Author Archives: reagor

September 4

No meeting.

September 11

Guests were Sandi Edwards and Debra Kolah. Lowman described the desire to review the library’s assessment efforts. Rice’s next SACS accreditation review is scheduled for March 2016, and we will soon need to begin to prepare for Rice’s annual ROARS (Rice Outcomes Assessment Reporting System) process for 2014. The library already performs periodic surveys, including 3 administrations of LibQual, evaluations of activities sponsored by the Staff Travel, Training and Development Committee and UX (User Experience) projects.

Doing our next major survey was discussed, focusing on LibQual and a new offering from the consulting firm Ithaka S + R. There has been difficulty with accessibility to the LibQual surveys for participants with disabilities, and customization options have been limited. Ithaka is now offering a locally tailored faculty and student survey, building on their record of successful national faculty surveys (http://www.sr.ithaka.org/research-publications/faculty-survey-series). It seems highly customizable. Because of its cost, university libraries routinely partner with other campus offices, such as a writing center, to pay for it. Some preference was expressed for giving the survey in the spring. Kolah will contact Ithaka to let them know we would like to participate and to ask some questions raised in the discussion. She will also do a literature search for any published accounts of participation at other university libraries.

It is possible that a more formal review of Fondren’s assessment activities and options may still be desired.

September 18

Guests were Shannon Kipphut, Amanda Focke, Mike Dewey (Director, Academic and Research Computing). Mike Dewey was invited to share information about his IT division’s projects and discuss how the library and IT can collaborate effectively. All agreed that the library’s role in managing data should be developed in collaboration with IT, and that close communication will prevent wasted resources and overlaps in service.

Dewey stayed for the discussion of the Horizon report Open Educational Resources as a Factor in the Effective Development of MOOCs [link]. The library’s role in supporting MOOCs has been evolving, as has Rice’s exploration of MOOC possibilities. Three high school courses are now in development. The library can create a Libguide on MOOC development resources, and provide short courses and individual consultation on where to find Open Educational Resources (OERs) for use in MOOCs. Helping faculty members track down clearances for materials under copyright for use in MOOCs is extremely time-consuming and will not scale. Rice Online, the campus entity coordinating Rice’s MOOC efforts, now has a website and is adding positions.

Dewey asked how the library is handling campus interest in 3-D printing. Currently, inquirers are directed to the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK) or the Moody Center for the Arts. There is campus interest in more access to 3-D printing. Staffing and hours of access are complex issues for this technology.

July 31

1. IT support in the library (with guests Lee Pecht, Amanda Focke): The group discussed the need for careful planning for IT support in light of increase in the number of technologically-based projects and programs in the library, especially as regards machine storage and staff support. Butler will develop some questions for discussion, then set up meetings with each of the three other AULs and Woodson to plan for FY15. Lowman noted there may also be technology needs in connection with implementing the university’s move to an online travel reimbursement system. She is exploring possibilities for additional technology funding.

2. Lowman shared a revised time table and basement floor plan for the renovation. Actual construction may begin in the basement in mid- to late-September. First floor renovations are more minor and will be scheduled in due course. Keck will review and update recommendations for placement of collections to be retained on the first floor. There will be a shift toward more scanners and fewer copiers.

August 7

1. Social media: The group discussed the library’s current efforts on social media. Lowman will approach CMACS (Committee on Marketing and Customer Service) to ask for an evaluation of current efforts, tools available/being used, alignment with University-wide social media efforts, etc.

2. Service Centers: The group reviewed some draft guidelines on service (cost-recovery) centers from the university Budget Office. The group was comfortable with the guidelines. The DMC is the library’s only service center; Spiro, Butler and Jane Zhao will meet to discuss compliance with the guidelines.

3. Miscellaneous: Butler reported on several pending software licensing issues, including the decision by Central IT to change license terms for the Adobe suite. The effect on Fondren is that Adobe software will be available only on certain computers. A new desktop support position has been  approved. The new food and drink policy is being finalized. Possible uses for Rm. 361 (former home of assistive technology equipment now housed by the east entrance on the first floor) were discussed.

August 14
No meeting.

May 22

No meeting.

May 29

Lowman shared that an architect and a builder have been chosen and that the renovation project kickoff meeting is scheduled for 6/13. She also reported on the Board of Trustees meeting.

The group completed its review of all Fondren’s consortium memberships.

Lowman clarified that 2 7-drawer microfiche cabinets have been purchased for the Kelley Center to improve space use.

The Office of Sponsored Research and the Office of Graduate Studies may be working with Fondren’s Digital Scholarship Services to ease maintenance of the faculty information system by migrating some information from the IR.

