Minutes:
8/24/00
9/14/00
9/28/00
10/19/00
11/02/00
11/16/00
12/07/00
12/21/00
1/11/01
2/15/01
3/01/01
8/07/01
9/20/01
12/06/01
Annual Reports:
Important
Undergraduate
Events
[Public web]
[Staff web]
MIT Libraries Undergraduate User Group
Undergraduate User Group minutes: 9/20/01
Attendance: Sarah Wenzel, Sarah Williams, Tracy Gabridge, Chris Sherratt, Pat Flanagan (minutes)
Primary Agenda Topic: Review of projects and priorities for group
Existing Project Ideas/Work:
- Library hours review
- Web page for undergraduates
- Communication Plan (originally about Barton, but expanded)
- Topography of undergrad life (e.g. what is the undergrad experience?)
- Calendar of dates specific to undergrad activities
- Benchmarking
Given recent reviews of committee structure and work, we decided to look at the above list in light of what is "reasonable and achievable" (R&A) with the following results:
Hours:
Due to work in building 14 this is unlikely to move forward soon. Tabled. Margaret will track this issue and bring back to group at an appropriate point.Web Page:
Many of the original ideas for this will be challenging to keep maintained. It was also noted that there will be no complementary page for graduates, administrators, faculty, or researchers that we know of. An undergraduate page would not appear on the Libraries' homepage, as the alumni and outside user pages do, but Nicole indicated it could be added to the quick links. It was also noted that many undergrads might not categorize themselves as such when looking for specific types of information (e.g. study rooms) so an undergrad page might not be the best place for this information. Also, some page content was identified prior to the release of the new web site.Decision: Re-evaluate, looking at things such as:
- How has the new web design changed needs? Could some information be added to existing library FAQ pages? (Tracy)
- Could the library be pointed to from other undergrad oriented pages: Undergrad Association or MITSIS? (Chris and Sarah Williams)
- Should we use a UA sponsored page vs. creating one of our own?
Communication Plan:
Update from Margaret's meeting with Ruth needed.Topography of Undergrad Life:
The original plan was to gather extensive data, e.g. extent of internet access, internships, UROP experience, names of library workers who are undergrads, numbers who live on and off campus, etc.Decision: Gathering and continually updating all data may be too much to do. Sarah will resend the list of data to be collected to the new group membership and we will review and prioritize at another meeting, based on which we think we really need and will use.
Yearly Calendar:
Decision: R&A - could be limited focus "key dates of the undergrad year" Sarah Wenzel will pursue.Benchmarking:
Previous membership had developed and divided a list of peer schools to review. Some work was done, but other members did not get to it.Decision: will continue work in simplified form and review depth of environmental scan and schedule for repeating in future.
Schools assigned to Irene and Nina will be reassigned to Sarah Williams and Pat.
New focus: Fresh look at what schools are doing with the objective of identifying R&A ideas we could emulate. Keep number of ideas to five or fewer, depending on input/payoff ratio.
Secondarily: Figure out a meaningful schedule for benchmarking. Should an environmental scan be done annually? Every other year? Depends on depth and objective.
Review literature search done previously for same objective of simple, high impact ideas. How frequently should it be repeated? (Chris will review FY2000 search for ideas; Sarah Wenzel will resend search results to new membership of group)
Other business:
- The group felt that institutional memory of work done and purpose of group was needed. Pat will look into getting space on the staff web. To include:
- Minutes
- Mission
- Membership
- Annual report list of work done
- Yearly calendar of ugrad events being developed for use by ourselves and by other library groups like instruction, reference, etc. which might benefit.
Future Agenda Topics:
- Re-evaluate need and content for undergrad web page
- Update on communications plan
- Review and prioritize topography list
- Review benchmarking process in terms of depth and schedule
- Assemble ideas from benchmarking and select ones to pursue