WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY SENATE LIBRARY COMMITTEE

Summary

Wednesday, April 4, 2007, Deans’ Conference Room, Ablah Library

PRESENT: Ikram Ahmed (Engineering), Peer Moore-Jansen (LAS Social Sciences), Phil Parker (LAS Math/Natural Sciences)

EX-OFFICIO: Gwen Alexander, Kathy Downes, Pal Rao

The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. by Prof. Parker. The minutes of March 7, 2007 were approved.

Announcements

1. 1. Peer Moore-Jansen reported that the revised resolution regarding the University Libraries’ budget, forwarded after the March meeting from the Faculty Senate Library Committee to the Faculty Senate, was approved. A resolution in support of the UL budget request is being drafted by the Faculty Senate to send to WSU Administration. Thank you to Kathy Downes and Cathy Moore-Jansen for providing updated information.

1. 2. Peer Moore-Jansen volunteered to draft the FSLC Annual Report to the Faculty Senate, due 4/16/07.

Dean’s Update

1. 1. Dean Rao reported that assessment and information literacy were two predominant themes in this year’s Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Conference, but no clear answers emerged from the discussions.

1. 2. The HLC site visit to University Libraries went very well, and the team reported many positive comments about UL from students. AVP Nancy McCarthy Snyder expressed a big thank you to library staff members for their work on committees, the self study report, and the preparations for the site visit.

1. 3. Students from SGA are conducting a survey about library hours and the interest in extending those hours. SGA is willing to explore ways to fund additional staff hours if there is enough interest.

1. 4. UL will celebrate tenure and/or promotion of three faculty, and the work of the UL Tenure and Promotion Committee, with a reception on April 19, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. at the Marcus Welcome Center. FSLC members are invited to attend. UL faculty who were awarded tenure and/or promotion were Gwen Alexander, awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor; Rachel Crane, awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor; and Kathy Downes, promoted to Associate Professor.

A letter of congratulations has been sent to all WSU faculty awarded tenure, and asking them to select a book to be placed in University Libraries in their honor.

1. 5. The opening night of the "Looking at Jazz: America’s Art Form" was successful. Programs will continue every evening until Saturday, April 7.

1. 6. Dean Rao reported that he is beginning to develop the draft of a long-range goal to expand space in Ablah Library, creating more social space and seating for student and faculty group interaction. He invited FSLC members to forward comments and suggestions to him.

1. 8. The Shocker Scholars Festival, a celebration of the 2006 research, publication, and performance activities by the WSU faculty, unclassified professionals, and staff, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. on the lower level of Ablah Library. Kathy Downes is developing the bibliography of the citations to be posted on the UL web site. She is working with the Office of Institutional Research to make it possible for faculty to add items directly. FSLC members urged caution in developing guidelines for access control and security when making this site generally available.

As May Arise

1. 1. Kathy Downes reported that UL Public Services is proposing an increase to $15 from the current $7 in the processing fee for books lost for more than one year. Peer Moore-Jansen (Ikram Ahmed) moved to endorse this fee increase. The motion passed unanimously.

1. 2. Kathy Downes reviewed a diagram of the new compact shelving area on the lower level of Ablah Library and described the installation process and timeline. This area will be closed stacks and will be limited to low-use items only. A list of possible materials to move into these shelves is being developed and will be posted on the UL web site for comment. The goal for completion of the installation is by the end of summer, 2007, after which the collection will be shifted to move the materials. Peer Moore-Jansen expressed concern that important historical materials remain in the general collection and readily available to students and faculty.

1. 3. A discussion of potential topics for future meetings included a review of the list of books/journals identified for moving to compact shelving, a discussion of the priorities developed by UL in the discussion of compliance with ACRL Standards, and the ongoing discussion of financial resources for UL.

The meeting was adjourned.

Senatelibcomm\2006\4-4-06 min