The library’s excellent record of assessment and contributions to the SACS accreditation process were complimented recently at a Deans’ Council meeting.

June 5

The group was joined by Debra Kolah, Sandi Edwards, David Bynog and Linda Spiro for a discussion of Fondren’s K-12 initiatives in light of the recent Horizon report on services to the public: http://library.rice.edu/fondren-intranet/horizon-group/Horizon-Group-Report/view

Fondren sends a representative to campus-wide meetings on K-12 efforts. The Welcome Center is primarily responsible for visitors K-8, the Admissions Office handling visitors 9-12 as prospective students. The Fondren paragraph of the script used by student tour guides needs revision. Especially in light of the new room reservation system and the new instructional space (part of the renovation), room reservation policies should be reviewed and revised to best support campus and outreach priorities. Fondren could well emulate the clear guidelines the Welcome Center provides for visitors about group size, duration, etc.: http://visit.rice.edu/index.cfm?p=main.tourrequestform. In Fondren, WRC is asked to provide services for some high schools and Reference is asked to provide services for others, with little overlap. A focus group will be conducted to gather information from visitors about their Fondren experiences. More staff should be given the opportunity to conduct library tours. The need for visitor lockers should be assessed and addressed. Kolah, Edwards, Bynog and Spiro will review outstanding issues; the Executive Committee will revisit these issues later this summer.

The group discussed possible re-uses of the first floor space to be vacated by the obsolete Better Light scanner.

Executive Committee members discussed the proposed library hours for fall and spring semesters.

Executive Committee Meeting Summary for May 1, 2014

Diane Butler gave an IT and Access Services update, beginning with catalog changes now being tested in the Sirsi test system (cordoba) and soon to be implemented in the live system (alexandria). The changes resulted from feedback in the recent user study on catalog use (http://bit.ly/Sxklxy). The new study room reservation system is set to go live 5/27/14, with formal rollout in the fall. Study rooms affected by the upcoming renovations will be offline beginning after finals until their upgrades are complete, perhaps as early as mid-July. The limits on faculty renewal of material is being changed from 10 years to 5 years; some phasing will be necessary. In order to facilitate renewals, use of handheld devices in faculty offices is being explored. Feature film DVDs will now have a week-long checkout period. Replacement costs for lost books have been updated. The processing fee for a lost book is going up to $40 from $30; no fines will be charged unless the book is found and returned. Microfilm checkout period is one week; no microfilm will be loaned on ILL during the renovation. Fondren is collaborating with the Center for Oral, Visual and Written Communication (COVWC) on updating the furniture in study room 201. Diane is monitoring feasibility of having student workers from Central IT help users in the library evenings and weekends.

Sara Lowman shared library budget scenarios to be presented to the Rice Board of Trustees at the May meeting. We should know shortly after that meeting what has been officially approved. Sara is in talks with leaders from Medical Center institutions regarding resource sharing with Rice.

Sara and the renovation group working on furniture met with Louann Risseeuw, furniture rep for Rice Facilities, Engineering and Planning (FE&P). FE&P is waiting for bidding architects to return Rice’s request for proposal (RFP) for the Fondren renovation. First floor shelving and lighting scenarios are being discussed; current shelving has built-in lighting so lower shelving will require lighting changes wherever it is used.

Diane shared that the renovation group working on designing the instructional space was ready to turn in its final construction recommendations. The group’s other recommendations pertaining to equipment, furniture, etc. are still pending.

User experience factors are being considered in the placement of microfilm readers in the renovation of the Kelley Center. Acquiring more space-efficient microfiche cabinets is also under consideration.

At the next meeting, the group will review the costs and benefits of Fondren’s consortial memberships.

[Because there was not time to report as an agenda item, Melinda Flannery shared after the meeting highlights from the Texas Conference on Digital Libraries, including the following links:

Piper, a repository-agnostic batch deposit tool
https://conferences.tdl.org/tcdl/index.php/TCDL/TCDL2014/paper/view/765

TAMU implementation of ORCIDs across their grad student population:
https://conferences.tdl.org/tcdl/index.php/TCDL/TCDL2014/paper/view/730

Project to develop reliable OCR/transcription for ECCO through scholarly crowd-sourcing and the TypeRight software:

https://conferences.tdl.org/tcdl/index.php/TCDL/TCDL2014/paper/view/778

Three Minute Thesis program:
https://conferences.tdl.org/tcdl/index.php/TCDL/TCDL2014/paper/view/782]

Executive Committee Meeting Summary for May 8, 2014

No meeting

Executive Committee
4/3/14 meeting summary

Building renovation update: Sara Lowman reported on the renovation project. Now that the architectural planning phase is complete, Facilities, Engineering and Planning will conduct a short-turnaround request for proposal (RFP) to select the design architect and contractor(s). We are thus one month minimum away from starting design work. Design must be completed before any detailed construction estimates are developed.

