Faculty Senate Library Committee

Minutes, Sept. 23, 2002 Meeting

Present:  Gwen Achenreiner, Frank Barmore, Liz Cason, Susan Crutchfield, Scott Dickmeyer, Denis Provencher, Cris Prucha, Dave Reineke, Julie Yazici, Chia-Chen Yu, and

Anita Evans (consultant)

The meeting was called to order at 4 pm by Crutchfield, designated convener.

• Minutes of the final meeting from Spring 2002 will be voted upon at the next meeting.

• Director’s Report: 
  • Evans encouraged everyone to visit the library’s web page for information about and old minutes from the Library Committee. 
  • The library is now offering “house calls,” which can be scheduled with a library representative for a 15-30 minute visit to an individual faculty member’s office. 
  • Evans mentioned the library’s budget, which should be an item for discussion by the committee at a future date.  An electronic copy of the state’s budget allocation for the library will be sent to members.
  • Government representatives sometimes visit the library, and committee members are encouraged to be involved in such events.
  • Draft #4 of the UW-L Strategic Plan 2002 has just been released.  Committee members are encouraged to read it and consider the library’s role in the plan.
  • Evans reviewed the library’s staffing issues.  One job has opened due to the retirement of Mary Esten from the Curriculum Resource Center, and a 1/2-time classified position is open in Circulation.  Given budget constraints, these positions are vulnerable.

• Old Business:
  • The library’s Information Literacy initiative for the General Education Program continues.  The latest Info. Lit. document (dated August 20) was e-mailed to Library Committee members over the summer for feedback.  Prucha and Evans summed up the progress to date.  The GE Committee met on Sept. 16 and may have discussed the document;  we await their feedback before proceeding with revisions.  Discussion about the document ensued:  Where should information literacy be placed on the GE outcomes—under critical thinking or in a separate category?  How might required info. lit. “classes” affect library staffing?  Should we require an info. lit. component in only one freshman course in order to alleviate staffing issues?  How will the transition into full participation in the plan be handled? 
  • A subcommittee was formed to handle the Information Literacy document and related concerns.  Members include Prucha, T. Gerber, and Yu.  It was agreed that the sub-committee will revise the document and disseminate it for discussion at the Library Committee’s October meeting.  A revised version should be ready for an approval vote in November.
  • Plans for a library café have slowed due to Chartwells.  Stefan Smith and others are writing a proposal, and Horton in Physical Plant is generating an estimate for remodeling.  We will continue to push the plan forward.

• New Business:
  • There was no new charge to the committee from the Faculty Senate.
  • Officers were elected:  Julie Yazici, President, and Susan Crutchfield, Secretary.
  • It was agreed that meeting times for fall term would be 4-5 pm on the third Monday of each month.

The meeting adjourned at 5 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Crutchfield