CDLINFO-L LISTSERV March 1, 1998 Vol. 1, No. 1
CONTENTS- Welcome to the California Digital Library Listserv
- Background on the California Digital Library
- A Message from the University Librarian
- Organization of the CDL
- CDL Staff
- CDL Operations and Planning Advisory Group (OPAG)
Coming in the next issue: CDL Collections
1. Welcome to the California Digital Library Listserv
As a rapidly developing, collaborative undertaking, the California Digital Library is starting to build an active communications program to help keep the UC community informed about progress in creation of the CDL, policy issues under discussion, and newly available electronic resources. As a first step, we are launching this listserv for UC libraries.
We hope that subscribers from the UC libraries will pass on selected information from the listserv to faculty, staff, and students on their campuses, as appropriate. In the future, we plan to develop a communications program to reach UC faculty, staff, and students, as well as others outside of UC who may be interested in our activities. We are also in the process of designing a CDL web page. In the interim, we are maintaining the current Library Planning and Action Initiative (LPAI) web page and have opened it to the public (see below for more information).
Eligible subscribers: UC library employees
To subscribe: Please send the following line to listserv@listserv.ucop.edu
SUBSCRIBE CDLINFO-L <your name>
Frequency of publication: For the first month, the CDL plans to publish the listserv weekly. We will then move to biweekly publication, generally on the 1st and 15th of each month, or as new information warrants.
Communicating with the listserv: The CDL Listserv does not accept submissions. However, subscribers can send suggestions and comments to the moderator, Mary Jean Moore, via email (cdl@ucop.edu).
2. Background on the California Digital Library
The California Digital Library is the result of a three-year planning process, beginning with the Digital Library Executive Working Group commissioned by Library Council and culminating with the Library Planning and Action Initiative commissioned by the Provost, which involved UC faculty, librarians, and administrators. Subscribers who are interested in tracing this planning process or obtaining more background information on the CDL should explore the Library Planning and Action Initiative (LPAI) web site at
This site contains links to the latest LPAI news, planning documents and reports, and presentations, as well as a section devoted specifically to the CDL http://www.lpai.ucop.edu/outcomes/cdl. The CDL will begin design and development of a separate web site shortly.
3. A Message from the University Librarian
A number of changes have occurred over the last few months as the California Digital Library has begun to take shape. I would like to address how some of those changes have affected current operations and alert you to other changes coming in the future.
The Melvyl system is viewed as an integral and foundational component of the CDL. This perspective has had implications in terms of organization. The staff of the former Division of Library Automation (DLA) has been incorporated as part of the CDL. The CDL is administratively part of Academic Initiatives under Vice Provost Carol Tomlinson-Keasey. In addition to myself as Executive Director and University Librarian of the CDL, the senior staff consists of Beverlee French, Associate Director, Shared Collections and Services (see the announcement about her appointment later in this issue), and four Assistant Directors, including Laine Farley, Assistant Director, System Services (formerly Coordinator, Bibliographic Policy and Services, DLA), and three positions currently under recruitment:
Assistant Director, Business Development; Assistant Director, Education and Communications; and Technical Director. Laine's user services staff is now part of the System Services component of the CDL.
The other DLA staff members, consisting primarily of programmers and technical staff, report to Bob Brandriff, Acting Technical Director of the CDL. As its current name implies, the technical unit is responsible for the technical design and implementation of the CDL. Bob has a dual reporting relationship to myself and to M. Stuart Lynn, Associate Vice President, Information Resources and Communications. As new CDL management members are hired and relationships and roles are clarified, some titles may change; as stated in the planning documents, we view the CDL organization as organic, constantly changing and growing in new ways as the CDL develops.
It is a challenge to adjust to these organizational changes and prepare to support the CDL's goals, while continuing to maintain the existing operations and services upon which the University community relies so heavily. To aid in the transition to the CDL, we are reviewing and prioritizing tasks and activities related to the Melvyl system. While continuing our existing commitments to the services the Melvyl system provides, we also want to begin focusing on the use of new technology, the provision of new services, and the potential for leveraging resources for maximum benefit to the UC community. To allow time for planning and staff training to meet these goals, we will suspend some system tasks and changes. The University Librarians and the Operations and Planning Advisory Group, or OPAG (which advises the CDL on issues related to policies, procedures and operations of the California Digital Library), have endorsed this approach and recently reviewed and approved a document to guide priorities through the end of the fiscal year. See Transitional Issues for the California Digital Library and the Melvyl System.
As this document indicates, a great deal of effort currently goes toward maintenance of the Melvyl Catalog database and the various abstracting and indexing databases. New development during this period will be minimal, consisting primarily of completing the Melvyl Web interface and initial support of the CDL initiatives. If you have any questions about the kinds of tasks that will continue and those that will be suspended, please contact Laine Farley (laine.farley@ucop.edu) for clarification.
One significant planning activity we will undertake is an assessment of the technical architecture for library systems and services. This activity is an expansion of the original plan to supplement the recently completed Coordinated Bibliographic Systems report of functional requirements with a technical review of architectural options to support those requirements. The scope will be broadened to include technology needed to support the full range of CDL and other library and scholarly publishing needs.