Collections preparation for renovation: May 15 is still the target date for reducing Kelley Center collections by 40%. Lisa Spiro will confirm by next meeting an estimate on the number of reels Kelley Center staff can process per week as well as the projection of being able to reach at least 39% with identified collections. The microfilm Houston Post and Chronicle and the New Orleans Times-Picayune will be transferred to the LSC shortly, though there is hope of bringing these back to Fondren eventually. Transfers from the basement stacks and Reference collection are well underway and must also be completed before construction can begin.

Rm B39 instructional space: Because of the delicacy of the new high end scanner, B39 must close as an instructional space earlier than projected. Its computers will be moved to the GDC instructional space, which has a teacher monitor, broadcast capability and appropriate seating. Keys will be made available to those who need to teach after hours. B39 was lightly scheduled through July 1 and those time blocks will be rescheduled either in the GDC instructional space or in Rm 156. Several staff were trained on the new scanner and will teach others as appropriate. Rm B39 will develop into a center for scanning-intensive work; other equipment may be moved there.

Study room renovation: Diane Butler reported that student input has helped identify the least liked study rooms and that the funding available has been sufficient to renovate all previously unrenovated study rooms. Each study room will get carpet, paint (including an accent wall), translucent shades, new tables and comfortable chairs. Students have requested artwork in the study rooms and the use of photographs from Rice sources is being explored. Non-tile ceilings will be painted and tile ceilings will be replaced. Because students vary in lighting preferences, new lights will be dimmable. Some furniture formerly in the DMC will be reused in the study rooms.

Next week: The group will discuss meeting topics through August and identify any summer meeting dates to be cancelled due to two or more member absences. Sara Lowman also asked for ideas on spending out the remaining balance of the Friends of Fondren Library (FoFL) booksale fund, as she needs to provide at least 3 options for the FoFL Board to consider at their next meeting.

Executive Committee
4/10/14 meeting summary

Suggestions for Friends Board on spending out booksale fund: Group members came up with several ideas for Sara Lowman to share with Judy Howell for consideration at the Friends Board meeting next week.

Building renovation update: Sara reported that she met yesterday with Ben Sauceda, Ana Ramirez and Louann Risseeuw, who agreed that the first floor renovations are minor and that only lighting changes at the south end might require consultation with the design architect. Sara will call together the Fondren group working on furniture for the renovation to begin active planning. The DMC should start working on a list of needed equipment for the new space. Sara shared that the RFP to architecture firms is going out today. She believes that the project will proceed as planned, though she doubts that the more substantial changes in the basement will be in place for the start of the fall semester. Facilities, Engineering & Planning is still working on correcting errors in the original budget for the renovation, but final refinements cannot be made until design architecture plans have been completed.

Renovation communications plan: Diane Butler suggested and all agreed that Jeff Koffler will create a renovation update space on the top Fondren page, and that Sara will ask the Committee on Marketing and Customer Service to develop and implement a. plan for putting updates there throughout the course of the project.

B39: Lisa Spiro shared a proposal to repurpose B39 as a digitization lab, including support for reformatting of obsolete formats for campus and public users. Caution was expressed that maintaining equipment for comprehensive reformatting services is virtually impossible and that reliance on commercial services as needed is common practice. There was general support for the idea of dedicating B39 to supportable digitization purposes.

Collections preparation for renovation: Lisa provided a document describing progress in Kelley Center collections reductions. She has been working with reports generated by IT staff and is concluding that there are more analytics (set titles that have individual records for all individual works in the set) in the remaining microfilm collection than had been thought. She believes that perhaps 800 reels will still need to be processed by the new target date of May 15, with 38% of the desired 40% of the collection relocated. Her document presented several options for increasing the percentage; temporarily relocating microfilm Early English Books in Sims Alley, with appropriate signage, was the measure approved. The GemTrac representative has told Lisa he can work on moving empty GemTrac cabinets; the rep will be asked for advice on selling those we no longer need.

Primo proposal: Our Ex Libris representative, following on a recent site visit, submitted a proposal for Fondren to purchase Primo as a discovery layer. This time, the company has agreed to a trial. Diane will discuss with the Sirsi database administrators the current status of implementing recommendations from the recent user study on the catalog/discovery layer, and share the Ex Libris proposal with them. The proposal will be discussed again in two weeks.

Members were asked to submit agenda items by Wednesday at noon before each meeting. Calendar review through May resulted in the cancellation of meetings on 4/24 and 5/8, dates on which two or more members will be absent.