Library Assembly Minutes
Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Welcome
Colleen Walter was introduced and welcomed.  She is one of two GAs working in Special Collections this year.  Welcome to Homira Pashai as well.  She is the other Special Collections GA this year, but she was not present at the meeting.  

Open Announcements
None

Event Announcements
Pat Garnett encouraged everyone to check the list of LEEC sponsored audio conferences posted on the wiki https://spaces.umbc.edu/display/library/LEEC+Audio+and+Web+Conferences
Also the Library Assembly Events Calendar is available on the wiki_ _ https://spaces.umbc.edu/display/library/Library+Assembly+events+calendarThe next Next Library Assembly Meeting is on Thursday September 24^th at 2pm. 
The Gallery Opening for the show Art of Persuasion will be on Sept 1^st.  There will be a program later in September.

Library Director's Report and Pandemic Planning Discussion
Larry Wilt began by encouraging everyone to take advantage of the training opportunities available, especially the series of Audio Conferences being made available via LEEC.  Even if a topic seems only tangentially related to your current duties, consider attending and learning something that you might use later. 
-          Pandemic Planning
There has been a campus announcement concerning keeping instruction going even if the campus is closed.  Some progress has been made on figuring out how to more fully utilize Blackboard in keeping instruction going.  If the campus is closed, the library will figure out the things we can do to support instruction using our online tools.  This scenario is probably easier to figure out than what we do if classes are cancelled and the campus is open, and that is the more likely scenario.  The planning might be similar to what we did for y2k.  We planned for the worst case scenario and it didn't happen.  Hopefully the same thing will happen with pandemic planning. 
Some facts about the flu.  In a typical flu season there are 36,000 deaths in the United States.  In the Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968-69 about 34,000 people died in the United States.  So a pandemic doesn't necessarily mean that there will be a great many more deaths.  According to the Washington Post, the Director of the CDC stated that the closure of schools is rarely indicated.  He also stated that the Swine Flu is often experienced in a mild form with no fever.  One million people experienced the Swine Flu earlier this year in the United States.  People under 24 are the ones most affected by the swine flu; people over 60 have very little risk.  This is unlike a typical flu that generally hits the elderly the most severely.   The Swine Flu season will probably start in September and peak in October.  This is earlier than a typical flu season. 
What should we do?
Visit http://flu.gov/ for good information or CDC at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Larry invited everyone on staff to share ideas about what we might do in a partial closure. 
The Library is investigating investment in hand sanitizer stations in the Library.  The maintenance staff would be responsible for keeping them filled.  Likely locations would be the 24 hour lobby, and a station each on the 2^nd and 7^th floors. 
Larry has also talked to the head of University Health Services about the possibility of surgical masks for staff at public service points.  The head is also willing to come speak to Library Assembly if invited. 
Some reports on the flu have been written and were presented at the Campus Retreat, but have not yet been released. 
Vaccine for H1N1 is not yet ready.
Are there any deadlines for planning on the pandemic flu issue?  No deadlines.  Plans are very fluid at the moment.  Things are changing almost daily.  There was some discussion at the Campus Retreat on planning for other potential emergencies, not just the flu.   Discussion about testing the siren on the Library and what the siren could be used to signal.  Larry encouraged everyone to sign up for the University Emergency Text Messaging Alert System. http://www.umbc.edu/insights/2007/09/emergency_text_messaging_alert.html
-          Revising the drinks policy in the Library.
Plans in the works since January on allowing drinks in closed containers into the Library.  There have been talks with Pura Vida on them selling a closed mug with UMBC logo on it.  Staff feedback was that if we allow one type of container into the Library, we must allow them all.  Pura Vida has asked permission to mount a screen with advertisements on the front of their booth.  We would be able to place our own announcements on it as well.  Larry has given an okay to the screen as long as the sound is turned off.  If it proves to be too intrusive, even with the sound off, we might have to cancel that arrangement. 
Drinks policy must still go to Library Policy Committee for approval.  If it is approved it would likely go into effect at beginning of semester with a soft launch (no announcement). 
 -          Campus Retreat.
Larry would like to report on this later.  Questions about whether the budget or the possibility of layoffs was discussed at the retreat.  Larry responded that they were discussed, but there was not news on either issue.  Furloughs are likely to happen.  Layoffs are to be avoided.  Joyce offered that the President's State of the University Address spoke about the budget and it is available online.  If you didn't hear it live, you might want to read Hrabowski's address. 
http://www.umbc.edu/aboutumbc/welcome/stateofuniv2009.html
  -          Other topics.
Kenny Huether is leaving.  That line will probably be frozen.   We are still looking for ideas about medium term planning in a scenario where we will not be adding staff and will probably be losing staff to attrition.  Vet your ideas in your unit and go through LEC members.  We hope to have some usable measures by October 1^st.  

