SIRS (McKeldin Service+ Information & Research Services Desk Committee) Minutes of meeting May 30, 2001 Present: Laguerre, Lindquist (presiding), Moreton (recording), Norris-Gonzalez, Todd, Van Sant, Whitt, Winker, Yocco 1. Cindy Todd distributed SPIT's latest draft of the 1st Floor layout. She explained some of the changes from previous plans resulted from physical constraints and building codes: the current Social Sciences team area lacks sufficient weight bearing requirements to house reference bookstacks; the WAM lab is required to have two exits; the size of the coffee shop/cafe is limited by a building codes that would require a larger cafe to have its own restrooms. She also noted that some new features had been introduced: a unisex handicapped restroom, a 90- degree move of the the large stairwell entrance, and an information/security kiosk. Members discussed the new plan and offered suggestions and comments as follows (Note--The list below borrows from a list which Cindy Todd compiled for the SPITters): --SIRS liked the idea of walling in the south side of the entrance area and turning the staircase entrance 90 degrees. --In general SIRS members liked the study area/wam lab/cafe complex. --SIRS recommended an alternate placement for the self-check circulation station. Staff at the Info Desk would not be the appropriate staff to resolve problems or answer questions, and believe that placement at the Info Desk implies service that we would not be providing. SIRS recommended to move station to Access Services desk. Also this would eliminate need for users to cross back and forth across main traffic corridor. --The notion of the Information Kiosk raised alot of discussion on how that is going to be managed and staffed. At this point, the group felt that the kiosk needs to be staffed whenever the building is open, and most especially when the cafe is open, lest people purchase food/drink and bring it through the unstaffed entrance into the building. Members voiced concern about problems at an unstaffed kiosk significantly interrupting service at the information/Reference Service desk. --Members asked if would be possible (i.e. area would be sufficiently weight-bearing) to put 1/2 height shelving in the area where the Social Science Team is currently located. If so, SIRS strongly recommended moving the 4 ranges that plans currently show as located immediately in front of the Info Desk over to the area adjacent to 1113B/1115, and making those ranges 1/2 height. This would dramatically improve the view from the Info Desk and give us more servicable desk space. We would recommend adding workstation string in that area. --SIRS will begin working on plans for the desk now that it has a better idea of how space and services are arranged. --Regarding plans for this summer: SIRS would like to have shelving mounted on the west wall on the outside of 1109 and to have a study table to put in proximity of those shelves. SIRS agreed that we should move the workstations over to the current Social Science team area. We will be moving the Index Table1 (General Biography Alcove) and the index table in the Business/Law Alcove over there too. This will permit setting up the shelving ranges where those alcoves currently sit. --The group discussed the interconnectedness of spatial arrangements and service. SIRS urges SPIT to be more communicative about how decisions are being made. Generally members understood decisions that are driven by building constraints. However, if some decisions are being led by criteria other than building constraints, then it would be good to know where and why those decisions are being made. Such information, provided early, would give staff the opportunity to provide valuable input by identifying and heading off potential service problems that might otherwise be overlooked. 2. Cindy asked for reaction to a proposal to move all first floor photocopiers to an area inside the main entrance to the Periodicals Room. This proposal was made to provide more centralization of and access to service, to offer better security, and to meet money card requirements of new photocopy machines. Generally SIRS liked the proposal, but voiced concern if users would not have ready access to the copiers after hours. This is particularly an issue for persons using reserve materials (which may be checked out during late night hours). 3. Susanna Van Sant recommended that SIRS keep a running list of pending agenda topics to assist persons who were chairing upcoming meetings and issuing agendas. Members liked the suggestion and agreed upon the following topics for future meetings: --If and where to store peer training handouts for use at Information/Reference desk. --Service Guidelines (this had been proposed for today's meeting, but was "bumped" by today's lengthy discussion of the first floor plan). --Desk configuration --Progress of our Reference Collection weeding and recommendations. 4. Information Sharing: Group clarified procedures to be followed when a person who is scheduled for the service desk must call in sick. The individual should first call respective team members to try to get a replacement. Ifthis is not possible, then person should contact the Information/ Reference desk so that staff at desk can record the absence on the schedule. Also the individual should leave a message on Cindy's phone, and if possible, send out an e-mail to all reference librarians to ask for someone to cover their hours. Some librarians had been calling CORE staff (i.e. Debby or Evelyn) to ask them to find someone to replace them. This is not part of our procedures; please do not call CORE staff, for they do not have the resources to provide this service. ---------------------- Glenn Moreton gm30@umail.umd.edu