TAFE Libraries Management Interest Group

Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 28/4/2006 of the TAFE Libraries Management Interest Group at the RMIT Swanston Library. Convener: Nancy Lange Notetaker: Jenny McIntyre

Attendance: Marion King (Holmesglen), Fran Dodd (Gippsland), Jenny McIntyre (Bendigo), Nancy Lange (Ballarat), Ann Callahan & Helen Moore (Northern), Leonie Pope, Kathryn Leong (Box Hill), Annette Sullivan (RMIT), Apologies: Wendi Greenaway (William Angliss), Bea Donkin & Gary Hardy (Swinburne), Jan Pobjoy (Gordon), Jim Badger (Holmesglen).

Presentation by Ashley Bayford and Ivan Palos of Ambit Insights (Rodski) A proposed solution for surveying and benchmarking TAFE Libraries. Their proposal was for a paper based survey at two pricing levels: 1. Basic solution at $2500 which would deliver a report and benchmarking available through the AI portal. Most of the design, distribution, collection and imputing work to be done by the TAFE. 2. Standard solution at $5000 which would deliver the above with a little less work (mainly the design) to be done by the TAFE.

The discussion that followed covered the following issues:  Some TAFEs would like to have an online survey – AI could probably do this for an additional $1500.  Ipods seem to be the most popular incentive prize for students to complete the survey.  Could the survey cover teaching staff also? AI could develop an individual solution for TAFE’s wanting that.  Modifying the language of the questions to suit TAFE students – yes this is possible.  Sharing the survey results with CAUL – nobody at the meeting was concerned by this.  Some TAFE libraries could have difficulty in obtaining the funds – VATL to form a working group consisting of: Annette Sullivan, Marion King or Jim Badger, June Gale (Holmesglen), Leonie Pope and Jenny McIntyre. They will meet at 1pm on Fri 12th May ( prior to VATL Exec) to look at possible alternative funding sources, questions to include/modifications to language and putting together an information sheet to help with winning approval for funding from our Institutes. AI will give us access to the CAUL site to look at the questions they use. Ashley is keen to help us write the “information sheet”. The working group will also obtain members views on the suitability of the AI proposal regardless of the price. Annette will send out the preferred questions identified by 4 TAFEs for the MIG meeting in Geelong last year.

 If VATL members decide to go ahead with the survey a staggered timetable would be recommended by AI. Holmesglen is ready to go in August/September this year. Executive Report – Annette Sullivan Annette has had an invitation from CAVAL to attend their strategic planning day on the 18th May. None of the Executive can go. Annette will send the invitation to the VATL list. Leonie Pope has offered to fill in if no-one else can go.

VATL is about to lose the knowledge and expertise of Bea Donkin who is retiring in August. The Executive may be asking members for help.

The Knowledge Commons project is running a little behind schedule. Annette has had verbal support from the TAFE Centre who are keen to sponsor a search conference including a facilitator. The search conference will be a day where stakeholders in TAFE Libraries can meet to discuss the issues facing our libraries in the Commons environment. Annette would like to start a list of possible invitees. Also there needs to be a literature review conducted – any takers?

Training Vouchers from CAVAL – there are 29 vouchers of $110 each. Annette will send another e-mail to members to try to pin down a topic to send a group to – possibly Customer service across cultures or Project management.

TAFE Libraries Australia Report – Annette Sullivan A model has been developed for national licensed databases. A funding proposal has been formulated using library budgets as a guide. VATL has agreed in principle and the TLA is to take the proposal to a national body (?) to fund the top 3 or 4 databases identified in the survey conducted last (?) year. The NSW TAFE Libraries Conference in July is not available to non-NSW TAFEs!

Members Reports: Bendigo The City Campus Library will be extended partially renovated in May – September 2006. The Library has been asked to lead a project to improve the quality of teaching materials distributed to students. There has been a review of the Senior Executive Team at BRIT which has left the Library reporting to the Manager of Organisational Support Services rather than Educational Services. There is currently a review of administrative services being conducted. The Library is not directly involved.

Gippsland Staffing Suzanne Poulter, GippsTAFE Learning Resource Centre Co-ordinator, took a position in the United Arab Emirates in January. The position of LRC Co-ordinator is under review pending Institute restructures of the teaching and administrative areas. A Library Officer position has recently been filled after the resignation of a staff member in February. An Administration Officer position of .8 will be advertised soon to support the LRC 2 days per week and the bookshop and Youth Pathways Program 1 day per week each. The LRC has funding for another trainee under the YES program. Funding has been reduced from $9,000 in 2005 to $4,500 in 2006. EMX College database The Learning Resource Centre has taken out a subscription to EMX College database. Emerald Management Xtra College provides a practical product suited to the needs of the vocational education market. The product takes the same form as EMX (with supporting surround content) and provides access to 40 Emerald journals and 300 top management journals via Emerald Management Reviews (EMR). The College database provides a cost effective solution to a collection gap. Morwell Campus Refurbishment The Morwell Campus Learning Resource Centre is to be part of a refurbishment to be completed by the end of this year. The Library will be amalgamated with a flexible delivery area containing 10 ‘Ferrari’ laptops for student use. This area will have 24 hour smart card access with video surveillance. It has been decided that all book stock will be on open access – plans to “lock away” the books behind pull down grills detracted from the overall aesthetics, flow and purpose of the area. I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has stock on open access in a similar situation. Information Literacy The LRC team has experienced a busy start to the year delivering approximately 75 Library induction and information literacy sessions across four campuses in the first month. After hours night inductions for business studies night classes were conducted over 3 Wednesdays with sessions from 6.00-7.30pm on navigating the portal and introduction to the Ebrary & ANZ Reference databases. An incredible effort considering our staffing was reduced to EFT 3.2 assisted by 3 casuals. Yallourn LRC / Bookshop Student utilisation of the LRC / Bookshop area at Yallourn Campus is very high with an average of 425 visitors per day in February. Our biggest day to date was March 1st with 809 visitors to the area. Students are enjoying the “one stop shop” opportunity - buying their text books, borrowing resources, using the student computers and relaxing in the lounge areas. This represents an increase of 40% compared with the same time last year when the bookshop was in a separate location. Games The purchase of games – Chess, Cluedo, UNO, Boggle, Battleships, Guess Who, Pictionary, etc. – has been very well received at all campuses. Students play the games in the LRC’s during breaks and teaching staff borrow the games to incorporate into their lessons. A collection of sporting equipment is also available for loan during breaks or to classes. Ebrary The MARC records for the Ebrary database have been loaded to the Library’s netopac making searching for ebooks much easier whilst increasing use of the database Teaching Department Restructure GippsTAFE teaching departments are undergoing a restructure. Heads of Departments are being replaced with Team Leaders across 3-4 combined departments. The Administration areas will be restructured along similar lines with Co-ordinators replaced with Team Leaders. GippsTAFE Staff Development Day This Institute wide day will be held on 26th May. Theme for the day is “Innovation, Delivery, Entrepreneurship and Support”. The Library team will be assisting with equipment on the day and also providing a workshop for staff on advanced searching techniques.

Next Meeting: 16th June - venue to be announced