Cornell University Library Staff Web Page

Back to StaffWeb Index | Back to SMG Index

Cornell University Library

Senior Management Group

Notes for the meeting on December 11, 1996

Attending: Ross Atkinson, Lee Cartmill, David Corson, Elaine Engst, Claire Germain, Gordon Law, Catherine Murray-Rust, Sarah Thomas, Ed Weissman.

Not represented: Mann Library

1. Digital Library Action Items
Ed distributed the document "Digital Library Action Items for Consideration by SMG, 12/11/96." This document is appended below.

We agreed on the following actions:

• Ross will organize, within the framework of TSEG, a group to:
  • develop a list of genre and subject terms (along with a process for their ongoing maintenance and updating)
  • review and revise existing MARC records for electronic resources
  • work with processing centers and selectors (through CDEXec) to encourage the cataloging of electronic resources and the maintenance of these records. (This responds to action item 1.)

    Ross will insure that public services and collection development staff are on the group and/or that there is adequate consultation.

• Recognizing that action item 3, bullets 1 and 2, are already underway through O/K/U's WebPac experiment, Catherine agreed to follow up on action item 3, bullet 3. She will organize a group to work on creating SPOE home pages and testing user reaction to them. The group will involve members of the DLWG along with other staff members. This is the first step in the process of making the transition from multiple points on access (various library web sites, Bear Access, the Mann Gateway, etc.) to a common entryway to the Library's resources building on the single point of entry models proposed last spring and the recommendations of the DLWG, the Metadata and Full-Text working groups. O/K/U staff, as part of their experiment with the WebPac software, will take care of testing user reactions to the three levels of search options in the Library Catalog--basic, intermediate, and advanced--and to the provision of access to electronic resources through the Library Catalog including the use of "slicing and dicing" (action item 3, bullets 1 & 2.)

• Ross will talk with Diane about working with Ed on configuring Z39.50 access to locally mounted InfoShare and BRS files as well as to remote Z39.50 compatible citation databases (e.g., FirstSearch and Citadel). (Action item 2.)

• Catherine will ask Lynne to reconvene the RFI Committee to reinvigorate the process of selecting and migrating to a new LMS (action item 5.) Sarah is hopeful that funding for a new LMS will be available in late 1997 and 1998 so that we can proceed with this process.

• Sarah deferred a discussion on the appointment of a "hit squad" under the direction of a senior manager to develop a blueprint for action on digital library implementation because she is still considering options for coordination of digital library initiatives. She will discuss alternatives with SMG in January.

• Completion of retrospective conversion of the shelf list (action item 7) and the replacement of non-Web-compliant library public access and staff work stations (not on the handout), both require significant amounts of money. Sarah acknowledged that they were issues of importance but not items that could be dealt with in the time remaining at the meeting. Discussion will continue on these topics in January.

• The recommendation to assign someone responsibility for a trouble-shooting operation prompted a discussion about the kinds and frequency of problems. Catherine explained that everyone has difficulty with the instability of various electronic resources especially those over which we have little control at Cornell. LTD has been responsible for providing good service and support for sources held locally, but they have been unable to meet the demand for troubleshooting for outside sources, such as RLIN and OCLC. They are currently working on improving how they respond to problem reports. Sarah asked for some information on the number of times problems arise which require troubleshooting. She also indicated that she considers quick response and follow-up to problems for both local and remote resources to be important components of good service.

  SMG will not meet on December 18. The next meeting will be on January 8.

  ---

  Digital Library Action Items for Consideration by SMG, 12/11/96

  1. Establish a "small subcommittee of public and technical services staff" to:
  

  • "develop a list of genre and subject terms which could be assigned to [catalog] records for electronic resources." (Metadata WG Report, p.10) This is a prerequisite for "slicing and dicing" the Library Catalog to provide more effective retrieval and browsing of electronic resource records.
  • "review and revise the MARC records which have already been created for electronic resources" insuring that they contain the minimal list of data elements recommended by the Metadata WG [Appendix B] and incorporating the subject and genre terms the subcommittee develops. "Records for the scanned image projects [should] be updated with 856 fields when a functional and dependable delivery system is available to the public. If there is a significant delay in making these images available through a stable delivery system, the records should be suppressed from the Catalog." (Metadata WG Report, p.9)
  • work with TSEG to insure that the processing centers incorporate the subject and genre terms, the minimum list of data elements, and the maintenance and creation of Library Catalog records for electronic resources into their routines.
  • work with CDEXec to insure that newly selected electronic resources are routinely cataloged and that previously selected but uncataloged electronic resources are cataloged based on the guidelines in the Report of the Committee on Electronic Resources and the Metadata Working Group Report (p.8)

  2. Support a test of the effectiveness of providing access to electronic resources (most specifically, citation data bases) through the Library Catalog, using WebPac to provide Web-to-Z39.50 functionality. Assign to a staff member responsibility for configuration table and other maintenance and relieve that individual of other responsibilities for the duration of that special assignment. The individual would be responsible for configuring access to locally mounted InfoShare and BRS files as well as Z39.50 compatible remote citation databases (e.g., FirstSearch and Citadel.) Ideally, this individual would become a Z39.50 expert and resource person for the Library. (Status Report of the DLWG, p.2 (charge 3))

  3. O/K/U will be using WebPac to test Web access to the Library Catalog during the Spring semester. Ask O/K/U to use this experiment to:
  

  • test user reaction to three levels of search options in the Library Catalog--basic, intermediate, and advanced--as per WebPac." (Status Report of the DLWG, p.2 (charge 2.3))
  • test user reaction to the provision of access to electronic resources (specifically citation databases) through the Library Catalog and the "slicing and dicing" accomplished in 2. above
  • incorporate the SPOE home page within the context of WebPac and test user reaction to SPOE home page variations. (Status Report of the DLWG, p.2 (charge 2.1)) Ask DLWG to reconvene, if necessary, to prepare the SPOE home page variations for testing and to help coordinate the user testing. (In that context, add Oya Rieger to the DLWG as a replacement for Steve Chapman.)

  4. Assign someone the responsibility for establishing an electronic resources trouble-shooting operation.

  5. Reinvigorate the process of selecting and migrating to a new LMS. With Ameritech support for the Notis LMS waning, PacLink enhancements are not likely to be high on Ameritech's priority list and could hold us back as we move further into the Z39.50 environment.

  From a Digital Library Staff Session Break-out Group:

  6. Appoint a "hit squad" under the direction of a senior manager to develop a blueprint for action. The senior manager needs to have adequate resources--the people, the budget, staff across campus--to be able to develop a concrete plan, with phases mapped out clearly and specific deadlines.

  7. Finish the retrospective conversion of the shelf list

  Ed Weissman, recorder

  ---

  Back to StaffWeb Index | Back to SMG Index

  rev. 2/13/97 dih