|
Transforming CSU Libraries for the 21st Century: A Progress Report and Next Steps
The successes described in the report are impressive. They demonstrate the advantages of strategic planning, but more importantly they testify to the benefits of teamwork and dedication among a large network of CSU educators. The Council of Library Directors gratefully acknowledges the critical role played by the Commission on Learning Resources and Information Technology in providing the leadership and the insight that so greatly facilitated the accomplishments cited below. What we do next is critical. We have made progress but there is much more to be done. The Council of Library Directors looks forward to making the Strategic Plan a living document reflecting the changes that have occurred over the past three years and positioning CSU Libraries to lead the way into the 21st century. It is our goal to have the highest quality of services and programs available to the students and faculty of the California State University. We are excited by the prospects before us. The opportunities have never been greater. The report has a three part structure: 1.) goals, 2.) accomplishments, and 3.) next steps.
Goal Area A INFORMATION RESOURCES Goals
Systemwide Accomplishments Strategy: Universal Online Bibliographic Access Unified Information Access System (UIAS) is one of two projects of the ITS Library Resource Sharing Initiative sponsored by CLRIT. To begin implementation of this strategy COLD selected, and IRT contracted, RMG Consultants to work with an internal Review Group in developing a plan for a UIAS. A UIAS is defined as a single, easy to use, information search and retrieval interface. It allows an authorized user at any Internet connected computer to get access to a broad spectrum of information resources in print, networked electronic and other relevant formats, ideally with a single search. An RFP was developed and issued on June 24, 1996. Final contract negotiations are expected to be completed in May 1997. For more information see the UIAS project Web page at http://uias.calstate.edu. COLD will create an electronic information resources core collection based on approved principles and criteria in order to enhance universal access for CSU students and faculty and to achieve maximum efficiency in negotiations with information providers. Strategy: Integration of Information Resources with Emerging Instructional Technologies The CSU-SUNY-CUNY Joint Committee has established a Work Group on Distance Learning: Library Services in the Information Age. The purpose of the committee is to identify library services needed for distance learning programs, and to establish national standards through a "Distance Learning Library Bill of Rights". Strategy: Increased Access to Knowledge and Information Resources Outside the CSU The CSU has formed an Ariel Electronic Delivery network for the 22 CSU Libraries Ariel allows each CSU Library to receive interlibrary loan articles and other documents in digital form with high resolution images. The Ariel Network has significantly increased the speed with which materials are delivered between cooperating libraries. The Academic Information Services Cooperative (AISC) is another project of the ITS Library Resource Sharing Initiative sponsored by CLRIT. The AISC will provide a comprehensive program for cost-effective access to information resources (Bibliographic Capability), will fund expedited interlibrary loan programs from Berkeley, Davis, and UCLA and subsidize delivery costs among CSU Libraries (Delivery Capability), and will explore cooperative systemwide and consortial acquisition of resources. Strategy: Copyright Leadership The Joint Committee has formed a Work Group on Ownership, Legal Rights of Use, and Fair Use. This Work Group prepared (1) a Statement of Principles, (2) Intellectual Property Guidelines and Fair-Use Principles, and (3) the pamphlet "Fair Use of Copyrighted Works" incorporating the principles and guidelines. Strategy: Institutional Collaboration CSU has been very involved in the creation of a California multitype library network. Representatives from COLD and the Chancellor's Office have served on the California Library Networking Task Force and its three distinct units: Network Steering Committee, Network Resource Libraries Group, and Network Planning Group. A funding proposal has been submitted to the State and action is anticipated next fiscal year. Statewide funding of this network will reinforce CSU efforts to extend access to information and to use non-CSU funds where possible to facilitate this effort. The Joint Task Force on UC/CSU Library Collaboration been formed and is exploring cooperative digitizing projects, consortial purchasing and licensing of digital information resources, and other areas of common interest. The CSU-SUNY-CUNY Joint Committee has formed a Work Group on Acquisitions and Access. One purpose of the work group is to leverage the size of the three systems in order to persuade publishers to provide full-text access to their publications. It has explored contractual arrangements with print publishers. It is anticipated that Ariel links will be developed between libraries in the three systems. A cooperative purchasing program between the CSU, SUNY, and