Present: Stephanie Bartz, Jeris Cassel, Marty Kesselman, Triveni Kuchi, Kevin Mulcahy, Laura Mullen, Penny Page, Pat Piermatti (recorder), Myoung Chung Wilson (Chair)

1. The minutes of the May meeting were approved and are posted on the NBL web- page.
   
   
2. New Business
   
   
• Voucher requests, FY 2004 - Myoung Wilson thanked team leaders for maintaining their budgets and planning for the next fiscal year. Myoung then clarified salary for part-time librarians (post degree). The NJ minimum salary is $36,503 for new hires; therefore, $20/hour for our hires. In comparison, information assistants receive $9.50/hour and reference assistants $10.00/hour. We realize no salary savings for voucher employees. NBISSG team leaders request for 2003/04 is $74,225. Myoung suggests $72,000 as our optimum. The upcoming year will be a difficult one due to anticipated budget reductions in all areas.
  
  Action Item: Pat Piermatti will re-compute the LSM budget request to include the proposed new hourly rate for PT librarians. Also, all team leaders should do a "Plan B" in case budget cuts are severe. All NB reference team leaders will receive the electronic version of the Excel spreadsheet for voucher expenditures. Please submit revised voucher requests ASAP.
  
  Some discussion ensued. Marty Kesselman mentioned the possibility of the loss of Saturday reference hours at the Douglass Library. Cross training of Access Services personnel at Douglass should be one of the options. Myoung will consult with Farideh Tehrani regarding this issue.
  
  
• NBL Instruction - Jeris Cassel reported on meetings with the instruction librarians. The instruction librarians group is moving forward with planning an instruction framework and/or strategic plan by the end of July or early August for the fall and long-term. This plan is to be presented to the NBISSG and at a NBL faculty meeting. Timing is a problem due to vacations and no NBL meeting in August. Myoung suggested that a special meeting may have to be called to discuss the plan. Jeris commented that the group was setting aside the political and emotional issues and looking at perceived problems and assumptions by instruction librarians, other librarians, and teaching faculty. Myoung would like the group to develop 1 to 3 year goals for NBL instruction activities. Marty mentioned the loss of NB focus when NBL Instruction group folded into the RUL Instruction group. Jeris commented that instruction librarians are not quite ready to form a new group, but that the concept is under consideration. Jeris has created a listserv for the instruction librarians. Jeris commented further that there appears to be a disconnect between what is actually happening with instruction and the information that the Cabinet has regarding online instruction activities that have been developed. Myoung inquired about cooperation with TEC. Jeris responded that instruction librarians have worked with TEC on numerous occasions, including joint workshops. Monica Devanas joined RUL ISC recently for a session on evaluation and assessment. A more solid relationship has been tried since the creation of TEC, but TEC went through an identity and mission crises themselves. The original mission and purpose of TEC has expanded.
  
  
• Proposed fall 2003 outpost activities - Myoung congratulated Triveni Kuchi and Laura Mullen for their successful "Library Outpost" work and subsequent presentations of the project to outside audience. Many non-Rutgers University librarians have expressed their interest in this project. Busch Campus Center gave wholehearted assistance. Laura Mullen reported first. Laura said that continuing this special public service would have NBL rely upon volunteer librarians. Not to be forgotten are the contributions of Stephanie Tama-Bartels. Response to the outpost service has been very positive; however, the committee has staffing concerns. Triveni spoke that the idea is a fantastic one; 18% of the questions deal with reference. Laura then said that this is a wonderful add-on service. However, outpost staff need to know everything about NBL/RUL … a librarian with experience. The library outpost is really another reference desk.
  
  Marty then spoke about this good service idea and the value of marketing such services. From a library survey conducted on the Douglass campus, Marty found that taking reference to where most students do their research is a successful model. We would reach many students who do not regularly use the libraries. Laura and Triveni's outpost work meshes with our real-time Ask-A-Librarian reference service. Marty said he was thinking of a library outpost (kiosk idea) without librarians. Triveni concurred that students outside of the libraries need information/reference assistance. However, the kiosk idea does not reinforce "what librarians can do for you" idea. Triveni concurred that RUL needs to advertise services more. More discussion. Contrary to their expectations, Laura and Triveni said that they received no or hardly any access questions (barcode, PIN, etc). Myoung tossed the question on the table-to fund Library Outpost service in the fall 2003? Much discussion ensued. Laura and Triveni led the group's discussion and the consensus answer was NO … other issues and work responsibilities have come into their lives … the outpost committee will continue as a working group though.
  
  Action Item: Myoung will notify the Busch Campus Center in wording that reflects "due to severe budget cuts …" we will not be extending outpost activities this fall.
  
  
3. Old business
   
   
• Web-based form for collecting reference statistics - will be up August 1st. This will allow data entry for July 1, 2003 reference statistics and succeeding months. Reference team leaders will be then able to submit their statistics directly. To preview the database, go to:
  http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/ref_stats/refdesk_stats.cfm
  
  Myoung and Stephanie Bartz will send out an email announcement. The reference statistics database complements the BI statistics database.
  
  
• Explorations of alternate models of information services - Marty reported on Q & A NJ program. Some NJ academic libraries have contracted with Q & A NJ … VALE is pushing for more NJ library participation. The obligation would be 6 hours/week. Marianne is a strong proponent. Much discussion followed. Myoung stressed the needs to address staffing strategies for all information service activities- new, traditional and continuing services. Instruction group needs to identify those disciplines and courses with the largest student populations and/or enrollements.
  
  
4. Reports and Announcements
   
   
• Public Services Council update - Marty and Myoung reported on ThinkLink: Open URL Report and Recommendations, June 11, 2003. Marty then commented on the significance of the Open URL for NBL/RUL. His comments included some technical details. RUL is considering a trial offer from EBSCO. Given our budget situation, the EBSCO offer is timely. Public Services Council endorsed the ThinkLink … report.
  
  
• CKDB - Stephanie Bartz will fill Ron Jantz's duties while he is away on leave, July 1 to December 31.
  
  
• Wireless proposal - has been approved. Farideh Tehrani is confirming location of wireless areas in the NB libraries.
  
  
• D21 - construction is proceeding ….
  
  
• LSM - Pat reported that the LSM reference team is in the process of revising quick guides. The URL for the web page containing the drafts of new LSM library quick guides is: http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~mlo/guides/handouts.htm. The approved guides will go up on the official LSM web page. The subcommittee working on these quick guides includes Pat, Mei Ling Lo, Maria Larson and the appropriate subject specialist.
  
  
• Alcohol Studies database - Penny Page reported on the work on the alcohol studies thesaurus
  
  
• SMLR - Myoung reported that Constance Finley will be the new librarian beginning August 1st.
  
  
• Music - Kevin reported that a candidate is coming for an interview in July
  
  
• Douglass - beginning July 1, Ferris Olin will be the Douglass Reference Team Leader
  
  
• Kilmer - The McNair Scholars Program three-credit library research course began the first of June and will run through the end of July. For the first time, Jeris has a SCILS intern working with her. The intern, a former practicing lawyer, has a special interest in library instruction and the teaching role of librarians.
  
  
5. Adjournment - 3:45pm

Respectfully submitted,

Patricia A. Piermatti