SOPAG Meeting, March 15, 2002, Action Minutes
Present: J. Tanno (Chair), A. Bunting, T. Dearie, B. Hurley, J. Kochi,
S. Lessick (recorder), P. Mirsky, K. McGirr, M. Moody, J. Ober.
Absent: B. Miller, G. Yokote.
Next Meeting: 04/19/2002
See also http://libraries.universityofcalifornia.edu/sopag/
Ober reported that the Melvyl-T prototype is expected to be released this month. The campus Evaluation Liaisons will conduct three rounds of usability testing of the prototype in April and May. Current plans are for Melvyl-T to be available in Fall Quarter 2002 running parallel with the legacy Melvyl system through June 2003. Ober announced several modifications in the wording of the Melvyl record standard to accommodate OCLC and RLIN input formats and their variation from the revised Melvyl record input standard.
Ober reported that after conversations with UCSB and UCD, the CDL understands the need to input records from the new UCD and UCSB systems into legacy Melvyl. SOPAG agreed that there was no need for further SOPAG action on this policy issue. Additionally, the group discussed the decision-making process regarding Melvyl-T quality control issues.
ACTIONS: The CDL and/or Melvyl transition groups will create summaries of quality control issues and funnel them to SOPAG so that SOPAG can refer issues to appropriate groups, including the all-campus groups, for feedback and recommendation prior to resolution. SOPAG members agreed that the process could be started independent of its monthly meetings if there was urgency to a particular quality control issue.
Members reported on campus discussions regarding the value of non-UC records in Melvyl. The consensus of the campuses is that non-UC monographic records are valuable contributions to Melvyl. In principle SOPAG supports developing collaborative relationships with non-UC contributors in order to have access and use of these collections in Melvyl, including their potential participation as PIR partners. Collaboration would necessarily need to address the responsibilities and costs both for initial implementation of the new standards and for modifications needed over time. While SOPAG recognized a potential need to share the costs of initial implementation, in principle, all Melvyl contributors should assume ongoing responsibility for meeting the Melvyl record standards.
ACTIONS: CDL staff will contact each of the non-UC contributors to discuss their interest and identify issues in having their holdings in Melvyl. Ober will provide a summary of the campus comments about non-UC contributors as soon as possible; further analysis and summarization that includes non-UC contributor responses will be provided as soon as possible, ideally in time for discussion at the joint SOPAG/ULs meeting (May 10, 2002).
In February the CDL issued a request for proposals for record improvement projects. The call asked for projects that would assist campuses to move toward fully supporting the new record standards or to otherwise enhance the union catalog, such as by improving merging, facilitating Request, etc. 2001/02 Resource Sharing funds might be available to fund the campus record improvement projects. These campus proposals with cost estimates were submitted to SOPAG members prior to the meeting. SOPAG discussed the proposals that have been received so far and noted that they totaled over $500,000. The use of resource sharing funds to support the proposals will be reviewed and approved by the University Librarians. Due to the large number of proposals received and limited funding, SOPAG suggests the following criteria for assessing the proposals:
- 1st priority would be given to correcting records so that they are in compliance with the new standard and can be input into Melvyl;
- 2nd priority would be given to proposals that enhance resource sharing (examples: improving holdings information);
- 3rd priority would be given to proposals that increase the visibility of records in Melvyl (examples: adding access points, uncataloged materials, etc.).
ACTIONS: CDL will prepare an analysis of the record improvement project proposals in time for the next joint UL/SOPAG meeting. CDL will also try to have a draft ready for review at the next SOPAG meeting (April 19, 2002).
UC-eLinks went into production last week from the CSA databases and article level links are now available for Elsevier Science Direct journals. Statistics on the use of UC-eLinks are being collected and analyzed. CDL has worked closely with Ex Libris to shape the development of SFX technology, which uses OpenURL linking technology.
Ober reported that the ULs supported the concepts that are articulated in the DPAC report and encouraged CDL to move quickly to analyze costs, issues, and impacts. CDL has taken the project under advisement and is currently preparing an analysis of how it can best provide leadership for establishing a digital preservation repository and program. The ULs agreed to redirect system-wide preservation funds for the pilot project. Ober and Hurley submitted an IMLS grant application to supplement UC funds and will know whether the grant has been funded by September 2002. They are also responding to inquiries from the Library of Congress about UC's efforts and their potential relationship to LC's digital preservation strategies.
The group discussed a draft charge of a task force to explore the benefits, challenges, and needs for developing and managing a union digital repository for visual resources. Several issues were discussed, including the scope of the repository, copyright challenges, governance structure, and a partnership with ArtStor as an alternative strategy for building digital visual collections.
ACTIONS: SOPAG agreed to appoint a task force to develop a white paper to explore the broad issues and to make recommendations regarding the creation of a digital visual repository. The task force will also conduct an inventory of campus library collections of digital images. J. Tanno with the assistance of L. Farley will refine the draft charge and share it with SOPAG before the next meeting.
Ober reported that the eScholarship staff is currently visiting campuses to discuss the eScholarship program and potential collaborations between libraries and the eScholarship program. A Social Science repository containing the working papers of several UC social science organized research units and departments will open in April.
Ober reported that VDX will be used for UCLA and UCSD loan requests via REQUEST beginning in April. VDX training for Phase 2 campuses will take place in May; Phase 3 training will take place in the summer.
