Notes from the JSMIN meeting, August 14, 2014

Attending: Jesse, Jim, Kate, Mark, Naun, Robert, Sarah

We talked about the tension between the latitude of the working groups to pursue ongoing and new ideas that are likely to yield mutual (or net) benefits for 2CUL and JSMIN's responsibility for pushing TSI forward, as time and resources permit (see items #1 and #4 in the addendum to the notes from the most recent JSMIN / Team Leads meeting).  Since everyone in JSMIN is also involved to varying extents with the working groups, this issue may be chiefly an academic one, but our discussion generated the following conclusions:

• There are currently two models for the work of the functional teams.  The first is characterized by regular conversations to explore questions and concerns of common interest, solve discrete problems together, and plant seeds for further collaborative possibilities (especially if and when we have a shared management system to work with).  The work of the Batch Processing and Cataloging groups are good examples of this current approach to TSI.  The second model encompasses the first, but includes the implementation of a shared management system to support deeper and potentially more effective collaboration at the departmental level.  The work of the E-Resources group, with their joint implementation of Callisto and the consortial edition of 360 Resource Manager, is a good example of this second model.
• The role of JSMIN in supporting these two models (and potentially others) is to:
  • Help bridge the gaps between working groups when ideas and projects require broader involvement
  • Delegate the responsibility for investigating new ideas, solving problems, and participating in regional or national initiatives of mutual interest to TSI working groups – rather than local experts – whenever appropriate
  • Commission ad hoc groups and task forces, whenever appropriate, and
  • "Think 2CUL" – that is, make 2CUL TSI a routine component of our operational thinking at the director level.

In conjunction with the latter part of this discussion, Mark and Naun agreed to lead an informal investigation of OCLC's WorldShare Collection Manager as a tool for acquiring record sets for collections (such as Naxos and HathiTrust).

Jesse reported that the E-Resources units have nearly completed "Phase 1" of the joint 360 Resource Manager implementation – that is, migrating Cornell's data into the RM.  Cornell will be turning on the new system next week.  Implementation of the shared system opens the following possibilities:

• Use of the consortial aspects of the system, including testing joint workflows (may begin as early as next week)
• Joint troubleshooting of access problems
• Managing shared data and contacts in a central area
• Further out, sharing workflows for account management, including work on renewals
• Coordinating renewal cycles to allow more opportunities for elimination of redundant work

Jesse and Joyce will be announcing the implementation of the shared system and what it means for 2CUL sometime soon in a message addressed to all staff in both libraries.

The E-Resources Team is also in the process of investigating the slow response time for searches in the Serials Solutions system, which seems to be worse at Columbia than at Cornell.  They hope to have something definitive to report soon.