Friday, July 14, 2006

A-5 again

TS'ers-- For those of you who didn't get a copy of Carol Hixson's handout of her PowerPoint presentation on transforming catalogers into digital librarians, it's available at the link below. Scroll down to the bottom line, "AALL.ppt," & click on "view/open." --Cindy

https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/dspace/handle/1794/3020

--Cindy May

Monday, July 10, 2006

Check this out!

Ellen McGrath's comment to the Beth's previous post (session A5) deserves broader notice:

This session is also mentioned on Jim Milles' Check This Out! podcast at:

http://jmilles.libsyn.com/

as are a number of other tech services sessions.

On behalf of those of us not at the conference, thank you for blogging!

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Program A-5: Pioneering the Transformation of Technical Services Librarians into Digital Librarians

Carol Hixson, Head of Metadata and Digital Library Services at the University of Oregon gave an excellent presentation on how the original Catalog Department transformed itself into the Metadata and Digital Library Services Dept. This department now includes the creation and maintenance of digital collections. In addition they also assumed operation of the campus institutional repository, including policy-making and marketing documents. Other new responsibilities include software administration and upgrades, public Web pages, and digital and photographic reproductions of library materials. Carol outlined the facts behind this process and the circumstances driving it and showed the step by step process that has lead to this new Metadata and Digital Services department.

She credited being in the right place at the right time as being an important factor in her department's successful transformation. When she began as Head of the Catalog Dept in 2000 many of the elements for success were present. She had great staff and colleagues, they were involved in PCC, they had very clean bibliographic database, there was already some team-based organization in the department, they were and are an ARL library working with a budget deficit, she had an extensive cataloging and metadata background, and there was a new University Librarian in June of that year. The leadership style of the new UL was crucial in this process. She stressed collaboration across divisions, liked co-operation, did not like whining, and she had budgetary constraints which required a creative approach.

Carol's department began by looking at what needed to be accomplished and what backlogs of uncataloged materials were in the library’s collection and looking at ways to provide access to them such as different levels of cataloging, different types of metadata such as Dublin Core and EAD, and having non cataloging personnel providing metadata. For example they worked collaboratively with the Manuscripts department to teach them cataloging so that they could do some of their own bibliographic control work. They took on some digital projects which were grant funded and used ContentDM software. Carol also actively lobbied for her position as co-chair of the team to implement their institutional repository. In addition, their merger with the Preservation Dept. in 2003, drove some of these new duties.

She summarized this process as a gradual evolution. They worked to acquire new skills, took on new work, seized opportunities and promoted a wide role for the cataloging department. They actively worked to make access to the library's collections in all formats a library wide “problem” and not just a cataloging department “problem”.

Technical Services Librarians can and should take on these digital library projects and widen the scope of their departments because they have the skill set required:
• They are familiar with standards
• They've been creating metadata all along and are experts in it
• They have experience designing workflows
• They have the technical skills to make things work
• They had experience in and the skills required to train people and to document procedures
• They have experience in marketing (because they have been justifying their skills and work product to Administrators)
• They are used to adapting to new rules and new systems.
This program was so meaty and full of information and ideas that I don't think I can do it justice in a blog entry. Carol covered much more detail including the challenges they have faced and ways in which they are working to overcome them. She stressed over and over the need to work collaboratively and the need for continual retraining and education as well as cross-training.

To access the Powerpoint Slides including her notes, and her Handouts for this program go to: https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/dspace/handle/1794/3020
The slides also include links to the department’s web pages and to some of their projects. Incidentally these materials are housed in their institutional repository and you can take a look at the metadata record for them.

This program was also taped and it would well worth the purchase price. I was encouraged that my library was on the right track and I was inspired to do more.

~Beth Geesey Holmes
Cataloging Services Librarian
University of Georgia Law Library

Friday, July 07, 2006

PLANNING FOR THE 2007 AALL ANNUAL MEETING IN NEW ORLEANS

Join us at the TS-SIS Education Committee Meeting
Tuesday, July 11, 2006, 11:45 AM-1:00 pm
America's Center, Room 125

Overview
While it may seem way too earlier to think about AALL in 2007, we need
to plan now due to the very short time-frame for submitting program
ideas after the 2006 Annual meeting. We have lots of flexibility to
propose learning opportunities that are important to us, but we need
your ideas! If you would like TS-SIS to consider sponsoring your
program, please read on ...

Theme
The theme for the 2007 meeting in New Orleans is "Rise to the
Challenge." See the incoming 2006/07 AALL President Sarah (Sally)
Holterhoff's description here.

