MINUTES OF THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD

April 4, 2007

 

Dr. Chris Mitchell, Chair, convened the meeting at 4:02 p.m., in Dean�s Conference Room, 4440.

 

Present:Mary Claire Browne, Jose Deustua, Terri Fredrick, Linda Ghent, Peggy Holmes Layman, Keith Kohanzo, Chris Mitchell, Frances Murphy, Brent Walker and Dean Lanham

 

Not Present:Ann Fritz, Sam Guccione, Karla Kennedy-Hagan, Linda Loy, and Marina Marjanovic

 

I.Welcome and Comments

The minutes from the February 28, 2007 meeting were approved as submitted.

 

II.Communications

Communications were received from Sam Guccione, Karla Kennedy-Hagen and Monty Bennett regarding their inability to attend today�s meeting. ��Communication was also received from Linda Loy resigning from the Board due to additional departmental responsibilities.The Faculty Senate will appoint her replacement.

 

III. Old Business

A draft copy of Booth Library�s calendar for 2007-2008 was reviewed and discussed.Dean Lanham asked for comments from the Board regarding the issue of closing the library on Friday afternoons in the summer like the rest of campus.Some felt it was not necessary to remain open as many summer students were non-traditional and would probably use their home town libraries.Also, students generally have their own computers and can access the internet and resources from home.And, summer seminar classes are often held Friday evenings when the library is already closed so that would not affect closing at noon.Dean Lanham thanked the Board for its feedback; he has previously believed that it was essential for Booth Library to remain open Friday afternoons even though the rest of campus was closed so that students would have a place to study, meet, or check their email.That opinion could change if the Friday afternoon gate count continues to fall.

 

IV. New Business

 

The positions of chair and vice-chair for next year were up for election.Nominated for chair was Peggy Holmes Layman and for vice-chair was Karla Kennedy-Hagen.As no other nominations were made, a motion was made, seconded and carried to elect Peggy Holmes Layman as chair and Karla Kennedy-Hagen as vice-chair.

 

Dean�s Report

 

Welcome

Dean Lanham thanked the Board for their service this year and presented each member with a Booth Library commemorative coaster.

 

A presentation was made by Ann Brownson, Reference Librarian and education bibliographer about the library�s Ballenger Teachers Center.The idea for the Ballenger Teachers Center came into being while the library was being renovated and the estate of Florence Coles Ballenger left a generous gift to the University.There are over 40,000 children�s books, including �big books� designed to be read in large groups and by those with challenges, and over 15,000 Pre-K � 12 textbooks and teaching materials.In addition, there is a significant collection of non-book materials including games, puzzles, and puppets, to name a few.The Ballenger Teachers Center provides materials and resources to students of the University who are preparing to be teachers as well as providing materials and services to area teachers and professors.Ann Brownson holds a �story time� series every fall and spring for community children and tours of the center are a common occurrence.Ann has also been successful at acquiring new materials from vendors and she is willing to purchase what Eastern teachers want.Dean Lanham said that a major goal of the center is to be a model school library and to those students studying to be teachers.

 

Booth Library received on March 27, 2007 an award of $2,000 and a plaque from the Association of College and Research Libraries for Best Practices in Marketing for our Frankenstein exhibit.The $2,000 will be used in future programming and public relations programs.

 

Service Issues

During National Library Week, April 16-20, 2007, discussion groups will be held for the 2007 One Book, One University program on Grapes of Wrath.They will be led by Dr. Michael Loudon and graduate student Eun-Young on Monday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m. and Wednesday, April 18 at 4:00 p.m. in Library conference room 4440.

 

The discussion of the One Book, One University book for 2008 has been placed on hold until the board meets again next semester.An option under consideration is to link to the �Great Beginnings� theme currently underway on campus.The Board is also waiting to see how successful the �Eastern Reads!� program is in August.

 

The Council of Graduate Students requested and the Circulation Policy Committee has reviewed the Circulation Policy with regard to the length of time graduate students may check out books.Currently, they have the same checkout period as undergraduates, a period of four weeks.Dean Lanham has endorsed their request for an 8-week loan period.

 

In addition, the Council on Graduate Studies has approved a request from Booth Library for a non-credit thesis course starting in the fall term allowing continuous access to library resources for all students working on their thesis.

 

Collections Issues

We are completing our third year of funding for the CATS PIE Grant.Booth Library has used the funds to help pay for JSTOR.Statistics show that the number of people using JSTOR has dramatically increased over the years.In 2005, there were only 304 electronic searches.That figure jumped to 48,000 in 2006 and so far in 2007 there have been over 46,000 searches.Articles download have gone from 3,000 to 16,000.The CATS Advisory Council is canceling this grant program so the library will need to find another source of funds to pay for these electronic resources.

Planning Issues

Dean Lanham reviewed the �Periodical Titles Recommended for Cancellation as of March 19, 2007� document with the board.These print titles for the most part, are represented in electronic formats.If the library receives the periodical electronically, then it is canceling the print copy more and more.The electronic version, in most cases, is more expensive than the print, but provides many more advantages.

 

Other

Dean Lanham invited Board members to attend the Illinois Library Day activities in Springfield, on April 19, 2007.

 

V. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 5:06 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted by:

Christine Derrickson, Recording Secretary