% Darwin College Library Committee - David MacKay \documentstyle[12pt]{article}\oddsidemargin=-0.5in\textwidth=6.95in\topmargin=-0.95in\textheight=10.95in\begin{document}\newcommand{\ben}{\begin{enumerate}}\newcommand{\een}{\end{enumerate}}\pagestyle{empty} \subsection*{Darwin College Library Committee} Minutes of the meeting held Mon 21st October 2002 at 5.30pm, in the Seminar Room. \\ \medskip \noindent 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: \noindent Apologies: Carmen Tomas (ct270), Ranmali Nawartne (dcsa-welfare@dar) [DCSA representative], Andrew Bell (agb38), Elisabeth Leedham-Green (el17). \ben \item Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 19th June 2002 were confirmed. \item Committee membership. Welcomes to Pamela Abbott, John Craig, Jim Endersby, Carmen Tomas, Vasiliki Tsakali, and Deborah Pino. \item 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. \item New University Catalogue system. The adding of new catalogue entries is proceeding without difficulty. \item 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). \item 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. \item 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. \item 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. \item Subscriptions. It was agreed to subscribe to T.L.S. for 3 years in order to obtain a discount. \item 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: {\bf 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. \item 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. \item Vesalius. Jim Endersby volunteered to become the custodian of the Vesalius and to investigate the inclusion of dehumidifying sachets in the case. \item 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. \item Date of next meetings: Tuesday 28 January at 6pm and Tuesday 24 June at 6pm. \een % % Actions: DJCM to write annual report circa November % \medskip {\tt http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/darlib/minutes.html } \hfill DJCM \today \end{document}