COMMITTEE: LIBRARIES COMMITTEE

MEETING DATE: April 11, 2007

PERSON PRESIDING: Marianna Walker

REGULAR MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Salman Abdulali, Thomas Douglas, Juan Daneri, Michael Duffy, Marianna Walker, James Wirth

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Dottie Spencer, Beth Winstead

ACTIONS OF MEETING:

Minutes of the March 21 meeting were approved.

Winstead discussed the leak in the Joyner Library roof, which was mentioned in the East Carolinian. This might come up at the Faculty Senate meeting scheduled for next week. The roof has been scheduled for repair.

Dr. Spencer reported on the budget for Laupus Library. She noted that we are on target to finish the budget. The library is fully staffed. The library is sponsoring the Changing Face of Medicine exhibit (one of two sites in North Carolina). As Laupus’s gift to ECU for the Centennial, it will test the new exhibition space. This summer we will look into establishing a Friends group for Laupus Library. We are currently looking for modified parking conditions. Recently certified residents could not find a parking space near the library. Spencer wanted to acknowledge the cooperation and initiatives of Parking and Transportation in helping to resolve parking problems on the west campus.

Spencer noted that the research symposia have gone well. The second symposium was recently held in the School of Nursing under the direction of Terry Workman, who is the Assistant Dean of the new Dental School. The symposium was featured in the Daily Reflector.

Walker noted that the library directors recently met and have not yet established one collectivity for the budget. We are looking further at resources.

Spencer said that we are pursuing funding for DE. Distance education funding based on student credit hours is doing well at present, but is also leveling off. She noted that we will also have to revisit the issue of inflation.

Walker said that we will talk about new items, especially new databases.

Spencer said that we must commend the University Administration in light of the ILS vendor discontinuing its services. Dr. Jim Smith and the Administration were willing to step in. Next week we will attend a Computers and Libraries Conference to look at these vendors.

Spencer commented on the recent demonstration of Sedona for deans and directors. She noted additional features of the software that pleased participants.

Winstead said that Joyner is extending its hours and the days that it is open. Educators who do student teaching need to get materials before starting back to school on Mondays or the day after holidays.

Abdulali asked about the pull-and-hold service of Joyner Library, and the possibility that it can be extended as well. It is low in cost and could take care of some urgent research needs.

The library is continuing to monitor this service. Spencer hopes that faculty will learn to regularly call upon the virtual databases for periodic literature.

Walker discussed the goals for next year. Establishing a representative from the Research Council and Division at ECU continues to be a priority. Spencer noted that this year the Council has been concerned with the mechanics of the Office of Sponsored Programs and with the grant-funding structure of the University.

Spencer noted for the record that on April 23 there will be a decision made by the Graduate School on a style manual for the University.

She also said that the University-wide task force will perhaps be charged in late spring to explore library resources. This multi-relational body will be active in the 2007-2008 year.

Another goal will be to explore library services. This activity is ongoing. Spencer said that this is part of a funding stream issue that is continuing to be addressed by the library administrations.

One goal of the committee will be to present the library budgets to the faculty senate. Winstead said it would be good to have library directors address the Faculty Senate. We will explore the possibility of not having the committee present the library budgets before the senate. Spencer suggested that the committee or library administrations address the senate on events connected to the vision of both the ECU libraries and the University.

Douglas noted the events planned for the upcoming Humor Conference, and the activities web address at http://www.edu.humor. Spencer will check to see if there is available space to host conference events.

The meeting adjourned at 4 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael Duffy

Secretary