SCOPA Meeting Minutes
January 24, 2002
Present: Jae Williams (chair), Richard Boursy (recording), Mary Caldera, Todd Fell, Eric Friede, Steve Jones, Cecile Mandour, Pamela Mann, Rochelle Smith, Diane Turner
Jae is taking a course on Monday afternoons this semester, so the committee re-scheduled its meetings for February through April. We will meet on Tuesday afternoons at 3:00 PM, on the following dates:
February 5
February 19
March 5
March 26
April 2
April 16Jae noted that whoever organizes a forum is also responsible for publicizing it. The primary form of publicity is YULIB-L. Announcements are usually made a week in advance and again on the day of the forum. They should describe the event and its participants, and should also include relevant URLs when appropriate. If it seems likely that a forum would be of interest to a particular group beyond the library staff (such as an academic department), it can be publicized in other ways as well.
Rochelle is working on scheduling the next Librarians Without Borders forum, which will feature Uju Mollel and Kim Parker. It will probably take place in February. The forum with Tanja Lorkovic and Rich Richie has been deferred until Autumn.
Todd reported that there are no new developments regarding the possible forum on scholarly editing projects.
Steve is organizing a forum with other academic libraries in the New Haven area. Susan Cirillo of Southern Connecticut State University says that she will participate if her schedule permits. Steve also spoke with the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Library, who said that the director there would probably be interested in participating. Steve will try to develop a thematic focus for the forum, and will invite other possible participants.
Jae is working on a new date for Kris Hammond's forum, which had to be postponed in December.
Jae reported that Alice Prochaska is interested in doing two forums per year, probably in March and September. Barbara Shailor will probably speak in March or April. Dean Richard Brodhead is very interested in doing a forum, but his schedule isn't clear yet.
Eric proposed a forum with the executive director of the American Theological Library Association. (Yale holds the Association's archives.) The Association's journal digitization project could be the topic. The date is not certain yet, but March seems the most likely time.
Jae suggested possible forums on current controversies: the availability of presidential records, and the removal of articles by free-lance journalists from periodical databases because of the New York Times vs. Tasini case. She also proposed a more light-hearted forum, on a topic such as relieving workplace stress. We will think about possible speakers for these ideas.
Steve suggested several forum ideas. The Lewis Walpole Library is part of Yale but geographically separate, so it would be helpful for New Haven staff to learn more about it, especially in light of its recent renovation. The interaction between the library and the library school at Southern Connecticut State is an interesting topic that will probably be deferred until next year, because Mary Brown spoke last year and Susan Cirillo may speak this year. February is Black History Month, so we could arrange a forum on an appropriate topic. Someone from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture might be a good candidate. Diane suggested Prof. Hazel Carby, chair of Yale's Afro-American Studies Department, as another possibility.
Steve reported that he will begin work on the publications page when his web account is re-activated.
Richard said that two grant recipients had submitted brief reports on their projects. We will schedule a forum for them, probably in April.
(submitted by Richard Boursy)