Sunday, July 12, 2009, 8:00am - 10:00am
Chicago, Hilton Northwest Five
Chair - Brian Greene
Vice-Chair - Gus Stamatopoulos (not present)
Secretary - Brian T. Gallagher
Election of new officers for Discussion Group, 2009/2010:
Brian Greene was re-elected Chair
Brian T. Gallagher was elected Vice-Chair
Michelle Batchelor was elected Secretary
Topics
1. Mobile Devices
Based on discussion, many projects works in progress or still in planning stages, figuring ways to loosen the restrictions of licensing and broadening the range of communication between devices.
It was noted that products such as the iPod or Kindle are still marketed for house-hold consumers not the academic environment. Another complaint lodged against the devices dealt with the difficulties small screens and keys place in the way of individuals with disabilities.
However, despite these issues, many libraries still attempting to adapt mobile devices to their institutions' needs such as initiating a 20 Net book pilot program and circulating iPods amongst the student population.
Discussion of this topic concluded with simple communication effectiveness of 2-way radios.
2. Security
a. Entrance
Many libraries require visitors to sign in. Others, require a driver's license of which a digital image is taken. It should be noted that, libraries which require sign-ins or IDs dispose of lists and images at end of day. What about people with no photo ID? No ID, no entry. However, as in most cases, exceptions can be made. In California state law prohibits such the duplication of an ID. In some libraries, large carrying cases cannot be brought into the building.
As for video cameras monitoring entrances and exits, the question arose: who has access to the images? One person said that she had to submit a request in order to gain access. Another participant stated that his Circulation staff controls the cameras.
b. Campus Security and city/county police
In many cases, security guards patrolling the library will put the university at legal risk if they attempt to detain or restrain a problem patron. Some of these representatives of the campus police are students who are on a rotation schedule, not in the same building every day or night so no relationship develops between the staff and security.
In regards to city or county police: once the police enter the library in response to a security situation, that situation is out of your hands.
Discussion turned to staff training sessions arranged by public safety. The matter of making people aware of how to handle situations of sexual harassment was also discussed. The importance of training staff so that everyone knows the standard to which they are being held and, more important, to whom should staff report when that standard slips.
Parting words of advice:
a. Make sure that a patron code of conduct is posted for everyone to see, both staff and the community.
b. Create a file, build a case.
c. Develop a relationship with both campus police and health services
d. Staff have rights as well.
3. Reserves
Both University of Arizona, Tuscon and New Mexico State University discussed the use of Docutech printers/copiers for processing of electronic reserves.
University of Arizona eliminated print Reserves in June of 2009. Conducted a survey and discovered that five out of ten courses heavily used print reserves. Taking the severe cuts to funding into account, library could not justify continuing print Reserves. University of Arizona is planning on implementing Document Delivery.
Many in the group stated that students want a one-step system, preferably obtaining their online course materials via the course management system. To meet this need, Reserves provide the URL for the online Reserve items to the Faculty to embed on their site.
To streamline digitization, in many cases, the submission of a syllabus is required so that the Reserve staff know when the articles will be needed by the students. Also, the processing schedule must be made quite clear and adhered to.
A brief talk about streaming videos and videofurnace (http://www.videofurnace.com/) led to an interesting example of how to improve Reserves statistics: One library moved items that originally did not circulate and movies to Reserves. A win-win situation: 30% of circulation statistics based on check out of movies and increased flow of students entering library.
The subject of placing textbooks on Reserves came up before the group, the advantages and problems that go along with this service. While many felt that the onus should be on the faculty to provide these books (as one attendee said, "If you're invested in becoming full-time faculty, invest in the class."), one library developed a relationship with the campus bookstore and acquires textbooks from that source. But, as another attendee noted, students who check out these books can sit on them and ignore the recall notices since the library's fees are, in many cases, cheaper than the book's actual cost.
4. Library Fines
That discussion took the group to the last topic on the agenda: Library fines. In regards to Reserves and fines, one attendee said that his/her library only charged for high demand items such as DVDs and Course Reserves. Annually, $10,000 a year. Daily fines make up half that library's income.
That tally brought up the matter of who keeps the money -- the library or the university administration?
In the end, many attendees simply want the materials back. One librarian makes a point of sending a letter to students with overdue materials, explaining how unfair it is keeping something that others need.
Towards the end of the session, many attendees offered the group examples of how their libraries attempt to reduce amount of overdue materials: a. Increasing renewals b. Getting rid of all fines except for recalls and Reserves c. Get rid of fines but block students from services such as Reserves until they return item.
submitted by BTG 03.Dec.09
