Rational – it can be confusing to use the current categories. See what is categorized currently as essential and what is not.

Some suggestions:

1) *The Essentials is not needed. All readers should subscribe to the whole blog and pick what they’re interested in cp. reading sections of newspapers or subscribing to any other blog.

2) or should the default category just be changed to “Areas and Workgroups” i.e. LIS centric with action required to categorize as “*The Essentials”

3) and/or should “*The Essentials” be renamed “*The Essentials (all campus)”

If you need equipment for an upcoming audio or recording project, stop by the Main, Armstrong, and Music Library Circulation Desks – we have a variety of options to choose from:

Digital Voice Recorders: Small and portable, these can be used to record a lecture, meeting, or interview; then simply plug it into a USB port on a computer to download or upload files. Lapel microphones are also available for use with these recorders for higher quality sound recording.

iPods and iTalks: You know all about iPods, but did you know they’re available to borrow from the library? And if you would like to do an audio recording on one of our iPods, or on your personal iPod, we have iTalks for that purpose as well. We also have higher memory iPods that can be used for video projects.

USB Microphones: Microphone on small stand with USB connection; great for anyone who needs to record audio.

WebCams: Perfect for webcasting and face-to-face video conferencing.

Headsets with microphones: Another option for voice recording, or for use with Skype.

Computer speakers: Plug into a PC, laptop, or iPod

Check out go/equipment for an overview of our most popular equipment, including information on reserving equipment, quick tips, links to user manuals, loan period guidelines, and MIDCAT availability.

Questions?  Please call the Main Library Circulation Desk at 443-5494.

If we don’t have a book you want, we can get it for you quickly.  Through Interlibrary Loan, Middlebury College students, faculty, and staff can use books, journal articles, and other research materials owned by libraries across the country.  Here’s how to make an interlibrary loan request:

1)   Search for the item in the NExpress catalog (shortcut:  http://go.middlebury.edu/nexpress).  If you find the item there, click on the “Request” link and fill out the form.  Books should be delivered to the Main Library within a week, articles should be delivered to your email inbox within a few days.

2)    If your item is not available in NExpress, fill out the Illiad form (shortcut:  http://go.middlebury.edu/ill).  Books and articles should be delivered to the Main Library within a few weeks.

Tips:

• In MIDCAT and other databases, look for the blue “NExpress” button.   It’s a shortcut that searches NExpress for you.

• In FirstSearch databases such as WorldCat, MLA and PsycInfo, try the button first.  If Middlebury does not own the item then you can request it from NExpress or traditional Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad).

• Always try to order from NExpress first. Article requests that cannot be filled by NExpress are automatically forwarded to ILLiad for ILL processing.

Can we clarify what this means!? We have already proposed the LIS one blog as a major communication tool. To consider communications more broadly probably should involve gathering info about current communications, discussion of what various LIS ares/departments/staff need and want etc. etc. Is this something that should happen now?

Comment here!!

Recommendation Highlights  – 10 minutes

1. Parature recommendation

2. Key concepts as shown in contents

3. One blog concept with trust and openness as design basis

Developments in media services and their impact on our project – 5 minutes

Recommendation discussion – 30 minutes

What message is Jeff going to take to ADs? Identify, clarify. – 10 minutes

Here’s the link top what I’ve found (not complete!)

http://blogs.middlebury.edu/liswebsite/files/2009/08/library-forms.xls

http://blogs.middlebury.edu/liswebsite/files/2009/08/liswebsurvey-students.pdf

(I might or might not have added a couple of documents repeatedly to a gallery?)

Students, faculty, LIS staff = “very important”
Other staff = “quite important”
Alumni, other = “less” to “unimportant”
________________________________________________________________
How often do YOU use these LIS website features?

Often: catalog

Sometimes: helpdesk documentation, LIS staff directory, Newsletters, LIS blogs, LIS Wiki

Never: subject guides

Didn’t know existed: NONE! good.
_______________________________________________________________
What features of the LIS website work or could be improved?

Work: research guides

Need improvement: help documentation, website searching, LIS org structure, LIS depts staffing info, services/depts loctions, hours of service, space availability, who to contact for what

Unfamiliar: staff accomplishments, status of systems, LIS events calendar, tagging

3-way tie: emergency procedures
_________________________________________________________________
Do users often contact you for information that is available on the website?
yes = 65%  e.g. hours, documentation.
_________________________________________________________________
Is there information not on the LIS Website that would be useful to include?
yes = 58% (22 of 42 responses)- no theme of what’s missing is apparent.
Some comments on difficulty of finding what’s there already.
__________________________________________________________________
What is your level of comfort with the following technologies?
Most to least comfortable, overall -
Blogs, Wikis, IM, CMS, RSS, Surveying
___________________________________________________________________
What specific areas of the current site do you feel are successful? Why are they successful?
MIDCAT gets a few mentions. Documentation. Some comments apply to College website not LIS.
_________________________________________________________________
Is there anything else you’d like the LIS Website Team to know about?

22 responses – most common theme – need to improve access to info already there! “info is buried” “difficult to find things” etc.
____________________________________________________________________

Please rate your overall experience in navigating the LIS website.

Frustrating = 52%  OK = 48%  Love it = none.

Should be possible to show improvement on this metric.

1) Use of blog & wiki – I was moved to send out e-mails to all of you because I thought if I posted on the blog/wiki you’d be unlikely to see the posting (about the survey) quickly. Is this true for some of us anyway? I feel like I get lost in the non-linear nature of the communications & yes – I know we can search, should be set up to get notifications of new postings etc. etc. but I’m not feeling this is completely sucessful.

2) meetings & agenda. I think that a useful discussion between 8 people on almost any topic is going to take longer than 10 minutes. Understanding that time is passing & meeting time is limited, do you think we should break into smaller groups to discuss different topics? That seems to me the only way to be able to cover the agenda items so quickly! If agenda items regularly have to be pushed to the next meeting & we always are rushing I’m not sure that we will do the best job.

Barbara

Charge: To create a brand new LIS web presence that has the following characteristics: is easy to find (things,) is easy to use, is easy to maintain, is user centric, has more self-service functionality.

Priorities:

•Involve end users: develop & test [Beta test 11/09, Public beta test 12/09, Public launch 1/04/10]

•Develop LIS staff workflow, content management, protocol procedures & apply to new web presence [Test 11/09, In place 12/09]

•Assess/evaluate new LIS web presence ( involve end users) [April 2010 & ongoing]

•Develop “site-refresh” strategies [Aug 2010]