Cornell University Library Instruction, Research, and Information Services

Unit Libraries Task Force

Transition News and Updates

Transition Task Forces

Transition Team

Transition Timeline

Minutes

This task force has now held three meetings.

The first two we spent discussing what our role was (these predated
actually having a charge). We then asked John Saylor to share with us the
experiences (from his perspective) of the EMPSL Group. We are aware that
the subject overlap of those three libraries is much greater than the
subject overlap of the smaller unit libraries in IRIS.

John outlined the ways in which EMPSL is sharing some responsibilities:

- Supervision of Circ/Reserve supervisors is now centralized under Joanne
Leary. This includes responsibility for all of the student employees in
the three libraries.
- Network services is centralized under Michele Paolillo
- Other centralized tasks include: web design, technical services (checking in serials, monographs, binding microforms), and a short term project relating to electronic resources (3 years?)
- Jill Powell's time is split between EMPSL (as the Instruction and Reference Coordinator) and the Engineering Library (in Reference).

In John's opinion some things work better than others -- he is not too
comfortable with the student situation. But he is optimistic about the
general plan.

3/21
John will be out for a few weeks. The group moved on to a broader discussion.
Specifically, we brainstormed about ways in which the units might cooperate and collaborate, while bearing in mind the unique nature of each unit's culture, contents, patron-base, and service needs. Over the next few weeks we will try to define and articulate -- in graph or report form -- the various functions or tasks common to the IRIS unit libraries; those functions that are best served or supported by a central unit and those that are best supported at the unit library level. How does the need for special handling or knowledge effect the way in which (or where) a related-task is performed.

We can see clear benefits from developing a pool of people in IRIS who could:

- Teach new employees how to work with the student employee administrative
service and teach them about the library culture of student management.
- Train new employees to use the various Voyager modules, i.e. how to produce circulation reports for access staff; acquisitions reports for selectors, etc.
- Voyager training for reference staff.
- Shared Technical support for developing webpages
- Shared training tools for training student employees to shelve, work at
circ desks, provide technical support at public computers and peripherals.

We plan to continue meeting with people from outside IRIS to gain insight from their experience with a similar administrative model. Next, we'll meet with a group from Mann Library, representing various functional units.