University Libraries Committee: Minutes for 21 April 2010 Meeting
Present: Jan Lewis (for Larry Boyer), Beth Ketterman (for Dorothy Spencer), Cheryl McFadden, T. Chris Riley-Tillman, Margit Schmidt, Patrick Valentine, David Wilson-Okamura, James Wirth
Chairman Valentine convened the meeting at 3:00.
The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted as submitted.
The committee discussed the March 24 faculty forum on university libraries. The forum was well-attended, compared with previous events in the faculty forum series. Should this event be repeated? If so, should the library presentation be shorter to leave more time for faculty input and questions? Should the discussion be structured around a specific issue? In part, but there’s also a need for general feedback. Staff members (e.g., graduate assistance) use the library too: they need to be part of the conversation as well. No time will work for everyone, but questions and comments could be emailed ahead of time. Where should a next forum be held? In a classroom building, because this is a faculty event? Or in the library, where rooms can be scheduled for a longer period? Can we get statistics on how many viewed the forum online?
The committee recommends that we should repeat this event next year. (Wirth moved, Riley-Tillman seconded. Passed without objection.)
The committee resumed its March 24 discussion of Provost Marilyn Sheerer’s proposal to house Project STEPP in Joyner Library, using space that is currently occupied by bound periodicals. Wilson-Okamura: in future, this committee should request written proposals in advance of discussions; we should also formalize our recommendations with a resolution and a vote. Valentine to Lewis: Does Dean Boyer support this proposal? Lewis: Joyner has now received $985k for electronic journals from Academic Affairs. Boyer supports the STEPP program, but there is a concern about space. McFadden: will the program grow and require more space? Wirth and Valentine: will this set a precedent for similar requests in the future? Riley-Tillman: how much space do twenty students need? McFadden: are additional offices actually needed? Do members of the STEPP faculty already have offices?
The committee is concerned about the program’s footprint. Before making its recommendation, the committee will request, through its chair, further information from the provost: specifically, how much space is being requested, how will it be used, and what are the program’s growth plans?
There were no announcements from the library directors’ representatives. Ketterman, however, reported that Laupus Library may be called upon to house the entering class of the new dental school.
This will be the committee’s last meeting of this academic year. Two topics were suggested for next year’s agenda:
Valentine thanked the committee for its work and adjourned the meeting at 4:00.
--Submitted by David Wilson-Okamura
Marilyn
Sheerer Friday,
May 14, 2010
Provost
Re: Moving Project STEPP to Joyner Library
Dear
Marilyn,
We
appreciate your taking the time to talk to the Faculty Senate Libraries
Committee about Project STEPP and its possible move to Joyner Library.
Before
taking any position on this proposal, we would like to know more about its
possible short and long term impact on the library.
Questions came up at our subsequent meeting about how much space is being requested, how will it be used, and what are the program’s growth plans? Will this set a precedent for the future?
We appreciate any further information you can give us,
Sincerely,
Patrick Valentine, Chair
Libraries Committee
102 Umstead Bldg., 252-737-1570
Cc: Libraries Committee