Minutes from Meeting with Charles Lowry, Lori Goetsch, and Julie Arnold

October 25, 2002

Topic: Participation in AskUsNow! and QuestionPoint collaborative

services

1) AskUsNow! --

It was agreed that we should consider participating in this project at least for the first year. We will make a decision to go forward after we have talked with Joe Thompson regarding our concerns. We will not, however, commit to more than one year at this time. We also will not discontinue the current UM Libraries' Chat with a Librarian service. Our AskUsNow! participation will be above and beyond that service.

Julie and Charles will work on a "letter of interest" with those questions listed above posed to the Coordinator of the service.

Julie will invite Joe Thompson to visit with the Digital Reference Committee to answer questions.

When and if the time is appropriate, Julie will arrange a group of volunteers to staff the service for the first year.

The Digital Reference Committee will appoint a Coordinator/Point of Contact for the service.

2) QuestionPoint --

It was agreed that our participation in this project is not time sensitive, or important, at this point. Julie will continue to gather information about the project, talk to current participants, and will talk to Coordinators of the service at the Virtual Reference Desk conference in November.

Discussion of participation will be brought back to the Digital Reference Committee at a later time.