From: scott@sklib.usask.ca
Subject: Preliminary Information on a CWIS Workshop - IUCC/SCONUL/CUA (Fwd)
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 12:18:15 GMT

              JOINT WORKSHOP ON CWIS DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT


A workshop being run in 1993 on behalf of:

IUCC - Inter University Committee on Computing
SCONUL - Standing Conference on National and University Libraries
CUA - Committee of University Administrators


This mailing includes:

Introduction and summary of what is intended
Call for Organisers
Call for Papers 
================================================================================

Introduction:
=============

Campus Wide Information Systems (CWIS) have been a frequent topic of discussion
over recent years, at a number of levels and by a number of bodies.

Despite this there has been no national consideration of the issues. There is
still a high level of interest in (and ignorance of) matters concerning the
design, implementation and management of a CWIS. Individual sites wishing to
initiate a CWIS (or enhance/replace existing systems) are still each carrying
out comparisons and evaluations of existing software. In the majority of cases
sites have produced their own CWIS, rather than take an existing system.

The problems associated with the provision of information for a CWIS are
currently poorly understood, each site having to develop its own data provision
models on a trial and error basis. An opportunity is required to discuss the
relative merits of methods developed at different sites.

There is also a need to look to the future: there are developing standards for
information storage and retrieval; wide area information services are gaining
in availability and popularity; more information sources (databases, journals) 
are becoming available online.


To cater for some of the above,  the IUCC,  SCONUL  and the CUA are planning a
joint workshop.

The topics to be covered include:

Technical issues
	hardware
	software 
	integration with existing services (OPAC, X500 etc)
	functionality
	user interface
	wide area information services
	standards for information storage and retrieval

Information issues
	models for information provision and maintenance
	tools for providers
	screen design and presentation of information
	integration/co-operation with existing information channels
	data privacy and copyright
	implications of providing information online 
		(cost benefits, effects of context)

Management issues
	publicity for a CWIS
	status within an institution
	editorial board
	open/controlled access
	usage monitoring and user/providers feedback
	problems/values of anonymous access



The following are a number of results that should follow from the workshop:

  - an increased awareness of the issues involved in running a CWIS
  - guidelines for "good practice" 
  - an increased awareness of standards for information storage and retrieval
  - a commitment that the UK academic world adopt such standards as are deemed
    appropriate
  - an increased awareness of wide area information services
  - a commitment to providing easy access to distributed information sources

==============================================================================

CALL FOR ORGANISERS
===================

A small number of willing people are required to help organise the workshop. It
is expected that there will be at least one person representing each of the
three major "worlds" involved - computing services, libraries, administration -
plus other interested parties.

Of prime importance at present, however, is a volunteer site. The requirements
for this are:

- Workshop to be held either January 1993 or over the Easter period 1993
  (some possible dates to avoid (but not necessarily vital) include:
    March 17-19       SCONUL Conference
    March 23-25       JNT Workshop
    March 30-31       IUCC AGM
    March 31-April 2  CSR Conference) 

- Workshop to run from afternoon day 1 through to afternoon day 2

- 100-150 people to be accommodated overnight and nourished for the 24-hour 
  period

- Lecture/seminar rooms to accommodate the whole group and the group split into
  4-5 groups for workshop sessions

- Each room will need at least one network connection for potential display/
  demonstration purposes. Ideally at least one room should have multiple
  connections and be equipped with PC/Macs/terminals or whatever. The more
  equipment the better.


If initial enquiries at your site indicate that the accommodation/lecture rooms
etc could be provided, please let us know.

Also, anyone interested in helping with the organisation of the workshops
should express their interest to us. 

==============================================================================

CALL FOR PAPERS
===============

The broad outline of the subject matter to be covered was set out above. We
would be interested to hear from anyone willing to lead discussion/workshop
sessions on any of the topics listed, or indeed on any other aspect of CWIS
management and development

==============================================================================

Please address all offers to: SAJ@UK.AC.OXFORD.VAX



Steve Jones, Oxford University Computing Services
Mike Day, UMIST

On behalf of IUCC/SCONUL/CUA
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU