VALE Annual Users’ Conference “Strategic Planning: Promoting Our Resources, Promoting Ourselves” January 7, 2004

Today’s Users Conference 184 registered attendees Largest number ever 46 out of 52 VALE member libraries represented

New VALE Mission Statement The Virtual Academic Library Environment (VALE), a consortium of New Jersey college and university libraries, and the New Jersey State Library, is dedicated to furthering excellence in learning and research through innovative and collaborative approaches to information resources and services.

Strategic Priorities Expand and sustain an effective funding stream through collaboration Advocacy and public relations efforts Shape a communications plan to enhance visibility Develop and implement a remote reference service

Strategic Priorities (cont.) Develop and implement a shared information literacy Web site Secure funds to publish on the Web, appropriate and unique local databases Identify other potential areas of collaboration Conduct ongoing assessments to measure accomplishments

Goal: Expand Access to Scholarly Resources 29 different electronic resources were licensed Total cost = $1.6 million Access by 248,400 FTE student equivalents statewide 4.623 million searches were executed averaging 17 searches per FTE Academic Search Premier provided to all VALE Libraries by NJSL Web-based recommendation form

VALE Databases by Discipline

Most Heavily Used Resources Academic Search Premier (1,797,852) Lexis Nexis Academic (700,000) est. ABI Inform (531,462) Literature Resource Center (369,093) PsycINFO (269,820) ERIC (225,447) MLA Bibliography (124,202)

Goal: Learning to Use Information Resources Shared Information Literacy Committee formed Create online tutorials, explain research process, how to cite resources Prototype tutorial developed that is Template based Open-source Shareable Composed of multiple modules

Goal: Assessment and Evaluation 2-part survey conducted in June 2003 for librarians and directors 87% report outstanding database choices 70% could not afford on their own Assessed satisfaction and areas for future priorities Deeper discounts, e-book licensing, cooperative collection development, knowledge of new technologies Recent workshop on usage statistics

Goal: Round the Clock Reference Reference Services Committee charged to investigate Tested QandANJ software Recommended participation by academic libraries Some academics are participating in the statewide initiative 24/7 Develop an academic queue in the future to filter higher level requests

Goal: Communicating with Members VALE Users’ Conferences Collaboration with NJ/ACRL Expanded VALE Web site (http://www.valenj.org) Includes committee updates Recommendation forms VALE Listserv (VALE@corrado.rider.edu)

Goal: Making Print Collections More Accessible Resource Sharing Committee projects Created the VALE Reciprocal Borrowing agreement facilitating improved access 46 participating VALE libraries Z39.50 compliant union catalog created Users can easily locate needed resources Ease of identifying resources for ILL

Goal: VALE Finances Finance Committee created in FY03 Review database licenses and assist in budget preparation Developed Preferred Licensing Terms for vendors Prepared Memorandum of Understanding for member signature Implemented a 2.6% service fee

Current and Future Projects VALE e-resource licenses to go up on the Web site with a summary table Web-based calendar of VALE activities and meetings Link to the VALE Union Catalog from the main VALE Web page Participate in statewide initiative to add science, technology, and business resources Support of the NJSL marketing campaign Establish ad hoc committee to study “last copy” and print repository

What’s on Your Mind? Questions & comments….

Accomplishments Don’t Happen on Their Own Very special thanks to: Norma Blake, New Jersey State Library Anne Ciliberti, WPUNJ Judy Avrin, WPUNJ Dave Hoover, RU Ed Corrado, Listserv Administrator VALE Executive Committee Chairs and members of all VALE Committees

Most Notably Stand up and say thank you to: For her: Marianne Gaunt, Rutgers University Librarian VALE’s first Executive Committee Chair For her: Vision, Leadership, Spirit of Collaboration and Fellowship