University Libraries Committee

Minutes for 18 November 2009

Present: Tarek Abdel-Salam, Natalie Amato, Beth Ketterman, Jan Lewis (for Larry Boyer), Hunt McKinnon, Margit Schmidt, Dorothy Spencer, Tami Tomasello, Patrick Valentine, David Wilson-Okamura, James Wirth.

The meeting came to order at 3:00 pm.

Three new members were introduced: Margrit Schmidt (Biology), Tarek Abdel-Salam (Engineering), and Natalie Amato (Student Government).

The minutes for 16 September 2009 were approved with one amendment: “the libraries have larger operating budgets” for “larger operating expenses.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The resignation of Anoush Terjanian from the committee was announced earlier by email; her replacement will be named by Marianna Walker, as chair of the faculty senate.

Spencer announced that ECU TV has been approved to receive funding from consumer cable fees. Lewis drew attention to the latest Joyner newsletter.

DISCUSSION

Prof. Charles Fantazzi’s 5 October 2009 letter to Dean Layer Boyer, which questioned changes in the reference collection and space allocation of Joyner library, was distributed earlier, together with Boyer’s 10 October response. Boyer, who could not attend today’s meeting, has requested that the direction and mission of the libraries be discussed at one of the senate’s Faculty Forum events.

McKinnon: even when not well attended, these forum events do generate ideas; we could also talk budget priorities, in anticipation of the possible cuts that were described by the chancellor at the last faculty senate meeting. Wirth and Valentine: there’s a danger that budget concerns will crowd out the discussion of mission. McKinnon and Valentine: we could have two events; or we could place budget later on the agenda than mission.

Does the forum need to address the mission of both libraries, or just Joyner? Spencer: the direction of Laupus Library does not seem to be in question at this time.

McKinnon moved that we request faculty forum discussions of the library’s direction, especially space use, and budget. Wirth seconded. Passed.

On the subject of space allocation, Amato was asked whether students need more study space in the library. she responded that most students—she is a nutrition major—do most of their reading online. At Valentine’s suggestion, Amato will give a five to ten-minute presentation at the next meeting.

The chair reminded the committee that it should expect to provide input on library policy, now that policy is going to have its own manual, separate from the faculty manual?

Where should we meet next? For consistency, the committee agreed to convene its future meetings in Joyner 2409, where it met today. There will be no meeting in December. The committee adjourned at 4 pm.

—David Wilson-Okamura, secretary