Late Exec Committee Notes (July 20) Summary

SUMMARY of MINUTES

1) Draft MALC Fall Meeting Survey
A survey will be has been taken to determine the location, date and programming for future MALC meetings. Potential meeting dates are Oct 12, Oct. 19, and Nov. 2. Consideration given to invite representatives from SLA and MAME will be given.

2) MALC Shared Storage Questionnaire
Richard Cochran presented a draft questionnaire to validate if there is sufficient intrest and need to proceed with the planning for a statewide remote storage facilty/facilities. Richard will turn the questionnaire into a survey and prepare a narrative. The survey will include a link to the Shared Storage Facility Taskforce Report. An online survey will also be constructed and sent out.

3) Statewide Initiatives Taskforce Follow-up
Given the economic and funding challenges facing the state of Michigan, this may be an opportune time for the entire library community to engage in a statewide dialogue to discuss additional opportunities for multi-type library collaboration and shared projects / initiatives. The idea for a statewide multi-type library conference was supported by academic library directors/deans who attended the 2006 Spring MALC meeting and led to the creation of the MALC Statewide Initiatives Taskforce. This taskforce identified key themes and issues which could lead to concrete outcomes of benefit to the entire library community.

However, the Executive Committee cannot proceed without the State Librarian’s perspective. Margaret will invite Nancy Robertson to the Sept. 7 Executive Committee Meeting to discuss next steps.

4) Gathering Special Collection Information
The work of defining a special collection, determining the kind of information that would need to be collected, and the process of gathering this information would be best left to a taskforce. Because of her experience in this area, it was suggested that Melinda McMartin, Special Collections Librarian and University Archivist would be a great choice to chair this taskforce. Richard Cochran will talk with Melinda. The Executive Committee will also put out a call to the library directors/deans to nominate individuals to serve on the taskforce. The intent is to complete this work in one year.

5) Gathering Digital Collection Information
With the growth of institutional repositories in Michigan academic libraries, it would be useful to include this information on the MALC website. John Potter has agreed to find out which institutional repositories are up and running, their access policies, and links to the collections. He will share this information with the Taskforce on Special and Digital Collections in Academic Libraries.

6) Gathering and linking to academic library job descriptions, Teach Act, Patriot Act, collection development policy, copyright statements
Tabled until the Sept. 7 meeting. Also documents that would be helpful to add to MALC’s website, i.e. intellectual property policies, disaster plans. The Executive Committee will develop a prioritized list of these documents.

7) Review of MALC 2007/08 Objectives
MALC objectives state that Deans/Directors will contribute the following to the MALC website: library-related press releases, awards received by their library and/or employees, and state-wide, regional, or national library-related offices held by library employees. No information on press releases, awards, or offices held has been received to date. If no one submits content between now and next year, these sections may be pulled from the website. Margaret has entered awards information for UD Mercy and entered MLA awards for the last five years.

8) Other Business: Promotion of Library Directors’ Summit
MALC endorses this opportunity and wants to promote attendance. Margaret will ask the chairs of DIAL-M and MCCL to issue an appeal to their groups to encourage attendance. Margaret will communicate with the membership and suggest that they take the Statewide Initiatives Taskforce Report to the summit.

Conference Review: Taskforce Report Summary

Task Force 1: Academic Library Case Statement / MeL Case Statement
(Linda Farynk)
Information from the case statements is being used for lobbying purposes and to tell the library story. MLA is looking at a long-term legislative strategy to market and build a new image of libraries with the media. MLA also published information from the MeL case statement in its recent newsletter. LOM will be focusing on marketing MeL in the next year.

Suggestions for improvement included highlighting the ACT college-entrance exam and using current info as marketing messages. Other suggestions included collecting narrative comments from library surveys (i.e. the LibQual survey), adding a section to the MALC website with a link to testimonials provided by MALC libraries, and connecting with MLA’s Public Policy Committee to develop a larger advocacy toolkit.

The case statement may also prove useful for MALC members when they meet with their chief academic officer (ie the value of MeL), discuss library funding at the state and institutional level, or attempt to write grant proposals

Task Force 2: Statewide Initiatives
(Tom Moore for Tim Richards)
The charge of the taskforce was to identify key issues/themes which could serve as the foundation for a multi-type library conference, particularly statewide issues, aka the 1999 Preferred Futures Conference. The taskforce currently seeks to relay broad issues for discussion rather than to develop actions and tangible outcomes.

Commentators noted that the state has significant social and economic issues that libraries could impact, that academic libraries have a shared understanding amongst ourselves but not across library types, and that
urgent issues affecting global change may greatly impact our libraries.
Other members warned against chasing abstractions, seeking instead to focus group energies on one or two strategic issues–perhaps being able to achieve a ‘common understanding’ with other type libraries. Collaboration may be at risk however because “many libraries are not participating because they are hanging on just to survive”.

When reviewing the 1999 (multitype library) conference, Randy Dykhuis noted the extensive effort required. However, the event became a well organized large scale planning session with 200 librarians in attendance for solid day. Concrete outcomes that resulted: Access Michigan/MeL, PLFIG, Michicard, statewide document delivery.

Task Force 3: Shared Storage Facility
(John Kondelik)
Off-site storage is an incredibley more complex involving ownership, content, sharing, location, and funding considerations. Task Force members shared a desire to work with a larger group from MALC on this issue, possibly starting small with gradual growth. In lieu of seeking funding for a consultant to do a needs analysis, it was suggested that a no-frills survey to the membership asking if off-site storage is a current/future need for their library should be undertaken.

Also, someone on the taskforce should study various offsite storage models (match requirements in the field with capabilities).