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Faculty Executive Committee
Faculty Senate Library Committee
AY 2013-2014 Final Report
28 May 2014
Meetings.
The Library Committee met on August 28, 2013; September 20, 2013; October 25, 2013;
November 8, 2013; March 28, 2014; and April 25, 2014. No meetings were held in December, 2013, or in January and May, 2014, due to scheduling conflicts and a lack of pressing business. All meetings achieved a quorum. Attendance by members was generally regular; absences were noted and excused by the Chair.
Membership . Elected: Kimberly DeFazio (Recorder); Abdulaziz Elfessi; Taviare Hawkins; Sergey
Komissarov; Sumei Liu; James Murray; Shelley Sinclair (Chair); Amy Wolff. Student Member (March):
Sarah Achenbach. Ex Officio: Jenifer Holman (Chair, Library Department). Resource: Catherine
Lavallee-Welch (Director of Library Services).
Faculty Executive Committee Special Charges.
The Library Committee did not receive any special charges from the Faculty Executive Committee this year. The Committee thus served primarily as a consultative body, addressing a number of important and informative issues.
Academic Initiatives Allocation.
The Library Committee was informed of the AIOC budget proposals for the AY 2013-2014. The requested amount was slightly larger than that proposed for last year because of an increase in electronic source fees. The proposed budget included expanded hours, additional student help, and e-resources and databases. The Library did receive a grant; however, the AIOC recommended that certain cuts in the e-resources budget be made.
Journal Acquisitions Cancellations.
The Library Committee was consulted on a list of expensive journal subscriptions that are rarely, if ever, used by faculty or students to determine if they should be cancelled. Many of these journals are available through InterLibrary Loan, Universal Borrowing or digital databases. After review and discussion, the Committee agreed that the journal subscriptions should be cancelled.
New Design of Murphy Library’s Website.
After a presentation on the new features of the redesigned
Murphy Library website, the Committee was consulted concerning user friendliness, ease of navigation, and suggestions on how the website might be improved. In particular, the committee was asked to address whether faculty and students were using both the new discovery system (Search@UW) and a

new tool (LIBX) available for downloading to facilitate the search for articles or books in UW-L’s library catalogues.
Search@UW.
The Committee was consulted on Murphy Library’s recently implemented discovery system, Search@UW, a new database accessible on the Library’s home page. The Committee was asked to address whether faculty and students were aware of and utilizing the new system, and to consider whether any problems of usage might occur, or have already occurred.
Browzine.
The Committee was consulted on the possible acquisition of Browzine, a new free app, which would allow users of mobile devices such as I-Pads or tablets to create libraries of peer-reviewed and other scholarly journals.
LibQual Survey.
The Committee was consulted on the nation-wide LibQual survey which began on April
1, 2014 at UW-L. Designed by the Association of Libraries and the LibQual Group, the survey assesses satisfaction with library services, collections, and information gathering and control. After the survey closed, the Committee then discussed certain concerns raised by faculty members, in particular the cumbersome format of the survey and the necessity of three categories of answers for each question.
The Committee also inquired whether it would be possible for Murphy Library to devise and conduct its own survey rather than employ LibQual. That issue is still under consideration and will depend upon university-wide interest in the adoption of a new survey.
Open Access.
Due to the rising cost of journal subscriptions and the subsequent difficulty in maintaining or increasing journal collections, the Committee was consulted on the feasibility and desirability of a digital repository at UW-L that would make available (at no cost) articles that have been previously published in journals which allow publication in open access venues. (Eighty percent of journals currently do permit such publication.) The benefits of such a digital repository include the increased availability of faculty research and publications to local, national and global scholars. Questions were raised by Committee members concerning copyright issues; the problem of publishing in journals which do not allow open access archiving; and whether UW-L should establish a mandate requiring faculty articles to be included in the digital repository, or simply encouraging such deposition. It was agreed that more time is needed to consider the ramifications and benefits of open access at UW-L and that the
Committee will continue its discussion during the next academic year.
Remodeling of Murphy Library.
The Committee was also consulted about the proposed remodeling of
Murphy Library. New projects will address water infiltration problems; additional computer work stations; the Institute Center for Excellence; a possible multimedia lab; creation of a new location for special collections; and the renovation of the circulation desk area. The Committee was also invited to attend a presentation by the UW-Whitewater Director of the Center for Students with Disabilities, who discussed universal design and possibilities for the remodeling of the main floor entrance and exit, the circulation desk, the reference area, and computer/printer stations to make them more welcoming and more accessible to all faculty and students.