Metadata Committee meeting minutes: 4/17/2006

Members present: Nancy Boggess-Korekach, Marshall Breeding, Zora Breeding, Eileen Crawford, Catherine Gick, Mary Charles Lasater, Linda Tesar, Pete Wilson, Roberta Winjum. Absent: Teresa Gray, Annette Williams. Guests: Julie Loder, Chris Waldrop.

Java Training Julie Loder and Chris Waldrop joined the meeting to talk about plans for Java client training in general and for cataloging in particular. Chris has been charged by the Staff Development Committee with leading the Project Team for coordinating training and documentation for the new Java client across the libraries. Julie explained the basic plans for training and then Chris asked for a representative from our committee to serve on the Project Team. Linda Tesar volunteered. Julie explained that the training will be done in such a way that different groups can join the training at specific times for specific topics. There will be more general training before that to go over toolbars, themes and screen manipulation. Most other library groups have set up a tentative training and migration schedule. Roberta asked about the quote from Sirsi for doing in-house training. Julie reported that they have not yet given us a quote. The committee agreed that the training needed for catalogers will be very specialized and will be different for each of the cataloging areas, since catalogers for different libraries follow different procedures for many activities. Linda Tesar agreed to do a session on the Transfer Item function and perhaps the Bound-With function. Eileen Crawford will handle the training for shelflisting. Other trainers will be recruited as necessary. It was suggested that a volunteer from the Copy Catalogers be asked to start using the Java client, since their work is different from the beta testers that have been testing cataloging functions in Java so far. Jeff Taylor will be asked if he is willing to do this. The catalogers will begin compiling a list of functions that will require training specific to cataloging. There was much discussion about the reported slowness of the Java client as opposed to the C Client. It was suggested that we not decide on a migration schedule until we know that this issue has been addressed. Roberta will make sure that LMC knows about this at their meeting today, since they are supposed to discuss the cut-off date for the present client. Julie said that the Acorn Group of LITS is presently working with Sirsi on the Java performance issues and will continue to work with them until they are resolved. Julie pointed out that we need to have the catalogers represented on the Sirsi forums to post messages and to vote on the enhancement requests. In particular, the call number browse issue needs to be voted on right away. Catherine Gick agreed to do this for the present, but Pete Wilson will be set up to do this in the future, once he becomes more familiar with the Java client and the forums.

Primo update: Marshall reported that ExLibris has submitted a proposal for what Vanderbilt's role would be in the testing of Primo. We would be involved in conceptual conversations on such topics as FRBR, authorities issues, integration points, and the inclusion of Blackboard. This will be a 2-yr. term contract and we will see some discount as a result. Marshall said that a decision should be made by the end of this week.

Minutes submitted by nbk