CUNY has been inaugurated with an Encyclopedia Britannica Online subscription agreement. Further efforts will be necessary in order to create a viable ongoing program. Sonoma is partnering with twenty other libraries in the North Bay multitype library network to engineer a gateway system similar to the CSU's Unified Information Access System. The San Francisco Public Library has joined this effort. Pomona and San Diego also are partnering in the development of similar regional networks. Strategy: Organizing Effective and Efficient Access to Electronic Resources COLD is preparing a series of major papers and documents including (1) a White Paper on the status of CSU Libraries collections, (2) a proposal for a cooperative collection development program to facilitate the building of print, electronic, and collections in other formats in support of the curriculum within the CSU, (3) CSU Principles for Resource Sharing and Funding, (4) CSU Principles for Acquisition of Electronic Information Resources, and (5) CSU Criteria for an Electronic Information Resources Core Collection. The COLD Electronic Access to Resources Committee identifies electronic products appropriate for purchase by multiple campuses. The Chancellor's Office staff negotiate the terms of these contracts and work with each campus to assist with the implementation and monitoring of the products. Major developments in the past year have been the acquisition of the First Search databases, the Encyclopedia Britannica online, and the Academic Press package of full-text journal titles. COLD is exploring the feasibility of cataloging individual titles contained within full-text electronic resources, e.g., Project MUSE and Academic Press IDEAL. Campus Accomplishments Strategy: Universal Online Bibliographic Access Bakersfield Created Watson, a UNIX-based program with access to the online catalog and 4.8 million bibliographic records in seven tape mounted databases. The program's features include broadcast searching, an extrapolation algorithm for optimizing search time, and web browsing. Sonoma created the first CSU Z39.50-compatible WWW access to OPAC on its DRA system. Strategy: Integration of Information Resources with Emerging Instructional Technologies Many CSU Libraries developed Web gateways to CD-ROM, campus, and Internet databases accessible from the library, campus, and remote locations which greatly enhance library services available to distant learners or regular students and faculty while at home. Improved electronic access to government documents is being provided via a demonstration project at Sonoma State. A database containing the full-text of all voter propositions from 1990 to date was made available in August 1995. It is accessible through the Sonoma State Library home page at http://www.sonoma.edu/library. A funding award has been made to the San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science for a program of collection development (networked digital instructional resources) for distance learning. Chico developed a Web page for distance education with links to library resources, other information resources, e-mail reference desk and document delivery. Following the pioneering work done on electronic reserves at San Diego, Sacramento is installing an electronic reserve system with remote access planned for stage two. Development of an innovative prototype Web-based electronic reserve system is underway at Humboldt. San Luis Obispo developed a public Geographic Information System (GIS) terminal that facilitates campus use of spatial data. Strategy: Increased Access to Knowledge and Information Resources Outside the CSU Beginning with Northridge after the earthquake, many CSU libraries subsidize faculty and, in some cases, student initiated ordering and delivery of articles from CARL UnCover. Chico developed a government documents homepage with links to thousands of sources of government information; it also provides e-mail reference desk for documents questions. Most other campuses have included Web links to key gateways to government documents maintained by government agencies. Strategy: Digitizing and Imaging of CSU Print Resources CSU Libraries are illustrating the potential value of their special collections by digitizing sources of information for researchers worldwide. Some of the notable projects are: Sacramento will provide Web multimedia access to the Library's Japanese-American Collections. Students and faculty will be able to examine a variety of materials including photographs, internment camp newsletters, original art, dolls, costumes, and sound recordings. San Luis Obispo will create a California Cultural Studies Digital Library. It will consist of eight collections of 20th century materials. Each collection contains unique materials on California architecture, history, politics, ethnography, and journalism. Humboldt and Stanislaus are participating in a pilot project to develop a campus digital image archive. "Images from the University Library Fine Art Collections," digitized images of over 350 original art prints along with information about the prints and their artists, will soon be mounted on WWW by Long Beach. Northridge has been invited by the Getty Museum to digitize some of its unique holdings on the Web as