Minutes of the March 8, 1999 Meeting
Present: A. Ciliberti, John Cohn, Judy Cohn, M. Gaunt, J. Getaz, J. Hunt, P. Price, P. Rigby, B. Simpson, R. Sweeney
1. Anne Ciliberti reviewed the most recent estimated database costs for FY 00 based upon anticipated FTE usage, since these figures were higher than the estimates presented at the previous meeting. She explained that the current figures were based on current quotations from two of the three vendors.
2. Anne distributed copies of the Commission's latest FTE data from fall, 1998. The group agreed that the FY 00 database costs should be distributed among the VALE participants based upon the 1998 FTE data.
3. The group asked Anne to prepare the cost distributions spreadsheet for all institutions and to draft a letter to the library directors explaining the new costs and the importance of maintaining the group as it is for the coming year.
4. Marianne Gaunt reviewed the status of negotiations on each of the databases currently being considered for next year. A smaller group consisting of the research libraries and a few others will explore the acquisition of an e-journal collection.
5. Anne Ciliberti discussed plans for implementing VALE's Remote Access Program. She explained that it will be based upon a unique username and password assigned to each institution not currently using a proxy server for authentication. Library directors will be asked to sign an agreement protecting their username and password from public access. The program will go into effect on March 15.
6. Marianne announced that the new interface has been prepared for 3 of the 4 databases and is ready for an intensive review prior to being publicly available. Rich Sweeney will coordinate his Interface group and some subject volunteers to provide an in-depth review of the interface within the next two weeks or by March 17.
7. Documentation efforts will begin promptly after the review, about mid-March.
8. Marianne distributed a draft of a new fund raising strategy spearheaded by the State Library. After several meetings with Jack Livingstone and Marilyn Veldof, it seems that a statewide effort to obtain $6 million dollars in new funding is the best strategy for additional VALE dollars. Library directors will be kept appraised of these efforts and how they can assist in contacting legislators as the project develops and takes shape.
9. Marianne will draft a letter to the institution's presidents to clarify VALE's need for further funding and the strategy of working with the State Library proposal.
10. Anne presented documentation from a library requesting information about joining VALE. The group determined that expansion of the membership outside of NJ was premature at this time.
11. Marianne reviewed the priority areas suggested by members and the group agreed to the following ranking of importance:
12. Judith Lin Hunt volunteered to survey the Electronic Resources SubCommittee for recommendations about good, free web sites that could easily be added to the VALE suite. Her recommendations will be provided by April 8.
13. Anne announced that John Gaboury, Rich Sweeney and she will be making a presentation on VALE at the NJ Library Association's Annual Conference on April 28.
14. The next meeting of the VALE Steering Committee will be on March 29 at 2 pm.
Minutes prepared by Anne Ciliberti
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