User Council Meeting - April 2007

Minutes

Present: Robin Horowitz (MLL – Cataloging), Adam Marsnik (NDC – Cataloging), Janine Lortz (SJU/CSB – ILL), Todd Martinson (SJU/CSB – Serials), Pete McDonnell (IHC – Reference), Becky Schwartzkopf (MSU – Serials), Michael Kirby (DTC – Systems), Keith Ewing (SCSU – Systems), Diane Richards (MSU – Acquisitions), Lynne Weber (MSU – Circulation), Ruth Anderson (MHS – Reference), Orrin Ausen (BLC – Reference), Kathleen Ashe (SSU – Circulation), Sandra Fuhr (SSU – DDC Representative), Sheila Hatchell (MHS – Cataloging/UC-Co-Convenor), Bobby Bothmann (MSU – Cataloging/UC-Co-Convenor), Ruth Zietlow (MTR – Reference), Diane Christensen (GAC – Acquisitions/Serials)
PALS Office: Linda Richter, Becky Bell, Sonja Eilertson
MnSCU: Todd Digby

1. Call to Order at 9:03 am. Introductions made.
   
   
2. Agenda.
   • B. Bothmann move to discuss elimination of Assistant Director position at MnPALS office. Second K. Ashe. Added as agenda item 6A.
   • B. Bothmann move to discuss Governance structure as item 6B rather than item 13. Second R. Anderson.
   • Discussion of a migration list v. a MnSCU/PALS list will be included in item 7.
     
     
3. Approve minutes of Feb. Meeting.
   • B. Schwartzkopf move to accept minutes as distributed. Second R. Horowitz. Motion passed.
     
     
4. Elections
   • Rep. to DDC. Kathleen Ashe self nominated. B. Schwarzkopf moved to accept field of one. Second R. Zietlow. Motion passes.
   • Secretary. Members volunteered to serve for following meetings:
     • P. McDonnell – Sept.
     • R. Horowitz – Nov.
     • S. Hatchell – Feb.
     • M. Kirby – May
       
       
5. Meeting dates
   • Discussion on whether the annual meeting of the DDC should fall before or after the User Group meetings. No action taken.
   • B. Schwartzkopf mentioned that the B.P. location has a chemical odor issue from the photo lab. L. Richter said the PALS office would look into alternative locations for the meetings.
   • B. Bothmann move to accept the calendar distributed with the agenda. Second K. Ashe. Motion approved.
     
     
6. MnSCU Update/Todd Digby:
   • Finalists for the position of Director will be interviewed April 20th & 27th.
   • MnSCU Librarians Day will be May 1st.
   • Initiatives for the PALS office: $40,000 for looking into discovery tools; $25,000 for proxy server replacement software.
     
     
   1. Assistant Director for MnPALS Discussion
      • B. Bothmann expressed concerns about the dissolution of the position and the impact it will have on the consortium. Also, the lack of input from the consortium members in this decision.
      • T. Digby mentioned the inability to discuss much of the process due to union regulations. Concerns about the dissolution can be sent to Todd.
      • K. Ewing questioned the appropriateness of the discussion with MnPALS staff in the room. No motion made.
      • T. Digby voiced MnSCU’s continued support of MnPALS in difficult economic times. Long term plan for MnPALS and needs to mesh with the goals of the MnSCU Board.
      • B. Schwarzkopf reiterated the concern that consortium members should have been consulted on where staffing cuts should occur.
      • K.E. questioned to what degree does MnSCU need to lobby on behalf of the consortium.
      • S. Fuhr motioned that MnPALS management leave the discussion. No Second.
      • B. Schwartzkopf moved that consortium member funnel their comments on the issue to B. Bothmann, the UC Convenor. Bobby would forward the comments to T. Digby. No formal seconding or vote on motion, but was process was agreed to by B. Bothmann and T. Digby with the tacit agreement of the group.
        
        
   2. Governance Structure (formerly agenda item 13)
      • Reported that there was no feedback on the structure from the User Group meetings.
      • B. Schwarzkopf moved to continue consortium meetings with MnPALS staff and request that the EC look at the governance structure and priorities in the fall. Second R. Horowitz. Motion passed.
        
        
7. PALS Update/Linda Richter
   • New website is in production. Requests members test site and send feedback to L. Richter.
   • PALS Office moving to have one secure mailing list rather than multiple group lists. Hopefully will be implemented in summer or fall.
     
     
8. Aleph Update/Becky Bell
   • Will be posting updated list of SI’s with Aleph.
   • ELUNA conference is the first week in June. Information at www.eluna.org. Consortium members may attend using the PALS membership number.
   • L. Richter discussed the results of the survey concerning timing of move to version 18.
   • B. Schwartzkopf pointed out that at the time members completed survey the membership did not know the Assistant Director/Project Coordinator position was being eliminated. Expressed concerns about the added uncertainty that staffing cut brings to the migration process.
   • L. Richter stated that the next step was that the migration timeline would be discussed by EC with a recommendation from that body. Due to timing issues, the earliest a migration to 18 would occur is winter break 2007.
   • B. Bothmann questioned if ARC (Aleph Reporting Center) was worth the cost. $18,900 for licensing?
   • K. Ashe asked if EC would expect representation on a group re-negotiating the reporting aspect of the contract with Aleph.
   • B. Bothmann suggested that the MnPALS Task Forces could assemble information which could be useful in helping set priorities for version 18 migration.
   • L. Richter said a test version of version 18 would be up by the end of summer. Testing and/or input from groups would be used in making the final decision on migration timing.
   • User Council has no recommendation on the timing of the version 18 migration.
   • Linda will distribute the responses of the migration survey as well as the demographics of the responding members.
     
     
9. Review of Spring User Group meetings
   • B. Bothmann thanked P. McDonnell for arranging the session on the second day of User Group meetings.
   • Action items from User Group meetings:
     • Cataloging U.G. approved the proposal of the MARC records T.F. Will be sent to EC.
     • Circulation U.G. requested that the link between Aleph Circulation and business offices be given a higher priority. Also waiting for the delete of patron records.
     • Reference U.G. – Nothing to report.
     • ILL U.G. – discussed needs of overdues for ILL materials
     • Serials/Acquisitions U.G. reported that the U.G.s have officially merged. Will have one convenor and one U.C. Rep. U.G. requested action on claims and reports. Dee Nolan will report back the U.G. on these issues.
     • Systems U.G. – Requested that older usage statistics be made available. Al Rykus will post these. Also requested that the work of the Reports Task Force be more transparent.
     • Cataloging U.G. addendum – Group discussed the possibility of creating a wiki for the group.
     • Evaluation of U.G. Meeting survey indicates similar results to other meetings.
     • A separate time for Task Forces to meet would be helpful.
     • Attending in April was a difficulty so close to the end of the academic year.
       
       
10. & 11. Fall 2007 User Group Meetings/Future User Group Meetings
    • User Council will address this issue at the first U.C. meeting of the Fall.
      
      
15. User Council Report to Executive Committee/ Kathleen Ashe 
    • Recommend meeting dates and request for an alternative location to HTC B.P.
    • Comments on the elimination of the Assistant Director position will be sent to UC convenor and forwarded to T. Digby.
    • Ask if EC will be requesting representation on contract renegotiations concerning reports.
    • Combining of Serials and Acquisitions User Groups.
      
      
14. Strategic Planning
    • R. Zietlow reported that the Marketing Task Force is not yet ready to market to the outside. Group will look at ways to expand funding ideas and increase participation.
      
      

R. Horowitz moved to adjourn. Second Ruth Zietlow. Motion passes.