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Reference Committee

Meeting Minutes—December, 2007

Present:  Mary Adler (MFD), Meg Allen (BAR), Gregg Drexler (SEQ), Tana Elias (MAD), Jack Faulkner-Becker (STP), Bev Kennedy (PAR), Eric Norton (MCM), Amy Sabo (NGL), Jaime Vaché (STO), Jim Jonas (UW-Madison CIMC), Cheryl Becker, Kerri Hilbelink, Jean Anderson (SCLS)

1. September Minutes:  Approved
   
   

2. News and Updates: 
   
   

   1. Database process developed by the Reference Committee was approved by PLAC
      
      

   2. Learning Express Implementation:
      
      Set to go live in January
      Can request support materials (fliers, etc)
      Training will be offered
      Training session will be recorded and made available
      Will be listed on Databases section of SCLS page
      
      

   3. Promotion of Databases
      
      Different bookmarks for different subjects
      Arranged more by topic / type of user (e.g. business, seniors, etc.) than name of Database
      
      

   4. Mango (free alternative to Rosetta Stone)—Try it out.  Good for folks learning other languages, good for Spanish speakers wanting to learn English.
      
      
      

3. Linking to SCLS Databases from UW Madison Libraries web pages. Other academic libraries too?
   
   

   1. Everyone seemed interested

   2. Get more people into the libraries to get cards – this is a win-win

   3. Cards will be necessary to authenticate

   4. Learning Express Library will require a card to authenticate

   5. Authentication will require the right URL – cgi script not visible in link
      
      

4. EBSCOhost Visual Search
   
   

   1. It will appear as a tab of the interface

   2. Requires Flash

   3. We can choose to implement (or not)

   4. Whatever we decide will be controlled at the system level

   5. Requires 800x600 minimum screen resolution
      
      

5. Gale Virtual Reference Library
   
   

   1. Patron-driven acquisition model

   2. Cheryl sent out an email about this at the end of November.  Not many libraries responded.

   3. Gale reps approached us with this “offer” at WLA conference

   4. The way the patron-driven model would work is:
      We spend some money up from and a certain amount per year
      We would have access to everything in the GVRL published by Gale and subsidiaries
      We would buy the titles people use most

   5. Because of the new structure, both Gale and SCLS would kind of be making this up as we go along

   6. Maybe this is worth a try—Maybe not system-wide, just those that wanted to come up with the money

   7. Patron-driven model has promise

   8. Cheryl will send the information again.
      
      

6. Review March Survey Documents
   
   

   1. Three pieces: memo, ballot and background

   2. Short, simple, clear – everyone OK with it

   3. SCLS will follow up with non-responders
      
      

Announcement:  Tana—Just discovered that Ancestry Library can be used on the wireless within the library (As a result of the new static wireless IPs?)

Next meeting: March 18, 2008.

Jim Jonas, Notetaker

For more information about the Reference Committee, contact Cheryl Becker.

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