PRESENT:
Deb Carver, Andre Djiffack, Peter O’Day, Dan Pope, Gina Psaki,
Michael Raymer, Peter Watts.
GUEST:
Andrew Bonamici, Associate University Librarian for Administrative & Media
Services.
Dan
Pope, chair, convened the meeting at 12:10 p.m.
LIBRARY
MATERIALS BUDGET
Deb
discussed her January 10, 2002 memo to the ULC on the library’s
materials budget. This
memo is in response to the concerns that the committee expressed at
its last meeting about the proposal to reduce the materials budget
to help offset the library’s deficit. After conferring with the provost, a
new strategy is being used. In
sum, the materials expenditures will be reduced by $100,000. Approximately
half of this amount will come from approval plan modifications and
cuts in processing, document delivery, and replacements for lost items
(available through Orbis). Approximately
$40,000 will come from unspent departmental allocations at the end
of the year. Existing serial expenditures will not
be cut, although no new funding will be available for journal purchases. The memo, outlining this strategy, can
be viewed at http://libweb.uoregon.edu/ulc/dir01/budgetupdate.htm Library Administration is projecting
a deficit at the end of this year to be under $200,000.
PROPOSAL
TO EXTEND FREE BORROWING PRIVILEGES TO THE PUBLIC
Deb
discussed the handout outlining the proposal to investigate free borrowing
privileges for the general public. See http://libweb.uoregon.edu/ulc/dir01/free_borrowing.htm The task force is proposing that the
library establish a new service available to Oregon residents 18 years
or older, free of charge, which would consist of a two week check-out
period with one renewal. After reviewing the benefits and concerns
of the proposal, most members agreed that a two week check-out limit
should not interfere with UO faculty and student research, and could
be a valuable tool in promoting goodwill within the community and state. It
was suggested that the library consider asking its donors for monetary
support to help offset the costs of providing this free service. Deb
stated that Lorraine Davis will share this proposal with the Deans
Council to get their comments.
EDITORS
DISCUSSION UPDATE
Michael
reported on the November 30 ULC’s lunch/discussion for faculty
who serve on editorial boards of scholarly publications. The discussion
focused on continuing to educate editors about the nature of the crisis
in commercial journal publishing and getting the editors input on what
action the UO should pursue. Nathan
Tublitz, Professor in Biology and Director of Publishing (Company of
Biologists) spoke on the publisher’s perspective. He
is very enthusiastic about the ULC putting together a strong statement
on specific actions that the UO might take. There
seems to be more faculty readiness to move to an electronic-only version,
but that it is necessary to consider each discipline. For example, electronic-only may accommodate the research
needs of computer scientists and physicists, but not the needs of historians. Deb stated that Elsevier recently announced
they will begin offering electronic-only journals – that it will
no longer be necessary to purchase the print journal in addition to
the online version. It would be beneficial to collaborate
with Oregon State University where one institution agrees to maintain
the print archive. A concern
that some faculty members have is the archiving of online journals. Will access be here 30 years from now? Michael stated that the ULC’s subcommittee on Serials
Publishing will be meeting and will report back on its deliberations.
Gina
suggested that the ULC provide one more informational session for the
humanities editors and to invite library departmental representatives. Dan would also like to see social sciences
faculty included. Mike
and Deb will look into scheduling another meeting before the end of
spring term.
BUILDING
A SHARED COLLECTION WITH OSU
The
committee reviewed the memo on building a shared collection between
Oregon State University and University of Oregon. See http://libweb.uoregon.edu/ulc/dir01/shared_collection.htm Deb reported that OSU’s library
committee has endorsed this new model of collaboration between the
two libraries and that they have suggested the two library committees
put together a joint meeting towards the end of the academic year to
discuss the following goals and objectives outlined in the memo:
1)
creating a single
print archive
2)
reducing duplicate
copies of expensive journals
3)
providing efficient
methods of sharing journal articles and bound volumes
4)
creating diversity
in titles
Deb
stated that through this process we hope to become more expedient in
document delivery and reduce our costs in building and maintaining
our collections. When determining duplicate journal titles
to cancel, Michael commented that he would be hesitant to cancel print
subscriptions if the journal is not online. Deb
responded that the joint task force will put together a list of journal
titles and present them to each library committee for review, either
individually, or at a joint meeting if one can be arranged.
FUTURE
MEETING TOPICS
1) Shared storage facility (Orbis is investigating)
2)
Changing ULC
membership bylaws to state one graduate student and one undergraduate
student rather than just “two students”
3)
Circulation
of bound periodicals
S.
Gray will try to schedule one more meeting winter term. She will also be sending out requests
for spring term schedules. [Update: the next two meetings have been
scheduled for April 9 and May 14.]
The
meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
Submitted
by
Sheila
Gray