CHO / IMLS

All Staff Meeting

January 11, 2001

Dodd Research Center

Present: Heidi Abbey (Recorder), Fritzi Batchelor, Jeannette Blohm, Nancy Finlay, Kathy Foulke, Betsy Pittman, Mary Ann Stets, Tom Wilsted, Rutherford Witthus, Allison Zhang

I. Update on Progress

1. Voyager 2000 Upgrade/OPAC Configuration - Allison
   UConn Web Voyage will be back up sometime on Jan. 11th or 12th. Some module testing still needs to be done and will take until Jan. 15th to be completed. CHO OPAC will experience some problems because of the upgrade. Allison is still working on fixing the problems. The group needs to develop a strategy or plan to follow-up with the issue of dealing with future Voyager upgrades.
   
2. Voyager 2000 and Image Server Upgrade - Fritzi
   Fritzi expects that the Voyager 2000 client, along with installation instructions, will be distributed by Jan. 16th. A patch to fix additional problems will be forthcoming in early February. New Image Server client needs to be reinstalled; testing still needs to be done and MARC tag table changes need to be done before Image Server can be given to other staff. Image Server 2000 will be tested and debugged for distribution by Jan. 17th at the earliest. This is a high priority and Fritzi is aware of its critical nature for the CHO project. CAUTION for CATALOGERS: Please do use Image Server yet, even if it looks as though it is available on your desktop. Using it now may corrupt the database. Also, in early Feb., all clients need to be updated with the NT Service Pack 6A.
   
3. Cataloging
   
0. Summary - Allison
   
   Total number of records cataloged as of Jan. 7th: UConn = 829, CHS = 1296, Mystic = 100 (live records). Catalogers met five times and discussed five different issues:
   

• Quality of records, especially spelling; proofreading workflows at each institution have greatly improved quality;
• Consistency of using subject headings at each institution;
• Length of descriptions, which varies depending upon each image; it was agreed that catalogers should create informative, meaningful descriptions;
• How and when to use subject headings; this discussion is ongoing; and
• Cataloging time; the original estimate of 15 minutes to catalog one record is not typical of what catalogers have experienced; since staff are doing "original" as opposed to "copy" cataloging, it takes on average 20 minutes to complete one record; catalogers can complete approximately 75 records per week, not 100. Even if catalogers could complete 100 records per week, we will still not meet our expected goals for the project.
  

0. UConn - Tom
   Cataloging stats have picked up recently. Dylan has reached 90-100 records per week. Sandy Gallup is doing the proofreading for him. Additional monies will be found to keep Dylan on the staff for an additional 2 months in the hopes of cataloging more items.
   
1. Mystic - Mary Ann
   In approximately one week, 5,000 cataloging records will be loaded from the MULTIMIMSY database in Voyager. Jim Blackaby is out sick right now, but will do the work when he returns. Fritzi said that, if needed, records can be bulk loaded to the server at UConn. Kathy expects to catalog about 100 records per week and will not finish all of the cataloging until mid-December 2001. Her appointment will probably be extended to finish the cataloging as well. Kathy has been sending subject headings to other catalogers for consistency.
   
2. CHS - Nancy
   Jeannette has been doing a lot of cataloging even though the fall intern has now left. A new intern is expected soon. Nancy has been proofreading records. Jeannette's 4-month extension was approved.
   
3. Authority Control - Fritzi/Allison
   After Voyager 2000 upgrade is completed, Fritzi and Joanne Palko will begin working on a proposal for authority control.
   

1. Website Designer Selection - Allison
   Three design firms were asked to submit proposal by Dec. 1st. One firm was immediately eliminated because of their price and lack of details in their proposal. The design team was not able to reach a quick decision, so meetings with the firms were held on Jan. 10th and 11th. The design team will need to meet and make a recommendation to the CHO Management Committee. It is expected that the web design will be done by the end of June.
   
2. Teacher-Advisor Input - Rebecca
   
   A small teacher advisory group, which included 5 teachers from high schools and middle schools in CT, gathered twice in December to review the CHO site. Overall, the group was very critical yet very enthusiastic at the same time.
   
   Summary of group discussions:
   

• They would like to see a very distinct entry point on the website for teachers and students. A different design for their audience was also suggested; something lighthearted;
• Goals of the website need to be more clear, and themes should be more specific, not broad (a point which is completely opposite from the 1st teacher input meeting);
• There is still not enough information on the site that would be useful for teachers. They would like to see more information in the records, additional context for the information presented, and themes. Suggestions for content included links to outside websites, tools for kids to create their own online journals, or a template for students to build an online album/scrapbook around a particular theme;
• Teachers would like to see links to standardized tests and ways to create lessons and activities;
• They would like the site to be easier to use.
  
  The design team will need to think about the above teacher input. Mary Ann suggested that the original group of teachers should meet and be solicited for their reactions to the site again. Fritzi suggested that we add cross references in text to subject headings and consider adding a portal or "MyCHO" feature to the site. Tom reminded the group that there will be social science conference in the fall and that the site could be demonstrated to teachers then.
  

1. Pilot Web Publicity - Allison
   The CHS Publicist, Aaron Wartner, worked on the official press release for CHO and it was distributed on Nov. 15th to 60 different news groups and the Associated Press. On Nov. 16th, staff sent the press release to listservs. Overall, publicity efforts were well received and successful. All local media included CHO in their newscasts. Allison registered CHO with 20 different search engines. Allison was contacted by the CT Educational Media Association and was invited to speak at their conference in Sept. CHO will also be mentioned in their newsletter as well as that of the CT Educators and Computers Association. Both CHS and UConn have already received requests for reproductions. The group needs to develop a plan for dealing with this in the long term. Future publicity: Tom said that CHO would eventually be added to UConn's dCompass, a list of databases/resources at UConn. Right now, CHO can be simultaneously searched from HOMER, UConn's library catalog.
   
2. Web Statistics - Allison
   A hidden counter on the website has been tracking hits; so far they are not very high. But, to date, web stats show that users from 40 different countries have visited the site. Fritzi will investigate capturing statistics from the OPAC log.
   
3. Brochure - Nancy
   A 2-color, 6-panel brochure is being designed. Nancy distributed the text of the brochure to the group. Approximately 5,000 brochures will be printed. Images for the brochure are needed by the end of next week. Most of the design will be done in-house at CHS and then given to a professional designer for the final layout and printing. Equal consideration and representation for all three institutions will be in the brochure design. The brochure should be done by the middle of February, just in time to take to the IMLS Web-Wise Meeting.
   
4. IMLS Web-Wise Meeting, Washington, D.C. - Nancy
   The focus of this meeting in February is the digital divide. CHO representatives were asked to discuss training and how CHO is being used to train teachers and students. Representatives from each institution are able to attend and should contact Nancy if interested. UConn needs to let Nancy know if a representative will be attending.
   
5. Project Schedule on the Web - Allison
   Schedules are online at /project/Timeline.htm. Catalogers need to meet in January, date to be determined. The design team needs to meet in February so that the web designers can be advised appropriately. Pat McGlamery will have something for the digital gazetteer ready in February. The group expects that the web designers will have a draft website ready in March.

II. Next Group Meeting?

III. Next Catalogers Meeting is in January?