Technical Services Program Review

Program Review Recommendations

• Category 1: What can be done now?
• Category 2: Which recommendations should be considered in long term planning?
• Category 3: What library policies have been identified which need to be discussed beyond TSD?
• Category 4: What activities are well suited for process improvement?
• Category 5: What new activities must be incorporated in the new structure/workflow?
• Category 6: Are there topics that would be candidates for continuing education programs, both inside TSD and library-wide?
• Category 7: What issues will affect staffing and the organization of work?
• Category 8: What additional data is needed?

Category 1: What can be done now? These are activities gleaned from the working groups' reports that BRC is referring back to the departments to be worked on. BRC has identified the possible group leader(s) for each activity. However, since the potential leaders have not been consulted, changes may still occur. Questions and suggestions may be sent to the respective department heads or to the TSD Council.

Acquisitions:

A. Ordering:

1. Develop a pilot program to test the online MRF and ERRF forms with a small number of selectors. Finish putting the forms on the web page.
   Leaders: Carlen Ruschoff and Jan Siar to consult with Carole Bell. Carole Bell and Karla Hahn will identify the selectors to participate in the pilot.
2. Clarify and document the University and State procedures for selectors' signatures. Verify the use of electronic forms.
   Leaders: Carole Bell and Carlen Ruschoff
3. Set up an interim database to track electronic resources orders. Begin investigating what tracking mechanisms are available with the new ILS.
   Leader: Gwen Halford
4. Review the Acquisitions web page to determine what information needs to be clarified. Write documentation on 'who does what.'
   Leader: Jan Siar
5. Develop a plan and process to integrate the searching and ordering into one process. Ordering should be done at time of searching.
   Leader: Carole Bell and Jan Siar

B. Receiving:

1. Changes in receiving procedures:
   Leaders: Pearl Coleman, Paul Bushmiller, Jan Siar
   1. Notate MRF and on-line order with any changes in publishing information
   2. Check each MRF at receipt for Hold/Notify information
   3. Send sort code 2 orders to requestor
   4. Investigate integrating part of payment process into the receiving process
2. Investigate revising Promptcat loader profile to block records with missing call #s.
   Leaders: Marlene Vikor, Jan Siar
3. Discontinue stamping received date on MRF copies since Rapid is no longer shelving by these dates in their queue.
   Leaders: Marlene Vikor, Pearl Coleman

C. Payments:

1. Work with campus accounts payable to inquire into the following areas recommended by the Working Group (numbering from the parking lot of the group's report).
   Leaders: Carole Bell, Carlen Ruschoff
   1. Tracing checks. It would be more efficient if the Libraries' Payment unit could directly access the State payment records instead of having to go through the Accounts Payable office. (1)
   2. Stop payment procedures. It is unclear what happens once the process leaves the library. Documentation of campus/state procedures would be helpful. (3)
   3. Detailed payment procedures past the campus stage. Documentation of what occurs once payment is initiated by the Libraries should be developed. It would be helpful to understand campus/state-caused delays in payments. (4)
   4. Vendor address field for campus payment. There is some question as to how large this field can be. It should be clarified whether we can increase our field size to allow enough field space(s) to accommodate foreign addresses. (10)
   5. Changes in accounts payable. Investigation should begin on how our Acquisitions unit can be reliably and expeditiously informed of changes when they occur. (11)
   6. Invoices for titles deviating from calendar year coverage. On Faxon tape loaded invoices, with calendar year coverage, the invoices load cleanly. With any deviation from calendar year, blank spaces and slashes are loaded in the coverage field, thus requiring corrections that need to be done by hand. Investigate with ITD whether this glitch can be fixed? (13)
2. Update payment procedures described on the Acquisitions home page. Leader: Jan Siar
3. Eliminate invoice coding as recommended. Need only: object, fund, date, signature, received date. Leader: Pearl Coleman
4. Work with Preservation staff to train them on the finer points of invoice handling. A particular issue seems to be MRF creation to facilitate payment of certain types of invoices. Leader: Pearl & Yvonne

Cataloging:

1. Consult with space-planning person.
   Leaders: Carlen Ruschoff/TSSAC
2. Compile Cataloging Dept. statistics.
   Leader: Heidi Hanson
3. Continue identifying what documentation is needed, putting it online [Post to department via email and/or make an agenda item at next dept.meeting
   ] Leaders: Robert Bratton/Web Team.
4. Take a "snapshot" of a weekly cataloging workload via OCLC Microenhancer.
   Leaders: Heidi Hanson/Carlen Ruschoff
5. Ensure all Rapid LTs check series headings against LCAF and Local file; address series backlog; streamline processing of copy with "not traced" series.
   Leaders: Heidi Hanson/Marlene Vikor
6. Investigate all/more Faculty catalogers becoming NACO and/or SACO contributors/reviewers.
   Leader: Heidi Hanson/Marlene Vikor
7. Report consolidated statistics for UMCP contributions to NACO-NACO regular & funnel contributions in Cataloging's monthly report.
   Leader: Heidi Hanson
8. Investigate how to address the redundancy of searching in the added copy process have Acquisitions print out bibliographic record so the staff adding copy in Cataloging would have the OCLC#.
   Leader: Marlene Vikor/Heidi Hanson/Jan Siar

Catalog Management:

1. Advertise CATM Help Desk to internal customers in an article for Library Matters.
   Leaders: Wilma Bass & Loretta Tatum
2. Create clearer contacts in other TSD departments for assistance in resolution of "old" problems assigned to CATM: put on Cat. Dept. Meeting agenda.
   Leaders: Wilma Bass/Heidi Hanson/Loretta Tatum
3. Training for selectors in the transfer/withdraw process: TIP or individual team meetings.
   Leaders: Delores Huff

Physical processing and preservation:

1. Clarify and document all end-processing procedures as they currently stand. Distribute documentation to all staff with any end-processing responsibilities (EPU and PRES). This documentation should define "standard" processing and all document all variations. Develop mechanism for systematic updating and dissemination of the procedures.
   Leader: Sandy Lynch
2. Explore extending "in process" time period to more than 10 days to prevent misidentifying of materials in EPU as "on shelf." More accurate reflection of processing time. Different length (longer) of time for branch materials to take into account transit times and unpacking at endpoint.
   Leader: Carlen will work toward consensus regarding new length of time and make arrangements with ITD to implement.
3. Evaluate and design interim space solutions for EPU to better facilitate tasks/production.
   Leaders: Sandy Lynch, Stan Stanek, and Christine McCarthy
4. Damaged gifts processing - Selector training is planned for April to provide selectors with information regarding the "hidden costs" of accepting damaged gifts, identifying types and levels of damage and preservation options and available consultation services.
   Leaders: Sue Koutsky, Christine McCarthy
5. Communicate status to other Library Department/Units - articles in Library Matters highlighting each Unit and identifying key contact people for questions. Preservation Units will make yearly status reports (and at other times as needed) regarding volume, special projects and any other issues that may have an impact on access services.
   Leader: Yvonne Carignan, working with Preservation Unit Heads (Sue, Christine, Atalanta)

LB: BRCcategory-1
3/7/01

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