Minutes of the December 10, 1999 Meeting
Present: P. Chervenie, A. Ciliberti, John Cohn, Judy Cohn, J. Gaboury, M. Gaunt, J. Getaz, A. Hafner, J. Hunt, P. Long, M. Martin, P. Rigby, B. Simpson, R. Sweeney, P. Tumulty
Guest: J. Ptaszynski 1. The meeting began with a presentation by Phil Long and Joe Ptaszynski of the newly created web-based VALE statistics program developed by Joe. The system will enable VALE members to login via usernames and passwords to view their institution=s use data for locally loaded VALE databases. Users may cut and paste the text-based reports or employ the graphing feature to view use data for up to 4 months at a time. The group was impressed with the system and congratulated and thanked Joe for his perseverance in developing this important new VALE tool. Anne Ciliberti will be distributing the usernames and passwords to each director with a reminder that all IP address changes must be reported to her so that they can be forwarded on to Rutgers for database access and to Seton Hall for the collection of use data. Anne will also be reporting on use of the remote access databases soon. 2. Paul Rigby and Brother Paul Chervenie reported on the results of the first VALE satisfaction survey. During the 1 month period, 103 librarians from institutions around the state responded to the brief online questionnaire. The co-chairs of the Assessment Committee will draft a narrative to accompany the presentation and posting of the raw data on the VALE website. The draft narrative will be circulated among the Steering Committee members for approval prior to posting on the web. Rigby and Chervenie also discussed ideas about how to implement an end-user VALE satisfaction survey. It was agreed that a modest revision of the survey used by GALILEO will be drafted and the chairs will work with staff at Seton Hall for assistance in mounting the online questionnaire and tabulating the responses automatically. The survey will automatically pop-up and ask users to respond, thus there will be little control over who responds, how many times and from what institutions. Rich Sweeney and Anne Ciliberti will explore opportunities for getting consultant assistance to conduct a more scientific, controlled survey at a later date. Rigby also explained that the co-chairs are developing their program on assessment for the VALE users= meeting on January 7. He has sought information from member libraries about their assessment activities and hopes to use that information for a discussion about where libraries are in terms of assessment. He will also be asking via the listserv for feedback on what expectations members have for the workshop. 3. Joan Getaz provided an update on the Users' Meeting scheduled for January 7. Although 28 registrations have been received to date, there are several institutions which have not responded at all. It was agreed that the Steering Committee will use its "buddy system" to call directors who have not responded. Further announcements and planning for the program will be posted by the facilitators and group leaders as appropriate. 4. Judith Hunt reported on the work of the Electronic Resources Committee regarding budget cycles and interest in new databases. It appears that the members' budget cycles vary significantly and there is no one time when most budgets are due. The group agreed to continue the practice of getting financial information to VALE members as early as possible in the spring. With respect to new database recommendations, Judith distributed a list of more than 40 databases suggested by corrado listserv subscribers. There appears to be a cluster of interest in newspaper sources. The group discussed at length how to narrow and prioritize the recommendations so that vendor meetings can be set up at ALA Midwinter. It was agreed that further input will be sought by asking for feedback on the top 5 databases which should be considered for renewal and the top 5 additional databases that should be explored for licensing next year. Rich Sweeney also recommended that respondents be asked for a third ranking in which priority databases from among those they already subscribe to but would like through VALE be included. Judith also reported on the value of general collection development guidelines for assisting in the selection of databases and recommended that those principles outlined on the VIVA website be modified and accepted. The group concurred. The Electronic Resources Committee has also selected and posted several new important Internet resources on the VALE test website. This list will be expanded prior to migrating to the live server. 5. Pat Tumulty discussed developments in efforts to obtain outside funding for VALE. She reported that a meeting had been held with staff from the Governor=s Office and that January is a critical time for getting funding included in the budget. Pat=s and Jack Livingstone=s efforts in this regard will be for funding for the NJ Virtual Library, which includes funds for VALE resources. Pat explained that it is essential that we gain support from college and university presidents, especially key presidents and that she will be sending us a list of the key presidents and the major points there letters of support should include. John Gaboury will talk with the chair of the Presidents= Council about the possibility of endorsement from its executive committee. Information on each sectors= lobbyist should also be sent to Pat. 6. Marianne Gaunt reported that the documentation projects are moving along and that 2 have been completed and are being edited for distribution soon to Barbara Simpson and the Training Committeee. 7. John Gaboury explained that a meeting of the International Consortium of Library Consortia (ICOLC) is being planned for April in Orlando. Since attendance is limited to two per consortium and Marianne cannot attend, John proposed that Anne Ciliberti and he attend as VALE representatives. The group agreed. Anne Ciliberti reported that Assumption College wishes to subscribe to Periodical Abstracts and that Bell & Howell has agreed not to levy an additional charge this year for adding the small institution. With the concurrence of the group, she will notify Assumption College that there will be no charge for joining VALE this year with a subscription to Periodical Abstracts. The group agreed. Anne also reported that with the group's approval, requests from libraries to add subscriptions during the course of the year will be treated on an ad hoc basis, depending upon how the cost sharing was initially determined. For example, if all members paid a set price, then the library could join on a pro rated basis without upsetting the costs already accepted by others. The group agreed. John reported that a report on accepting participants from non-NJ institutions will be made at the group's next meeting. 8. Marianne noted briefly that there has been very little response to the call for candidates for the technical position and that the qualifications have been posted a second time on the listserv. 9. Barbara Simpson distributed a letter from Pam Price at Mercer County Community College calling attention to the change in funding from the NJ State Library to the regional library cooperatives for electronic databases and the implications this may have on VALE. Marianne Gaunt and Anne Ciliberti explained that their understanding is that the NJ State Library will contract for statewide database access for public and school libraries and that their support for academic licenses will be through continued financial support of VALE. The VALE members must take this change into account as they consider priorities and options for next year=s database subscriptions. 10. The next meeting of the VALE Steering Committee will be on February 7 at 2 pm at the Alexander Library unless there is a serious problem obtaining parking passes.Minutes prepared by Anne Ciliberti
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