USMAI Consortium of Libraries
University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions

UITG Minutes                    
October 14, 2009
10:00 a.m.  – 12:00 noon
UMCP, McKeldin Rm. 6103

Present: Lenore England (UMUC), Janet Evander (UMCP), Maria Fernandez (HSHSL), Heidi Hanson (ITD), Mark Hemhauser (UMCP), Sean Henry (FSU), Michelle Oleson (SU),  Cindy Todd (UMCP), Susan Wheeler (UB), Laura Wrubel (ITD, recording)

Topic 1: SFX Simplified Menus
Ex Libris offers a “simplified template” for the SFX menus. The alternative menu design is streamlined and offers improvements over our current design.  Laura showed a video explaining the design and features of the menu (see wiki for link).  UITG supported the revised menu design and offered comments and suggestions. Laura will communicate with RSTG for feedback from that group, make adjustments to the menus, and work with UITG to send the redesigned menu to COIall. UITG will provide campuses with information and guidelines about the areas where they can make local decisions about wording and link behavior. The timeline has the revised menus going live in January.

Topic 2: Turnover in UITG
Cindy provided Celia with a list of members expected to roll off the group in December. There are several vacancies coming up.  Please encourage anyone you think would be good for the group to apply.  In particular, the group needs members with public services/desk experience and experience working with the consortium. If you have names you would like Cindy and Susan to pass on to Celia, please let them know ASAP.

Topic 3: Resolution of Rx 4680
Susan showed a draft message to the COIall (on the wiki). UITG endorses the alternative solution and made clarifications to the message to direct people to the correct part of the attached proposal.  The deadline will be four weeks from when it’s sent out. Susan will send a revised draft to UITG for review and then forward to COIall.

Topic 4: SDI and UITG future work plan
Heidi described how making SDI alerts functional will require more development than originally anticipated. Considering the relative need for this particular service, UITG agreed it is not worth the effort.  UITG should expect to receive a charge from CLD regarding the evaluation of any future ALEPH OPAC development requests.

The group will also receive a charge regarding future work investigating discovery tools. OPAC statistics is still an item on the work plan. Heidi has started investigation of this work and is consulting with FCLA who has done a lot of work in this area.   UITG is interested in seeing what we can learn from catalog search statistics. To get information on user intentions, some campuses (e.g. HSHSL) are considering embedding the catalog search box in a page on its web site and adding a link to a SurveyMonkey survey.  Cindy will forward information on a session on WorldCat Local which UMCP is planning for December.

Agenda items for next meeting, Nov. 18.