• OSU Course Catalog & Master Schedule
• Library Staff Advisory Council's Web Page
• Library Staff Information Page
• OhioLINK Reference Databases - Access Rights
• Electronic Journal Center (OhioLINK) - Publisher List

Luminous Lucubrations

Last week's entry, "vendue," means "a public sale, an auction."
This week's entry is "pandiculation."

Online resources for this question are available:

• WWWebster Dictionary - brief definitions
• The Oxford English Dictionary - lengthy, historical entries
• The Dictionary of Difficult Words - rarely used, archaic, and difficult words

Laughs

• Dilbert's Daily Mental Workout
• Cartoon of the Day

Calvin and Hobbes: Sunday Pages 1985-1995
September 10, 2001 - January 15, 2002
Part of the 2001 Festival of Cartoon Art
The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library More Info

General Staff Meeting
November 28, 2001
9:00am - 10:30am; 2:30pm-4:00pm More Info

Faculty and Staff Service Recognition Brunch
December 13, 10:30am - 12:30pm at the Fawcett Center
Will honor faculty and staff celebrating 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 years of service to The Ohio State University in the year 2001. Participation by invitation only More Info

Libraries' Annual Holiday Party
December 13, 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Geology LibraryMore Info

In order to comply with University procedures, employees who are applying for listed vacancies must complete a Promotion/Transfer Request (form 8931, Rev 9/97) during the week of the first listing of the vacancy in the University Personnel Posting (green sheet). To ensure awareness of all vacancies which have been posted, applicants should consult the weekly green sheet rather than relying on the listing in NEWS NOTES Online and are encouraged to attach a resume and/or other supporting documents to the form. Prospective faculty and staff applicants who are absent during the five-day posting period and wish to apply should see Toni Morrison-Smith.

Library personnel may also review University employment opportunities at http://www.ohr.ohio-state.edu/index.htm

Notes from MLRRS meeting 11/27/01

MLRRS meeting Tuesday, 11/27/01, 10-11am, room 122.
Recorded and embellished by Bracken

1. Bracken says that all MLRRS folks should please plan to attend one of the General Staff Meetings on Weds., November 28, 2001 at 9:00-10:30am in 090 SEL; and 2:30-4:00pm in 122 Thompson Library. The Libraries' budget will be the topic of both meetings, with the agenda including:
   1. General Budget Situation - Joe Branin
   2. Materials Budget - Carol Diedrichs
   3. Operating Budget - Brent Fuhrman
   4. Personnel Budget - Linda Gonzalez
   
   
2. Bracken on carpet and cleaning:
   Bracken noted several recent instances when he has found threads/yarn from the new carpet coming up, mostly in room 300 and on the Sills steps. Bracken has reported these spots to Ryan, who consulted with DuPont about appropriate treatment--which was simply to trim the loose threads closely. Bracken asked all MLRRS folks to report to him all instances of carpet rips, runs, tears, etc. as well as all stains/spots, emphasizing the need for prompt response. Bracken says that any chair lacking nylon or steel glides should be removed from the Library for refinishing. Bracken also reiterated an admonishment about handling complaints about noise in library as the result of cleaning/vacuuming, etc., referring to advice published in “Main Library walk thru” report of 11/21/01: “FYI. On Weds. 11/21/01 Bracken provided a member of Building Services' night crew with a selective tour of Main Library, pointing out places that Bracken considered littered, dirty, in need of vacuuming, etc. Bracken was advised that oftentimes Building Services' staff are admonished by patrons to cease and desist vacuuming and other cleaning activities because of noise; in these instances, instead of vacuuming, Building Services' staff simply pick up large litter or sweep with brooms. Bracken said that this does not cut it and advised Building Services' staff to, in the the future, (a) continue vacuuming despite patron complaints; and (b) refer patrons who complain about cleaning noise to Bracken who will diplomatically tell them that temporary patron inconvenience is preferable to permanent dirtiness.” Bracken will ask Building Services if its staff could put up a sign advising/apologizing to patrons for vacuuming/cleaning noise.
   