Ober reported that updates of preliminary CMI findings will be made available after the second quarter statistics have been compiled.
The group discussed the role and expectations of the CDL resource liaisons. CDL is reassessing the liaison structure and sought input from SOPAG about the program and the need for more coordination and communication. SOPAG suggested that CDL hire a permanent full-time coordinator to enhance the program.
Lessick reported that HOPS discussed the ACG role document at the March 8 HOPS meeting. HOPS agreed it was important to continue to meet and deliberate as a group. HOPS appointed a new Chair and an agenda subcommittee, and began to develop new goals for the next two years. HOPS also agreed to hold regular face-to-face meetings.
SOPAG confirmed that LAUC should funnel comments and suggestions through the LAUC SOPAG Representative, Tammy Dearie. SOPAG suggests that LAUC responses to SOPAG reports be forwarded to SOPAG by the LAUC Representative on the same review schedule that is used for the All Campus Groups, so that LAUC suggestions and recommendations can be considered prior to SOPAG taking action. SOPAG welcomes LAUC perspectives and suggestions for improving communication between SOPAG and LAUC.
Ober discussed a CDL planning document for the short-term development of the CDL Directory (phase 1). CDL believes that a threshold of three participating campuses would be necessary for CDL to effectively undertake the proposed enhancements to the Directory. Before finalizing plans for these short-term developments of the CDL Directory, CDL requests that SOPAG members gather feedback from their campuses and indicate whether their campus would plan to use the Directory with such improvements.
ACTIONS: SOPAG members will consult with their campuses and report back at the next meeting if their campus is willing to participate by batch-loading their locally-licensed resources into the Directory as described in the plan.
Hurley discussed two documents that he developed for the discussion and posed a list of questions for the group. SOPAG discussed the use of the library catalog and a growing number of separate discovery tools that are currently being employed by selector/reference librarians to complement the catalog. Various "integrated" models were described by Hurley including a) subject portal, b) "scholar's portal" that potentially could provide access to all types of collections via one search engine, and c) Searchlight approach. Questions were raised about the role of the catalog regarding non-MARC records, the need for multiple views other than the ILS, and how best to integrate the discovery tools together in a convenient and coherent manner for the user.
ACTIONS: SOPAG will continue to discuss the report's recommendations for continuing to a second phase.
Lessick reported that HOPS discussed the Digital Reference White Paper and SOPAG memo at the March 8 HOPS meeting. HOPS endorsed the recommendations and agreed to appoint a Common Interest Group (CIG) to build on the work of the Task Force. A draft charge for the new group will be developed and approved asap by HOPS members, with the intent of finalizing the charge by May 1, 2002 and establishing the group shortly thereafter.
Coyle shared the final drafts of the Privacy Task Force report and the Privacy Audit and Guidelines. The report thoroughly investigated applicable federal and state laws, UC policies, technology issues, and a wide variety of current university and library privacy policies. The TF also created a very informative web site with relevant privacy information and tools to assist UC Libraries in assessing their own privacy practices and formulating policies. It was noted that there is a tension between privacy practices and monitoring systems for security as allowed by campus computer use policies. SOPAG recognized the need to gather additional feedback on the report and established a process and timeline for a broad review of the report.
ACTIONS:
- Coyle, Chair of Privacy Task Force, and Ober will clean up the UC Libraries Privacy Web site as necessary and place Task Force documents there to facilitate the review of the report by the ACGs, LAUC, and the campuses. Coyle and Ober will inform SOPAG when this work is complete and link is available from the SOPAG Web site.
- Tanno will announce the availability of the privacy documents and URL and ask ACGs, LAUC and campuses for feedback by May 1. The report and feedback will be discussed at the May 10th SOPAG meeting.
Ober reported that the UC DL Forums planning group will submit a draft workshop proposal for a UC Digital Library Forum prior to the next SOPAG meeting.
RSC will submit a workshop proposal for a Circulation Best Practices Workshop prior to the next SOPAG meeting.
Ober reported that one of the outcomes of the Self-Directed Learners workshop was an expressed need for an in-person, face-to-face CDL forum for frontline librarians. CDL is exploring this idea and other learning methods including teleconferencing options.
SOPAG will discuss this topic at the next SOPAG meeting after reviewing a related document commissioned for the OAC and forwarding what was available from an analysis on the topic from the California State Library.
ACTIONS: Ober will send related documents to SOPAG members prior to the next SOPAG meeting.
On behalf of the University Librarians, Tanno sent a request to the UC Archivists Council (UCAC) for an assessment of the processes and structures required to accomplish the goals of the Electronic Records Management report. UCAC will discuss this assessment at its May meeting and submit a response to SOPAG shortly thereafter.
ACTIONS: Tanno will convey to the UCAC Chair that the Chair's role as an ex officio member of the UC Records Management Group is of critical importance. The UCAC Chair represents and advocates UC perspectives at these meetings, and regularly reports to SOPAG on the group's progress in accomplishing the goals of the Westbrook/Zornado Electronic Records Management Report.
SOPAG will discuss this topic at the next meeting to clarify issues and determine a planning process. Issues include the retention of last copies, changing role of RLFs, counting copies, funding last copies, RLF processing of last copies, etc.
In response to a request from the University Librarians for additional information regarding the potential benefits of Amigos membership, Tanno submitted a report compiled by the Collection Development Committee to the University Librarians in early March.
Next Meeting: April 19, 2002 (recorder: A. Bunting)