2012-13 Council on Libraries, Information Systems and Computing
(LISC)
Minutes
February 4, 2013
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
AS-122
Attendance: Elizabeth Gaffney, Chair; Jean Guyon; Evgeny Dikarev; Eliot
Rich; Bill Ziman; Cary Gouldin; Mark Wolf; Debra Dickerson; Mary Casserly;
John Delano; Kimberly Van Orman
Guests: Carole Sweeton, ITS Client Support Services
Christopher Bischoff, Office of Campus Planning
1. Report from the Chair: Elizabeth Gaffney
Elizabeth reported that the Responsible Use Policy Resolution was passed
by the Senate and signed by the President. She also reported that two
LISC members — would not be returning and that she will let the Senate
Secretary know. This also leaves openings on both of the LISC Sub-
committees. Elizabeth let Cary know she is welcome to join one of the
sub-committees. The December 11, 2012 minutes were put to vote and
unanimously approved by the Committee.
2. Dean of Libraries - Mary Casserly
New Library Guide for Faculty. Mary handed out the new Library
Guide, which was previewed by the LISC Library Committee in November
and published on the Libraries’ web site last week. The purpose of the
guide is to provide faculty with quick and streamlined access to the library
web pages that support teaching, research and promotion and tenure.
The guide is a work-in-progress and any suggestions for improving it are
welcome. An announcement about the availability of this guide was sent
out via blast e-mail to all faculty last Thursday. Mary asked that the
members take a look at the guide and contact the Library with any
suggestions. The URL is http://libquides.library.albany.edu/faculty.
University Library Renovation Project - Phase 1. The first phase of a
multiphase renovation project, which seemed to be stalled for a while, is
moving along. Last week Mary and others met with the architects and
Campus Planning to review the Program Verification Report on the
project. Originally, it was believed that the project would include
expansion and reconfiguration of the entrance to the University Libraries;
but money is not available for that, so the project will include replacing
LISC Meeting February 4, 2013
the front doors. The project will also include updating electrical, data and
lighting. Work will probably not start until next November. In the
meantime, updating of the HVAC system in the University Libraries was
supposed to start in January but has not. This is a separate project that
will result in energy savings but no real improvement in functionality.
Head of Library Systems. Dean Casserly indicated that she and her
staff were in the process of interviewing 5 candidates for this position
which has been vacant for a couple of years. They hope to be able to offer
the position sometime this month and have the new Head on board
before the end of the spring semester.
3. Presentation on Lecture Center Issues - Christopher Bischoff; Carole
Sweeton
Elizabeth is a member of the Provost’s Classroom Advisory Committee.
Bruce Dudek had sent around a letter to some faculty trying to rally
people to let the Provost know they were unhappy with the state of the
lecture centers and the planned pace of renovations to the LC’s. John
Delano raised this issue with ELizabeth and requested it be placed on the
LISC agenda.
In response to John’s request, Elizabeth has asked Chris and Carole to
speak about some of the issues regarding the current state of the Lecture
Center classrooms, and other classroom issues. As background, the
Classroom Committee makes recommendations based on their walk-
throughs and observations. The LC’s have not been updated in quite a
while, but these renovations require money and would have to be taken
off line for a semester or more in order to perform the renovations. The
campus does not have the extra classroom capacity to close a LC for
extended periods of time. The Office of Campus Planning has been
working with the Classroom Committee to help with developing plans,
timelines and estimates for the upgrades.
Elizabeth welcomed Chris and Carole to the meeting. Their presentation
included topics such as Lecture Center facts, existing conditions of the
LCs, technology upgrades project, and the Lecture Center in fiscal
management plan. A more detailed description is included in these
minutes.
7
CAC Presentation
LISC Meeting February 4, 2013
The presentation concluded with questions and comments from the LISC
members. One of the major complaints which came out of a faculty focus
groups about the LC’s was the lack of windows in the doors in the back of
the LC. Students can’t tell whether a LC is occupied without opening a
door, and this can be disruptive. Chris explained that the asbestos in the
old “fire doors” makes it impossible to just add a window, and replacing
them would cost approximately $250,000 which is prohibitive. Other
issues discussed included weak PowerPoint visibility, lack of dual
projection screens, need for “mute” projection to hide notes, difficulty in
holding group discussion because of the layout of the rooms, and the lack
of Wifi access points to accommodate all the students in LC-7, as well as
the poor Wifi coverage in the office areas which house the Computer
Science Department. Elizabeth thanked Chris and Carole for their
presentation. The Classroom Committee is trying to address some of
these issues, but any comments or suggestions are welcome and can be
directed to Elizabeth.
4. Adjournment
Elizabeth concluded by asking members to send her any agenda items
they would like to discuss at the next LISC meeting scheduled for March 4,
2013. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at
4:30 p.m.