Deadline if Requesting TS-SIS Sponsorship
Final deadline for submitting your program, workshop or topic to the
TS-SIS Education Committee is Friday, August 4, 2006, 5:00 pm PDT.

Process
All TS-SIS Education Committee members are available to assist you. We
are open to collaborating with other SIS's or committees. And don't
limit your presentation to the traditional 3 talking-head panels. See
page 18 in the Handbook for alternative presentation formats.

1. Refer to the Program Planners Handbook for more information.

2. Beginning on p. 32 of the Handbook are step-by-step guidelines
for using the online web site to create your proposal.

3. You do not need to complete your proposal in one session. You
can save your work in progress and log back in as many times as needed
to complete your proposal.

4. If you are seeking TS-SIS sponsorship, identify TS-SIS as the
sponsor (or co-sponsor).

5. When you have completed your proposal, enter both the TS-SIS
Education Committee e-mail address: ts-educationATaallnet.org and
Rhonda Lawrence's e-mail address: lawrenceATlaw.ucla.edu. Next, when
you are ready to share it with the TS-SIS Education Committee, click on
the button that says "Share." Your proposal will then be automatically
sent to TS-SIS Education Committee and to Rhonda Lawrence to review.

6. IMPORTANT: Do not click on the "Submit Proposal" button until
you have heard from the TS-SIS Education Committee. If you click on
the "Submit Proposal" button, the proposal goes directly to AMPC and you
will no longer be able to revise it.

When will TS-SIS notify people about sponsorship?
We will notify everyone who has submitted a proposal to TS-SIS no later
than Thursday August 10, 2006, whether we will sponsor your program.
Individuals may choose to submit any programs to directly AMPC they like
without our sponsorship.

Plan to attend the TS-SIS Education Committee meeting, Tuesday, July 11,
2006 from 11:45 AM-1:00 pm, in America's Center, Room 125.

TS-SIS 2006/07 Education Committee Members

Rhonda Lawrence, 2006/07 TS-SIS Chair & Education Committee Chair, UCLA
Law Library, lawrenceATlaw.ucla.edu

Alan Keely, TS-SIS 2006/07 Vice-Chair
Wake Forest University keelyATwfu.edu

Ajaye Bloomstone, Acquisitions Committee Chair
Louisiana State Law Library, llajayeATlsu.edu

Jean Pajerek, Cataloging & Classification Committee Chair, Cornell Law
Library, jmp8ATcornell.edu

Patricia Turpening, Preservation Committee Chair
BookloverConsultingATyahoo.com.

Carol Nicholson, Serials Standing Committee Chair
UNC Chapel Hill carol_nicholsonATunc.edu

Cindy Buhi, Tech Services Librarian, Washington State Attorney General
cindyb3ATatg.wa.gov

Jolande E. Goldberg, Senior Cataloging Policy Specialist
Library of Congress, jgolATloc.gov

Jim Mumm, Acquisitions/Serials Librarian, Marquette University Law
Library jim.mummATmarquette.edu

Teresa A. Parker-Bellamy, Head, Bibliographic Services Dept., Regent
University Law Library, tereparATregent.edu

Paula Tejeda, Associate Law Librarian, Sol Blatt Jr. Law Library,
Charleston School of Law, ptejedaATcharlestonlaw.org

Come to the Heads Of Technical Services Roundtable

TS-SIS Members:

Come join us at the Heads of Technical Services Roundtable on Sunday,
July 9 from 11:45-1:15 PM in the Renaissance Grand, Landmark 4.

We don't have a specific agenda this year, but come armed with topics
that you want to discuss or issues you may be facing. Get the input of
others in similar situations. This is always a lively discussion that
ends way to soon. You don't have to be a Head of Tech Services to
attend. Feel free to bring your lunch. Hope to see you there!

Karen Douglas,
Roundtable Facilitator

Karen B. Douglas
Head of Technical Services
Duke University Law Library

2006 CC:DA representative's report

Hi all,

Martin has kindly posted my report on the TS website. Access it here or you
can reach it from the TS home page under Representatives' Reports.

I hope to see many of you in St. Louis!

Kathy

2006 Task Group on Replacement Vols. Report

Hello all,
The task group report is available from the TS homepage or directly
here.

Regina Wallen

COME to one of the best AALL annual kick-off events!

COLLEAGUES:

One of the nicest events at each AALL Annual Meeting is the “Alphabet Soup” reception, generously sponsored for many years by Innovative Interfaces, Inc., who have been faithful partners with AALL and law libraries. Doors open at 6pm, with nice, reception-type foods and beverages being offered. It goes till 7:30pm. This year, it’s at the Renaissance Grand Hotel, at the Majestic Ballroom A-B.