   
3. Nancy Courtney on the LSTA grant to develop a chat ref initiative:
   Nancy described OhioLink Web Reference Committee’s interest in implementing “shared reference” chat reference service across the state; secured an LSTA grant to purchase chat ref software, to be hosted on an OhioLink server. “Ask Us” buttons now on selected OhioLink databases, if you haven’t noticed. On 13 Dec. 2001 a day-long OhioLink Reference Conference will focus on the chat ref proposal. To date, about 20 OSUL folks have signed up to attend; others may attend. Contact Penny Pearson for reservations. Plan is to have chat ref up and running statewide by Aug.-Sept. 2002. Questions from the floor related to how we were going to provide this service, with answers such as “We don’t know how it’s going to work or how we’re going to do it.” Bracken emphasized that chat ref is something that we must do, Main Library-wide as well as system-wide, end especially encouraged collection managers on Main’s 2nd and 3rd floors to attend.
   
   Nancy’s timeline follows:
   
   OhioLINK Cooperative Interactive Web Reference Project
   
   Purpose: Purchase, customization, and implementation of chat software to enable live, web-based reference services for the OhioLINK community.
   
   Timeline:
   March 2001: Webref subcommittee of the OhioLINK User Services Committee formed to "investigate and make recommendations about a shared virtual/web reference service for the OhioLINK community."
   
   August 2001: Implemented "Ask Us" links in three OhioLINK databases (PsycInfo, Periodical Abstracts, EJC. Links will ultimately be placed in all OhioLINK databases and web pages.
   
   Issued RFP to vendors for chat reference system.
   
   Sept. 2001: Received LSTA grant to fund the purchase of a chat reference system.
   
   Oct.-Dec. 2001: Evaluation of RFP responses and selection of system. Installation and customization of system. Development of service policies and guidelines.
   
   Dec. 13 2001: OhioLINK Reference Conference held at Fawcett Center to present web reference proposal to the OhioLINK community.
   
   Jan.-May 2002: Train librarians and conduct pilot project with 7 OhioLINK libraries (BGSU, OSU, Miami, NEOUCOM, Sinclair, UD, and Wittenberg).
   
   June-July 2002: Evaluate pilot and enhance system and policies as needed.
   
   Aug-Sept. 2002: Implement service across OhioLINK.
   
   Consortia offering shared chat reference:
   
   Alliance Library System "Ready for Reference" - http://www.rsa.lib.il.us/ready/
   Metropolitan Cooperative Library System "24x7 Reference" - http://www.247ref.org/
   Clevenet "Know It Now" - http://www.knowitnow24x7.net/
   
   
4. Steve Rogers on reviewing/weeding the Qs and Zs:
   Steve was introduced as the next “Beau Case”--the person spearheading efforts to review and weed the stacks in a positive way--and described how we would complete the project. Steve noted the 7 Jan. 2002 deadline for Main Library folks, with Dept. Library folks to follow. Steve also advised folks that he would help them learn how to use the spreadsheet if they had problems.
   
   Following is Steve’s email announcing the project:
   Fri, 09 Nov 2001 11:34:17
   From: Steve Rogers
   To: libmlrra@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
   Cc: helmick.1@osu.edu, kuehn.1@osu.edu, felt.1@osu.edu, diedrichs.1@osu.edu
   Subject: Weeding of the Q's in the Main Stacks
   
   Folks:
   Jim has asked me to coordinate the weeding of the Q's and Z's in the Main Stacks. First the Q's.
   
   Now that there is no longer a ban on sending materials to the Book Depository, we can begin to weed the Q's in the same manner as we did previously with the L's, N's, and T's. That is, if you wish to keep a "Q" book or serial in the Main Stacks, you will need to indicate that on the shared Excel spreadsheet that is located in the folder named "Main_Weeding" that resides on the network drive called Groups on 'Thurber' (W:).
   
