Roundtable Reports

Roundtable groups composed of Public Services Librarians, Technical Services Librarians and Computer Services Librarians met at the Spring COSELL meetings. The discussions for each group are summarized by reports from the respective chairs and set out below. In addition the participants were each given forms and asked to list critical issues in their areas, as well as appropriate and/or use projects which COSELL might sponsor in these areas. I have listed the critical issues and COSELL projects suggested by each participant. Some of the same ideas were repeated frequently.

It is interesting how often the same ideas surfaced throughout the groups. Training, staffing, and managing new technology appeared to be the major concerns across groups. Librarians were concerned about methods and content of TRAINING for faculty, law school staff, students, and library staff. In regard to STAFFING, librarians were concerned about attracting new librarians to the field, providing appropriate professional development opportunities, managing the work flow in an ever more complicated situation, and providing methods to upgrade skills of long term staff. MANAGING TECHNOLOGY issues included first determining the appropriate managerial unit in the law school to manage technology, budgeting for technology, developing and implementing a technology plan which provides for systematic and regular cycle of hardware and software upgrades, and finally, managing the staff to appropriately use the technology.

PUBLIC SERVICES ROUND TABLE, chaired by Lisa Smith-Butler of Geogia State University, who will be moving to Nova Southeastern University soon. Twenty-three librarians held lively discussions on several issues including library security, motivating para-professional staff, and various technology topics. Libraries represented have a variety of security measures in place ranging from card access during off-peak hours, door checkers and security guards to panic buttons to rouse police. Funding responsibility for security measures was also addressed.

Critical issues raised by participants:
* coping when there is not enough staff
* providing on-going support for computing, including training of librarians, para-profesionals and students
* professional development for Public Services librarians
* training Public Services staff to support computer applications
* outsourcing of technology services--how far can the library go?
* structuring an effective user training program
* grant writing training for law librarians

COSELL projects suggested by participants:
* a technology column in the SEAALL newsletter that discusses hardware, software and web sites
* workshops to train the trainers to teach students and para-professionals with new technology
* list serve for COSELL
* workshops on time management, grant writing, and librarian development

COMPUTER SERVICES ROUND TABLE, chaired and reported by Carol Watson of the University of Georgia.

Approximately 12 people attended the COSELL Computer Services Roundtable and discussed staffing structure, budgeting and WESTLAW and LEXIS issues.

STAFFING STRUCTURE: Where does Computer Services fit in the law school organizational structure? Three COSELL members indicated that their library has responsibility for law school computing support. The need for more computer support staff was also mentioned.

BUDGETING: Has anyone established a sufficient annual equipment fund? The key to success seems to be strong support from law school administration. The benefits of leasing computer equipment were also discussed.

WESTLAW AND LEXIS : One school indicated that they were charging for Westlaw and Lexis laser printing. Roundtable members speculated on how long Westlaw and Lexis would continue to provide supplies for stand-alone printers. Training issues and experiences with Lexis 7.0 software were discussed.

Mary Brandt Jensen of the University of Mississippi proposed a COSELL project to maintain an up-to-date list of COSELL state web resources. She suggested dividing responsibilities among institutions in each state.

Critical issues raised by participants:
* ongoing budget for upgrades for hardware and software
* establishing a computer equipment replacement cycle
* staffing for computer services, law school or law library, how much staff
* training public services staff to support computer applications
* networking carrels for laptop access
* finding, evaluating and monitoring a webmaster
* training and teaching faculty and library staff how to use new
technology
* evaluating skills learned by One Ls in basic LEXIS & WESTLAW training
* determining who is responsible for faculty training and services for web pages, list serves
* monitoring and controlling printing in computer labs
* determining a workable mix of online services and CD-ROM access
* networking and how to cope when servers are down
* LEXIS & WESTLAW printing issues and whether students should pay

COSELL projects suggested by participants:
* cooperative project for state web pages
* sharing information such as policy statements and user guides via the COSELL home page
* setting up a set of links on the COSELL home page for librarian tools on the following topics

web site development
technology "refresher"
general and legal reference

TECHNICAL SERVICES ROUND TABLE, chaired by Carol Avery Nicholson of the University of North Carolina.
Approximately ten librarians participated and discussed current issues beginning with the need for technology training for current technical services staff and the need to cultivate qualified entry level professional staff. They also discussed developing policies to deal with superseded materials, maintaining them, discarding them, and providing appropriate documentation. The group discussed and dismissed the idea of pursing consortium agreements with serials vendors or with a binder. Some institutions have little flexibility in binding arrangements because of the state contracting process. The most popular suggestion proposed by the group was for a COSELL clearinghouse of technical services procedures available through the COSELL home page

Critical issues raised by participants:

personnel issues including training for long term employees
finding competent computer literate employees at low salaries
keeping up with new developments
building a cohesive team in technical services
learning and fully utilizing current library system
creating procedures and policy manuals
creating and fostering good working relations with public services
developing skills of professional and para-professional staff
examining of work flow and finding new solutions
learning to delegate tasks
dealing with network and CD-ROM technical problems

COSELL projects suggested by participants