THE
(LAWLAC)
Minutes of the
LAWLAC meeting held on Friday, 14 November 2008, 2pm in the Graneek Room, Level
4, Chifley Library
Present: Prof P Spender, Mr T Cibiras, Ms
K Collier, Mr V Elliott (Chair), Ms Sue Kosse, Ms J Longley (minutes), Mr R
Andersen (Law Students’ Society), Ms S Walpola.
1. Apologies: Professor P
Cane
Mr
Andersen attended as the Law Students’ Society representative.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting and
matters arising
The
minutes of the 2 June 2008 meeting were accepted.
Matters
arising from the minutes:
·
Last
copy retention project – Oxford Journals archive has been completed
·
Open
access – Professor Stanton tabled a paper at the last meeting of University Research
Committee on open access to research
·
ArticleReach
(an unmediated document delivery service) – this has been partially launched
and the ANU is already filling requests. The request service will be available
to all ANU students and staff by early 2009
3. Review of Information Infrastructure
and Services (IIS)
Mr Elliott discussed the report of the IIS Committee. This review was
focussed on the Division of Information. A second review will focus on College
information services and will probably be undertaken in 2009.
Mr Elliott drew attention to a number of issues within the report:
·
Lack of
an overarching strategic framework for collection development - he accepted
that there was a need for high level document to set the direction of the library,
noting that the purchasing direction is set by the academic community. A
document will be prepared.
·
Budget
constraints – he noted that things cannot be done because of a lack of money,
and specifically noted the extension of library opening hours.
·
Client
surveys – there was criticism that the Library does not respond to client
surveys. This was not so. There was analysis of the data collected and changes
were implemented as a result, specifically the expansion of Library opening
hours.
·
Consultative
processes and the advisory committees – He proposed that the consultative
process be changed and that the Library Advisory Committees should be chaired
by an academic member from 2009.
Professor Spender asked whether there were other specific issues that
the Library would like comment on? Vic Elliott indicated that there was nothing
specific.
4. Access and Collection
The Law Library Access and Collection budget report for October was
tabled. The Law Library budget will be overspent in 2008.
A proposal for new subscriptions was discussed and there was an
agreement to purchase Regulation and
Governance if funding was available. There was agreement to convert the All England Law Reports to an online subscription.
Professor Spender withdrew her request for Law
and Financial Markets Law Review. The
Law Teacher would be purchased if it did not become available via Ingenta
in 2009.
Mr Elliott explained that the current budget situation was becoming
very difficult because of the adverse affect of the lower Australian dollar
exchange rate. The exchange rate would cause a major problem for the 2009
financial year, as there will be inadequate funds. As an immediate step to
addressing the problem the Library has stopped ordering new materials (except
for teaching materials) from November 2008.
Mr Elliott proposed that the committee should meet again at the end of
February 2009 to review the situation. He mentioned that the purchase of major
subscription packages was an area of particular concern.
Professor Spender said that she felt that the document supply service
worked well and suggested that it would useful if it was easier to find where
material was held so that the document delivery service could be seen as an alternative
option to purchasing subscriptions.
Mr Cibiras raised the issue of a publishing model where academics were
encouraged to publish in journals that appeared suitable, but that in turn
pushed the need for the institutional library to purchase the title.
5. Collection Relocation Project
Ms Kosse spoke to her paper, Collection
Relocation Progress Report, and provided copies of the “What’s New”
pamphlet. She explained that the purpose of Hume Store was to reduce the amount
of material in the Library buildings and to return space to the University.
Professor Spender indicated that the retrieval system was working well
but expressed some concern about having to collect material from the Chifley
Library.
6. LawLAC representation
Ms Longley proposed that the membership of the Law Library Advisory
Committee be expanded, and it was agreed that the chair of the new Law Library
Liaison Committee should be invited attend LawLAC meetings.
7. Law Library Liaison Committee
It was noted
that the
8. Any
other business
Professor Spender asked about the ANU’s subscription to the Australian
Financial Review. Mr Elliott explained the current position with the AFR offer
and said that currently there was no negotiation with CAUL, but that this could
change. The Library is not currently in a position to take up this offer.
9. Next meeting
Mr Elliott indicated that there would be a meeting arranged in late Feb
2009
The meeting closed at 4.00pm.