Communications Working Group Presentation
Vicki Sipe presented a brief report on the Communications Survey done by the Working Group in February.  The report is posted to the Communications Working Group wiki page.  Overall, there were 19 respondents to the survey.  There were a number of constructive suggestions made as to how to improve some of our current communications tools.   Please read the report for details. 
https://spaces.umbc.edu/display/library/Report+on+Communications+Working+Group+Survey
 

Department Reports
-          Accounting & Receiving---Busy with ordering for the new semester. 
-          Acquisitions---Processing Rush orders.  There is an upgrade of Collection Manager next week.  Access to everything should be in place by Sept 3^rd.
-          Bibliographic & Metadata Services---Losing a Cataloging Student of long standing.  Chrissy Abbott has been with us for 3 years.  Heather Moss has hired a new Cataloging Student who will start soon.  Some of the Media cataloging is going more slowly than in the past due to Linda Seguin having left.  Thank you for your patience. 
-          Circulation---Genie Vitak is busy filling student vacancies.  Should be fully staffed by the second week in Sept.  Beginning a web service for ILL check out.  Previously this has been a paper based procedure.  Billing continues to be on hold due to Peoplesoft implementation hold ups.  Applications for study rooms and lockers can now be done on the web.  Acknowledge Pat Garnett and Michael Dick for getting the Reserves work done.  Particularly thank Pat for good work on handling some faculty challenges in the past week.   
-          Collection Management---Large gift from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab contained some unexpected journal additions.  The Book Sale will probably be earlier this year, perhaps late Sept or early Oct.
-          ILL---Beta testing of ILLIAD 8 shortly.  This is all web based ILLIAD.  Borrowing requests have begun to pick up. 
-          Library Information Technology Services---Kenny Huether is leaving.  His last full time day is August 28^th.  He will then work part time evenings with his last evening being October 2^nd.  Thank you very much for all your hard work.  We have received the new lab image for the public use computers and the BI room, and will be reimaging them very soon.  Will try to accomplish this while the Library is closed. 
-          Media---New online  fine appeals form.  Training new students. 
-          Reference---Rearranging tables and workstations on the first floor.  New graduate services page is up and available.  Scheduling instruction sessions for beginning of semester.  All of the Reference students are returning.  There is a graduate student slot open. 
-          Serials---Kelly Shipp is hard at work on e-journals and SFX updates.  Working on cleaning up holdings information.  Lower level shelving is up and being filled.   Marcus Dagold is shifting journals A-J.  Joyce Tenney is meeting with departments on serial cuts.  All departments are cutting 10% of serials.  Many departments are going to online only. 
-          Special Collections & Gallery---Graduate Assistants Colleen Walter and Homira Pashai have started.  Starting to get requests for classes to come in to use Special Collections.  The History of Photography class will be meeting in Special Collections every Tuesday and Thursday morning (as in the past).  Processing of materials that are of particular interest for the UMBC 50^th Anniversary observance is moving along nicely now.  They have completed about 40 boxes of the President's Office papers.  Special Collections is in need of several more student workers for the Fall semester.  If you know of a likely candidate or have someone who could work more hours, please contact Special Collections.  Lindsey Loeper and Susan Graham attended a Preservation Institute held by the Library of Congress.  They will probably do a brown bag on it in the near future. 
 

Committee & Working Group Reports
Committees:
-          Cheers---no report
-          Library Employee Enrichment Committee---Schedule of Audio Conferences is posted on wiki page (see link at top of minutes).  Twenty people have attended two conferences so far.  LEEC and Communications Working Group will be working on a Staff Day.  This will be a day when the Library is closed to the public and staff will participate in training and enrichment programs. 
-          Library Assembly---Check the events calendar for upcoming events (see link at top of minutes). 
-          Building Committee---Please keep the information on repair needs coming in to Melissa Sergent-Button.  The maintenance staff has been very focused on sprucing up the building for the new semester. 
-          Local LIMS---Next meeting is August 27^th.  We will be discussing the draft strategic plan of the Council of Library Directors. 
 

Working Groups:
-          Document Management Working Group---Janet Hack is presenting wiki training.  There has been no meeting. 
-          PR & Marketing Committee---Haven't met, no report.
-          Library Web Group---Haven't met, no report.
-          Tutorials Working Group---No report.
-          Communications Working Group---Meeting on Sept 8^th.  Will review workplan, look at FAQs on departments (what they do and who does it), and begin work on the Staff Day.
-          Service Desk Digital Signage Group---All signs are up and running except the one for the Gallery.
-          Digital Collections Team---CONTENTdm launch in September.  There will be training offered to Library Staff prior to launch.  Please visit the page and send comments to Susan Graham.  http://contentdm.ad.umbc.edu/; Input is needed.  Scanning continues on the Hughes collection. 

Next Library Assembly Meeting is Sept 21^st at 2PM. 
Meeting adjourned.
Draft by Vicki Sipe, 26 Aug 2009