Documentation Committee Meeting Minutes
March 5, 2003
361 Mann Library
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
In attendance:
Thad Dickinson (Co-chair), Kornelia Tancheva, Lynn Thitchener, Carmen Blankinship, Mary Patterson, Ida Martinez, Sarah Chandler (guest)
Not in attendance:
Jaime Martindale (Co-chair), Mihoko Hosoi
Minutes: Ida Martinez
Facilitator: Thad Dickinson
Committee Member Updates
· Committee welcomed new member Lynn Thitchener – reference assistant at Olin Library. Welcome Lynn! Committee is still looking for one new member.
· Fond farewell bid to Kornelia Tancheva and Mihoko Hosoi, both of whom have completed their tours with the IRPC Documentation Committee. Thank you Kornelia and Mihoko for all your great work!
· Thad briefly explained the committee’s and individual members’ duties to Lynn.
New Responsibilities
· Jaime will now be in charge the manifest file and make keyword index. She also maintains the committee’s web page: http://gould.mannlib.cornell.edu/docwg/irpc_documentation_committee.html
· Thad will be responsible for uploading pages (although Jaime also has this capability).
ENCompass Update/Timeline – Sarah Chandler, guest speaker
· Using a test server, Sarah Chandler demonstrated how the new “Find Articles” and “Find Databases” pages will look and function. These pages will eventually replace the current “e-Reference Collection.”
· The launching of the new system requires both the creation of new help pages to replace existing ones, and updating all references to the “e-Reference Collection” on other help pages.
· New help pages must be uploaded by April 21, 2003, for the IRPC meeting where the ENCompass team will demonstrate the new system and introduce the new help pages.
· From March 5 to approximately April 14, Sarah will create the new help pages and will work closely with Ida and other proofreaders to ensure the new pages’ clarity and accuracy. Included in the help pages will be some frequently asked questions about Find Databases/Find Articles.
· During the week of April 14 – 18, Sarah will work with Jaime and Thad to get the new help pages uploaded and functional.
· The new system should be made fully available to the user community on May 19, 2003. However, the current e-Reference Collection will remain available, in tandem with the new system, until August (specific date not yet determined).
· Therefore, the Documentation Committee has from April 21 – August to update all other help pages. This will involve replacing references to the “e-Reference Collection” with “Find Articles/Find Databases” terminology and updating links as needed.
· Sarah also requested the committee’s assistance in identifying documentation that other related groups (such as the Instruction Working Group) are responsible for maintaining so that needed updates may be made by the fall.
Page Updates
· Kornelia completed a page on “Locating Dissertations” (under “Finding Specific Types of Materials”). Committee discussed a few exceptions and special cases that require more information that what is currently posted. Committee decided to add to this page a 4th point: that in some instances dissertations can be located by searching by call number – entering “thesis” + the fist two letters of LC classification. Thad will do this.
· Ida has received everyone’s feedback on the edits she made to the glossary. She will finalize the document and send it to Thad for uploading. Committee members were asked to consider any new terms that can be added to the glossary.
· Thad added an updated image of the catalog to the “Electronic Reserves” page.
· Under “Library Research at Cornell” on the “Overview and clarification” page, Thad made some edits Ida had suggested. Committee decided that number of volumes needs to be updated to “7 million printed volumes” and that a new bulleted item under “Research tools available to Cornell users” will be added about the e-Journals Title List. Thad will do this.
· Ida will look for other pages where the “7 million printed volumes” update needs to be made. She will also check the accuracy of the card catalog backlog.
· Thad added links to the help pages for Olin Reference’s video/audio library research online tutorials. Virginia Cole, co-creator of these video tutorials, was consulted on where to place the links and how they should read. Committee discussed that there were other places these links could be placed. Lynn will look for other places on the help pages where we could link to these video tutorials.
· Ida found that there were problems viewing pdf files on BioOne using Netscape 7 (PC). Viewing pdf files using Netscape 7 (PC) worked fine with course reserves, on ProQuest, JSTOR, and other networked resources. Regarding the problem with BioOne, Thad will add this to the “known problems” for Netscape 7 (PC). Ida will check for the same problem using a Mac.
To Do:
· The Personalized Library Services Committee requested that the Documentation Committee take over responsibility for all MyLibrary brochures, handouts, etc. Mary agreed to manage these documents – finalizing print copies and filing them with the Copy Center in Olin.
· Committee received a request to add information to Help on how to find books on tape. Under “Finding specific types of material,” Thad will add a link for “Non-musical recordings” and will use a page that already exists on Help titled “How to Find Spoken Word Recordings in the CU Library Catalog.” The link will direct the browser to this page.
· From the Gateway link “Research and Subject Guides,” under “How do I find…?”, the committee will recommend to the GCII Committee that they add the link “Audio recordings” next to their “Music | Videorecordings” link – which will direct users to the Help page’s “How to Find Spoken Word Recordings in the CU Library Catalog” page. Ida will do this.
· Jaime made and updated several Help pages on information about CUWebLogin. Thad will send these pages to the committee via e-mail so that members can see them before they are uploaded.
Next meeting:
April 2, 2003
703 Olin Library
2:00p.m. – 3:00 p.m.