**Columbia University Libraries**

**Update June 2006**

**ALCTS Technical Services Directors of Large Research Libraries**

**Planning, Budget, and Organization:**

The Libraries are in the midst of a strategic planning process for
2006-2009. As part of the first phase, we requested and received four
new positions (covering web development, database programming, GIS
applications, and archival processing.) Funding has also been allocated
to staff a Copyright Office within Information Services. The materials
budget will increase by 8%, continuing the pattern of recent years.

The University Archives will become part of the Columbia University
Libraries on July 1^st^. The Archives currently reports to the Secretary
of the University.

**Acquisitions and Cataloging:**

We continue to receive shelf-ready books for about 50% of domestic firm
orders, and full catalog records with domestic approvals. (Our return
rate on approvals is too high for shelf-ready.) We are awaiting a test
file of catalog records from Aux Amateurs, and expect to begin receiving
enhanced records from Casalini. We are trying to expand receipt of
vendor records with Embedded Order Data, and most recently are working
with China National Publishing Industry Trading Corp.

In conjunction with strategic planning, we are re-examining all local
practices that differ from standard workflows, and will attempt to
reduce these where possible to improve efficiency and expand the
potential pool for shelf-ready books.

**Electronic Resources:**

Endeavor's Meridian system is in full production for databases (recently
upgraded to Version 1.5) though we are still awaiting delivery of a
standard loader for SerialsSolutions records before loading individual
e-journals. We are in the process of recruiting (again) for a Networked
Electronic Resources Librarian.

Many free electronic resources and individual titles within aggregations
are being cataloged by allowing selectors to key data into a web form
and automatically generating MARC records for cataloger review and
enhancement. Tests have shown that this process reduces cataloging time
by 50%.

Our locally-developed Hierarchical Interface to LC Classification
(HILCC) has been licensed by SerialsSolutions as the basis for its
subject interface to ejournals.

**Digital Archiving and Institutional Repository:**

Columbia has joined Portico, continues to use LOCKSS, and has deposited
the content from some of our digitization projects in OCLC's Digital
Archive. We also plan to implement D-Space over the summer. We expect to
begin contributing records to the OCLC/DLF Registry of Digital Masters
shortly, and plan to track archiving arrangements through Meridian.

We have renewed our license for ProQuest Digital Commons, and are
working with a number of academic centers to incorporate additional
content.

**Scholarly Publishing:**

The Libraries, through the Libraries Digital Program, is now publishing
its first open-access journal, the Columbia Undergraduate Science
Journal <http://cusj.columbia.edu/cusj/>

The Libraries are continuing to work with the Electronic Publishing
Initiative at Columbia on automatic metadata generation (in MODS format)
for the working papers and conference reports in CIAO, Columbia
International Affairs Online.

**Building Projects:**

Planning is well under way for a new science building that will
consolidate four of the current eight departmental science libraries
(with most print materials going to offsite storage. **)** Meanwhile,
the existing Geology Library is being reduced in size to allow
construction of laboratory space.

The final phase of Butler Library renovation is now under way,
completing a project begun over 10 years ago.

The second and final phase of renovation for the Avery Art and
Architectural Library has entered the planning phase.

The Board of Trustees has approved construction of a fifth module at
ReCAP, the offsite shelving facility shared by Columbia, NYPL, and
Princeton. We now have over 2.3 million volumes stored at ReCAP.