Library Management Team
Notes from the December 20, 2006 meeting

Attending:  Karen Calhoun, Lee Cartmill, Elaine Engst, Claire Germain, Anne Kenney, Susan Markowitz, Ellen Marsh, Janet McCue, Jean Poland, John Saylor, Marisue Taube, Sarah Thomas, Ed Weissman

1) Scholarly Communications
        John reported on the 2nd ACRL/ARL Scholarly Communications Institute that he attended December 6-8 in Durham NC with Terry Ehling and Kizer Walker.  The Institute brought together 98 individuals representing 39 institutions, including 10 faculty members and three representatives from university presses.  It was intended to provide an opportunity for participants to "actively engage in the process of identifying and creating best practices" and to "recognize shared efforts in developing ongoing organizational strategies for advancing scholarly communication, changing our own practices and engaging researchers and scholars in our efforts."   As a result of their participation , John, Terry and Kizer drafted a set of strategic priorities for scholarly communications.  These include increasing organizational and infrastructure support and a reassessment and reinvigoration of outreach efforts.  John reported that an Activism in Scholarly Communications Opportunity Assessment Instrument that was presented to Institute participants would, with some refinement, serve as a useful tool to inventory departments and research centers to assess opportunities for faculty collaboration in scholarly communication issues. He hopes that selectors, with the support of a team of experts, can complete this in 2007.
        John also presented a draft charter for a Cornell University Scholarly Communications Council to "advise the Library on the course of action for its expanding engagement in the scholarly communications arena."  The Council would bring together  faculty, librarians, and administrators from across the Cornell community who interact with scholarly information as authors, editors, readers, publishers, and curators to look at the current environment, analyze alternative models and explore ways to support and encourage the transformation of the scholarly communications landscape.  LMT endorsed the formation of the Council but recommended that there be a faculty co-chair and that the charter state that the Council's role is to advise not only the Library but the broader university community. 

2) President Skorton's visit to the Library
        Sarah reported on David Skorton's visit to the Library on December 15.  Sarah briefed the President on several issues among them the high level of professional activity/contribution by the staff, our success at attracting grant funding, the need for increased information technology support for the 21st century library in which large capital expenditures are required for systems, hardware and the staff to maintain them, the materials budget, and Olin renovation.  She stressed the Library's role as a partner to the faculty.  The President expressed his concern at barriers to access for researchers between the Weill Cornell Medical College and the Ithaca campus.  Sarah asked Ed to take the lead in sorting out these access issues.

3)  Priorities during the transition
        During the transition period before a new university librarian is hired, the library is not likely to take on any major new initiatives.  LMT reviewed a list of initiatives currently under way.

Supporting Academic Excellence

       Large Scale Digitization Initiative

       Get It

       arXiv/Digital preservation

       Blackboard Phase 3

       DPubs

       Core Technical Infrastructure

Building our Base

       The Campaign

       Data farm

       Information fluency

       Olin renovation

       Staff development/succession planning/recruitment

       Library Fellows

       Planning to plan

Creating the Future

       Next generation gateway/discovery (e,g., future catalog, WebFeat)

       VIVO extension

       Scholarly communication

       Cyberinfrastructure/data curation

       Global view of Cornell (not just Ithaca)-transparency for users between Weill and Ithaca campus libraries

Edward Weissman