Collection Anywhere Minutes - January 30, 2017

Collection Anywhere Center

The group reviewed the lists to select types of materials that they feel strongly should be housed at one location or the other. (Selected types identified by * in list above.)

Other ideas that were expressed included:

Creating curated groups of materials to be sent periodically to libraries from the Collection Anywhere Center. These materials could be used for displays, programming, or simply made available for browsing use.

Consider placing oversize materials at the Collection Anywhere Center and send them to libraries periodically in a similar manner.

Create kits that may be used for book discussion groups and programs. These kits would include multiple copies of the title discussed, promotional materials, ideas for discussion themes, guides for leading discussions, discussion questions, etc. These kits would be housed at the Collection Anywhere Center and sent to libraries on request.

Create “packages” of materials that would be used only during Summer Reading or similar promotions. These materials would be sent to libraries for use when collections are depleted due to increases in circulation during the program.

Information gathering, step 2

Sarah suggested that the next step in the data gathering process is to solicit input from staff, and asked for ideas as to how to do so. The consensus was that a survey sent to all staff would be a good start.

The survey will contain the lists developed during the brainstorming session, and ask that respondents:

• Select the areas that they believe are most important for housing at the Collection Anywhere Center and the libraries;
• Add other ideas for materials that should be housed at either site;
• Indicate any “red flags” in the lists and suggested locations (i.e., materials that should not be housed at a given location for some reason);
• Indicate their work location (this will be optional);
• Use a “notes” field to voice any comments or concerns about the Collection Anywhere Center and what might be housed there.

Sarah will draft a survey and distribute it to the committee for review. Once it has been reviewed and finalized, it will be distributed to all staff.

In the meantime, Sarah asked that committee members:

• Talk to other MLS staff, ask them what they think about the topics discussed, and encourage them to complete the survey when it becomes available;
• If time permits, search for information as to how other libraries, especially public libraries, are addressing the problem of removing materials from libraries to create more space. Pay special attention to any libraries that are utilizing offsite storage.
• Janet suggested that committee members pay attention to the type of materials that they weed or that appear underutilized in CollectionHQ reports.

Going forward

Sarah will send an e-mail to all the members of the committee, so that anyone who wishes to communicate with the entire group can use the “reply all” function. Alternatively, she will ask the system’s e-mail administrator to create an e-mail group for the committee.

Sarah will also create a OneDrive page on which committee members may add ideas and thoughts.

No date was established for the next meeting, although Sarah stated that it should occur in about a month. The group discussed the best times/dates for meetings; the consensus was that midweek afternoons are easiest for public service staff. The best day/time appears to be Tuesdays at 2:00 PM.

Committee members who have not already done so were asked to share their Outlook calendars with Sarah.

Sarah will set a date/time for the next meeting and send meeting notices.

The meeting was adjourned.

Submitted by Pauline Rodriguez-Atkins