Officially called the TS/OBS/RIPS/CS-SIS Joint Reception, it’s always a great “kick-off” event before everyone really gets busy with the Annual Meeting on Sunday. It’s a time to relax and chat with colleagues, meeting new librarians, and spending some time with your old buds as well

There promises to be much more seating than in the past, and we are expecting about 200. The food selection has changed and we have made some adjustments in menu and food delivery, so that we shouldn’t run out of food in 30 minutes. There are two cash bars with a great selection of beverages, plus regular and decaf coffee!

Please come! Be sure to thank Innovative Interfaces, Inc. for their sponsorship of this special event. There will be several Innovative Interfaces representatives there.

Sincerely,
Your “Alphabet Soup” Committee
Brian Striman (TS-SIS)
Step Schmitt (OBS-SIS)
Holly Lakatos (RIPS)
Rob Jacoby (CS-SIS)




-

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Technical Services Management Roundtable in St. Louis

If you have any agenda items that you would like to discuss at Technical Services Management Roundtable, please e-mail to me as soon as possible.
This came up to my table very quickly but I hope to see you in St. Louis with lots of good ideas.
Thanks much
--

Masako Patrum
Technical Services Librarian
Wake Forest University School of Law
Professional Center Library


E-mail:patrumm[AT]wfu.edu

Don't miss it! LC's SARs Decision and Its New Role in National Cataloging Policy

Just a reminder

TS-SIS Program — Cataloging at the Crossroads: LC's Series Decision and Its New Role in National Cataloging Policy

Monday, July 10, 2006 — 2:00-3:00 p.m. America's Center-Room 262

Speaker: Marie Whited, Catalog Liaison, Law Library of Congress

Moderator & Coordinator: Rhonda K. Lawrence

With the Library of Congress's decision in April to discontinue making series authority records, controversy has ensued about LC's ongoing role in setting national cataloging policy, its decision-making process, and how U.S. libraries and associations are responding. Attend this program to learn the latest national developments, hear comments from Marie Whited, Catalog Liaison at the Law Library of Congress, and share experiences in how law libraries are reacting.

Background:

For the official series announcements from the Library of Congress, see the Cataloging and Policy Support Office website

April 20, 2006 and June 1, 2006 postings

For papers posted on the Library of Congress Professional Guild web site, including Deanna Marcums statement, the Calhoun report, etc., Thomas Manns rebuttals, see:

http://guild2910.org/future.htm

For OCLCs decision regarding LC records and series processing in World Cat, see:

http://www.oclc.org/news/announcements/announcement191.htm

Program for Cooperative Cataloging FAQ re: series Web page

http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/bibco/seriesfaq.html

Program for Cooperative Cataloging statement on LC SARs decision

http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/seriesPCC.html

via email from Rhonda Lawrence

Calhoun Report / Library Catalogs

I recommend that TS librarians read the Calhoon Report, which will probably be referred to at various meetings in St. Louis. The report is having an impact on what LC is doing, and it will ultimately have an impact on many libraries. I quote from here from the LC website:


"The Library of Congress recently issued a report that challenges assumptions about the traditional library catalog and proposes new directions for the research library catalog in the digital era. Commissioned by the Library and prepared by Associate University Librarian Karen Calhoun of Cornell University, the report assesses the impact of Internet on the traditional online public access catalog and concludes that library patrons want easy-to-use catalogs that are accessible on the Web."



Jan Anderson
Associate Law Librarian for Collection Services
Georgetown University Law Library

TS-SIS Serials Committee Meeting at AALL St. Louis

A reminder ...

If you have an interest in serials librarianship and the work of the
TS-SIS Serials Committee, please plan to
attend
the Serials Committee meeting to be held on Monday, July 10 from 7:30am
- 8:45
am in the Renaissance Grand - Landmark 3 room. (Arrive early - light
refreshments will be served.)

The agenda for the Serials Committee meeting will focus on

Exchange of Duplicates program
Update on proposed changes to the ABA Questionnaire
Projects that you would like for the Serials Committee to undertake this year

I also would like to encourage you to suggest program proposals for the 2007 New Orleans Annual Meeting with the theme "Rise to the Challenge". The TS-SIS program proposal deadline is August 4, 2006 so now is the time to generate program ideas that can be considered at the Serials Committee meeting next week.

See you in St. Louis ...

Carol Nicholson, Chair
TS-SIS Serials Committee

SAC report available on TS-SIS website

The 2006 report of the AALL representative to the Subject Analysis Committee (SAC) is now available.

I plan to give brief reports on SAC and on the Inherently Legal Subject Headings Project at the Cataloging & Classification Committee meeting on Monday, July 10, 8:30-10:00 a.m.

See you in St. Louis!

