Service Quality Improvement Council

Minutes
July 21, 1999

Present: Sue Crockford-Peters, Suzanne Eggleston, Emily Horning, Fred Martz, Danuta Nitecki, Rich Richie, Andy Shimp, Martha Smalley, Paul Stuehrenberg

Absent: Kenny Marone, Sandy Peterson, Joan Swanekamp

I. Announcements, questions, future agenda topics

A. Paul Stuehrenberg announced that Kathleen Bauer, chair of the Assessment Group, will join the SQI Council at its next meeting.

B. It was agreed that the next meeting will be held on 11 August. The first meeting of the Fall semester is scheduled for 8 September.

C. Paul reported that the topic of the CrossPlex software and Notis was discussed at the last meeting of the Library Systems Steering Committee.

D. Andy Shimp announced that the Web Advisory Group (WAG) intended to put out a message to yulib-l requesting information from staff on the demand for copyright guidelines from patrons. Staff involved with Web development will be asked to include their own questions regarding copyright . The goal is to pinpoint what resources we are using and what information sources are needed by staff in their Web work and in assisting patrons. Andy was advised to consult a document issued by the Collection Development Council Special Collections subcommittee on this topic. The issue of copyright will be further discussed by the SQI Council at a later meeting.

II. Council members agreed to postpone the presentation of progress reports from SQI subgroups.

III. Research Workstation Advisory Group. Rich Richie briefed the Council on the status of the library-wide programmatic statement for use of public workstations. The statement - written by Ellen Cordes - is being revised by RWAG. Workstation compliance with the needs of users with disabilities will be included in the statement. The draft will be ready for discussion by the SQI Council by the 11 August meeting. A copy of the draft will be distributed before the 11th.

Danuta Nitecki noted that the more fundamental question to address in the statement is that of access to library buildings. She suggested that the SQI Council review the question of whether to declare certain available facilities as restricted space. Suzanne Eggleston added that, according to the Reference Services group's survey of user groups, SML is, in some ways, more restricted than other departmental libraries (e.g., the stacks are open only to those with university ID's and special permission). Fred Martz commented that the definition of a "Yale-user" has, in practice, been fudged to include anyone in a Yale building.

Suggestions from Council members included:

• The statement should focus not on who the patron is, but how they are behaving.

• Information on where patrons may go with questions should be included.

• Language of the statement should be prescriptive rather than proscriptive.

• Focus should be on our definition of our service goals.

A suggestion was made by Sue Crockford-Peters to designate "email only" terminals. Danuta asked whether this type of service is consistent with the library's service goals.

IV. Emergency telephones. Danuta relayed a query made by Dan Updegrove (Director, ITS) regarding the installation of emergency telephones (phone connections directly linked to SNET) at public service points throughout the library system in case of a campus-wide phone outage. Are emergency phones needed at, for instance, reference or circulation desks to continue services to patrons? Currently, emergency phones are located:

• at the MUDD Circulation Desk

• at the CCL Circulation Desk

• in Beinecke

• at SML's Wall Street entrance

It was generally agreed that the primary function of having emergency telephones at strategic points would be to provide emergency access in situations requiring medical or security assistance. Staff members should be able to call out and be reached in such instances. The emergency telephone should therefore be situated in a public area, especially in small departmental libraries where accessibility to emergency lines located in other nearby offices and classrooms is an issue. The phones should be kept in places that are manned the longest hours. The public service benefit of installing emergency telephones was deemed of secondary importance.

Danuta will draft an emergency telephone access policy for discussion at the 8 August meeting. The Reference Services Group will also look into this matter.

V. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance. Council members will send comments on Danuta's draft proposal for a task force to address the service needs of persons with disabilities. The task force will be appointed by Danuta.