Central Library / Collection Development Advisory Committee minutes
September 13, 2001
Patterson Library Association

Present: Josh Cohen, Patricia Kaufman, Tom Finnigan, Greg Callahan, Patti Haar, Beverly Kane, Denise Garofalo, Clai Lasher-Somers, Andrew Dancer, Deb Horowitz, Sally Alderdice, Merribeth Advocate

Issues:

• Central Library budget and narrative:
  P. Haar said this is a new era for library service. A. Dancer said patron demands are more sophisticated than five years ago. A dramatic change (especially for small libraries), as all have access to many of the same resources, but ability to serve a function of time and competency.  Committee suggested reference training in each library using their own reference collection, including databases. P. Kaufman said staff needs repetitive access to training. P. Haar said this is not a temporary need. D. Horowitz said training needs to be tailored to support established core competencies (achieving excellence and quality). Members want more face to face visiting and training. A. Dancer said the geographical model comes up to question and suggested using Central Library Development Aid to bridge the gap of where we are and where we need to be. See Action 1.
  
  
• Rotating Collections:
  The buy-in aspect of CD Book and DVD rotating collections has helped to start a budget line item at many member libraries. Both new formats are circulating successfully. Committee recommended that selection for DVD collection continue to focus on feature films. The committee discussed the MHLS Mystery rotating collection, felt the legacy of System support for mystery books was no longer necessary, recommended that the collection by discontinued and dispersed. See Action 2. The committee recommended more mysteries in the Outreach Services funded Large Print collections, along with an increased number of Westerns.
  
  
• System wide database Trials:
  To consolidate and unify the scattered electronic database vendor contacts received by MHLS staff and member libraries, committee suggested development of an ad hoc Database Evaluation Committee to handle/evaluate/recommend electronic databases for system/member purchase, once per year. Starting March-April, committee will finish in June. Trials will be available in May. System staff and member libraries will direct vendors to send information in print to the Database Evaluation Committee. The Database Evaluation Committee will identify the categories of databases that should be considered/sought to supplement the present structure. Additionally, they will develop an evaluation tool for trials. An announcement will be put into the Bulletin to recruit interested committee members. See Action 4.
  
  
• Special Collection survey:
  Upon recommendation from the Continuing Education / Professional Development Advisory Committee, a survey will be administered to members (in print and online), to develop a chart of the special collections our libraries offer (language, topic, etc). See Action 5. The survey will include the following aspects:
• Definition of special collections (unique and/or deep with appropriate currency for topic)
• Reference or circulating?
• Cataloged/linked or not?

Actions:

1. Committee recommends a full time System position to be created using Central Library Development Aid to upgrade reference services in member libraries.

2. Committee recommends the MHLS Rotating Mystery Book collection be discontinued, with the budgeted funds of $6000 annually be used for CD book and DVD rotating collections. This recommendation will be brought to the next Director’s Association meeting in October.

3. J. Cohen will distribute purchase information to members for a 100 DVD collection of classic films.

4. Develop an ad hoc Database Evaluation Committee to handle/evaluate/ recommend electronic databases for system/member purchase.

5. M. Advocate will develop a preliminary draft Special Collection survey and will e-mail it to the committee for feedback.

6. D.Garofalo will coordinate System locating and inputting of Marc record entries for System/member databases into Geac so that subject search will show which libraries have a specific database resource.

7. D. Horowitz and M.Advocate will expand the midhudson.org Resource section to include Horowitz’s reference handouts, an annotated list of current Central Library databases and the Nebraska Library Commission’s Statewide Training For Accurate Reference (STAR) Reference Manual at http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/ref/star/contents.html 

Submitted by Merribeth Advocate.