This planning activity has had a major impact on a task that is notably absent from the transitional document: the project to regenerate and combine the Catalog and Periodicals databases. As the functional specifications for that project neared completion and the development timeline came into focus, it seemed unwise to begin such a major project using current technology since the technology was likely to change as soon as the project was finished. Instead, the project will be set aside while the CDL Technical Unit evaluates database technology over the next six months to find the easiest to use and most efficient technology for building the database, and to assess any gains or tradeoffs in functionality if we switch to new technology. The work of the Catalog/PE Task Force will culminate shortly in a report on the reasons the regeneration is needed, functional requirements, and any remaining functional issues to be considered. The thorough work of this group will guide the future implementation, regardless of the technology or architecture used.
I know that another area of concern for many is how the various liaison and advisory groups will function in the new environment. We expect Provost King to appoint a new Systemwide Library and Scholarly Information Committee shortly; it is likely that this new group, chaired by Vice Chancellor Christ from UC Berkeley, will replace Library Council. While the OPAG now serves as a key advisory body for the CDL, the University Librarians will make final determination regarding an effective advisory and consultative structure that will position the libraries to meet the significant challenges we all face. All of us are strongly committed to reliance on and benefit from the collective expertise within the UC system.
4. Organization of the CDL
A core of senior management staff at the Office of the President is responsible for planning and creating the California Digital Library. Several temporary advisory committees and working task forces have also been created to ensure critical connections to the campuses and customers. Two of these groups are OPAG and STIC. The Operations and Planning Advisory Group (OPAG), composed of senior professional staff from each campus library, advises the CDL on issues related to policies, procedures and operations of the California Digital Library. The STIC Task Force has responsibility for advising the CDL on the content of its charter collection, the Science, Technology, and Industry Collection. Additional advisory groups will be formed to assist the CDL in planning and implementation.
CDL Senior Staff
Executive Director and University Librarian Richard Lucier
Associate Director, Shared Collections and Services, Beverlee French (starting April 6, 1998; see announcement below)
Assistant Director, System Services, Laine Farley
Acting Technical Director, Robert Brandriff
Assistant Director, Business Development (under recruitment)
Assistant Director, Education and Communications (under recruitment)
Coordinator, Library Planning Initiative, Susan Starr (until 6/30/98)
Director of Library Planning & Policy Development, Gary Lawrence
Beverlee French Accepts Post as Associate Director, Shared Collections and Services, for the California Digital Library
Richard Lucier, University Librarian and Executive Director of the California Digital Library, is pleased to announce the appointment of Beverlee French as Associate Director, Shared Collections and Services, the California Digital Library. The University of California's President, Richard C. Atkinson, established the California Digital Library in the fall of 1997. As part of its mission, the CDL will provide access to shared digital collections that support the University's research and teaching missions and offer services that facilitate access to those collections.
Ms. French will be responsible for planning and implementing the shared collections of the CDL. Her work will involve substantial collaboration with senior librarians and faculty in developing innovative plans and programs and devising implementation strategies for expanding the University's shared digital holdings.
Richard Lucier says, "The depth and breadth of Ms. French's experience in both the print and electronic world, and her long history with UC libraries, will be a real asset as the CDL develops a vision to guide the development of UC's digital collections. These collections will include not only digital versions of the traditional published literature but also UC's unique special collections in digitized format, databases available only in digital form, and new forms of scholarly and scientific communication."
Ms. French has a wide range of expertise in collection development, library management and technology, and public services. Most recently she has served as the Assistant/Associate University Librarian for Sciences and Systems at UC Davis (1992-present), where she administered the science libraries (Biological and Agricultural Sciences Department, Physical Sciences, Health Sciences, and Medical Center Libraries), Government Information and Maps, and library computing services.
She has also been Acting Assistant University Librarian for Collections (1988-89) and Assistant University Librarian for the Sciences (1987-92) at UC Davis, as well as Chair of two systemwide committees, Heads of Public Services and the Computer Files Committee.
Prior to her appointment at UC Davis, she served as Head of the Science and Engineering Library, and as a reference librarian and cataloger at UC San Diego. She holds an A.B. in social sciences and an M.L.S. from UC Berkeley.
CDL Operations and Planning Advisory Group (OPAG)
Charge:
The CDL Operations and Planning Advisory Group (OPAG) advises the University Librarian and Executive Director, CDL on issues related to policies, procedures and operations of the California Digital Library.
Meetings:
OPAG meets monthly. Meetings rotate among the campuses.
Membership:
OPAG includes a representative from the senior professional staff at each library, including the CDL, selected to provide an appropriate mix of interests and expertise.
Members are appointed by the Executive Director, CDL, in consultation with campus University Librarians. One of the members serves as Chair.
Current Membership:
Phyllis Mirsky, UCSD, Chair (psmirsky@ucsd.edu)
Peter Brantley, UCSF (peebs@library.ucsf.edu)
Cynthia Clark, UCI (cclark@uci.edu)
Mary Heath, UCD (mkheath@ucdavis.edu)
Bernie Hurley, UCB (bhurley@library.berkeley.edu)
Cecily Johns, UCSB (johns@library.ucsb.edu)
Gary Lawrence, CDL (gary.lawrence@ucop.edu)
Alan Ritch, UCSC (aritch@cats.ucsc.edu)
Brian Schottlaender, UCLA (bschott@library.ucla.edu)
Susan Starr, CDL/UCSD (sstarr@ucsd.edu)
John Tanno, UCR (john.tanno@ucr.edu)
Term:
Members have been selected to serve an initial six-month term. In June 1998, OPAG will advise the CDL on future structure and membership.