Library Assembly Minutes, 2/28/2012

Attending: Members: Gary Cox (Chair), Laura Buck, Stephen Stanton, Stephen Clayton, Karen Witt, Libby Myre, Jack Batterson, June DeWeese, Mark Ellis, Matt Stottle Ex-Officio:  Deb Ward (LMT); Mike Holland (LMT),  Ann Riley (LMT), Jim Cogswell (LMT), Ann Barker (MULAC)

  • Announcements:
    • Library Director Jim Cogswell:
      • Ellis Library First floor Women’s restroom remodel.
        • Scheduled for this summer.
        • Central MU Administration will contribute $100K.
      • Expansion of Ellis Library Information Commons.
        • South of main elevators (on the 1R side).
        • Funded by the Libraries portion of the MU ITF funds.
      • New Library Development Director hired and will start 3/5/12.
        • Nathan Marticke.
        • 104 K Ellis Library, 884-8645.
      • MU Libraries and Provost Office budget meeting did finally take place 2/20/12.
        • (Had been rescheduled twice.)
        • Review of 5 years.
          • One past, the current year and projections for three years into the future.
        • The Discussion wasn’t cheery.
          • The future cuts from the state allocations to higher education were reduced recently but will remain significant.
        • As best as MU Libraries Administration and LMT can predict,  FY13 will be impacted in these ways (all figures and plans are subject to change):
          • Salary pool for 2012 will increases around 2%.
            • Originally hoping for 3%.
            • Staffing plan will be impacted.
              • Possible delays in filling positions.
              • Acquisitions will be impacted.
                • LMT is working out the details.
      • MSA/GPC and MU Libraries revisit the topic of Library Student Fee.
        • Topic was brought up by Missouri Student Association President X. J. Billingsley – He heard this was considered in the past.
        • Jim Cogswell met with the MSA Academic Affairs committee 2/21.
          • He hopes to meet with GPC soon.
        • Jim shared and discussed an information sheet detailing enhanced services that a student fee might be able to augment:
          • Extended Hours.
          • More Study space.
          • Collections.
          • See spreadsheet entitled: Libraries Fee Information – MU Feb1.2
            • (This is an informational document to further the discussion of a student fee. No official proposal has been made.)
        • MSA reception of the idea of a Library Fee was rather positive.
          • They asked MU Libraries to work with some of their representatives to put together a proposal.
          • The proposal will be formally presented to MSA with hopes to be put before the student body as a ballot issue.
          • Over the years, Jim has talked to 3 different MSA presidents/administrations about this topic.
            • The current representatives seem the most receptive to the idea.
    • Laura Buck, Veterinary Medical Library.
      • Improvements made to Vet Med Library .
        • Outlets installed.
        • Some rearrangements.
    • Matt Stottle, Ellis Library Security.
      • Matt accepted a new job at IBM (service response coordinator).
        • This will be his last Library Assembly Meeting.
    • Stephen Stanton, Geology Library.
      • New lights in Geology.
      • Campus Facilities has been working off and on since August, but have often been called away to other campus projects.  (Finally complete…)
    • Anne barker, MULAC.
      • Reference books are shifting to make the expansion of Info Commons possible.
      • Wayne Barnes coordinating.
    • Deb Ward, LMT member- Head of HSL and Interim Associate Director of RAIS.
      • HSL construction on library-space/testing-room moving along.
      • Room is complete; furniture not yet arrived.
        • Currently, a space for compact shelving is being created.
      • Questions:  How is this project funded?
      • Answer:  Funded by Med School and made possible by stimulus funding.
    • Mark Ellis, Administrative Services.
      • The MU Libraries Celebration of Service Event has been scheduled for May 24th, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (or 1.5 hours within this span of time).
      • Mark and Shannon Cary, the Administration representatives to the Celebration of Service “committee” (an informal/unrecognized team), would like to know if Library staff are satisfied with our current format of the celebration of service.
        • Rather than have another survey (they sent one out approximately 3 years ago to reach our current format), Mark and Shannon would like to discuss in Library Assembly.
        • Mark will make sure it is on the agenda next meeting and will send out more information to staff and Library Assembly members soon.

 

  • Policy review – Mike Holland.
    • Policies 10 and 44 were presented to Library Assembly.  They were revised by Access Services.
      • Since Mike is the facilitator of the process, and these were revised by Access Service, he turns the discussion over to June DeWeese for an overview.
    • June DeWeese, Head of Access Services.
      • Policy 44- Policy for Responding to Disruptive Patrons.
        • Outlines what MU Library staff can/must do when encountering a disruptive patron.
        • Last time revised 1992.
        • Mainly updated the names and positions that were referenced.
        • Branch location procedures may need to be adapted.
        • Discussion:
          • Matt Stottle reports that Ellis Library Security is satisfied with this updated policy and how it pertains to Ellis Library Procedures.
          • Some members expressed that they did not review the “procedures” link that was imbedded in the attached policy.
          • Jim C. – Concerned about branches.
            • Perhaps a separate policy for branches?
            • Discussion ensued about if branch procedures can be handled in sub-points or if the matter needed in a new policy.
            • It was also asked if “frontline personnel” were also getting this information in training.  They were/are.
        • Conclusion: Mike suggests this policy be circulated further to the various departments/constituencies in the hopes,  if there are not a lot of major changes, it will be passed on to LMT in a few weeks.
          • If he hears that more discussion is needed, it can be brought back to the Library Assembly.
      • Policy 10-Overdue Fines and Replacement Costs.
        • The policy online says that it hasn’t been revised since 1992 however the functional policy was last revised by Access Services, Nov 2009.
        • Changed some specifics about the counting of days overdue.
          • Policy reflects how the system counts holidays.
        • Some changes reflect new issues such as laptops.
        • The biggest change is the removing of a cap on fines.
        • Discussion Ensued:
          • Question/Answers…
            • Q. Does anyone try to go beyond our policy (“over our heads”) to refute/refuse fines.
            • A. Rarely – almost never. Especially with our support/allowance of patrons buying replacements.
            • Q. Wouldn’t the replacement cost for some of our bound journals reach thousands?
            • A. Yes, the provision 4.4 B which calls for billing at twice the subscription rate for bound journals almost always results in the items being “found” by the patron.
            • This policy/procedure did go through MERLIN Circ/Reserve committee.
            • Concerns expressed by Branches Representative Stephen Clayton on behalf of branch libraries.  (Journalism even sent a list.)
              • A request was made for the Circulation and Reserve staff from all the various libraries to meet and discuss.
        • Conclusion: Mike feels this policy revision and discussion, which cuts across most (and perhaps all) divisions, needs an ad hoc committee.
          • He will make that recommendation to Jim Cogswell, who would select such a group.
          • It was requested that policy 29 also be reviewed at the same time.

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