Library Committee Minutes, 3/3/21

The Academic Senate Committee on Library Committee met on March 3, 2021, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Zoom

Committee Members in Attendance:

Angela Ridinger-Dotterman (Committee Chair), English (2022)

Jodi Van Der Horn-Gibson, (Secretary), Speech & Theatre (2022)

Hayes Peter Mauro, Art and Design (2021)

Emily Pelletier, Social Sciences (2023)

Wenjian Liu, Mathematics and Computer Science (2023)

Liaisons in Attendance:

Jeanne Galvin (Chief Librarian and Presidential Designee), Elizabeth DiGiorgio (Art and Design, Committee on Committees)

Business:

The meeting was called to order at 12:30 p.m.

Committee Chair Ridinger-Dotterman called the meeting to order.

 

The minutes from the December 9, 2020 meeting were unanimously approved by the attending voting members.

 

The committee turned to a consideration of old business:

 

Library Bathrooms (update)

Professor Mauro reported that according to VP Faulkner the contractor and design had been approved, but there was no information on when the work would begin.

 

Bylaws

Professor Ridinger-Dotterman heard back from the Bylaws Committee, and the changes were approved. They will be posted to the QCC Senate website.

 

Library Survey

Professor Pelletier reviewed that the survey results reflected that quiet study, staffing, funding, marketing resources, and e-resources were the common responses. Liaison Galvin reminded the committee that the Library Department sent a survey to students and revealed a split between those who wanted to study, with those who wanted space to socialize and relax. She also stated that she had not been in communication with the SGA reps regarding our last discussion of issues surrounding students using the library.

 

The committee then turned to new business:

 

Library Survey

Liaison Galvin discussed the limited library resources, but that there is a new adjunct who will work in cataloguing. There is also state-level programming, although limited, to research and invest in e-books. She reminded the committee that it is legal to provide students with one scanned chapter at a time.

Reopening

Professor Ridinger-Dotterman proposed how the committee might help support students and faculty with the reopening in the Fall semester. Liaison Galvin discussed the challenge of hybrid classes, and questioned where will students gather (as they usually do so in the library) in between FTF and hybrid modalities. The issue of books on reserve raised questions regarding a required 4-day quarantine, and the efficacy of overall access if only one book was available at a time. Leslie Ward was mentioned in relation to utilizing and accessing OER’s.

 

It was decided Professor Ridinger-Dotterman would send an email to faculty outlining some of the discussed challenges in accessing library resources in reopening, the survey results, OERs,  and ways to support students. (the text is included below)

 

Dear Colleagues,

We hope that this finds everyone safe and well. 

During the Fall 2020 semester, the Academic Senate Committee on the Library surveyed the Library faculty to gain a better understanding of perceived needs and priorities so that our work as a committee can better support our colleagues in the Library Department.

Through our study, we became aware of the problem COVID has created for making textbooks accessible to students as reserve materials.  As you probably know, prior to the closure of the campus, the Library worked hard to procure copies of all assigned textbooks, which were made available to students to check out as reserve materials.  You have probably also discovered how the absence of access to reserve textbooks has created additional challenges—and expense—for our students during this pandemic.  However, you may not realize—as we didn’t—that this challenge will be ongoing even once the library reopens later this year.

Once the library reopens, students will be able to checkout reserve materials.  However, because of safety guidelines, textbooks will no longer be available for checkout as soon as they are returned.  Each time a textbook is checked out from the library, it will have to be quarantined for four days before it is available for checkout again.  Logistically, this means that access to textbooks via library reserve will be extremely limited.

As you all begin to prepare to teach your summer and fall courses, we encourage you to continue to rely on zero cost textbooks and OER resources as much as possible.  If you need assistance in identifying or developing OER materials for your course, please contact Professor Leslie Ward (lward@qcc.cuny.edu).

Sincerely,

The Academic Senate Library Committe

Wenjian Liu

Hayes Peter Mauro

Emily Pelletier

Angela Ridinger-Dotterman, Chair

Cheryl Tokke

Jodi Van Der Horn-Gibson, Secretary

Discussed our next meeting as May 5, 2021, 12:30

Motion to adjourn and dismiss at 1:45.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Jodi Van Der Horn-Gibson
Committee on Library Committee, Secretary

Minutes typed on March 3, 2021