VIRGINIA HERITAGE PROJECT TASK FORCE (VHPTF)

MINUTES


May 9, 2003, 10:30 AM

Board Room, Newcomb Hall
University of Virginia


ATTENDANCE: Edward Gaynor (UVA), Tonia Graves (ODU), Gail Greve (CWF), Jennifer Gunter (VT), Jim Gwin (UR), John Jaffe (SBC) Chair and VIVA Steering Committee Liaison, Jodi Koste, (VCU), Eileen Parris (VHS), Susan Riggs, (W&M), Bob Vay (GMU).

SOLINET OUTSTANDING LIBRARY PROGRAM AWARD (SOLPA) PRESENTATION

Susan presented a report of her trip to the SOLINET Annual Meeting and the presentation of the award in the category Preservation and Electronic Resources to VHP. The events included a formal presentation of the award plaque to Elsie (a picture of the plaque is now up on the VIVA web site main page together with a link to VHP), dinner with the SOLINET Board, a PowerPoint and poster session presentation on VHP done by Susan and Jodi. Susan shared pictures of Elsie and herself with the poster session and a letter of appreciation she sent to Ron Leonard with thanks for the trip to Atlanta to attend the ceremonies. The poster session and presentation on VHP was very well attended and much interest was received from many HBCU institution representatives.

SOLINET VIRGINIA USERS GROUP PRESENTATION

Susan and Jodi with make a presentation on VHP using the PowerPoint presentation and the posters in Farmville at Longwood University on May 16 to the SOLINET Virginia Users Group.

SOLINET OUTSTANDING LIBRARY PROGRAM AWARD (SOLPA)

Elsie talked to the VHPTF about the VHP nomination for the SOLPA in the area of Preservation and Electronic Information. At the end of March SOLINET announced that the VHP had won the award.

BEST PRACTICES COMMITTEE REPORT

The Best Practices committee (Jay Gaidmore, Jennifer Gunter, Nancy Hadley, Susan Riggs and Ann Southwell) presented the report on best practices for encoding new finding aids. The Best Practices Guidelines have been placed on the website at: http://www.lib.virginia.edu/speccol/vhp/admin.html

TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE REPORT

The Technology Assessment committee presented the results of their research into the technology standards and resources for digitization of material. That information will be placed on the VHP website

PUBLICITY

VHP will maintain a direct link on VIVA web site (Main Page) to VHP. There is a need for VIVA articles/pr re SOLPA Award to celebrate the achievement of VHP

USABILITY TESTING

Edward requested that we begin usability testing and review of the VHP site and indicated that the Usability Testing Committee at UVA would be pleased to assist if we can do the bulk of the work. In order to start the usability testing process, we need to all look at the web site: http://staff.lib.virginia.edu/usability/ and familiarize ourselves with heuristic testing.

The testing is paper based and we need to come up with 10 to 12 questions that use the site and then test. (example test at: http://staff.lib.virginia.edu/usability/tests/lib.html) Testing is done by sitting down with a user, having them use the web site to answer a questions and observe how they do it and then discuss with them how the used the site.

This process will be essential as we look towards re-designing the site and working on the most effective search interface.

FUTURE PROJECT/DISCUSSION

In discussing the next steps towards new grants, the following issues were raised:

SURVEY

The survey of scanning facilities in repositories and institutions in Virginia will be sent out in June to determine what level of scanning resources currently exists and to provide information for the environmental scan portion of grants.

POTENTIAL GRANT

Susan suggested we see about obtaining a grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities to put the Jamestown bibliography on the web. She was approached with the idea that it would be both an easy grant to implement and a real service bringing attention to VHP if we could put up Del Moore's Bibliography of Jamestown sources as we approach the 2007 Jamestown celebration. The committee all agreed and Susan will begin the preliminary work of gathering permissions and drafting the grant outline.

SOLICIT ADDITIONAL GUIDES

Staffing is available plus funding for institutions with guides appropriate for conversion to electronic format

NEXT MEETING

The next VHPTF meeting will be held at 11:00 on July 18, 2003 at Sweet Briar College.


http://spec.lib.vt.edu/viva/VHP/minutes/20030509.html
Created 12/19/03 by Mark B. Gerus