1. Approval of October 5, 2000 minutes and November 13, 2000 minutes
2. Introduction of our new librarian and LAUC-I member
Sisson introduced and welcomed Rich Zwies (from the Library School at UCLA)who is going to be our Web master extraordinaire, specifically helping us with the Library's Web Page. His office is in the Science suite, Room 243, in the Science Library.
3. Honoring our retiring librarians
Sara Eichhorn and Eric MacDonald are retiring. Eric could not come to the meeting. J. Sisson mentioned how nice it was to work with Sara and how much we will miss her. Several members spoke in tribute to Sara Eichhorn. Judy Horn read poems she had written in tribute to Sara Eichhorn (it contained the line "hardwork was her middle name"), and to Eric MacDonald entitled "Why is Eric Retiring?" There was applause and Sara thanked everybody.
4. MELVYL RFP process update and report-- Diane Bisom
D. Bisom gave an update of the MELVYL RFP process. D. Bisom replaced C. Clark on the committee. The first part was the RFP itself. They are now on the 2nd part. The group that put the RFP was composed of representatives from each campus, and representatives from CDL. The RFP was developed by input from the campuses and sent out to all the usual suspects. The RFP development Group was reconvened into the Evaluations Steering Committee. They have received 8 responses back on the RFP. The RFP was composed of 3 sections: for the Catalog, the Databases, and the User interfaces. The vendors were told to respond to all or sections. The process is still ongoing, so no specifics can be given. Questions went back out to the vendors. It's narrowed down and not at the point of a final announcement; there are continuing discussions with vendors and there is probably focus on one vendor; and they are looking at purchasing. The committee had its last meeting on November 20. SOPAG is looking at whether CDL should continue to host the Melvyl databases or looking at alternatives--this was not part of the RFP process. As they move into contract negotiations, there are lots of implementation, training and time-frame issues. Don't anticipate that anything will happen or change Melvyl; they are hoping to see some prototypes or beta tests; they don't have to take that system down. Implementation schedule cannot be set until a vendor is selected. There was a reassurance that it was not a particular vendor.
Members are: Yvonne Wilson (chair), Bill Wong, Sally Tseng.
Special election in December on LAUC Bylaws -- Yvonne Wilson
Bylaws change was proposed last Spring and affirmed by the Fall Assembly. One can vote on each amendment or accept or reject all amendments. The ballots are due January 5, 2001.
There were a lot of volunteers for the LAUC Spring Assembly April 26-27, 2001 at UCI. Members of the local arrangements committee are: Julia Gelfand (chair), Judy Bube, Roumiana Katzarkov, Bill Landis, Christina Woo, and Richard Zwies. We will hear more from them and there will be a Spring Program.
J. Sisson gave the background information on the Governance Committee and the resolution that was passed at LAUC Spring assembly resulted in Inouye's November 13 letter.
At the Spring Assembly there was discussion of the Criteria for the distinguished career. Outstanding activity in Criterion 1 should be reflected and part of a distinguished career; it was always implied but never explicitly said. They put together a letter asking the University Librarians for this current review cycle, the one we are in, that this be considered. We may be discussing this later. J. Kaufman wanted to be at this meeting today but she couldn't; she may be sending an e-mail this week giving her comments how this should be implemented.
LAUC President Cathy Palmer will be meeting with the ULs about this on December 14, 2000. Barb Lucas as the head of the LAUC Professional Governance Committee will also be there. ULs have not talked among themselves about this, just asking them to have conversation would lead to consistency and achieving a common understanding.
One of the points raised in the ensuing discussion was that there was no mandate to do this. This was putting the cart before the horse. This matter has not been discussed at the various LAUC divisions. ULs reach a common understanding before the various LAUCs have a common understanding. Another point was that it was not clear from Inouye's letter whether distinguished in Criterion 1 is required or is sufficient for distinguished status.
J. Gelfand moved that LAUC-I President, J. Sisson, write to all ULs and that we at our local chapter have had this preliminary discussion and we are very concerned about hasty action and welcome the chance that they are having this conversation but that we have enormous reservations about the tone, and personally she thought it is not at all compatible with the distinguished in the Professorial ranks for primary work. J. Sisson asked J. Gelfand to restate her motion: "I would like LAUC-I Executive Board to draft a letter before the UL meeting this week urging caution about acting on this without wider discussion at all levels of the LAUC membership." J. Ariel seconded it but said that she should prefer a more informal approach, and that there was no mandate at this point. The motion failed. D. Bisom urged that no letter be written to the ULs going beyond LAUC but that it be directed to the LAUC Executive Board. C. Riggs moved that J. Sisson draft a letter to the LAUC Executive Board to adopt a broad interpretation rather than a narrow interpretation and that it be inclusive. D. Bisom seconded it. J. Sisson made the friendly amendment that he or the Executive Board draft a letter to the LAUC Executive Board concerning the interpretation of criterion 1. The motion passed.
C. Palmer has called for a Task Force to evaluate the University Librarians advisory structure. With Library Council going away, LAUC does not have formal representation with the University Librarians. We do not have a clear reporting relationship and when committees are formed we are not always invited to have a a member. The task is to come up with a better reporting relationship.
Deconstructing MELVYL and the migration from MELVYL Medline to PubMED.
Special election coming up on LAUC By laws changes--some of the changes are old to new wording because of changes: 10 campuses now rather than 9 because of Merced, the University Librarians Council no longer exists, etc. Read them carefully.
Upcoming meetings: Criteria document and the Workplan Guidelines are still in committee discussion.
No January meeting because of the calendar: ALA midwinter and the Martin Luther King Monday.
Julia Gelfand wanted to put Professional Development issues on the agenda for the February 12th meeting. Yvonne Wilson said that the base allotment is in place and people should send their questions to the Professional Development Committee. She also said that there are 2 major issues to deal with at that meeting. One hour was needed to discuss the Draft Workplan Guidelines; it shouldn't be shortchanged.
University Library Gerry Munoff will come to the March General Membership meeting and so we will need to discuss at the February 12 meeting what we would like Gerry Munoff to talk about. So another hour was needed to discuss that.
There will be an emergency meeting on the Draft Workplan Guidelines, which will be out shortly, for people to comment on January 22, 2001 at an early bird 8:30-10.
Yvonne Wilson moved to adjourn and Dawn Anderson seconded it.