LKR Policy Task Group Minutes

August 17, 2005

The initial meeting of the LKR Study Committee took place on Aug. 17, 2005. Members Todd Chisholm, Steve Fuquay, Jimmie Lundgren and Hank Young were all present. Steve as chair opened the meeting by reviewing the committee's charge originally delivered by Betsy Simpson, noting that the committee would be examining how the LKR function works, how it is being used locally, and how it might be used here in the future. He noted that the committee would be writing a report on our findings, to be submitted to the Department Managers Group by October 15, and that eventually we would also prepare a procedure on LKR use for ALEPHPRO.

 

Steve noted that the committee would be formulating policy for LKR use as well as the mechanics of how to use it,  and that the committee's final report should address the LKR function in both of these areas.

 

Steve then asked for members to report informally on their observations so far on the LKR function and its potential use. Hank gave an example of how he had constructed interrelated LKR links for a volume of bound-with titles that he had cataloged, noting the structure and use of such linking through a series of captured-screen handouts. Jimmie then described use and potential use of linking fields in special cases, such as for loaded contents links and for NetLibrary links. Todd commented on LKR possibilities in holdings and serial records.

 

There was agreement among members that current public ALEPH OPAC wording of instructions to users for LKR fields for uplink/downlink situations was ambiguous, perhaps the product of standardized ALEPH wording, and the members wondered if FCLA might be able to reword some of these to become clearer. It was noted also that the upcoming joint meeting of tech services and public services staff would be a good opportunity to review and discuss with public services staff the use of LKR fields by the library's users. 

 

Steve commented that it appeared that the committee members had already become very knowledgeable about possible LKR uses, and that it should be possible to make good progress on achieving the committee's goals by the October 15 deadline.

 

Steve asked the members about the next meeting time of the committee, in view of the fact that he would be on vacation for the next two weeks. It was decided that the other members would continue their own investigations into LKR use, consulting with each other during the next two weeks as they saw the need to do so, and that upon return from vacation Steve would schedule the next committee meeting early in September.

 

The meeting was then adjourned.