March 20, 2014
Sara Lowman summarized key points from the Board of Trustees meeting. Among the highlights:
- The economics department is hiring a new chair and four new economics faculty as part of an initiative to enhance research and teaching (economics has the largest number of majors at Rice.)
- Rice’s student body is quite international, with 32% of graduate and undergraduate students coming from outside the US, the majority from China. International students tend to spend more time in the library than other students and have a favorable impression of Fondren, perhaps due to our outreach efforts.
- Kathy Jones was named the Acting Associate Vice President for Facilities, Engineering and Planning.
Executive committee members are working with the Friends of Fondren Board to identify ways to spend remaining funds in the book sale account.
In order to save funds on the DMC renovation project, Facilities, Engineering and Planning is exploring retaining part of the existing glass wall in the microfilm room.
The committee discussed different paths toward meeting the 40% target for reducing the on-site microforms and maps collections. As part of the effort, Technical Services and IT are collaborating to withdraw all microfilms from the American Periodical Series (which is available online) and to update associated catalog records.
March 27, 2014
Lisa Spiro presented a strategy for the Kelley Center and discussed plans for the search for the head of the Kelley Center. So that the skills of the head complement those of existing Kelley Center staff, the job description will emphasize expertise in both government information and data management and analysis. The search committee will include representatives from across the library.
Executive committee members discussed how to include technical competencies in job descriptions.
The Horizon group will be asked to research open educational resources as a factor in effective development of MOOCs. The due date for the report is August 31, 2014.
Steady progress continue to be made on the library renovation project. Technical Services and IT staff will collaborate to withdraw the American Periodical Series by April 15. The shelvers will be done with their shifting work before April 15. The deadline for completing the work on the Kelley Center collections has been extended to May 15.
The following tentative schedule for reading period and finals week has been developed:
- April 28: Popcorn & coffee study break
- May 1-3: Pet therapy