Yael

****************************
Yael Mandelstam
Head of Cataloging
Fordham University School of Law
Leo T. Kissam Memorial Library

OBS/TS Research Roundtable reminder

Please join us at the OBS-SIS/TS-SIS Research Roundtable on Tuesday, July 11, 9:00 - 10:00 am in America's Center Room 120.

This year's speaker will be Paul Healey, editorial director of AALL Spectrum. We will also distribute some information on topics like research funding sources and journals that are likely candidates for technical services articles, and we will have some time for open discussion. If you have any research-related issues you would like to discuss, please let me know.

The Research Roundtable is a good place to find out what your colleagues are working on, share your own projects, and maybe even spark an idea or two.

You'll even have a ready-made opportunity to start your writing career--we need a note-taker to report on the meeting and we'll publish it in TSLL.

I look forward to seeing you there!

**********************************************************
Chris Long
Catalog Librarian
Ruth Lilly Law Library
Indiana University School of Law--Indianapolis

Cat/Class at AALL 2006: A Reminder

Just a reminder about the various Cataloging and Classification meetings to be held at AALL. Check http://www.aallnet.org/sis/tssis/annualmeeting/2006/
for last minute additions/changes

Karen A. Nuckolls
Head of Technical Services
Law Library
University of Lexington KY 40506-0048


To all members of TS-SIS & and the Cat/Class Committee, here is a listing of specific Cat/Class meetings and their agendas:

July 9

Heads of Technical Services Roundtable 11:45 am – 1:15 pm

New Law Catalogers Roundtable: Carol Hixson on Cataloger Education 2:45 – 4:00 pm

July 10

Cataloging & Classification Committee Meeting 8:30 – 10 am

TS-SIS Program: Cataloging at the Crossroads: LC's Series Decision and Its New Role in National Cataloging Policy 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Cataloging & Classification Issues Roundtable 5:15 – 6:15 pm

July 11

Heads of Cataloging in Large Libraries Roundtable 5:15 pm – 6:15 pm

AGENDAS

Cataloging & Classification Committee Meeting

  • Reports from: Kathy Winzer (CC:DA meetings); Yael Mandelstam (SAC & Inherently Legal Subject Headings Project); George Prager (MARBI)

Cataloging & Classification Issues Roundtable

  • Calhoun Report; OCLC/RLG Merger; RDA; LC SARS Decision; Other

We hope to see you there!

Karen Nuckolls

Monday, July 03, 2006

REMINDER: Acquisitions Committee meeting and Acquisitions Roundtable in St. Louis

The TS-SIS Acquisitions Committee will meet from 9:00am to 10:00am on Monday, July 10, 2006, during the AALL Conference in St. Louis, MO. This year, we will meet at a reasonable hour. So, please come to the meeting. You do not have to be a committee member to attend this meeting.

The TS-SIS Acquisitions Roundtable will meet from 5:15pm to 6:15pm on Tuesday, July 11. This year's roundtable discussion will be led again by Earlene Kuester from Stetson U. College of Law Library.

If there is anything that you want to discuss at the Committee meeting or at the Roundtable, please let us know and we will add it to the agenda.

Thank you and Look forward to hearing from you.

Lorna

TS-SIS table and prizes, pt. 2

Arrrggghhhhhh.... I forgot to give you the most important piece of information. You sign up by going to this web page and filling out a brief form: http://www.aallnet.org/sis/tssis/annualmeeting/2006/activitiestable/

TIA -- Jan

TS-SIS table and prizes

Hello, TS-SIS Members ~
There are still some slots to be fill at the TS-SIS table in the Activities Area in St. Louis. The times that we need volunteers for are:
Sunday: 10-11, 11-12, and 12-1
Monday: 10-11 (Leanne cannot make it at that time) and 11-12.
Tuesday: 10-11, 11-12, and 12-1

If you can spare the time, this is a great opportunity to sit and chat with newcomers (and oldies but goodies) -- SIGN UP NOW!
If you signed up to be on the Membership Committee but did not sign up for the table -- SIGN UP NOW!
If you want to be there when we raffle off two wonderful prizes (see below**) -- SIGN UP NOW FOR TUESDAY!
If you want me to stop begging, SIGN UP NOW!

** OK - now for the prizes. Katrina Piechnik has donated a beauteous, multi-color scarf -- you will get a chance to see a picture of it soon. Angelina Joseph has donated a soothing, comforting neck and shoulder warmer, something *I* need after helping my daughter move to a new apartment yesterday. If you sign up to do a stint at the table, you can prevent me from stuffing the box with my business cards. :-)

Thanks for reading this far and then ... signing up!

Jan Anderson