Bethel College
Dyersburg State Community College
Freed-Hardeman University
Jackson State Community College
Lambuth University
Lane College
Union University
University of Memphis
University of Tennessee at Martin
Total present : (estimate) 25 persons
The president of WETALC, Steve Baker from Union University, called the meeting to order. He reported that the directors had accepted the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Library as a new member of the consortium and that the Christian Brothers University was considering membership. He also announced that the next meeting would be in March at Lane College the date to be announced later. He concluded his opening remarks by introducing the two new directors, Mary Roby of Lambuth and Connie White of Lane.
Next on the agenda were the individual library updates:
Lambuth - Mary Roby reported they had just received the bound copies of their self-study for SACS. They expect the visiting inspection team in January. She also reported that the government document experiment with full text Web access was being discontinued in December, but they believed it would be back on line by March. Lambuth has many full text government documents available on CD-ROM.
Bethel - Harold Kelly reported that they had received their visit from SACS and were expecting to hear the outcome in December. They had received renewal of the Department Education certification. They have added two new library staff members and online full text electronic databases to support their Success Program and off campus graduate program. They have also begun work with IBM on the Think Pad University Project in which every student will have a lap top computer and be able to access materials from any Internet access point.
UT Martin - Joel Stowers reported continued involvement with the Institutional evaluation studies. He also reported some reassignments within the staff in an attempt to maintain the book budget after a $50,000 cut in this year's book allocations. They have had two unsuccessful searches for a systems librarian and have now employed a computer analysis person. She is part of their campus computer center's staff but will be working closely with the library. They have had a very successful opening of the Selmer Center which still has staffing needs.
Lane College - Connie White reported that the weeding and reorganization of the collection was well under way and that she hoped they would begin automating the library by the end of this year. She also reported that they were in the process of changing their Bloomberg and NewsBank access to Internet access as well as adding CD-ROM support in a number of areas.
Freed-Hardeman - Hope Shull reported that they had switched their Silver Platter Eric Web-based format and that they had moved and shifted much of the collection this past summer. The Freed-Hardeman faculty now includes a cancer researcher who has established a new laboratory on campus for his research. They library has been working closely with him in order to provide for his informational needs. She added that they were beginning their Year of Record in expectation of their next SACS visit. The library also recently held reception for the Honors College students and are developing new procedures to meet the informational needs of these students.
Dyersburg State - Anne Reever reported that director Bob Lhota was unable to attend. She noted that the library had received a $110,000 award from TITLE III to be used for library automation. They have chosen the DRA system administered by University of Memphis. They had also recently received a donation from the campus computer center of 70 computers. They have added three new people to their staff and hoped to break ground for their new library in 1999.
Jackson State - Scott Cohen introduced their new circulation assistant and their new reference librarian. Scott discussed JSCC's emphasis on continuing library education. Gloria Hester has lead in service programs for their faculty on how to request materials using Amazon. JSCC has established a deposit account with them. They have also instructed classes from Jackson Christian Academy in their ongoing attempt to reach out to area high schools. JSCC will be hosting a SOLINET meeting in Feb. 1999. The title of the seminar is, "Managing and Welcoming Change." He also reported that their new branch library in Savannah, TN has access to their online databases and has a small collection of books and reference materials.
Union University - Steve Baker reported that they have 2 new staff members in media services and are now delivering the requested items to the faculty classrooms. He reported that they had been working to reduce duplication of periodicals in various formats. They have presently dropped more than 300 subscriptions for a savings of over $2,800. Much of this savings they have put into new online full text sources which has more than doubled the serials available to their patrons. They are also doing more bibliographic instruction in collaboration with the faculty. This is part of the new academic master plan which includes looking at information Literacy and core curriculum development. Their off campus program Germantown become so successful that they have a need for more space.
University of Memphis - Tom Medina reported that their director. Dr. Pourciau, was presently on a working trip to China. He also reported that they had revamped their web-site and that the Jackson State and Dyersburg State catalogs would soon be available via the Web. He also reported that their 2nd Annual Ethics in Electronics for the 21st Century conference had been very successful. They have received two additions to their special collections area: Benjamin Hooks NAACP papers and the personal letters of H. P. Scher. The letters will be on display Nov. 8 at a program entitled, "Letters from Those Who Were Left Behind." The president of U of M has appointed a committee of librarians and faculty members to study the interfacing of electronic systems with an eye on changing divisions of information technology and the relationships involved.
Steve Baker adjourned the meeting after expressing appreciation to the Freed-Hardeman library staff for the hospitality and delicious brunch enjoyed by all.
Connie White
Secretary