There was also a potential seen in commercial operations where a pop up chat box asks if you need help after a certain number of failed searches and USC may explore this. Mei Ling also mentioned that we might consider looking further into the more sophisticated version of libguides.
• Improvement in the IHL's
  • New screens in Alexander Library
  • All labs should have the newest update of NetOps.
• NBL Reference Toolkit is moving along. It is a LibGuide and should be bookmarked at all the reference desks. It is also linked on the Sakai site under Wiki. If you'd like to help build the tab for your library, please contact Stephanie and she will add you as an editor.
• Scarlet Knight Days is coming up and if you have any suggestions or would like to be involved please get in contact with Harry Glazer. The library will be hosting multiple events at different libraries on the New Brunswick campuses.
• The AUL for Planning and Organizational Research recently submitted to the Executive Council on Assessment our first annual report on learning outcome assessment activities. The reports are required annually and our report this year commits us to certain assessment activities: http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/staff/planning/reports/learning_assessment_report_2011-12.pdf. NBISG will need to think about how this can/will be done in the library.

2) VoIP and Centralized Telephone Reference

There was a lengthy discussion about the new Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone system and centralized telephone reference. Some issues that were discussed included how the number will be publicized and where it will appear on our webpages. Currently the plan is to have all of the calls go to the Alexander Library reference desk, which has the longest hours and currently handles the bulk of the calls. At present it is not known whether Camden and Newark will participate. Some of the issues we discussed can't be resolved until that is determined. The new main number (848-932-6000) will be implemented by fall. The Alexander librarians will discuss what they will say when they answer a call, how to transfer calls, etc. With VoIP, it will be relatively easy to make changes in the service as conditions change.

There was a question about whether it would be possible for library.rutgers.edu to serve as an alias, mirroring www.libraries.rutgers.edu. IIS is not interested in making this change. Glynn will explore whether the User Services Council is interested in pursuing this further.

3) NBISG Goals for the next year

A preliminary discussion of goals for the coming year yielded the following suggestions:

• Implement and assess the central telephone service.
• Further discussion about field work with students should occur and how we can engage more with SCI and interns in the library.
• Need to further work with Gimlet to figure out better methods of keeping more accurate statistics.
• Continue working on the NB toolkit.
• Explore digital teaching tools such as libguides, libguides-campus guide, and side Guide on the Side.
• Examine library instruction in a broad context; who and what we teach; modalities, including on and offline (all of this in the context of the new education line).