Bethel College Harold Kelly Ray Raab Dyersburg State Bob Lhota Anne Reever Freed-Hardeman Hope Shull Jan Sharp Sherry Jennette Gail Nash Jackson State Scott Cohen Lane College Connie White Shirley Hudson

Lambuth Mary Roby Missy Laytham Jean Deck Lyda Kowalski Linda Hayes Union University Steve Baker Pat Morris UT Martin Steve Rogers Linda Butler Earlene Moore U. of Memphis Annelle Huggins Joyce McKibben Tom Mendina

The meeting was called to order by Hope Shull, Chairperson.

Library Reports:

Bethel College

Harold Kelly reported that the library came through the SACS evaluation with no significant recommendations. Bethel is working to remove the probationary status by December 1999. The library is reclassifying to LC and barcoding its collection, while cleaning up records for the new OPAC. The status of ThinkPad University is helping the school overall.

Bob Lhota reported that Dyersburg State is working on marketing the library. They are now the college's Information Gateway. They have dedicated computers for certain magazines/journals and papers and are making CD's for distance education. These CD's would include class materials, tutorials for software, browsers, "introduction to the library" materials, and how to use the webpage. They are also experimenting with information kiosks.

Hope Shull reported that they are in the process of migrating to the Voyager integrated software system. They are working on their webpage, and they are in the middle of preparing for their SACS visit. She also reported that the NCATE accreditation team would arrive next week.

Scott Cohen recognized cataloger/reference librarian, Jennifer Gregory. She comes to JSCC from the University of Kentucky. Mark Kaminsky attended ALA in New Orleans. He is the first staff member from JSCC to attend an ALA meeting.

Mary Roby reported that there may be major renovations made to the library in the very near future. Lambuth should be migrating to Voyager software within the year. Missy Laytham, from North Carolina, is the new reference librarian. The Lambuth Library is continuing to respond to SACS regarding the assessment and improvement of the library.

Connie White is leaving Lane on November 19, 1999. Shirley Hudson will be the new director. Lane is migrating to a new online system: CASPR. Their year of record for SACS is next year. Lane received a Lilly Foundation grant and matching funds for technology improvement across campus.

Steve Baker reported that they are trying to maintain morale during their current understaffed situation. Pat Morris and John Jeager are studying Union's databases as a result of TEL. They are finding that the duplication is approximately 50% (between Bell & Howell, Gale and EBSCOHost). They have cancelled the paper journals on that list. Union is launching the Library Media Specialist program as a part of their Master of Education degree. Mary Platt is the coordinator. The program will begin fall, 2000.

Annelle Huggins reported that the library received equipment from the Information Systems Department and have upgraded the computers in the library. They are in the process of giving an undergraduate survey to 80 classes of sophomores, juniors and seniors. They are surveying satisfaction of the collection, services and databases. The library received papers from Benjamin Hooks (NAACP) and have submitted a grant proposal to NEH to be used for digitizing the papers. Other papers that have been received at U of M can be seen in their entirety on the library webpage.

Steve Rogers reports that the merger between the computer department and the library is on hold at this time. The library currently has two search committees working: Cataloging and Special Collections. They are understaffed by four positions. They recently received 21 OPACS that replaced the old ones. He also reported that the University Center is completed.

Tom Singerella reported that UT Memphis has FTE of 2000 and 700 faculty. The library is considered an academic department. The librarians teach graduate courses and have graduate faculty status. They are also understaffed at the moment. Tom will send email to directors regarding WeTALC in March to be held at UT Medical Library.

Hope Shull made the following announcements:

• The Spring Meeting will be on Thursday, March 30, at UT Memphis Medical Library.
• If you have any information for the WeTALC Webpage, send it to Jennifer Gregory at JSCC. Check here for minutes of the meetings and other information.
• LeMoyne-Owen College is now an official member of WeTALC.
• Training dates for TEL (Gale): December 13, 14, 15 at Univ. of Memphis.
• TENN-SHARE is working on an agreement with AP Photo Archives to give members a consortium price ($500 per institution).
• The Board of Directors of WeTALC would like to link all member libraries through their webpages using links or universal cards.
• The Reference Section of WeTALC will meet on November 12 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in the Learning Resource Center at Dyersburg State C.C.
• Send any requests or ideas for ongoing training to Scott Cohen at Jackson State C.C.
• WeTALC will become an affiliate of TLA. Hope will send the formal request in time for the next TLA Executive Board meeting.
• The Memphis Area Library Council will be chartering a bus for TLA in May that will travel down I-40 from Memphis to Kingsport. The bus will leave Memphis at 6 a.m. and arrive in Kingsport at 4 p.m. EST on May 2. The bus will return to Memphis on May 5, by 9 p.m. CST. The cost will be approximately $65 per person depending on the number of reservations received. Reservation must be received by March 31.

Annelle Huggins presented the program on "The Tennessee Electronic Library and the Millennium". Annelle gave a history of TENN-SHARE and the TEL and reported on the current status of the TEL with regards to ongoing funding.

Mary Roby
Secretary

Go Back to the WeTALC Minutes Index

Go Back to the WeTALC Home Page