Library Assembly Minutes, July 23, 2013

In attendance:

Kate Anderson, Jack Batterson, Rachel Brekhus, Sara Bryant, Jim Cogswell, Dustin Hoffman, Dana Houston, Shelly McDavid, Ashley Nelson, Sheena Waggoner, Deb Ward, Karen Witt

Agenda Items

• Welcome New Members
  • Sara Bryant, representing Access Services
  • Dustin Hoffman, representing LTS
  • Shelly McDavid, representing HSL
  • There was a question about MULSA having a representative to Library Assembly, but it was deemed unnecessary, especially as board members overlap and MULSA is staff/social organization, not library operations.
  • Library Assembly will continue to meet a 1:00pm in 159 Ellis on the 4^th Tuesday of every month

• Round Table Introductions for New Members

• Vote/Elect Vice Chair & Recorder
  • Sara Bryant volunteered and was unanimously passed as Vice Chair
    • Jim shared that the chair and vice chair usually meet ahead of time with him
  • Shelly McDavid volunteered and was unanimously passed as Recorder

• Jack-Revisit Policy Revisions
  • Link to General MU Libraries Policy Manual, Procedures and Guides: http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/staff/policies/toc.htm
  • Discussion about proper flow for effecting policy change – consulted General Policy Manual
    • Targeted question: What more can be done to ensure all policies are current?
      • The General Policy Manual dictates the chain of command for dictating or effecting policy change protocols
      • It is currently assumed that each Library Assembly member shares the policies with his/her department when Library Assembly is considering policy revisions
  • Should the review period be extended for staff to have more opportunities to review the procedures in Policy #1?
    • It was decided that the current review process provides enough opportunity for staff feedback.
  • Effecting Policy changes
    • If there is a credible need to change or update a policy; Jim Cogswell states departments should contact Mike Holland first
    • Mike Holland is the new point person for initiating the process of policy change, and the steps outlined in the policy will be followed.
    • When a policy is changed and signed by Jim Cogswell, the updated signed version is published in News Notes by Mark Ellis

      Director Announcements

• Pay Raises
  • No new money is available for FY2014, effective early August.
  • Benefits covered internally for any benefit increases, this does not impact paychecks, but does affect the MU Libraries budget.
  • There is a possibility for mid-year pay raises at this time, but no guarantee.

• Renew Mizzou
  • Request LA assistance with questions for August 14^th All Staff
    • Renew Mizzou is the main agenda item for the August 14^th MU Libraries All Staff Meeting
    • Heiddi L. Davis and Joey Riley from Campus Facilities Planning will be attending to give a short presentation and Q/A session at the meeting on Renew Mizzou
    • Library Assembly members should inform their staff members to submit questions via email to Mark Ellis by August 7^th with the subject line “Renew Mizzou”
      • Questions should be applicable to a larger audience not just one person

• LMT Retreat Notes
  • 3 Main Focal Points
    • Staffing and Salary
      • Lack of funds for yearly raises from campus
      • Salary Compression
      • National rankings low
      • Space and Facilities Concerns
        • Renew Mizzou
          • Jesse Hall Offices moving to Ellis Library rooms 114 and 202
          • Capital Campaign
            • Committee created to plan events and programming for the centennial celebration, with three main events.
              • Timeframe for events: Fall 2015-May 2016
              • Steve Weinberg creating a tribute volume
                • MU Libraries: The First 100 Years
                • MU Press is the publisher
                • Expected publication date: Spring 2016
            • Jeannette Pierce new RAIS Division Head in attendance
            • MULAC met with LMT prior to retreat – very beneficial
            • Staffing priorities document updated
            • Goals and Objectives document – FY 2012 addressed

• Men’s/Women’s Restroom – Ellis Library
  • Men’s 2^nd Floor and Women’s 4^th Floor
    • Damaged fixtures – replaced
    • Campus Facilities providing funding for improvements
    • Planning to have updates done to other Ellis Restrooms
      • Women’s Restroom outside 202 Ellis
        • Needs to be updated prior to Renew Mizzou move of staff to Ellis Library

• Department announcements:

• Health Sciences Library – Deb Ward
  • NN/LM Virtual site visit July 17, 2013
    • Best virtual site visit ever
    • Barb Jones’ presentation described how she promotes the value of libraries to our constituents
    • NLM Video: http://youtu.be/_yx8dJ1ACHg
      • Exhibits the beautiful Health Sciences Libraries within the Midcontinent Region that we are a part of
      • Video distinctly shows the need to renovate the MU HSL compared to our regional counterparts facilities
      • Branch Heads Meeting
        • Standardized the Loan Rules for Bound Journals – now circulate overnight to UG and 3 days to grads, professional, staff and faculty on campus
        • Document Delivery scanning items from UMLD
          • Charges for this service TBD

• RAIS – Deb Ward
  • New RAIS Head starts August 5^th, 152 Ellis cleared for her arrival
    • Deb Ward still working out of 152 Ellis on Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 30^th
    • Mary Ryan, Ellis Library Head of Reference retires November 1^st, last day scheduled for August 30^th
      • Interim Head of Reference, TBD internally from the current librarians in the Ellis Reference Department
      • Hiring a one-year temporary librarian to fulfill the duties of the interim head.
      • Temporary librarians are being hired due to the hiring freeze still in-effect. It is easier to get Provost approval for a temporary librarian than a permanent one.
      • Continuing to work out the details of this transition
      • E-Learning Librarian Opening
        • Currently 24 viable candidates
        • Still receiving applications; position posting closing the end of July
        • Virtual screening interviews begin Friday July 26^th

• Reference Department – Rachel Brekhus
  • 3 Reference Positions: Temp Science Librarian: replacing Brenda Graves-Blevins, Temp Generalist Librarian: expected to fulfill the duties of the Interim Head of Reference, and Temp Social Sciences Librarian: replacing Nancy Myers
    • All temporary librarian positions are a 1 year appointment
    • 2 Replacements have been hired, one for the Temp Generalist Librarian and one for the Temp Science Librarian, we are advised not to mention the candidates by name at this time, but this is good news
      • Tentative start date of August 12^th, contingent  upon HR receiving necessary paperwork
      • Instruction
        • Instruction is light in the Summer months
          • Already receiving requests for the Fall and even the Spring semester
          • Goodie Bhullar (Instruction Coordinator) and Anne Barker (English liaison) will meet with the new English 1000 coordinator about our ongoing cooperative relationship with English 1000 classes
          • A Research Process Report has been created to integrate into English 1000 research assignments
            • This report sets students up for successful participation in the Undergraduate Research Paper Contest
            • Projects
              • Members of department heavily involved in the redesign of the website, in coordination with Judy Maseles
              • Reference Department very involved with coming Divided Loyalties exhibit (August-November), in coordination with Paula Roper
              • Training
                • Website front page search: Summon
                  • Rolling out a new interface on August 1^st , MU can turn it on any time after this date
                  • Affiliated parties at the vendor demonstration agree, it is an improvement over the existing product
                  • Access Services Refresher Meeting
                    • Training for the LibAnswers system (will replace email, text and chat) and our annual technology competencies update
                    • TA Training
                      • Taking place early August

• Administration – Sheena Waggoner
  • EPAF’s – new hire paperwork will be done online by the new hire, this is called onboarding, this will cut the NER time down tremendously
  • Losing Admin Student—Our student is working for the Hospital in her degree area therefore her hours have been cut in the Admin office and we may be needing another student assistant for the Admin office
    • Campus policy change
      • Students can work an average of 28 hours/week across all of their concurrent jobs

• Further departmental announcements were cut short due to time constraints