part of the project called the L.A. Concept. Strategy: Institutional Collaboration Humboldt is working with the community to create a regional community information network. Six CSU Libraries using the INNOPAC system are involved in a pilot project that includes a real-time union catalog with patron initiated interlibrary borrowing of books (Hayward, Fullerton, Pomona, San Diego, San Jose, and San Luis Obispo). With financial support from the Keck Foundation, Pomona developed a strong resource sharing G-4 Consortium with Caltech, Claremont, and Occidental. Sacramento is a participant in Net at Two Rivers, a $2,000,000 effort among thirty agencies that promotes economic prosperity and civic participation, educational excellence, and life-long learning by fostering greater use of information and communication mainly via the WWW. Strategy: Organizing Effective and Efficient Access to Electronic Resources Each CSU Library has developed a Library Website providing access to library information. Most also provide connections to bibliographic, abstract and full text databases. Some also provide guides to scholarly Web resources and offer e-mail reference desk and interlibrary loan services to campus. Continuous upgrades and expansion of networked offerings of databases and information services is also typical at each campus. A comprehensive collection development policy for electronic resources has been formulated at Pomona and Sacramento. Next Steps Acquire electronic reserve systems for all CSU Libraries. Acquire "table of contents" information from vendors such as Blackwell North America or OCLC to enhance access to monographs in online catalogs. Improve efficiency and ease of use of library resources through the creation of patron initiated services. Prepare cost estimates for the various materials delivery scenarios available with the implementation of the UIAS. Examine distributed learning models in use or anticipated within the CSU and create effective library programs to support them. Continue to strengthen the Academic Information Services Cooperative (AISC) in order to build a comprehensive program for cost effective access to information and to obtain a stable base of funding for systemwide resources sharing programs.
Goal Area B INSTRUCTION Goals Systemwide Accomplishments Strategy: Information Competence The Plan states that the CSU needs to "establish basic competence levels in the use of recorded knowledge and information and processes for assessment of student competence." This was the charge to the Work Group on Information Competence (CLRIT Task 6.1) which has submitted a major report called "Information Competence in the CSU: A Report." The report follows a systemwide a information competence workshop for CSU faculty and librarians. The work group has also awarded a grant to San Luis Obispo for a multilibrary cooperative project to develop technology-based instructional resources for teaching information competence. Strategy: Instructional Modules or Courses Librarians throughout the CSU have participated in the institutes held to develop a cadre of faculty who are empowered to infuse technology in the curriculum. Attendance at these institutes and the strengthening of contacts with the instructional faculty will position libraries to play a significant role in efforts to integrate technology into the curriculum. Campus Accomplishments Strategy: Instructional Modules or Courses All libraries are developing workshops, short courses, and/or course-related instruction to introduce students to print and electronic information at both the novice and advanced levels. The content of these offerings includes the use of CD-ROM databases, full-text electronic resources, and Internet resources. Libraries are teaching the content of the Internet and offering workshops on Internet navigation. Most libraries are developing guides for the use of electronic resources. Some libraries are offering workshops to specialized user groups. Los Angeles provides workshops for students from at-risk populations. Some libraries are designing specialized programs, Web sites, and services for distributed learning. Chico, San Marcos, and Sonoma have formed a three-campus partnership to develop and implement an Internet-based course for beginning business students. Sonoma offers five credit-bearing courses: Information Literacy for the Humanities, Sciences, Business, and Social Sciences, and Advanced Information Skills for Biology. Strategy: Course Design Librarians are active partners in developing innovative new approaches to courses through their involvement with the various centers and institutes for teaching and learning and faculty professional development. Strategy: Continuing Education for Discipline Faculty At Chico a faculty development model uses library faculty to coach instructional faculty teaching information literacy. Library faculty also teach sections of the course. Next Steps Create a core of library information competence courses, modules, and workshops for use at campuses throughout the CSU. Proposals funded under this program would be highly distributable and scalable. In collaboration with classroom faculty, explore a variety of approaches for increasing the integration of electronic resources into the curriculum.
