University Governance
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LIBRARIES COMMITTEE FOR FY08
STANDING CHARGES
1. Monitor the Libraries’ allocation of resources—staff, physical space, collections, digitally-based information, and equipment—in light of the needs of different academic disciplines. Assess the adequacy of these resources to support teaching and research. Communicate with the Dean of Libraries as appropriate and report important issues and any recommendations for action to SenEx. (ongoing)
ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
It appears that Dean Haricombe has done an outstanding job of carefully budgeting and allocating financial resources. For example, this year she was able to purchase some important data bases for the Humanities while maintaining the holdings in other disciplines.
In the coming months she will be faced with the challenge of filling some staff positions that opened up because of academic moves and retirements, but progress is being made in that area.
There have been some changes in the use of physical space but those are moving along smoothly and the Committee did not become aware of any problems or complaints in that area.
The concerns and controversies that surfaced last year with regard to the storage of materials in the Annex appear to have been resolved and the Committee did not become aware of any new concerns. To avoid concerns about future moves of materials, Department Chairpersons have been sent notices regarding planned moves and the Chairpersons were asked for input.
2. Monitor the Libraries’ use of revenues generated by tuition enhancement and service fees. Communicate with the Dean of Libraries as appropriate and report important issues and any recommendations for action to SenEx. (ongoing)
ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
No concerns were raised concerning the use of these revenues.
3. Monitor the effectiveness of communication between the Libraries and students, faculty, and staff. Communicate with the Dean of Libraries as appropriate and report important issues and any recommendations for action to SenEx. (ongoing)
ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Dean Haricombe is an excellent communicator and she uses what might be referred to as “participatory administration” in which all relevant individuals are consistently involved.
The Library sponsored an information booth on “Wescoe Beach” that attracted considerable attention.
Unfortunately, the student member of the Committee never attended any of the meetings of the Committee.
4. Monitor developments in the Libraries’ application of University guidelines related to copyright and its impact on the Libraries’ capacity to provide access to learning materials, such as e-reserves and textbook materials, both on site and remotely. Identify issues for which policy should be developed or revised. (ongoing)
RECOMMENDATIONS:
In addition to monitoring issues related to copyrighted materials on an ongoing basis, the Library (in conjunction with the Provost’s Office) sponsored a very successful “Copyright Symposium” that was attended by faculty and staff from KU as well as individuals from a variety of other academic institutions. The Library is clearly keeping up with these difficult issues and taking a leadership role.
5. Communicate with the Dean of Libraries concerning longer range planning by the Libraries and methods to assess the effectiveness of library services. (ongoing)
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Long range planning was discussed in conjunction with most of the issues discussed above and indeed careful planning is being done. Beyond that, it is noteworthy that at the suggestion of Dean Haricombe, Susanne Clement conducted a series of empirical investigations of the effectiveness of the outsourcing of the book selection process, which is of course crucial for the Library. Those investigations revealed that the process is working very well. Additional investigations are planned.
SPECIFIC CHARGES
1. Review the process for selecting materials for storage in the Library Annex, assess its implications for support of teaching and learning, and develop recommendations for governance action, if appropriate. Report recommendation to SenEx by December 3, 2007.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
See Point 1 above.
2. Review the Libraries’ efforts to improve access to KU Libraries and other resources by digital initiatives, taking account of the experience of peer institutions. Report recommendations for action, if any, to SenEx by March 7, 2008.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Nothing to report.