CUWL Distance Library Services Standing Committee
Minutes, 7/21/08

Present: Renee Sikma, Stefan Smith, Renee Buker, Heather Weltin, Leigh Dorsey, Jana Reeg-Steidinger, and Kristen Lindquist (representing UW-Superior)

Call to order: 11:05 am

Agenda

1. Review/revise/approve draft list of Key Expectations, compiled by Heather and Kyle (posted on our Wiki page).

The group approved the list of key expectations as posted on the wiki. No specific action items will be created based on the list; notes will be posted on the wiki to indicate which key expectations the committee is currently addressing.



2. Suggestions for a "DE Map" as listed in Heather and Kyle's list.

Leigh has started the DE Map by compiling a list of all campuses’ distance education library service pages (posted to the wiki). She asked for suggestions of other information that would be helpful to gather from each campus. Some suggestions from the group included:

• Forms of ID accepted when checking out library materials
• Availability and location of public access computers in the library
• Compilation of joint programs within UW System
• What is used for login information (Voyager, proxy server, etc)?
• Options available for distance students making interlibrary loan requests
• Who qualifies as DE on each campus?
• How do distance students return books delivered to them (postage prepaid, return to local UW, mail back w/o postage prepaid, etc)?

Stefan suggested that the committee may want to make some of this information public for DE students to use. A public version would likely be posted somewhere other than the CUWL wiki – perhaps CUWL could host a site for this use. Leigh and Heather will explore options for hosting a public segment of the DE Map.



3. Discussion--How do you promote Library DE Services to faculty and students--what are you doing to gear up for the start of the school year?

Each campus represented at the meeting reported on methods they use to promote the library’s DE services, as well as challenges they face in this process:

• UW-La Crosse – La Crosse provides a print brochure for DE students and faculty and emails DE faculty to inform them of services (difficult to determine/target DE students); the campus just hired a DE coordinator and created a new DE website, which may help in promotion efforts.
• UW-Stout – Stout contacts all DE instructors and works with several on information literacy assignments; they participate in on-campus visits by DE students; Flash demos are provided on library website for students, and they’re working to create LibGuide pages specifically for DE; however, it is difficult to identify (and thus reach) hybrid courses on campus.
• UW-Colleges – DE students and faculty are identified as attending a “13th campus”, which easily enables sending informational emails to all DE folks (couple times a semester); Colleges also provides online tutorials for distance use.
• UW-Madison – Difficult to coordinate service to all DE programs, as several specialized libraries have their own DE experts/contacts; Heather hopes to make a more coordinated effort in marketing the services campus wide.
• UW Oshkosh – Difficult to determine DE classes/instructors/students; Oshkosh identifies and contacts instructors in programs as they are discovered and tries to stay part of program orientation sessions (mostly in-person, on-campus or off-campus).
• UW-Milwaukee – Again, difficult to identify DE classes/instructors/students, although some programs provide lists of students enrolled for the semester; Milwaukee is also involved in the orientation programs for several DE programs.

Since several members are interested in reworking their library DE services brochures (or creating one for the first time), it was suggested that all members of the committee share copies of their print or online brochures via the email list.


Next meeting: Tentatively scheduled for 11 am-12 noon on Monday, September 15. Heather will email the committee closer to the date to see if rescheduling is necessary (due to beginning of the semester schedules).

Meeting adjourned: 11:48 am