Service Quality Improvement Council

May 17, 2000

Agenda

1. Announcements, questions, future agenda items

2. Carrel policy
   Judy Parker will join us to lead a discussion of the document distributed at our last meeting on "LSF Books and Carrels" prepared by the Cataloging Support Group.

3. Policy on the use of social security numbers for library resources
   Sue Crockford-Peters and Fred Martz will present a draft policy document.

4. Policy issues relating to patron e-mail notification. Sue Crockford-Peters will give an update.

5. Appropriate Use Policy
   Scott has asked the SQI Council to draft an "appropriate use" policy for the library. Following is the text of this memorandum from the LMT.

6. Reorganization of SQIC groups for 2000/2001 (with special attention to the Reference Group)

Minutes

Present: Sue Crockford-Peters, Emily Horning, Fred Martz, Danuta Nitecki, Sandy Peterson, Andy Shimp, Paul Stuehrenberg, Joan Swanekamp

Absent: Katie Bauer, Suzanne Eggleston, Kenny Marone, Rich Richie, Martha Smalley

Guest: Susan Burdick

I. Questions, announcements, future agenda topics.

• Sandy Peterson asked that comments on the Policy Statement Regarding Problem Patrons -- worked out by the Staffing Issues Group -- be sent to her via email. She will bring a revised version of the statement to the next meeting of SQIC.

• Danuta Nitecki offered to provide a summary of her recent participation in the 54th Annual Service Quality Conference in Indianapolis at the next SQIC meeting.

• Danuta reminded members that Dan Seymour is scheduled to meet with SQIC on 6-9-00 to assist in developing a service quality improvement program for YUL.

• Holly Grossetta-Nardini [YUL Service Quality Support Director] will be in town soon, and Danuta will invite her to attend the SQIC session with Dr. Seymour.

• Danuta reported that the Non-Roman Script Task Force has been formed, chaired by Karen Reardon. The charge will be posted online.

II. Carrel Policy.

Sue Burdick (Divinity Library) -- in lieu of Judy Parker, who was unable to attend -- presented the recommendations of the Circulation Support Group Subcommittee on procedures for handling requests to charge LSF books to library carrels. The CSG Subcommittee proposes the following:

• Allow all LSF "c" (circulating) books to be charged to patron carrels in libraries offering carrel service (i.e., Sterling, Divinity, MUDD, Music, and A&A)

• Restricted materials ("r") can only be used in the home library and cannot be charged to carrels.

Sue noted two concerns raised by the recommendation for circulating materials --

• Uneven security measures in place at the YUL libraries

• Question of who is responsible for replacing lost items

Fred Martz inquired whether the Sterling Memorial Library exit guards check all books for due date stamps. Danuta responded that the security guards do check all items so long as they are recognized as library property. Sue Crockford-Peters added that the process for checking books at library exits may be inconsistent. Fred suggested that the library policy that all books must be checked out before they are permitted outside of the library facility be reiterated in the carrel document.

Danuta stated that the CSG recommendation is a good jumping off point for discussion on the topic of library carrel policy, but a policy statement has yet to be worked out. She noted that according to current practice, items that are charged to a carrel allow for the location of materials used by an individual. However, the individual is not responsible for the loan. Paul remarked that with Eli Express, items from other libraries can be ordered and kept in carrels. In Danuta's estimation, LSF materials are the least at-risk items. She asked whether there is any desirability in having a library-wide carrel policy. Sue Crockford-Peters thought that it would be possible to implement a library-wide carrel policy, despite some procedural "oddities" that will have to be addressed.

A key concern was the issue of security, especially given that the libraries do not share a common security system (e.g., the A&A Library employs a unique security system), and that levels of enforcement of security procedures vary between libraries. To remedy the unevenness of security between libraries, Danuta suggested placing active security strips in items charged to a carrel. Fred agreed that items charged to carrels should have security tags placed on them. Sue Crockford-Peters asked whether these strips would be placed in the spine of books at the bindery. In response to the question of whether the LSF should be responsible for tagging circulating items, Danuta suggested that LSF staff should not perform the circulation function; items from the LSF are sent for use by an individual. Sue Crockford-Peters observed that a large percentage of materials leaving Sterling Memorial Library do not have security strips on them. She put forth the possibility of having Circulation staff place strips in books at the desk. Paul suggested that books be tagged at the selection stage if the selector considers it to be an at-risk item. Such items will not be allowed to circulate. It was mentioned that Arts materials kept at the LSF are allowed to circulate at present. Danuta inquired whether putting something on a carrel necessarily jeopardizes that item. Sue Crockford-Peters felt that items in carrels are still vulnerable to theft, and that the essence of library carrel policy should be to minimize the vulnerability of library books as much as possible.

Andy Shimp recommended that current restrictions on charging materials be kept in place; he asked what the rationale would be for altering the existing policies employed by the separate YUL libraries. Danuta concurred that LSF materials should be subject to the policies/procedures of their home library. Fred was asked to comment on the amount of Systems work required to implement this policy. He will return to SQIC with an assessment of the time and cost investments (needed to make the appropriate table changes) for implementation. He noted that the fewer the libraries affected by the policy, the more manageable the task will be. It was decided to establish a library-wide carrel checkout system; the policy will be phased in by degrees, beginning with LSF items this year. The rest of the carrel policy will be rolled out gradually. Sue Crockford-Peters will take the CSG recommendation back to the subcommittee and ask that it be converted into a library-wide policy statement. Developing a uniform security system for YUL (the library uses Checkpoint and 3M) was thought to be too large an expense for consideration at this time.

III. Policy on the use of social security numbers for library resources.

The draft policy was distributed for comment. Danuta inquired whether an alternative to the use of Social Security numbers is available at present. Sue Crockford-Peters replied that an alternative may be available with the completion of the Oracle installation; she will investigate the status of efforts to shift to non-SSN-based university identification codes. Andy mentioned that he is aware of one instance in which a faculty member was able to acquire an alternative identification code. Fred suggested that a few words on work being done to establish alternatives to SSNs when accessing OVID be included in the statement. Fred volunteered to check on this matter and speculated that the problem with SSNs is not its use, but rather it's display on library printouts.

It was decided that as soon as Sue has made the editorial changes recommended by SQIC, the statement will be posted online for reader's reference.

IV. Appropriate Use Policy.

Paul requested that SQIC roll out what steps to take next in developing an appropriate use policy rather than discuss Scott Bennett's memorandum to SQIC on the topic. SQIC confirmed the desirability of having a document that public services staff can consult when dealing with cases of alleged harassment. Paul asked for volunteers to compose a draft policy. Sue offered to have a draft prepared within the next two weeks.

V. The reorganization of SQIC's sub-groups for the next academic year (with special attention to the Reference Group) will be discussed at a future meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 4:05 p.m.