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*{Darwin College Library Committee}

 Minutes of the meeting held Mon 21st October 2002 at 5.30pm, in the Seminar Room. \\ 


 Present:
 David MacKay  (djcm1) [Fellow Librarian],          
 Espen Koht (ehk20) [Computer Officer],              
 Christian Goeschel (cag41) [Student Librarian],         
 Atif Aziz (aa267),			
 Ariane Kossack (ak280)  [Student Librarian],         
 Vasiliki Tsakali   (vt218),
 Deborah Pino (dsp26),
 Jim Endersby (jje21), 
 John Craig (jsc1004),
 Pamela Abbott (pya20).


 Apologies:
 Carmen Tomas    (ct270),
 Ranmali Nawartne (dcsa-welfare@dar) [DCSA representative],      
 Andrew Bell (agb38),			
 Elisabeth Leedham-Green (el17).


o Minutes of the meeting held on 	Wednesday 19th June 2002 were confirmed.

o Committee membership. 
	 Welcomes to  Pamela Abbott, John Craig, Jim Endersby, 
	 Carmen Tomas, Vasiliki Tsakali, and Deborah Pino. 

o 2002 Book check.
        The process of labelling all books with barcodes, initiated
	nearly two years ago, proved its purpose this Summer with the
	first entirely barcode-based stock-check.  The number of items
	logged as present in the stockcheck was 8651.  423 books were
	missing at the 2002 check (and had not reappeared as of Mon
	14/10/02) that were not missing at the 2001 check. Of these,
	only 17 are recorded as on loan. Based on past patterns,
	perhaps a hundred of the missing books might be expected to
	quietly return in due course, and perhaps three hundred are
	expected to be lost for good.  Of the 423 missing books, 15
	are Dictionaries.  The most common classmarks in the list of
	missing books are 100 (philosophy) (29 missing), 301 (social
	politics) (23 missing), 320 (state politics) (17 missing), 330
	(economics) (32 missing), 823 (novels) (56 missing).  The
	total number of books missing (since 1994) is 1345 (a reduction
	compared to the figure of 1668 estimated last November).
	
 The automated checkout and return system using the barcodes is
 working well. Some members still fill in paper slips (which are then
 transcribed to computer by the student librarians) but it is hoped
 that appropriate advertising above the paper slips in the check-out
 area will encourage people to use the much quicker barcode-based
 system. Espen was warmly thanked for his splendid work on this
 system.  It was suggested that the system might be modifed to tell
 the borrower the due date for a borrowed item. A feature that may be
 added in due course is the ability of borrowers to request the recall
 of a book that is on loan.

o New University Catalogue system. The adding of new catalogue
 entries is proceeding without difficulty.

o	The question of restoring to some location in the study centre
	a computer terminal dedicated to viewing the UL catalogue was
	discussed.  The committee agreed that such a terminal would be
	useful and that the feasibility of placing it on the large and
	underused table in the entrance area should be investigated,
	power cabling and noise emission being the two critical
	issues. Alternative plans include putting it alongside the
	check-out terminal (cramped, though perhaps feasible with flat
	screen displays) or putting one terminal on top of the book
	returns bin (if an appropriate kiosk were created over the
	bin).

o	Tamper-proof `returns' book bin / postbox.  The student
	librarians will ask the Clerk of Works whether he can complete
	a book bin, as was agreed by him and Joanna before the last
	meeting.  The idea of including an upper surface appropriate
	for a computer terminal will be raised with him.

o	Book purchases.  A gratifying number of book requests have
	been made by new students. Over 1,000 pounds of CUP allocation
	remains to be spent before December. All are encouraged to
	help the student librarians decide what to purchase.

 The issue of reducing the collection by withdrawing outdated
 books was raised. It was agreed to hold a retirement party
 for such books around the time of the next stock-check.

o	Student Librarians. The student librarians requested a
        pay-rise from 5 pounds to 7 pounds per hour, a figure in line
        with junior librarians' pay at other libraries in Cambridge,
        and suggested a change in the number of hours worked from 20
        per week to 14 per week (7 hours each) so that the net cost to
        the college per week would be essentially unchanged.  The
        committee agreed to recommend this change to the Bursar,
        noting the highly skilled work that Christiane and Ariane are
        performing.  The office hours provided by the librarians,
        consisting of three morning periods and two afternoon periods,
        were approved.

o Subscriptions. It was agreed to subscribe to T.L.S.
	for 3 years in order to obtain a discount.

o	Fines for overdue books.  Christian suggested that, seeing as
	degrees are not awarded if money is owed to the college, there
	should be a similar policy regarding unreturned books.  (EL-G
	joined the meeting here.) After discussion, in which the
	importance of a generous and forgiving atmosphere was agreed,
	the committee agreed to suggest the following policy to the
	college council:

 { If a book has not been returned within two months of its due
 date, if at least two warnings have been issued to the borrower (at
 least one by email and one by paper), and if at least one month has
 elapsed since the second such warning, then the librarians may issue
 a fine equal to the replacement cost of the missing book (or a lesser
 sum, at the discretion of the librarians); fines are placed on the
 member's college bill.  A member who wishes to dispute the
 appropriateness of a fine should request a meeting with the Dean and
 one of the librarians; the Dean's decision will be final.  }

 Warning messages regarding missing books will be modified to reflect
 this new policy, if it is adopted by Council. Any uncertainty about why
 books went missing will be reduced once the tamper-proof returns bin
 is completed.

o	Library website.  The committee approved Pamela's draft
	library pages, and confirmed that the links to the University
	Library facilities should be upgraded to the most appropriate
	links for Darwin users, as the new Newton system evolves. Jim
	Endersby volunteered to take digital photographs of the main
	library shelves, the Finley room, and the Vesalius, and pass
	them to Pamela for possible inclusion in the website.

	A link to the `books out on loan' page will be made available
	by Espen.

o Vesalius. Jim Endersby volunteered to become the custodian
 of the Vesalius and to investigate the inclusion of dehumidifying
 sachets in the case. 

o  Any other business.
			Children's section.  Deborah Pino asked if a
 children's section could be created in the library, for the use of
 children whose parents are at the college. One reason for putting
 such a collection in the library rather than in the reading room was
 that it would give the opportunity to parents to teach their children
 the appropriate use of libraries.  The committee noted with pleasure
 the regular use of the study centre by members' children, and warmly
 welcomed this idea, and Deborah's offer to coordinate the acquisition
 of appropriate books.  A preference for low-cost, perhaps second-hand
 books was affirmed. Donations might be solicited from college
 members.  The committee agreed that the new collection should be put
 on an appropriate low shelf in the library, and that a message should
 be sent out to members with children with the help of the Deanery,
 drawing attention to the collection, and emphasising that no
 penalties would be issued in the event of these books' becoming
 damaged. Children's books would be barcoded as normal and borrowed on
 the college member's account.

o Date of next meetings: Tuesday 28 January at 6pm and Tuesday 24 June at 6pm.



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