Best Committee / Group Collaboration

Group collaboration, whether it is part of the Libraries' formal committee structure, a formally organized work group or team, or an informal group, is a vital part of the participative decision-making process in the Libraries.   The group or committee’s work may result in a recommendation or a final product such as a new policy, guideline, workflow, webpage or statistical analysis.

Criteria use to evaluate the Best Committee/Group collaboration includes:

• The relative importance of the issue or task that is studied;
• Difficulties or hurdles that had to be overcome to solve the issue or task;
• Depth of study and research required;
• Effective and appropriate communication of progress;
• Successful interaction of group members, effectiveness of process;
• Whether deadlines were met;
• The quality and relevance of final recommendation or product, and
• Implementation of recommendation or product if applicable.

Science Library Space Task Force: Hallie Pritchett, chair, Shannon Bennett, Claire Colombo, Jacquie Houston, Christian Lopez, Ian Thomas

In December the Science Library Space Task Force, chaired by Hallie Pritchett, completed their short term plan document for the best use of space in the Science Library on schedule.  The Science Library is very short of space so the challenge to the group to find innovative use for the available space was enormous.   The committee focused on the entry level floor, but did not confine their recommendations to this area.  The committee members began by analyzing the results of the 2007 Science Library User Survey.  Next they met with key players including representatives from Systems, Boyd, the Science Library and others.

The Task Force observed that the Science Library has a distinct identity which is quite separate from that of the Main Library and the SLC.  The committee noted that the escalating initiatives in biomedical research have fueled rapid expansion in many departments.  The demands from faculty members and graduate students for a technologically advanced facility in which to conduct their work is paramount.

The Task Force’s recommendations have met with the Director’s approval.  While money will be required to make the more substantive changes, some recommendations can be implemented with very little cost.  The Task Force succeeded in energizing the Science Library staff and fostering a desire to make changes now for the future.

Copyright Revision Committee: Ruta Abolins, Maria Bruce, Susan Field, Nan McMurry, Susan Morris, David Smith, Viki Timian

The Copyright policy for UGA Libraries will give the employees a basic guideline to follow if and when the need arises to understand the basics of Copyright Law.  However not it is not the definitive law but provides a brief overview for what librarians need to know. We are in an ever changing world with laws that change and constant revisions being made to fit the needs for today, so it is very important that we do the same and provide the same for our employees on what procedures to follow.  Copyright law is not an easy subject to tackle or to understand for that matter so it makes the committees task all that more challenging to tackle.  

Even though there were many tasks to do and revisions to make the committee has met with competence, quality of work, and with a determination to complete the task at hand. Each member was charged with retrieving the policy guidelines of departments throughout the library and providing that information in a way that could be understood in layman’s terms for Libraries employees as well as at the same time back reasoning up for the policy with legislation and add revisions to the employee copyright policy due to changes in law. Needless, to say it wasn’t an easy task. However, Nan Mcmurry and Susan Morris went above and beyond that to layout all information in a format that made the policy fluid and formatted so it would flow together. They each were handed a tough task and dealt with it amazingly and worked extremely well together in doing so. For these reasons listed above I nominate this committee for best group/Committee collaboration.

Civil Rights Digital Library contributors: Ed Hatfield, Kelly Holt, Sophie Dong, Suzanne Graham, James Benyshek, Robin Fay, Mary Miller, Laura Shedenhelm, William Gray Potter, Tim Peacock, Ruta Abolins, Toby Graham, Sheila McAlister, Kelly Caudle, Sheryl Vogt, Craig Breaden, Margie Compton, Phil Fitzpatrick, Charles King, Mike Thomas, Bob Trotter, Denise Wilson, Deborah Stanley, Diane Trap, Brad Baxter, Anne Marie Hamilton-Brehm, Katha Massey, Mandy Mastrovita, Sarah Ricker, Becky Wortham, Eric Matthews, Bill Clayton, Kristin Nielsen, Patrick Riedenbaugh

Delivering 30 hours of historical news film along with related digital collections from 90 libraries, archives, museums, public broadcasters, and other organizations across the U.S., the Civil Rights Digital Library is the most ambitious effort to date to provide online access to educational materials on the Movement. Building CRDL has required a wide range of expertise, creativity, and perspective contributed by individuals from multiple institutions and UGA departments, including more than 35 individuals at the UGA Libraries.

Red and Black Archive contributors: Mary Willoughby, Mike Wages, Bob Kobres, Phil Fitzpatrick, Mandy Mastrovita, Bill Potter, Toby Graham

The Red and Black Archive launched last fall providing Web-based, full-text searchable access to UGA's student newspaper from 1893-1999 (and it continues to grow). The Archive includes about 50K pages digitized from microfilm. Based on a demonstration database prepared by Bob Kobres, Dr. Potter provided general specifications for a relatively low-cost, page-level approach to newspaper digitization and delivery. Mary helped to develop and implemented the approach established for Red and Black. Mike set up the test environment in which R&B was developed. Mandy completed the graphical elements, and Phil set up the technical environment for the public site. Currently, the DLG is testing the Red & Black approach for use with historical newspapers from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries as part of the Georgia HomePLACE initiative.

Georgia Newspaper Project: Jeannie Ledford, Constantine Wright, Kennon Keane

The GNP is on track for a very strong fiscal year, producing approximately 3M microfilmed pages of newsprint for libraries, newspaper offices, and individuals across Georgia and across the country. In addition to filming 220 current newspaper titles on an ongoing basis, they completed several historical papers projects in fy08, including Jeff Davis County and Gilmer County papers.

Russell Library Cataloging Team: Ken Henslee, Emily Giles, Jasmine Rizer, Eric Rose, and Robin Fay

While this project is not library science-transforming or world-changing, the group of folks who have taken on the task of cataloging and marking the Russell Library Bib Area books is one in a million. They have cheerfully accepted cart after cart of books, binders, CDs and other various media and cataloged them meticulously. Their turnover rate has been amazing and a project that appeared to take months on paper has turned out to have only taken a few weeks due to their diligence. Their hard work has made it possible for the Russell Library to better maintain its office book collection and ready it for the pending move to the Special Collections Building while creating access to materials for the larger University community.

onfirmation of the receipt of your nomination will be emailed to you.