Present:  Janet Hack, Michelle Flinchbaugh, Susan Graham, Lindsey Loeper, Sharon Favaro

We discussed Google Docs, Wikis (specifically Mediawiki), and Blogs as ways to create and display library policies and guidelines, and the preservation issues related to all formats of delivery.  We also discussed next steps in our I-Drive initiative.

• Google Docs

  • Advantages

    • Ease of use

    • Collaborative

    • Can export in many formats, including:

      • PDF:  could be used to create a representative version for the year, for archiving purposes

      • HTML:  could then put on our Webpage

      • Directly to a blog:  could then use Google Docs for collaborative development of the documents and export into blog as the display format

  • Concerns

    • Our documents and information would be stored on their server and therefore subjet to whatever they do, thus we would have less control over preservation

    • How would it interact with the library Website?

      • Michelle found out that with an educational license for Google Docs, they set it up so your pages are at YOUR URL, not a Google Docs one.

    • We do not know about archiving in Google Docs

      • Is there an automated way to do a group export from Google Docs to PDF for archiving?

  • Outcomes & Deliverables

    • The group came to a consensus that using Google Docs for developing the documents and then exporting it into a blog that looks like our library website and existing blog

    • May will contact OIT about archiving in Google Docs and about Google Apps

• Mediawiki

  • Advantages

    • It looks like Wikipedia, a familiar platform

    • OIT already has it, so we would have OIT support

    • Use of a wiki for developing the documents (e.g. writing and editing collaboratively)

  • Concerns

    • Can we export material out of the wiki so that we can preserve it?

      • We do not want the information to be locked within a software that may become obsolete

      • If somebody wants a print copy (e.g. for grant applications), we need to be able to extract the information from the wiki

    • Are there levels/privileges of security & access?

      • Can some pages be set as private (for staff only)?

    • How easy will a wiki be for staff use?

    • Archiving issues

      • We need a representative version for the year, how would we capture that in a wiki?

    • Wikis are usually best for editing, not for display

      • Would we think present the information in HTML on a webpage, or display in a wiki?

  • Outcomes & Deliverables

    • Janet will get access to OIT's Mediawiki

    • Michelle will investigate and evaluate it

    • May will ask OIT about archiving in Mediawiki

    • See Update below

• Blog

  • Advantages

    • The same advantages as discussed at 2-7-08 meeting, about the ability to pull content from the blog to specific areas of the Website, ease of use, etc.

    • The interface and display would be consistent with the library Website and existing blog

  • Concerns

    • Archiving

  • Outcomes & Deliverables

    • If we used Google Docs for development, and exported to the blog, we could also export to PDF for the annual version of the guidlines

    • May will ask OIT about archiving in blogs

    • Susan will try to find other institutions that use blogs for policies and guidelines

• Other Display options

  • HTML was discussed as a possible presentation method for the guidelines

    • Can you pull text from part of HTML to another part of the Website?

      • This may need XML

• I-Drive

  • The need to give guidelines to the departments to make a garbage folder and an archive folder for departmental folders on the I-Drive (not the Allshare)

    • Lindsey will write up guidelines using the UMBC Records Management policy as a starting point

    • Once the guidelines for the I-Drive cleanup are finsihed and agreed upon, the CDMWG should make a recommendation to LEC

      • The recommended timeframe will be a completion deadline date in August, e.g. August 15, 2008

• Next Steps

  • Michelle will distribute articles and examples that she and Susan found of other institutions that use wikis for their policies and procedures

  • May will ask OIT about preservation and archiving with the different formats

  • Janet and Michelle will review and evaluate Mediawiki

  • Susan will look for institutions that use blogs for policies and procedures

  • Lindsey will write up guidelines for I-Drive clean up for department folders

  • Next meeting:  February 29, 2008

• Update

  • 2/21/08:  Michelle has learned that with Google Docs, users from outside the institution are served advertisements with the content.