Executive Committee Minutes 10/14/2020

LAUC-B Ex Comm - Meeting Minutes
10/14/20 10am-Noon

Present: Sherry Lochhaas, Ramona Collins, Naomi Shiraishi, Jianye He, Susan McElrath, Tim Vollmer, Anna Sackmann, Joe Cera

Guests/Other Attendees: Frank Ferko, Celia Emmelhainz, Lynn Cunningham, Jane Rosario, Kate Peck

I. Announcements

  • Confirming committee rosters for 2020-21
  • Committee Rosters will be updated soon on the website. Julie, the Web Admin, is working on migration clean up with the new website
  • LAUC-B Box and Drive
    • ExComm to consider ways to organize Box & Drive content

II. Reports

A. Treasurer (J. He)

  • New FY Budget: Our budget is not yet approved. We have enough in our account for our current needs while we wait for budget approval. 
  • Current Balance: $58,871.
  • Status of LAUC-B Professional Development fund: 
    • FY18/19 - FY19/20 (two years) total was $1942 (+ $600 for staff who report to the UL) per librarian. Unspent funds for each librarian would have expired June 2020.
    • We’re on a new two-year cycle starting July 2020. Although the LAUC-B FY20/21 budget has not been approved yet, the Professional Development Fund budget for the new two-year cycle will remain the same ($1,942 per librarian).

B. Meeting with UL (R. Collins) 

  • Question over cuts to selector budgets across the divisions. How can these cuts be made in a more equitable way? 
    • UL: The forum to discuss this would be CDLG, for collection development & budget issues. Last major cut was with serials, which is why we’re focusing on monos this time around (and the decisions had to be made quickly).
  • Question over collection development: Vacancy in African & African American Studies, no one concentrating on this area, also a hiring freeze.
    • UL: Not all campus departments have a dedicated selector. CDLG can discuss issues of selection & collection development positions as well.
    • LAUC-B: to keep on our radar: how librarian positions are created/approved (procedures)
  • Question: Where are we in the chapter structure? 
    • UL: Oski Xpress is part of Chapter 2, which is still being ramped up. Getting NRLF up, as well as eReserves, are all priorities. All of this should be considered before moving to Chapter 3 (which includes study space for students). Occupancy limits per building & distancing make this complicated. Keep looking for news & announcements in Jeff’s emails

C. LIBR meeting (S. McElrath)

  • Library Budget was discussed
    • Jo Anne Newyear Ramirez presented on the budget situation. Faculty concerned over mono cuts, a bigger hit to Arts & Humanities, and prioritizing access over ownership. 
    • Beth Dupuis presented on the status of Library services. Grad student rep asked for access to EAL content (a concern for students who are unable to do research in China). They also want NRLF and reference collections (which don’t circulate)
    • CAPRA  - LIBR Chair, Tom Dandelet, expressed concerns over the disproportionate cut to the library budget and recommended a reduction in the cut. Response from Campus Admin was not sympathetic. 
    • Focus of the LIBR November meeting will discuss how to show support for the library

D. LAUC statewide conference call (R. Collins)

  • Meeting from Oct 1 focused on setting priorities. The Chair is interested in focusing on the Academic Freedom statement in our contract and wants to look at how to educate members about this, and procedures for any issues that arise.
    • The LAUC statewide assembly might focus on this topic
  • Statewide DEI group - working on creating their charge & what projects they’ll work on this year
  • Professional Development funds discussion: This differs among the campuses. Different sources of funding, procedures, notifications, etc

III. Continuing/Outstanding Business

A. Library Task Force on Racial Justice. Responses from Sheehan and Shannon re: LAUC-B help/involvement

  • LAUC-B received responses from the task force that they are grateful for LAUC-B’s offer to help. 
  • The Good IDEA report is among the documents being considered. 

IV. New Business

A. CAPA annual meeting with JMM - clarification of how to categorize committee work in merit review dossiers

  • The question is that some committee work is more related to it being your “primary job”, while other committee work is more “university service” or professional development, and how to describe this in your dossier. CAPA discussed this with Jeff, and is waiting to hear back with more guidance, which may be delivered in the upcoming CAPA workshop. 
  • Other considerations: Some committees are more active than others, some have larger projects or working groups you’re added to, sometimes you are appointed or volunteer, etc. 
  • The Merit Review Workshop is on October 20th. Librarians can ask clarifying questions here. 

B. Member survey (J. Rosario and C. Emmelhainz)  10:30am

  • How to better serve librarians & membership needs? We do a lot for new librarians, but less for mid- and late- career librarians. The idea is to survey librarians about this. 
  • Jane & Celia will share a preview of the survey to LAUC-B ExComm for feedback (likely via a Google doc in which questions/comments can be added)
  • Discussion over challenges defining mid- and late-career librarians who are new at UC Berkeley, or librarians who have worked in staff positions before joining the librarian series at UCB, etc.

C. Fall Assembly brainstorming (should be some time in November)

  • Date and Time set: 11/17/20 from 12:30-2pm.
  • Speaker: Jennifer Chayes will speak on how the Data Sciences Division can work together with the Library
  • Business discussion likely moved to after the Speaker due to scheduling. 

D. Member questions/concerns?

  • Question about possible power outages around the area and staff who can’t work. Advice: Refer to your supervisor.