Goal Area C HUMAN RESOURCES Goals Systemwide Accomplishments Strategy: Role of Librarians The CSU-SUNY-CUNY Joint Committee Work Group on the Role of the Librarian and Library Staff Development has prepared a document containing a vision statement for the academic library of the 21st century and a discussion of how roles for librarians and support staff must change to prepare for that future. The work group's document "Academic Libraries in the Information Age: Changing Roles" has been approved by COLD, CLRIT, and a consortium of the three systems' top administrators. Strategies: Staff Development Information & Technology and Diversity A CSU Committee on Library Staff Development has been formed to identify professional development and training needs of librarians and other staff and to recommend collaborative programs to address those needs. The committee has completed a needs assessment on potential staff development/training topics and is working with the San Jose State School of Library and Information Science to design a program of library staff development. A systemwide UIAS Readiness Workshop was conducted with more than 100 campus librarians and other staff in attendance. Team members representing library functional areas from each campus participated in discussions of the implications of UIAS and heard presentations by the five vendor finalists in preparation for evaluation of the vendors' pilot demonstrations. Campus Accomplishments Strategy: Staff Development Information & Technology Many campuses have allocated funding to local programs for library staff training designed to keep librarians and other staff abreast of changes in information technology. Los Angeles, for example, has created staff/faculty teams responsible for the development of instructional materials, classes, workshops and a variety of other learning tools designed to upgrade the information and computer literacy skills of all library personnel. Classes for the Master of Library Science degree are being offered by San Jose at Fullerton and San Francisco; plans are also being made to offer classes at Fresno and San Marcos. Strategy: Organization of Staffing Stanislaus and other campuses have reallocated human resources to provide more emphasis on and better support for electronic resources and services. Los Angeles has created a permanent full-time position responsible for the library's entire information infrastructure. Several libraries are developing and implementing new organizational structures more responsive to the rapidly changing educational and information technology environment. Pomona has implemented a program aimed at achieving greater efficiency and cost savings through outsourcing technical processing functions. A pilot telecommuting project is underway at San Marcos.
Next Steps Identify existing staff training and development programs that can be made available to other libraries across the system, and identify areas of need which can best be addressed through the development of systemwide training programs. In collaboration with the San Jose School of Library and Information Science, develop and make available systemwide programs of staff development in response to the assessment of existing needs. Design and implement a program of staff development to respond to the increasing variety of learning needs and circumstances of the CSU student population.
Goal Area D INFRASTRUCTURE Goal Systemwide Accomplishments Strategy: Development of Campus Prototype Facilities The CSU Task Force on Facility Planning for Library and Information Resources submitted its final report to the Commission on Technology Infrastructure in the Spring of 1996. Once adopted by the CSU, the report's framework for planning integrated information resource facilities will establish the basic understandings for library buildings of the future. Strategy: Connectivity through Networking Library directors have participated in efforts both systemwide and on campus to connect their libraries to local, state, and national networks. That participation has ensured that CSU Libraries are a priority in the Telecommunications Infrastructure Master Plan. Strategy: Universal Workstations The Unified Information Access System satisfies the basic requirement for a universal workstation at which a user can gain access to all necessary electronic resources. Campus Achievements Strategy: Development of Campus Prototype Facilities Several campuses are contracting for an architectural review and feasibility study which will guide libraries in planning for comprehensive infrastructure changes. Reference areas have been renovated in libraries to feature state-of-the-art networked access to information. Several libraries have completed seismic renovation projects. Northridge developed all of the plans for the rebuilding of the Oviatt Library after the earthquake devastation. Strategy: Connectivity Through Networking Campuses are providing appropriate networked computing resources for all library employees to bring necessary tools to each individual desktop. Several libraries are planning and developing fully-equipped electronic classrooms for instruction, and several are scheduling remodels to include areas integrating computing, telecommunications and media.
