NASIG Newsletter

[Ed. note: Highlights from the January committee report to the Executive Board.]

PUBLICATIONS/PUBLIC RELATIONS
Marit Taylor, Chair

Kathryn Johns-Masten, our committee’s web liaison, made changes to the Speakers and Consultants Directory as outlined in our October report.  This included reworking the submission form, changing the order and naming of the profile fields, in the name of ensuring more consistency.  They quickly resolved some problems reported with the revised form. Susan Banoun and Sandy Folsom sent out a message to people currently in the Directory asking them to update their entries.  Kathryn received twelve updated profiles and five members asked to be removed or are no longer NASIG members. These changes have been made and the new profiles are much more consistent and attractive as well as more up to date.  We will send out a second reminder to those who didn’t respond, and at some point will remove entries for those who don’t respond.   I am planning also to send out a general request for participants through NASIG-L and perhaps also particular ones to people who expressed interest in the Directory while answering my last year’s NASIG-L survey of opinions on the Directory.

Linda Pitts reports that we still have several NASIGuides pending; these are on MARC fields for serials, serials and institutional repositories, and FRBR for serials.  One possibility on working with subscription vendors many not be written by the original people because of the board’s concern about naming individual vendors, although that topic is still open.  We have recently received an email from someone interested in writing a new guide on electronic resources workflow; we responded and plan to discuss his proposal after ALA Midwinter.

[Ed. note: Highlights from the fall committee report to the Executive Board.]

PUBLICATIONS/PUBLIC RELATIONS
Marit Taylor and Glen Wiley, Co-Chairs

Glen Wiley and Kathryn Johns-Masten, our committee’s web librarian, are currently making changes to the Speakers and Consultants Directory. These changes include the following:

• Adding the opportunity to link to external documents within the submission form, in order to cut down on the length of profiles & keep more up-to-date information.
• Create a more consistent feel with headings, fonts, etc. in each profile.
• Change the order and naming of the profile fields.
• Change the submission form to align with the changed profile fields.
• Adding relevant subjects to the subject index. Some examples are Electronic Resource Management Systems, FRBR, and Usage Statistics.
• Removing out-of-date or not used subjects from the subject index. Some examples are SISAC, Internet, NOTIS and Documentation.
• Changing the wording of subjects within the subject index. Some examples are Automated Systems to Integrated Library Systems and EDI to EDI-EDITEUR.
• Combining subjects within the subject index. Some examples are Subscription Agent Evaluation and Vendor Selection Evaluation Continue reading 22:4 (2007:12) Committee Update: PubPR…

PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Marit Taylor, Chair

ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2006-2007

Members:  Linda Pitts (University of Washington), Miki Scholl (University of St. Thomas), Jeff Slagell (Delta State University), Gracemary Smulewitz (Rutgers University), Glen Wiley (Rensselaer Research Libraries), Yvonne Zhang (California State Polytechnic University), Mary Page (Board Liaison).

Linda Pitts was originally chair of the committee but felt the need to resign as chair because of health and work concerns.  She remained on the committee and her service is greatly appreciated.  The co-chair, Marit Taylor, took over as chair.  Jo McClamroch resigned from the committee because of too much to do at work.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PENDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

NASIGuides.   The committee is charged with identifying topics for new NASIGuides and soliciting authors for them from outside the committee, as well as developing a schedule for updating them and other NASIG publications. Glen and Linda reviewed the existing NASIGuides for dead links and anything else needing updating.  Linda found no problems, and Glen contacted their original authors to ask them for updates.   The committee brainstormed and suggested more ideas for new NASIGuides.  Linda sent out a message to NASIG-L asking for volunteers to write new NASIGuides, and listing some recommended topics, and got some positive response.  Glen also asked the Continuing Education Committee for input.  New guides that are assigned to authors and either planned or already being worked on include ones on working with subscription vendors, cancellation workflow, serials in institutional repositories, MARC for serials, and FRBR.  Each NASIGuide will be edited by one committee member for content, and another for style, etc.  We hope that at least some will be up by the conference, and others should be ready by sometime in the fall.  A new call for authors and ideas for new guides will be posted in the NASIG Newsletter.

