Reference New Service Models Implementation Team
March 4, 2011
230B Library
8:00 – 9:00 am
Members present: Frances Harris (Chair), Pat Allen, Merinda Hensley, Nancy O’Brien, Sue Searing, Sarah
Shreeves, Scott Walter (Administrative Liaison), David Ward
Welcome and Introductions
Harris welcomed the members and introduced the team charge.
Implementation Team Charge and Ground Rules
Harris noted the basic ground rule: the team is not here to review or re-open discussion on directions
recommended in the Planning Team report, but to shape the way in which those directions are pursued.
Harris noted the breadth of the charge, and the fact that it calls for a draft report to be delivered to the
Dean of Libraries by March 30th.
Timeline and Order of Tasks
Committee discussed the staging of different charges given to the committee.
On specific charges, the committee discussed issues related to the “knowledge base,” e.g., the question
of whether KB software understood to be under consideration for IT purchase would serve this role.
Committee discussed other systems known to be in use around the Library that might also serve as the
framework for a “knowledge base.” Harris will pursue question of rumored IT purchase with Beth
Sandore. Committee discussed the framework for effective referral and the limitations of the current
“subject specialists” listing
<http://www.library.illinois.edu/administration/collections/subjectdirectory.html>. Committee
members noted related discussions of this page, including those had recently by the Social Science
Division and the Advisory Committee to the Associate University Librarian for Services. Shreeves noted
the “expert directory” approach adopted by the Scholarly Commons
<http://www.library.illinois.edu/sc/resources/resources_experts> as a possible model.
Subcommittees and Assignments
Committee members discussed charge items that could be pursued initially by sub-committees and
charge items better addressed by a committee of the whole. Referring to the specific charges listed on
the team’s charge from the Executive Committee, the following, initial assignments were made:
Charge Items 1 & 2 (Allen, Hensley, Shreeves)
Charge Item 3 (Searing, Shreeves, Ward)
Charge Item 4 (All)
Charge Items 5 & 6 (Allen, Hensley, O’Brien)
Charge Item 7 (Searing, Ward, Walter)
Charge Item 8 (All)
Initial discussions of charge items to be prepared by sub-committees and shared with the entire
committee by March 18th.
Walk-Through
Related to the charge to recommend a location for the Main Library Reference Desk, committee
members reviewed proposed spaces on the 1st and 2nd floors of the Main Library. Harris will schedule a
committee meeting to make this determination first, as it will inform the work of the subcommittees.