Next Steps Ensure that the new building standards for CSU libraries in the 21st century are approved by the system. Study the impact of distance learning programs on libraries, including telecommunications and facility needs at remote sites. Improve the approval process and rate of funding for the renovation of existing library facilities and for new information resource buildings. Study the impact of ADA legislation on the physical organization of libraries, including workstations and other types of furniture. Develop minimum standards. Network CSU Libraries with the K-14 sectors to create optimal 'connectivity.'
Goal Area E ADMINISTRATION Goal
Systemwide Accomplishments Strategy: Mechanisms and Processes for Establishing a Common Agenda Close collaboration among libraries and between libraries and the Chancellor's Office has been developed through participation in several systemwide committees, teams, and task forces. The COLD Executive Committee meets regularly with Chancellor's Office staff and groups comprised of library directors, library staff, and Chancellor's Office staff are guiding the UIAS, AISC, information competence, staff development, and facilities planning projects. At the system level, representatives of campus administrative officers for media services, computing, and libraries are included in the membership of the three technology focused commissions CLRIT, CIMIT, CTI thus providing linkages to the respective groups for policy development and strategic planning. The Council of Library Directors developed a strategic plan, secured its approval by CLRIT, and secured funding for initiatives proposed in an action plan. Strategy: Ongoing Role of the Council of Library Directors (COLD) The Council of Library Directors is recognized as a group which has taken a leadership position in CSU with respect to delivering information resources and services in enhanced modes using technology effectively and economically. The acceptance of the COLD strategic plan is an example of this recognition. Assignment to COLD of responsibility for implementing two strategic initiatives funded as part of the ITS - Universal Information Access System (UIAS) and the Academic Information Services Cooperative (AISC) - is additional recognition of this role. In both of these projects, there are participants from other affinity groups such as the IRM, media directors, AIRC, and the Statewide Senate. Campus Accomplishments Strategy: Coordination and/or Functional Consolidation of Information-Related Areas Seven campuses have established the position of "Chief Information Officer". Although the details of these positions vary somewhat with respect to what the CIO is responsible for and to whom the CIO reports, the increased prevalence of such positions is reflective of campus level efforts to coordinate relevant activities. Next Steps COLD will continue to work closely with CLRIT and other appropriate groups in order to advance further the goals outlined in the Strategic Plan. Cooperation with the University of California president's office and libraries is underway with the creation of two task groups. Initial meetings have been extremely encouraging and there are expectations that significant joint programs may be developed for students and faculty in the California State University and the University of California and for the citizens of the State of California. Seed funds will be necessary to most effectively foster these joint explorations.
Goal Area F FUNDING Goal Systemwide Accomplishments Strategy: Funding Linkages Fund raising has become a significant program for most CSU Libraries. Permanent full-time development officers have been hired at more than eight CSU Libraries and an interest group has been formed. The development officers will meet with the Council of Library Directors for the first time in the Spring 1997. This will be a collaborative training session. Strategy: Systemwide Funding for Networking Infrastructure CSU Libraries have participated in the development of the CSU Integrated Technology Strategy (ITS) as the means for constructing the inter- and intra-campus networking infrastructure needed to enhance the availability of library and information resources for students and faculty. COLD members will continue to participate as partners in this important undertaking. Campus Accomplishments Strategy: Diversity of Revenue Sources Fifteen percent of the funds the various colleges raised in the Fall 1996 phonathon were donated to the library for the acquisition of materials to support the curriculum at San Marcos. Several new Friends of the Library organizations have appeared in the past few years. Some existing groups have been enhanced although some have been scaled back. Strategy: Research Overhead Recovery A percentage of indirect costs from research/grant projects at San Luis Obispo will be directed to the library each year due to the efforts of the Faculty Library Committee and the Research Committee of the Academic Senate. Next Steps CSU Libraries individually will be striving to obtain an increased share of indirect costs generated by grants and contracts. CSU Libraries will determine which of their information technology services and programs would be most effectively supported through a student technology fee.
|
|
|
Last Updated: May 5, 1997
|