Human Resources Directory.  The committee is also charged with revising and updating the Directory.  Glen and Jeff had some preliminary discussion on how we might want to update them.   There was some concern about whether the Directory was much used or needed.  Marit sent a message to NASIG-L asking for feedback on that subject, and received a positive response.  Some respondents have used the Directory, and others did not know about it but might use it now that they know.  Several people said they might volunteer to be included in the Directory.  It is clear that the Directory needs more publicity; there will be information about it in the Newsletter.  There was a problem with the submission form, which Jeff resolved after consultation with the Electronic Communications Committee.  The committee discussed changes and updates to the list of subjects for speakers, and Gracemary and Yvonne collected ideas.  Gracemary prepared a spreadsheet of topics to add, remove, or change.  Jeff suggested that we rename the Directory, and the committee agreed on changing it to the Speakers and Consultants Directory.  Marit asked Mary to submit the change to the board for approval.  Jeff drafted and the committee approved a message to be sent to people presently in the Directory asking them up update their entry; this should be done at least annually.  Jeff has been working on ideas for making the format of entries more consistent. The plan is for the committee to divide up the names in the Directory and each contact those people asking for updates.

NASIG-L.  Mary Page asked the committee to discuss ideas about how the scope of NASIG-L might be changed, and feedback given to the Electronic Communication Committee.  After discussion, the committee members felt that the scope did not need to be changed, and Marit reported this to the ECC, which had come to the same conclusion.

The committee has not acted on other elements of the committee charge on the recommendation of Mary Page, because of the pending outsourcing of the NASIG Web pages.  These involved selecting a metadata schema for NASIG publications and establishing HTML/XML/PDF standards, and standard announcements.

SPEAKERS AND CONSULTANTS DIRECTORY
Marit Taylor, Co-chair, Publications/Public Relations Committee

Do you even seek speakers on a particular subject for a conference or meeting?  Do you need advice or information about an unfamiliar area of serials management?  Are you familiar with what was the NASIG Human Resources Directory, now renamed the Speakers and Consultants Directory?

This Directory is provided to help you find experts on various topics who are willing to travel and speak at conferences, or be consulted personally about their areas of special expertise.  You can browse the Directory by name or subject area.

We on the Publications and Public Relations Committee are charged with maintaining and updating this Directory.  We are aware that many of the entries need updating, and that the Directory as a whole might benefit by reorganizing and making entries more consistent.

We would very much appreciate your input in the following areas:

Have you ever used the Directory?

Do you think you might use it now that you know about it, or are reminded about it?

How would you like to see it improved?

Are you willing to submit a profile and add your name to the list?

Thank you in advance for any input and suggestions.

CALLING ALL AUTHORS: GOT NASIGUIDE?
Linda Pitts, Publications/Public Relations Committee

Have you been looking for a way to help your fellow NASIG members AND benefit your career at the same time?  Well, look no further–the NASIG Publications and Public Relations Committee has the perfect opportunity for you!

As many of you know, the PubPR Committee maintains a web page with links to guides on various topics of interest to NASIG members, such as the ISSN, license negotiations, and serial holdings.  See the complete list of NASIGuides at http://www.nasig.org/publications/guides/.

The PubPR Committee is currently soliciting members to write additional NASIGuides.  Some recommended topics are:

Electronic resources workflow
FRBR implications for serials
Claiming workflows
Pricing models
License negotiations

If you are interested in writing a guide, either on one of these topics or on something else pertinent to serials, please email Linda Pitts at lmpitts@u.washington.edu.  Please note that we have people already working on guides for MARC Fields for Serials, Cancellation Workflows, Working with Subscription Vendors, and Serials in Institutional Repositories.

Remember, this is a great opportunity to contribute to NASIG Web and to see your name in print as an author (which can be even better than seeing it in lights if you’re applying for tenure).  So do yourself and NASIG a favor and volunteer today!