INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY

Cunningham Memorial Library

Library Faculty Assembly

 

LFA 06/07-04                                                             Approved: 

11/28/06

Room 028

 

Present: Kathy Gaul, Steve Hardin, Betsy Hine, Juliet Kerico, Rolland McGiverin, Valentine Muyumba

Ex-Officio: Myrna McCallister (Dean), Marsha Miller (Senator), Deb Robinson (Support Staff)

Guests: Elizabeth Wright

 

            I.     Call to order

 

Chair R. McGiverin called the meeting to order at 3:04 p.m. 

 

          II.     Government Documents

 

Dean McCallister outlined a plan for the Government Documents unit.  Government Documents Librarian K. Gaul would be moved to Reference, with her office in Reference.  Her expertise in government documents would be one of her subject areas as a reference librarian.  The area vacated in Government Documents could be occupied by Cataloging.  She hopes to have the move accomplished in a semester.  The installation of data and electrical lines would be the determining factor in the speed of the move.  Cataloging’s move would free up more space on the first floor.  At this point, she does not know where Inter-Library Loan will go.  The wall separating the area from the rest of the first floor will be knocked down; there are many options for what to do with the space, but nothing definite has been planned.  She understands the English Department would like to have a satellite of its Writing Center; another possibility is a permanent setup for special events.  Sheila Gregg would continue to do pretty much what she’s doing now – technical operations in Government Documents.  She’d be administratively associated with Cataloging. 

 

The Dean shared a report of the Library’s Government Documents Task Force, outlining the pros and cons for creating a statewide light depository, as well as pros and cons for maintaining a paper or electronic collection.  She also shared a report with comparisons with peer institutions about how they work with government documents. 

 

There was discussion about both documents.  K. Gaul noted the statewide light depository was not yet an accomplished fact, but it’s on the way.  There were two meetings on the matter at the state level, in August and September.  Indiana University has set up an auxiliary building for low-usage items.  If all goes as planned, these documents will get more use because they’ll be circulated.  M. McCallister added there’s a depository for all documents published since 1962; some are at IU and some are at Purdue.  From 1976 to the present, they’re available at a number of locations.  92% of documents are now coming out in electronic versions, with no paper version.  K. Gaul noted neither IU nor Purdue were full depositories; they need to find out what they don’t have.  M. McCallister said the State Library is a 100% depository; they’re our regional depository.  Their materials will be scanned, not loaned.  B. Hine said that if IU wants to do something new, they’ll need money.  If they can’t get it from the state, they’ll ask for help from the rest of us.  M. McCallister said she was told it would be free.  M. Miller asked whether the area currently used for staging the book sale would still be available for that purpose.  M. McCallister responded that it would be, for now.  She added we should probably look at other ways to do the sale. 

 

R. McGiverin said there were three different issues, requiring three different motions.  There’s closing the Government Documents service desk and the changing status of the collection.  These two items will need to be documented and sent to the University Senate for its approval.  Moving K. Gaul will require an organizational chart approved by the Senate.  We could also incorporate the lack of a head of collection development, and the new electronic resources librarian.  M. McCallister asked if the Senate wants to see all that.  R. McGiverin responded it’s good the Senate sees it.  M. Miller added it could be good PR – it shows progress; people need to be reminded of the reasons we do the things we do.  It would probably be pro forma, but it wouldn’t hurt to get it all documented.  J. Kerico inquired about a timeline.  M. Miller responded the LFA would approve it; it would go to the Senate Executive Committee, which meets three times per month.  That Committee would refer it to another committee.  She estimated the issue could come up for a final time at the January or February Senate meetings.  J. Kerico responded that timeline could cause a real problem for Reference.  V. Muyumba noted that the Dean could proceed immediately, and we can just inform the Senate.  M. McCallister suggested we can just proceed and notify the Senate; if the Senate has objections, we can undo it. 

B. Hine noted people need to be aware of the three issues: service desk, collection and personnel change.  The LFA doesn’t have an advisory function for personnel.  There was consensus that M. McCallister could draft a paragraph to give to M. Miller to present to the Senate Executive Committee.  After more discussion, B. Hine noted that the only thing that’s happening immediately is the faculty reassignment.  V. Muyumba said that when TMMM was closed, we sent letters to faculty informing them of the changes.  We need to do that again.  M. McCallister said we could reinforce the letter with a global announcement.  V. Muyumba noted we’re not really closing the Government Documents service desk, just relocating it.  We need to make the announcement in terms of relocating it. 

 

After more discussion, B, Hine moved that we approve sending out notices regarding the relocation of the service desk in Government Documents to Reference as of January 2nd.  V. Muyumba seconded.  The motion passed 5-0-1. 

 

M. McCallister said we don’t need to change anything in regards to the light depository.  This state initiative will let us discard documents without a disposal list. 

 

D. Robinson asked about procedures for discarding documents now that there’s a possibility we may not keep some of them.  K. Gaul said she’d be glad to make that decision.  M. McCallister said the CCC could be involved too.  More discussion followed. 

 

        III.     Adjournment

 

B. Hine moved adjournment.  The meeting was adjourned at 3:34 p.m. 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Steve Hardin

Secretary