Meeting Minutes – Oct. 18, 2018
Presentation by John Ulmschneider
Photos by Jay Paul
Also in attendance: Sue Robinson, Emily Hurst, Steve Barkley, Parker Webster, Nisha Parekh, Hala Hasan, Jennifer Hodge, Reyna Fuentes, Benjamin Mavelil, Danielle Recupero, Kaelah Pou, Zara Zahid, Sharon Lack
Meeting opened with introductions of University Librarian and Dean of Libraries, John Ulmschneider. Photographer Jay Paul was on hand to take photos of the committee members during the session.
Before the presentation began:
- Question from a student about library opening earlier.
- Some discussion about who uses Cabell library and how frequently
- Almost all of the members are also using Cabell Library.
John provided a presentation on VCU Libraries
- Stressed the importance of having a new medical library in a research university
- Overview of ARL status and ACRL award
- Information about how library spaces are evolving was provided
- Sanger Series lecture was highlighted
Cabell Library Information
- Cabell library building use information showing over 2 million visitors
- The number of visits per student is increasing at both libraries
Big issues for discussion
- New library for MCV
- Library’s affordable course content efforts
- Interfaith meditation space at Cabell
- Cost of journal subscriptions very high on MCV campus
- New strategic plan for VCU libraries
Questions:
How will moving the books impact library access?
- Library will remain open during relocation of the collection.
What about parking on 12th street?
- There will be some trucks and noise but we are unsure about how much of an impact that will have on 12th Street traffic.
What about online use?
- No interruptions expected.
Sanger Series – everyone was encouraged to go
- Can recording be made virtually available?
- We have the capability to stream and make those available in other forms
- Some are put online if they meet closed captioning requirements and the speaker agrees
Affordable Course Content
- Course textbook cost is very high
- Students do not want to buy books and this can mean lowered success in the course
- Free, open educational resources or low cost
- Materials can be just a good but they are available for free
- Also more easily remixed
- Faculty may not know a lot about ACC or Open Educational Resources
Question about would these be digital only?
- Yes but some have options to print for only $25 per book
VCU has already saved over 1 million dollars through ACC efforts
- High enrollment courses are the target for early ACC efforts
Open Textbook initiative focused on getting faculty to develop these resources
- VCU Libraries is hiring someone to focus on this for VCU will aid in accelerating the process
Redesign course efforts
- Library worked to get the state to fund a statewide initiative
- General assembly awarded VIVA money to promote this and create a portal
- More progress expected to be seen
A student shared that they mostly only use PDFs, and that a lot of things are tied to Board Exams are needed. Faculty members appear to prefer textbooks.
Will textbook initiative impact journal budget?
- No, they are separate.
University has strongly supported the library’s effort to invest in resources
A student shared that she spent about $400 on textbooks
- Has access to some e-textbooks
- Has 3-4 hardcopy text books because ebook was not available
Fundraising efforts at this time for VCU LIbraries is to build an interfaith space at Cabell Library
- Will be on 3rd floor of Cabell library
- Large space 40 x 40 space
- John hopes this will be an exemplar for other libraries
- There is a need to think about having a space like this on the MCV campus
- Need to plan this into the building from the beginning
Cabell Library does engraving of stethoscopes in the Workshop.
- Students were very interested in how they could do this at TML
Students reminded to inform Steve or Emily if there are other things that are needed.
Categories Meeting Minutes