Service Quality Improvement Council

Minutes
March 10, 1999

Present: Betty Cohen, Ellen Cordes, Sue Crockford-Peters, Suzanne Eggleston, Emily Horning, Fred Martz, Danuta Nitecki, Sandy Peterson, Andy Shimp, Paul Stuehrenberg (chair), Joan Swanekamp

Absent: Jan Glover, Kenny Marone, Rich Richie

I. Announcements

A. Suzanne Eggleston raised the issue of how best to circulate updates of SQIC's various committees. It was decided to forward materials to Committee members using email and to send documents to be posted to the SQIC webpage to Jeongmin Park.

B. Electronic Reference Response. The Committee briefly discussed a proposal to link "ready" reference responses to library websites for staff use.

C. Position Posting. The Instruction Group and the Web Advisory Group have discussed the need for support beyond what a committee framework can provide. To address this need for support, Danuta Nitecki will seek LMC assistance.  She is drafting a job description that focuses on the following set of duties:

• disseminating information on the library (in both print and digital formats); overseeing YUL's web presence (i.e., Front Door and Research Workstation)

• general instructional efforts/orientation for new faculty, students, and visitors to the library

• assessment of library services

The proposed position will be reviewed with the SQI Council for advice.

D. The topic of access to the Law Library was raised. The question of inviting a member of the Law Library to serve on SQIC was brought forth again.

II. CoPY.

The Committee commented on some of the proposed public names for CoPY.

It was noted that at this point, the CoPY system will not allow the researcher to search Columbia and UPenn's catalogs if the desired document is available at Yale.

III. The Assessment charge was reviewed.

Members were canvassed for comments on the Assessment Group charge. Suggestions included initiatives to

• create a standardized form for collecting reference data; there is currently no consistency in the collection of such data

• look at how to start evaluating the on-line catalog in time for the next generation of replacement (i.e., 2002); review ORBIS search data to see what as-yet unanalyzed information can be used in evaluating the on-line catalog and how well it serves/matches patron needs.

• raise general awareness of the library's assessment activities.

IV. Survey

Danuta Nitecki spoke on the results garnered from the last round of revision of the service statements list. Twenty-one student responses were used. Danuta will group and provide further analysis of the results for the next Committee meeting.