   There are 3 files for the Q's:
   
   Q to QZ no circ 1971-pres mono.xls
   Q to QZ serials.xls
   Q to QZ some circ 1971 to present.xls
   
   (There are an estimated 30,000 volumes of Q's on Deck 6.)
   
   If you wish to keep an item in Main, simply indicate this in the Notes column (for example, "Keep in MAI Bracken" or "Keep in MAI Lincove"). (You don't need to put this note in quotes.) (In the case of serials, the "Fill Down" command in Excel is an easy way to mark rows of cells.) Remember, just one collection manager's note will keep the item(s) in Main. After the Main Library collection managers have had their way with the Q's, I will ask the Department Librarians to examine the Q's to see if they would like to add any of them to their respective collections. Once that is finished, the Collection Management Team (Chuck Brown, Deb Cameron, Nick Felt, and Deb Jackson) will begin to process the items (not selected to stay in Main) for the Book Depository.
   
   The deadline for us (Main Library collection managers and others in Main) is the first day of Winter Quarter - Monday, January 7, 2002.
   
   When the Q's are finished, we will begin to address the Z's, but more about that later.
   
   If you have any questions about this process, please contact me.
   
   You may begin.
   
   Steve
   
   
5. Cheryl Mason-Middleton on the upcoming move of WMN and BSL into 240:
   Cheryl says that the move will start on 10 Dec. and hopefully be complete by 21 Dec. The plan is to move WMN books first from 220 into already assembled shelves in 240, dismantle and move WMN shelves from 220 into the new BSL area of 240, and then move the BSL books. The challenge will be keeping the shelves one step ahead of the incoming booksand Cheryl invited everyone to pitch in and help us to the move. Please contact her if you want to donate some time to help.
   
   
6. David Lincove led a discussion of reviewing/weeding the Main stacks in general in the interest of eliminating "Books lacking shelf space" areas and spine and fore edge shelving related to Bracken's infamous memo of 11/21/01 (below):
   From: Jim Bracken
   To: "libmlrra@lists"
   Cc: "boomgaarden.1@osu.edu"
   Subject: "Books lacking shelf space" areas and spine and edge shelving
   Colleagues--
   
   This is to follow up on Nick Felt's memo of 11/7/01 addressed to "Those who transfer items to STX." Now that the moratorium on transfers to STX is lifted, "those" are you.
   
   MLRRS would like to eliminate the "Books lacking shelf space" areas on 2, 2A, 3 (by Summer 2002), and elsewhere, and spine and edge shelving in the Main stacks in general. Additionally, MLRRS Heads also wants to try to accommodate a request to raise the lowest shelves in all stacks ranges to approximately 3 inches off the floor (in order to fit a dust mop, in the manner already excellently implemented on the south end of 3A).
   
   Preparatory to big shifts of stuff from floor to floor is basic reviewing, transferring, and weeding (per the Collection Management Team's "New Guidelines" for routine transfer of items to STX). "We should weed before we shift," to quote Don McCoy. We cannot afford to move anything twice. We lack the staff and resources--or we likely will soon--to continue to diddle around with trying to fit three-shelves-worth of stuff into space designed for two, or to try to find elusive alternate mobile "Books lacking shelf space" locations (read: book trucks) when the temporary "Books lacking shelf space" spaces chronically overflow.
   
   MLRRS Heads asks all collection managers to address the problems of spine and fore edge shelving and of multiple "Books lacking shelf space" areas in their respective areas of the stacks. To assist collection managers, MLRRS Heads has asked Don McCoy to remove items published before 1900, duplicate items, and items without evidence of circulation from the stacks to accommodate the shelving of items previously assigned to "Books lacking shelf space" areas. McCoy will deliver truckloads of these items either to Bracken or to appropriate collection managers for review and action.
   
   Thanks.
   
