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Virginia Tech
Governance Minutes ArchiveSeptember 6, 1990
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY COMMITTEE MINUTES September 6, 1990 PRESENT: John Bowen, Vet Medicine Arthur Keown, Business Norman Dodl, Education J. Scott Poole, Architecture Holly Ferguson, CSAC J. D. Stahl, Faculty Senate Paul Gherman, Library Roderick Young, Agr. & Life Science GUESTS: Shirley Glazener, Library Frances Painter, Library Paul Metz, Library John Straw, Library Susan Jurow, ARL ABSENT: Sharon Brusic, GSA Kara Goldberg, SGA Carol Burch-Brown, Provost Rep. Ken McCleary, Human Resources Edward Fox, Arts & Sciences Michael Vorster, Engineering MEETING SUMMARY: The meeting was called to order at 4:02 p.m. New committee members were introduced and the meeting time and frequency were agreed on for this semester. The remainder of the meeting time was devoted to Susan Jurow. NEW BUSINESS: I. INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS II. MEETING SCHEDULE FOR FALL 1990 The committee members agreed to meet at 4:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month in the Library's 6th floor board room. REPORTS I. LIBRARY ANNOUNCEMENTS (P.Gherman): A. Budget The library has not had any final word on the budget. The $404,000 additional allocation for books may be safe for this year, but there is some indication that it is in danger for next year. If so, it would mean substantial cuts in serials next year. There is no confirmation of this as yet. B. Space Library space needs are receiving attention. P. Gherman and a number of others met with the Provost about a new storage building. Also, the university is considering remodeling the North Quad for office facilities. There is a possibility that under that plan the library will have Shultz Dining Hall for additional library space. There will be a feasibility meeting next week with architects who must first determine whether the building can carry the weight of the books. This would be very advantageous for the library, but even if it were to work out it is years away. II. STRATEGIC PLANNING PROJECT P. Gherman introduced Susan Jurow, Director of the Office of Management Services of the Association of Research Libraries. She was invited to be a consultant to the library in preparing for the strategic planning effort the library will undertake during this academic year. The last strategic plan for the library was prepared in 1985/86, and the new planning endeavor will set library goals for the next five years. The planning effort will look at issues such as: where the library is going, is it offering the correct services, what could it do better, how could it be done better, is it organized in the right way to do it, how should it deal with the problems of inflation and serials, collection size and space, etc. Ms. Jurow's purpose in a day-long series of meetings with various groups was to hear what issues the library's constituent groups feel are most important. Her report to the library will synthesize what she heard. Ms. Jurow first asked members how they see themselves as library users, and how long the members had served on the University Library Committee. Ms. Jurow next asked what the members felt was a major library issue that the committee had dealt with in the past. Some of the issues mentioned by the members were: branch libraries and whether there should be branches at other university centers; what provision should be made for library support for distance learners and what impact that would have on the main campus library; the last reorganization and the controversy surrounding some of the changes. Ms. Jurow then asked what is important to members now, and what do they see as issues for the future. Members mentioned a desire for more automation to allow use of the library from the office; the need for more databases on magnetic tapes for use in Business and other fields; the possibility of serials cancellation given the current budget situation and how those choices would be made, especially the concern of faculty about the procedure and equity among disciplines when making cuts; the status of VTLS and the need for a mainframe engine to access CD-ROMs. This last issue involves serious problems of licensing and simultaneous access, as well as the great cost involved. If budget permits Ms. Jurow will return to meet with focus groups from the faculty to discuss identified issues. She will then report to the library on the results of the focus groups, and those reports will be turned into a draft of a strategic plan that will be disseminated for faculty reaction. Hopefully, by the late next spring the library will have some consensus of where it should be headed over the next five years. The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
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