Highlights:        

• Recap of January 9, 2007 Instruction Coordinator’s meeting
• Recap of 1^st ACRL/TLT Best Practices Web cast held on Feb. 7, 2007
• Planning for Brown Bag lunch in mid-April on managing Web Guides.
• Proposal for new generic instruction brochure linked to Library’s electronic events calendar.

Present: Eric Acree, Camille Andrews, Tony Cosgrave, Deb Lamb-Deans, Susanne Whitaker (recorder).

1.         Announcements and Updates

a.         Eli Brown (PSEC liaison) has asked for feedback regarding the use of Common Spot for maintaining the public services Web site.  In general, it was felt that minutes need to be posted more quickly.  Camille said that it’s a combination of obtaining finished minutes and the time to put them up.  The process involves many steps. 

b.         All 2006 PSEC Instruction Committee meeting minutes had been posted on the Web site.

c.         Educators Professional Development Day.

Tom Mills has inquired about the status of the 2007 program in order is plan for the Law Library’s session.  Tony reported that notification has been late his year due to some staff changes, but participants will be hearing more soon.

d.         New Journal – Education Libraries.

Tony noticed an announcement on a listserv for a new journal, Education Libraries. There have been some recent articles on outreach.

e.                   New Generic Library Flyer with single URL link to CUL Events Calendar

Camille shared a proposal from Laura Larrimore for advertising workshop announcements through the Cornell University Library electronic events calendar.  A new generic flyer or postcard would replace the occasional print brochures that have included individual classes and become quickly out-of-date.  Patrons would be directed to a single URL, such as http://library.cornell.edu/events/, that would have current listings with referrals to instructional pages.  A search box might be added to the events calendar side bar with wording to show how to locate particular classes.

The Library’s Communications Department could prepare the new general instructional flyer with the events calendar URL.  This flyer would have many uses including distribution at the annual Barton Hall booth during student orientation.

Those present supported this proposal.  Camille will follow-up with Ellen Marsh about the new flyer and how instructional listings would be maintained on the events calendar.

2.         Recap of Committee’s Meeting with CUL Instruction Coordinators

Tony reported on the January 9, 2007 meeting with campus-wide instruction coordinators.  Attendance and the exchange of ideas were good.  No significant “to do” items emerged.  There was discussion about teaching Find It! as well as some interest in follow-up to the “One-Shot 50-Minute Class” presentation held on December 8, 2006.  Lance is pursuing Jerilyn Veldof from the University of Minnesota as a possible speaker for a future program.

3.         Recap of First ACRL/TLT Best Practices in Information Literacy Web cast

Tony reported that about 10-12 persons attended the first Web cast on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 from 3-4pm in 2B48 Kroch Library.  He and Camille were present.  It utilizes iVocalize technology (http://www.ivocalize.com/) that employs a web browser to integrate slides and chat (text and microphone).  The Web cast presentations are being archived and will be available at http://planning.tltgroup.org/ILBPFeb2007/workshop.htm. The topics covered in the first Web cast tended to be basic with discussion of ACRL standards and terminology.  Nevertheless, this Web cast serves as a good example of how technology can be used, especially for distance learning applications.

Cornell now has about 10-12 videoconference facilities including a mobile unit.

Two more session will be held on February 14 and February 21.  Camille will coordinate the room and equipment set-up on February 21.

4.         Discuss Future Brown Bag Training Sessions for Library Instructors

Tony mentioned one potential brown bag session topic submitted by Doris Smith (Management Library).  He has sent Doris an e-mail with copies to committee members offering to discuss her suggestion “where staff from various CUL libraries could briefly describe the creation, content and special features of their web pages.”

Both Mann and ILR Libraries have recently had Web re-designs.  Working with IT staff, ILR completely changed or re-did its guides.  They are now arranged by type: general subject guides, specialized guides, guides for practitioners (mostly government and free Web sites), and guides created “on the fly” for classes.  In posting guides, issues related to development versus content must be considered.  Also, institutional emphasis must be retained while focusing on guide content.

Tony mentioned templates.  On February 19, Angela Horne, Kornelia Tancheva, and Suzanne Cohen will give a demo and report on their software project for creating Web-based guides.

A mid-April date was suggested for a brown bag lunch that would feature two presenters with time for feedback.  Deb will speak with Suzanne Cohen from the ILR Library and Camille will contact librarians at Mann.   Eric offers to provide follow-up.  Beverages and cookies might be provided.   Possible dates are April 17 or April 24, from 1:00-2:00pm in Room 703 Olin or the second floor of Mann Library.

Other libraries could contribute experience related to the development of their web guides at future brown bag sessions.

Assessment was suggested as another brown bag topic.  Perhaps a fall 2007 workshop might be considered and would allow sufficient time for planning the program.

The next meeting is scheduled for March 13, 2007 at the Africana Library.