   --jb
   
   Lincove’s discussion focused on taking these tasks one at a time“Books lacking shelf space” (hereafter BLSS), spine and edge shelving, and never got to raising all shelves 3 inches off the floors. One method proposed was establishing some cut off date (1900, say) that Don McCoy could use to routinely identify items for weeding in stacks to allow imposition of other works. The idea here was to prevent truckloads of books rolling into collection manager offices. Others folks recommended that collection managers should survey appropriate BLSS areas, then go to call number areas to review and select low use titles to weed to allow BLSS titles to fit. Don McCoy recommended something similar: “Eyeball BLSS, go to call the number section, weed, and replace one that are weeded.” Questions were asked about getting all collection managers to participate. The issue did not reach closure. It’s a tough issue. Bracken asked Lincove to write up his notes on the discussion ‘cuz the matter is far from settled.
   
   
7. Odds and ends: Meeting reports
   All MLRRS folks are reminded to advise Bracken if they are interested in attending a meeting/seminar/conference/workshop, etc. related to their work. Bracken will try (T-R-Y) to support, depending on availability of funds, etc. Conditions for support include willingness to make a report back to MLRRS and other groups.
   a.Nancy Courtney attended a Virtual Reference Conference (Graham Walden and Bruce Leach attended also). Nancy’s notes relevant to chat ref follow (she distributed these to Public Services folks previously):
   From: Nancy Courtney
   To: libps@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
   Subject: Virtual Reference Desk conference
   
   Public services folks:
   
   I attended 3rd Annual Digital Reference conference (sometimes called the Virtual Reference Desk, or VRD, conference) earlier this week along with Graham Walden and Bruce Leach. I thought I would share with you some notes from the conference. I particularly focused on sessions that dealt with collaborative virtual refernce projects as I am involved with OhioLINK project. It was a very exciting and focused conference this year. There are many more libraries involved in virtual reference this year at various stages of development and a lot of conversations over coffee!
   
   Franklin County Virtual Reference Librarian
   This was an account of a small multitype library consortium in rural Pennsylvania that formed to offer chat reference. It is spearheaded by the library at Shippensburg University which considers outreach to the community as part of its mission. 11 institutions are involved, including public and school libraries. Shippensburg is the only college library. They have been approved for an LSTA grant and have ordered equipment and chosen Dokutek as the vendor. They are not yet operational. The committees formed for the consortium are advertising; training; web design; service guidelines; and evaluation.
   
   Virtual Strategies for Winning Back Our Patrons
   This is a virtual reference service (though only email) in existence since 1998 for the system of 14 state-owned universities in Pennsylvania (not Penn State or UPenn). Oddly, Shippensburg (above) is one of these but didn't mention it. All use Endeavor and bought 15-20 core databases in common. They've had 1700 questions since 1998. This service is centered around Mansfield University. Collective bargaining for librarians has apparently had an impact on this since none of the14 universities really seem to want this service, which is funded separately by the state. Some of the librarians won't even mention it in their BI classes. The service is provided entirely by part-time staff (librarians?) who work solely from home. The hours are evenings and weekends only. They do not get many ready reference questions (which some people seem to think will be the bulk of virtual reference questions) but more research paper questions. Maybe 10% of questions are local campus/library questions.
   
   Creating a New Reference Librarianship
   David Lankes talked about the possibilities of using the artifact trail left by virtual reference (transcripts, emails, etc.) to build collections. See http://www.askeric.org/~rdlankes.
   
   Marketing Virtual Reference
   MIT librarians discussed creating a marketing plan for virtual reference (or any reference) services. Idea of marketing is to influence behavior (not just publicity but communcation out to your public.) Quality service is the basis of good marketing since it results in return customers and word-of-mouth advertising. Marketing is a continuous process of researching needs, preparing a program, creating a marketing plan, and reviewing/auditing your efforts. Break down your customers into segments and market to groups that have similar needs. E.g. for virtual reference, faculty on sabbatical might be a good start.
   
