CBB Mellon Project Goals for Library and IT
CBB Mellon Project Goals for Library and IT
Updated 1/98
The grant of $975,000 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
supports the following program elements:
- Seamless access to library holdings . Install a
common graphica l approach to catalogs and services of the three libraries
to improve student and faculty access to information. A common approach
will help the user see the Libraries as shared resource, and may reduce
the need to duplicate library holdings at all three colleges. A common
interface will give library users easy access to the catalogs of all
three libraries, with faster telecommunications and increased library
support services to ensure rapid delivery of print and electronic
information to all users, irres pective of "home" campus.
Activities underway:
- Develop client, server and other software elements needed to
accomplish common catalog display, graphical user interface, and
capacity for users to directly request delivery of materials from
all CBB libraries. Adopt common policies and procedures to assure
that CBB library materials are available on a shared basis to
all CBB students, faculty and staff.
- This project will support creation of a high speed telecommunications
channel among the three libraries.
- Videoconferencing. Videoconferencing capabilities at the
three colleges will help overcome barriers of distance while controlling
costs. These facilities will encourage effective collaboration among
students, faculty and administrators on the three campuses, and will
also put the colleges in visual communication with students and scholars
throughout the world. The goal is three-way video linkage -- with
full visual and audio communication at a high standard of resolution--for
groups of fa culty and students of up to 10 at each site. We anticipate
the capability to teach jointly necessary classes for which there
is insufficient demand on each campus, or support electronic conversation
between the CBB colleges and colleagues at other colleg es and universities.
This system will also support live videoconferences with guests around
the world, and potentially, provide ways to connect faculty and students
studying abroad with those in Maine.
Activities underway:
- For each campus, install room-based equipment with similar capabilities
to support a full range of videoconference capacities. We are
exploring options for this service using ISDN lines as well as
the advanced ATM system currently being built in the State of
Maine. Staff are loo king at installations such as facility that
has recently been installed at Hamilton College and Colgate University
as part of their Language and Technology Project sponsored by
the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation., as well as ATM sites.
- Select and install telecommunications support for videoconferencing
and Library applications. We include a three-way bridging system
that will allow two-way and three-way video conferencing with
enhanced telecommunications links that support both videoconferencing
and libr ary telecommunications needs, and ISDN lines to provide
each institution with the capability of having individual videoconferencing
with other sites that use the same standards.
- Faculty development . The colleges are working together
to deal with t he dual challenges of helping students learn how to
move around in an information-rich electronic environment and use
information effectively, and supporting faculty members who need to
learn these skills themselves. The project is an opportunity to recon
sider how we provide training for faculty and students in new information
resources, and as an opportunity to provide support for faculty members
who wish to incorporate use of new information sources, and new technologies
like videoconferencing, into thei r teaching. We will develop a coordinated
and creative program in information and information technology training.
Faculty members, librarians and information services staff of the
three colleges will work together to build a joint program that can
take a number of forms:
Workshops, seminars and formal events to demonstrate successful approaches
to information use.
Coordinated programs to develop shared training materials.
Informal events for working groups or affinity groups to help promote
face-to face contact among CBB colleges.
Activities of teams comprised of library staff, information services
staff, and faculty members to address particular curricular needs.
Direct support of faculty members who wish to explore more extensive
revision of a course or teaching approach by taking advantage of the
technology implemented through this grant
Activities underway:
A team comprised of leaders in library public services and information
services organizations are developing detailed goals and objectives
in 1997/98 academic year for implementation in 1998/99 and 1999/2000..
For additional information, contact Gene Wiemers, College Librarian,
Bates College, who serves as the chair of the steering committee overseeing
these activities. (ewiemers@ abacus.bates.edu; 207.786.6260)
Project Timeline
- Year 1 July 1997 --- June 1998
- Development and support of the library software. Installation
of software. Development of the policies to make it work.
- Identification and preparation of videocon ferencing sites at
each College, based on a survey of projected need.
- Purchase and installation of videoconferencing equipment.
- Begin faculty development and library staff training. Develop
detailed goals and objectives
- Year 2 July 1998 --- June 1999
- Evaluation of library software; how well it works.
- Videoconferencing experimenting and exploration projects. The
facility would not be available for courses that would depend
on using it regularly during this experimental year.
- Faculty development, including library staff support. The faculty
development will be coordinated with the library software evaluation
and the videoconferencing experimentation.
- Year 3 July 1999 --- June 2000
- Faculty development and library staff development (final 40%).
This will include faculty development on the use of information
products being made available through the library.
- First courses to make integral use of videoconferencing, as
well as its availability for other curricular and administrative
uses.
- Outside evaluators undertake review, including site visits and
final report.
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