Goals from November 2005

• Identify and address the needs of users by creating focus groups (graduate students, faculty, etc.) to find out what we must do better and what these users really need. Utilize coordinated surveys for evaluating faculty and student needs. This effort could include the creation of web pages for these groups.
• Address issue of balancing job responsibility, time, and new demands.
• Identify personal development, skills, building opportunities, staff development. Provide reference training for non-reference people.
• Provide orientation for staff to learn who knows what and who to go to for specific problems.
• Reference values and service expectations.
• Importance of a user friendly interface and library-wide web presence.
• Exploration of assessment methodologies.
• Technology training to help answer questions and perform triage for basic problems.
• Virtual reference – Building a knowledgebase to store common questions.
• Blackboard – Establish a test course with a student account to give us their view. Determine how we can measure the library’s integration/penetration in a course. Use Blackboard for sharing information on articles, discussions, etc. Possible usefulness in establishing a library-wide Blackboard course.

Major focus for 2006 (December 2005 meeting)

• Conducting a needs assessment
• Assessing our current services
• Balancing job responsibilities and new job demands by focusing on what we are currently doing

Accomplishments—gathered from meeting notes

• Advice and decisions on reference/interface issues:
  • Exact searching for e-journal locator removed
  • Linking to AskUs from databases
  • Spell check
  • Center for Research Libraries inclusion in ACORN
  • OpenURL Generator; SFX refinements
  • Series cataloging changes
  • Reference services hours webpage
  • Alert services
• Review of the library website with Communications Committee and DLSC; formulated needs for changes; served on Project Team for revision
• Testbed review
• Instruction
  • Development of instruction description for reaccreditation document
  • Reviewed instruction goal in strategic plan
  • Work with Center for Teaching (CAL)
  • QEP
• Reference Forum
• E-classroom use policy/laptop cart needs
• OAK considerations; incorporation of library services into course management products
• Training needs: Time Management, Setting Priorities/Goal Setting, Technology Training (Wiki training at the next meeting, Blackboard skills), and Service Assessment. These were passed on to the Staff Development Committee.

Recommended changes

• Merge Reference and Instruction Forums

GOALS for 2007

• Assistance with Primo development and implementation
• Continuation of valued Forum opportunities, including instruction
• Participate in information literacy developments
• Address best practices for instruction
• Increase focus on instruction