New Brunswick Faculty Meeting

August 25, 2006

 

Attendees:

 

Kayo Denda (recorder), Howard Dess, Mary Fetzer, Rebecca Gardner, Maryann Kruglinski, Triveni Kuchi, Kevin Mulcahy, Jim Niessen, Penny Page, Pat Piermatti, Françoise  Puniello, Jane Sloan (convenor), Lourdes Vazquez, Lawren Wilkins, Ryan Womack

 

Report of the Acting AUL for Instruction and Reference Services.

Françoise met with Kevin, Kayo, Jeris, and Pat, reference leaders of Alex, Douglass, Kilmer and LSM respectively, to determine reference desk hours and discuss instruction matters for fall’06. In addition to home libraries, the librarians will serve at the reference desks of Alexander and Kilmer libraries where there is most need. The reference desk hours of the unit libraries are as follows:

 

Libraries

 

Fall/ 06

Alexander

 

 

M-Th 10-9

Fr 9-5

Sa 12-5

Su 12-7

 

Douglass

 

M-Th 10-1, 1-4, 4-7PM

Fr 10-4

Sa, Su closed

Kilmer

 

 

M-Th 10-7

Fr  10-5

Sa closed

Su  1-7

LSM

 

 

M-Wed 10-7

Th-Fr 10-4

Sa closed

Su  1-5

 

The discussion on RUL reorganization and the council structure continues in special meetings coordinated by Jane Sloan (RUL faculty coordinator), Bobby Tipton, and Sara Harrington

 

Discussion of 4 open lines.

The cabinet recommended 4 priority open lines as in Marianne’s email message to RUL-everyone dated 8/22/06:

·        Associate University Librarian for Instructional and Research Services

·        Instructional Technology Development Librarian

·        East Asian Librarian

·        Applications Developer

 

Francoise solicited NBLF input/comment on the aforementioned positions for the next cabinet meeting. Summary of comments were as follows:

·        High priority for AUL for IRS.

·        Priority for a programmer to support public service projects. Presently there is a moratorium for all digital projects due to shortage of programmers. All ColdFusion related projects are being reviewed for either termination or eventual migration to open source architecture.[1] Programming support would help with this transition.

 

·        Concern about open lines and possible elimination was expressed. Preference to fill the positions with tenure track librarians was expressed in order to protect lines.  

 

·        The group expressed the need to evaluate Instructional Technology Librarian and East Asian Librarian positions to address RUL needs, especially in current budget landscape. Realignment of priorities, evaluation of responsibilities and job description are some of the considerations to ensure successful search activity. Specific comments/concerns for each position are as follows:

 

Instructional Technology Development Librarian

·        Need for clarification regarding responsibilities and reporting structure. 

·        Relationship with the Instruction Committee.

·        Duplication of responsibilities with NBL Instruction Librarian.

·        Need for faculty status was questioned. Potential difficulty for the individual in this position to receive tenure was articulated.  

 

East Asian Librarian

·        Not a priority at this time.

·        Need of a full-time librarian for this operation was questioned. Currently the collection development and liaison activities are distributed between Ying (~9/30) and Connie (10/1~) for Chinese and Kayo for Japanese. There is limited need for Korean language expertise.

·        Need for an on site staff with language skills, especially Chinese.  

·        Possibility of a RUL wide committee with language expertise to oversee collection development.

·        This position should be mainstreamed emulating U. of Arizona model given the size of RUL EA collection and the activities of the Asian Languages and Culture Department.

 

In regards to open lines, The NBL Exploratory Committee minutes (August 4, 2005) record the following ranked priority of lines based on NBL faculty input.

 

After further discussion, the NBLF recommended the following lines as priority: 

·        AUL for IRS

·        Programmer for public service oriented digital projects

·        Social Sciences Data Librarian (instead of Instructional Tech Dev. Librarian)

 

In the future, more discussion is needed to revise description and responsibilities for the position of East Asian Librarian and to mainstream the position into larger reference and instruction programs of the campus.

 

 

 

 

 

 


[1] ColdFusion operated databases include Alcohol Studies Database, BelJour, Social Science Journal Database, Women’s and Gender Studies Journal Database and others developed by public service librarians with data and technical support from the SCC.