   79 Peas in a Pod
   This was the program about the OhioLINK project.
   
   Metropolitan Cooperative Library System (Los Angeles) 24/7 Reference Project
   Run by 32 public libraries in LA. Also participants from Massachusetts and the Bay area. Serves public, academic, K-12, and special library users. Over 3500 questions since October 2001. Provides quick (15 min. or less) reference transactions with followup via email, fax, or phone, or referral to 2nd level reference or subject experts. Peak hours for public libraries are 10 am -4 pm; for K-12 2-9 pm, for academic patrons after 5 and on weekends. 65% of questions are general reference (including 33% homework and 19% questions that require followup/referral). 33% of questions are library specific.
   
   Virtual Reference Desk Incubator
   This was a product demonstration of software free to users from the U.S. Department of Education. (Some money may be required for customization for your own site.) It provides for receiving, routing, and answering email reference questions. I think it might be useful for managing our email reference here at OSU. There is a means for routing questions to different experts and for alerting experts who may only get an occasional question ( and doesn't want to check every day.) Right now, the data resides on their server but there is a possiblity that we could house the software ourselves. It also provides the ability to have a database of questions and answers visible to patrons under subject categories so they can check to see if there is already an answer to their question.
   
   Ready for Reference
   This is the Alliance library system in Illinois. 8 academic libraries joined to form a virtual reference service (funded by an LSTA grant) using LSSI software. Started Feb. 15 with 24/7 coverage (using LSSI's outsourced service after hours) since March 5. 613 user-initiated sessions up through June 30. Peak days are Monday through Thursday (74% of sessions.) 43% between 8 am and 5 pm, and 43% between 5 pm and 1 am. Only 18 sessions between 1 and 6 am.
   
   b.Graham Walden attended a TELR Conference. Graham’s notes follow:
   From: "Graham R. Walden"
   To: libps@lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
   Subject: TELR Conference Notes
   
   TELR: Technology Enhanced Learning and Research
   3rd Annual TELR Conference: Illuminating Learning with Technology (November 1-3, 2001).
   
   Held in Columbus in the Lane Avenue Holiday Inn and in various rooms of the Fisher College of Business, many Ohio State librarians participated including Kathy Dean, Karen Diaz, Leta Hendricks, Nancy O'Hanlon, and Penny Pearson.
   
   The featured speakers were Steve Gilbert of the TLT Group, and Sherry Burgstahler, director of the University of Washington's "DO-IT" (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology). The Ohio State University Chief Information Officer Ilee Rhimes served as the discussion leader among academic and industry participants on the learning and teaching environment five years from now.
   
   There were 37 sessions to choose from on Thursday afternoon, and all day Friday. An additional 11 options were available on Saturday. A vendor area was available during the conference, featuring the following:
   
   Adobe Systems, Inc http://www.adobe.com
   Apple Account Executive Matt Feeman mfeeman@apple.com
   Campus Pipeline http://www.campuspipeline.com
   HorizonLive http://www.horizonlive.com
   Macromedia http://www.macromedia.com
   McGraw Hill Higher Education http://www.mheducation.com
   SMARTHINKING http://www.smarthinking.com
   Tegrity, Inc http://www.tegrity.com
   WebCT http://www.webct.com
   XanEdu http://www.xanedu.com
   
   The web addresses above are provided because the products available from these vendors, and the manner in which they are used is largely what this conference dealt with (beyond the broad based philosophical discussions and presentations addressed during the opening session, and the enjoyable lunch speaker Nico Peppes, Head of Education at Utrecht University in the Netherlands).
   
   The many sessions focused on various products listed above, and how these were being implemented in various locations. The experiences from community colleges to universities were presented, across the spectrum of students in multiple locations working simultaneously with each being able to see and read the works of the others, to the needs of people with disabilities (and many other possibilities in between).