USMAI Consortium of Libraries
University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions

Minutes for September 22, 2005

USMAI Executive Council Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 22, 2005
UMBC Room 767
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Present: B. Day (ITD), B. Gontrum (Chair, UMLL), K. Kelley (UMUC), C. Lowry (UMCP), L. Messman (FSU), J. Phillips (ITD), C. Rabinowitz (Vice-Chair, SMCM), C. Ruschoff (UM), D. Spicer (USM), T. Wilson (ITD), L. Wilt (UMBC), L. Wrubel (recording, ITD)

Topic 1: Authorities Task Group

Carlen Ruschoff updated the Executive Council on work of the Authorities Task Group. They have created draft specs, sent them out to COIs, and are receiving comments. The next step is to schedule with ITD an extract of test records to send to LTI. The Authorities Task Group will be working with the User Interface Task Group and other public services groups on OPAC interface aspects of the implementation.

Topic 2: Resource Sharing Task Group

RSTG hosted a Circ meeting on Sept. 21, where attendees raised a number of circulation issues needing follow-up. Phillips will forward that list of "parking lot" issues to CLD, so that CLD can determine at their next meeting whether a subgroup of RSTG or another group should be formed to address those issues. Gontrum will ask Beverly Gresehover, chair of RSTG, about creating a proposed charge for a RSTG subgroup to bring to the next CLD meeting. A subgroup does not need to be made up entirely of RSTG members. The Exec Council did not recommend that RSTG become a standing group.

Topic 3: USMAI Development Plan

Wilson briefly reviewed the USMAI development plan. It includes the top five priorities from each campus, with estimated dates, and tentative staffing and resources. Individuals assigned to each project should not be contacted directly about the tasks, since the tasks have been prioritized based on ITD's overall workload. Rabinowitz requested a draft timeline for the consortial ILLiad implementation. Spicer suggested looking at how Texas Tech handles their prioritization and work planning process, as a good example of how to approach the process from a customer service perspective. At the November meeting, CLD will discuss the timing of migration to new versions of Aleph, particularly Aleph 17. Ruschoff expressed concerns about the schedule of the Authorities work, specifically the timing of the architecture research and extract.

Topic 4: E-Reserves

CLD Exec approved a subgroup of RSTG (although not necessarily made up of RSTG members) to survey campuses on their implementations of e-reserves. They should request that campuses who are implementing e-reserves include contact information for their staff person so that others can contact them for information.

Topic 5: SSN Numbers

Wilson provided information on a recent policy issued by the University of Maryland College Park campus on Social Security Numbers. ITD is investigating the use of SSN's in its systems.

At UMUC, students are moving to self-service IDs, probably in Spring 2006, while faculty will retain physical ID's.

Topic 6: ICAU Report

Day reported that at the ICAU/SMUG meeting in London there was a strong focus on integration of products, scholarly communication, and Google Scholar. MetaLib 3.14 is slated to contain interface revisions to improve accessibility and Section 508 complicance. Increased functionality of X-Server may offer potential for Research Port. Day was selected to be an SFX/MetaLib representative on the IGELU (International Group of Ex Libris Users) Steering Group. Phillips described Ex Libris's new product, Primo, expected out late next year, a replacement front-end to Ex Libris products, starting with the OPAC and Digitool. Ex Libris seems to be directing development towards this new interface. Shared systems presentations were useful and described PDQ, a single bibfile, multiple ADM way of doing what USMAI is doing. Phillips has asked Ex Libris for opportunities for USMAI to participate in developing specifications for PDQ. Ruschoff shared developments in Ex Libris's management and strategy for the future. Gontrum requested that attendees share slides at October's CLD meeting.

Topic 7: Institutional Repositories

Wilson recommended reading on institution repositories (see email of 9/21/05). ITD is drafting a proposal on creating a USMAI Institutional Repository. Lowry will investigate inviting Karla Hahn to share what College Park has done. CLD will begin collecting information about what campuses are doing with institutional repositories.

Topic 8: Additional Items

Lowry: College Park has emailed recall notices for the first time.

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