University of Minnesota Libraries, Bigheads Round Robin

January 2006

University news:

The University of Minnesota strategic initiative to reposition the
University as a top research institution continues with the work of 36
planning committees posted for public review. The budget model has
already been changed to a model in which the Libraries and other central
services attribute their costs to collegiate units. Collegiate units
receive all of their tuition, fee, and indirect cost revenue and then
pay for central services. A "weighted head count measure" will be used
to apportion costs.

Libraries news:

Linda Watson was hired as the Director of the Health Sciences Libraries,
coming from the University of Virginia. Kris Keisling joined the
Libraries as Elmer L. Andersen Director of Archives and Special
Collections, coming from the University of Texas -- Austin.

ILS:

We migrated to version 17of Aleph in August 2005. The migration went
well and training was minimal, but subsequent patches have generated
maintenance work as indexes needed to be rebuilt and resulted in
unexpected changes to processes. Thus, there has not been time to move
forward as quickly as hoped with the implementation of reporting tools
(ARC), display of CJK vernacular, and other desired enhancements. In
preparation for effective use of the OCLC Collections Analysis tool (as
part of a CIC project), we have resent all of our records to OCLC,
hoping to correct some long-standing inaccuracies in the representation
of our holdings. The project seems to be moving forward successfully
with close to 93 percent of our holdings loaded as of mid-December.

Process improvement:

In the summer 2005, University of Minnesota Libraries embarked on a
process improvement project to address all monographic activities from
"Selection to Access." This collaborative effort, which is co-owned by
Collections Development, Academic Programs, and Access Services, has
progressed well. In July and August, R2 consultants did an analysis of
monographs processing from the point of selection to access (available
for patrons). Their report and recommendations were well received and,
in September, an implementation team began work to implement the basic
recommendations. Those include significant expansion and revision of
approval plans, online selection in vendor databases, more use of shelf
ready services, and fuller use of Aleph functionality. This project will
likely take a year to achieve all expected benefits.

Technical Services:

Acquisitions: Monographs acquisitions is extensively involved in the
Selection to Access Process improvement implementation.

Serials: We are concerned about the temporary loss (in Aleph v. 17) of
the ability to load serials invoices and the prospect of keying in the
payments this year. We are beta testing EDI serials claiming with Ex
Libris.

Cataloging: We continue to use one-time funding and redirected funding
to tackle cataloging projects such as cataloging the Elmer L. Andersen
gift collection; the Basil Laordes Modern Greek Collection; the Tretter
Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies;
Scandinavian documents; the Kirschner Cookbook Collection; and our
historical collection of print newspapers. We have also reclassed some
of our remaining Dewey collections (a portion of literature), and
reclassed (and converted to online) records for music scores. Serials
catalogers are very pleased with the SFX MARCit record loading process
and are engaged in an extensive clean-up project related to these loads.
We withdrew 23,000 added copies that had not circulated in 10 years.

Information Technology:

A Libraries-wide IT initiative to explore a peer consultant model and to
develop staff development IT training has progressed. A core skill set
for all staff has been defined. All library staff soon will have
completed a skills assessment questionnaire. Based on the results of
that questionnaire, Libraries Human Resources will build a training
program to ensure that all staff have basic information technical
skills.