Yale University Library Collection Development Council

Minutes

Advisory Committee on Library Policy
Meeting of December 11, 1996

Minutes

Present: John Mack Faragher (chair), Scott Bennett, Alan Chodos, Robert Gordon, Lisa McGill, Dieter Soll, Wayne Meeks, Maria Rosa Menocal, John Bullock, Lloyd Suttle, Ann Okerson (staff), B. Turner (recording)

Absent: Ben Kiernan (on leave), David Quint

Guests: Alan Solomon and Don Waters

I. The Committee members introduced themselves.

II. Minutes

The minutes for November 6, 1996 were approved as written. The URL for the WWW sites for the Faculty Support Program will be sent to ACLP members.

III. Reference Services and Collections:

Guest Alan Solomon, Head of Research Services and Collections at SML, discussed the changing role of Library bibliographers. Recent reorganization in Sterling Library combined the roles of selectors and reference librarians. Patrons benefit because each academic department now has its own contact librarian who is responsible for all aspects of library services and collections. All RSC (Reference Services and Collections) librarians at SML now participate in selection of library materials as well as in a wide range of public service duties, including work at the public service reference desk. SML organization now parallels that in the rest of Yale's School and Departmental Libraries. The RSC department constantly reviews and revises their services and encourages faculty to make specific requests to improve the services of the Library.

The RSC department particularly emphasizes undergraduate education. As the complications of library use increase with the blurring of disciplinary boundaries, print or electronic versions and technological advances, instruction in library use is now essential for basic research skills. The undergraduate instructional programs of the RSC department were highly commended by ACLP members. In particular, they praised the proactive outreach services offered to faculty members and undergraduates.

IV. Technical Services Presentation

Guest Don Waters, Associate University Librarian for Technical Services, addressed issues raised at the November 6 ACLP meeting about the management of the cataloging backlog, the retrospective conversion of the card catalog to an online version, and the future of Orbis.

Technical Services has reduced its staff over the last decade by half while slightly increasing the output of the unit. Productivity has improved due to technological advancements and cooperative cataloging with other libraries. The backlog that remains represents about 1.5 years of work. Technical services reorganization has changed the process of cataloging so that materials now wait no longer than 18 months for cataloging. Don Waters described some of the changed workflow and stated the technical services goal: removal of the cataloging backlog over the next 18 months.

An example of a technological improvement that will greatly accelerate the processing work is the use of automated searching for previously created catalog records held by large utilities like RLIN or OCLC. When the automated searching makes a "hit" on the OCLC or RLIN records, these will be downloaded and adapted for Yale Library. The time saved by not generating our own bibliographic record will free librarians to reduce the backlog and perform more original cataloging. The Yale Library is able to do "derived" or "copy" cataloging for a number of its unique and rare books because often items that are physically unique are nonetheless bibliographically related to non-rare books that have been catalogued elsewhere. Such bibliographically-related records can be tailored to the book held at Yale.

Scott Bennett reiterated that for readers and faculty, the departmental librarian is the first and best point of contact for problems, questions, and concerns. For example, contact with the appropriate professional librarian can accelerate processing of material.

The retrospective conversion process assures the full transfer of card catalog information to the online record. The more information that needs to be converted from the card to online, the greater the cost will be. Yale Library has a commitment to a high standard of retrospective conversion. The recent conversion of the Beinecke card catalog is an example where the Library has paid for and insisted on high quality records.

Vernacular records will likely be converted in-house to insure a quality result that would be difficult for a vendor to produce. At this point, scanning is capable of relatively high character recognition, but format recognition is a very weak link. Technical staff are working with vendors to influence the market to develop products capable of delivering the results we need using scanning technology. Priorities for recon will be organized at the beginning of the project to convert materials likely to be moved to the off-campus shelving facility.

The future of the card catalog depends on the success of the transition to the online version and its incorporation into the habits of patrons. There are 4.5 million records left to be converted. The project will be completed in eight years. Any decisions about the future of the card catalogs will be postponed until the transition is completed. By converting at this time, we benefit from the accomplishments and innovations of other libraries that have finished their conversions.

Don Waters was asked whether there is a systematic effort to identify and replace books that go missing from the Yale Library collections. There is active effort to systematically track and replace missing material that is requested by users. Replacement purchase requests compete for funding with expenditures on new materials for the Yale Library. Faculty can influence the process by letting departmental and other librarians know when it is important to find replacements for individual missing materials.

Preparations for replacement of the aging Orbis system have begun. The Yale Library will install vendor upgrades to NOTIS/ORBIS until the new library systems entering the marketplace have stabilized and become functionally more robust. The Library has installed workstations instead of terminals, wrapped the catalog in a Web interface so special software is unnecessary for WWW access, and is experimenting with additional software. The library has developed a Windows online shelf list. The Library has also made available a WWW version of its course reserve list. A few large universities have already chosen new and differing systems that fit their needs. Their experiences — especially that of Harvard — will influence the market and help sort out the best systems.

V. Off-Campus Shelving

Scott Bennett announced that Alison Richard and Joe Mullinix and Lloyd Suttle have agreed to support the recommendations of the final report of the Working Group for an Off-Campus High-Efficiency Shelving Facility. The documents produced by the Working Group and the Library's Selection Policy committees can be shared, but it is not yet time to make a public announcement about the approval. First, the ACLP should consider how to engage in broad campus dialog on this topic.

Ann Okerson began the discussion of the draft "Selection Policy for Off-Campus Shelving" with the reminder that it is part of a series dealing with selection issues only. Committee work on fact-finding and implementation policies will begin in January.

The building of this facility is a very positive and long awaited step that will cost effectively store and preserve Yale's valuable collection while still providing a timely retrieval system that will be an asset topatrons.

Scott Bennett pointed out that the actual selection, moving, and shelving of library materials at the new location is more expensive than the construction of the facility. Committee members observed that the criteria for selection are political and technical questions, as well as questions of resources. The criteria need to be detailed, because there are implications for everyone. Selection of materials to be shelved off campus becomes a particularly important matter for humanities disciplines because browsing the physical items is an important way in which humanists work. Faculty members expressed a desire to see, use and try out the new electronic shelf-list browsing features that Library Systems has developed for Windows-based machines in preparation for discussions of the implementation phase of the project. Experience with new methods of access could help to alleviate concerns about changes in library use that will follow removal of some materials to an off-campus location. One member pointed out that European scholarship does not suffer from the fact that European libraries generally do not offer shelf access to their users.

There was discussion about whether a town meeting or a series of departmental meetings would be more effective as forums to alleviate concerns, express opinions, and promote a sense of concurrence. A town meeting was thought to be the most appropriate first step to engage library patrons. Subsequently, department meetings would be the place to discuss details appropriate to specific disciplines. Abundant local input and reliance on the experiences of libraries that have already set up off-site shelving facilities will minimize concern. ACLP members agreed that faculty must feel they are invited into this process.

ACLP will debate the merits of sponsoring a town meeting before or after the work of the implementation committee at the next meeting on January 15, 1997.

The next meeting will be at the Sterling Lecture Hall on Jan 15, 1997 from 12-1:30. Sandwiches will be provided.

Yale University
Bonnie Turner
last updated May 6, 1997