Annual Report 2011-12

During the 2011-12 academic year, Information and Library Services revised and updated our “strategic directions” document that has guided annual and long-term planning since 2005.  This gave us the opportunity to rethink our priorities in light of new information formats and technologies, especially mobile technologies that have emerged since 2008, and to analyze them in the light of current financial realities.

The results of our work in 2011-12 reflect this new thinking. It affirmed our commitment to effective use of information and technology in teaching, learning and administration of the college. It reinforced the importance of reliability and ubiquity in information access and technology, while underlining the impact of new demands for information access everywhere on campus, by students, faculty and staff through an growing array of mobile devices. And this planning underscored the need for careful alignment of our plans with both the facilities master plan of the campus and campus efforts to address ongoing maintenance of existing systems. ILS continues to be results oriented. As we work toward new goals for 2012-13, here is a summary of the results of our work in 2011-12.

Gene Wiemers, VP for Information and Library Service and Librarian, August 2012

ILS Goals and Projects – 2011-12 Results

Teaching, learning and research

Complete plan for Learning Commons, begin implementation summer 2012.

• Conceptual design was completed, and funding secured to implement renovation of the library in the summer of 2013. Rest of planning process will be completed by January 2013.
• Worked with partners in Learning Commons project to develop programs, practices and ideas for collaborative work that can inform planning efforts
• Initiated first year of Fits and Starts series on faculty research with leadership from Learning Commons staff.

Complete re-visioning of library services in relation to Learning Commons.

• Reviewed options for shelving of audio and video materials.
• Reviewed plans and explored design and service options for creation of new general purpose service desks on the main and ground floors of the library.

Second year of electronic thesis project. Extend e-submission to all honors theses.

• With Honors Committee leadership, released all 2012 honors theses in electronic form on SCARAB. Worked with committee members to deal with user education, technical and copyright education issues.

Implement class capture technology, and begin to experiment with uses, including public events.

• Installed in two classrooms and began to work with faculty and staff to explore uses.

Promote digital humanities initiatives in relation to Roger Williams facility.

• Hired new technology consultant and began to develop programs.

Test for replacement of Moodle 1.9.x/Lyceum, evaluate Sakai, Moodle 2.x, and OpenCourse (Google/Pearson LMS).

• Installed test version of Sakai. Preliminary assessment will be conducted in fall 2012.
• Installed test version of Moodle 2. Preliminary assessment will be conducted in fall 2012.
• Enabled OpenCourse in Bates EDU Google Apps. Preliminary assessment will be conducted in fall 2012.

Technology for the entire campus

Power upgrades – Dining and Pettengill computer rooms.

• Completed power upgrades and new UPS installations for the main computer rooms.

“Next generation” firewalls for network security.

• Installed Palo Alto firewalls and upgraded NetEqualizer to manage Internet connection.

Implement video web streaming and streaming live video.

• Live streaming service implemented for five major events, including Commencement.
• Developed service level agreement for streaming service.
• Implemented changes in network to accommodate streaming, plus disseminating information on functional and programmatic requirements for a successful streamed event.

Complete initial implementation of new website in WordPress.

• Moved www.bates.edu from iCMS to WordPress MultiSite.
• Added root taxonomy for tagging content and surfacing across sites.
• Ported on-line directory, Garnet Gateway, Course Catalog, Report of Giving, and student employment sites, among others.
• Worked with Bates Communications Office to develop more robust and responsive ongoing support for campus Web development.

Managed transition to Google Apps for Education.

• Email and calendars converted at the beginning of July.
• Google integrated into Password Manager.
• Created calendar loading script.
• Adapted email conversion scripts with help from Appirio.com.
• Technical assistance and user support before, during and after conversion.
• Campus Connect site to support rollout with broad user acceptance.

Develop and implement technologies to improve productivity and service to the college.

• DegreeWorks (online degree audit for students and advisors) was installed and configured. Release scheduled 9/12.
• Implement Banner Document Management System (BDMS) was installed and implementation begun. Provides online access to admission materials for the Admission staff. Implementation is scheduled for 11/12.
• Identify and implement replacement for SuccessFactors (online employee performance management system). Selected and installed Talent Management system for deployment 9/12.
• Continued project to re-implement Banner Advancement, including Banner self-service for advancement officers. This year’s work included reworking of data on events, event attendance, glass giving, constituent mailings, and solicitation tracking. Advancement self-service is in user testing, August 2012.
• Created a secure document management site in Drupal for Board of Trustees and provided training and on-site support for Trustees.
• Worked with Bates Communications Office staff to implement centralized management of digital signs. Currently 18 digital signs are under management.
• Assisted in the deployment of multifunction printers (MFPs) including technical support for integrating the Xerox print system with Equitrac, and coordinating installation and training.
• Performed major upgrade in Banner, and upgraded software versions on key college systems, including SmartCal, PHP, R25, Illiad, Drupal and Hyperion.
• Built community giving site in Garnet Gateway.
• Enhanced the First-year website.

Mobile connectivity on and off the campus

Upgrade of wireless to “N” standard (incl. temporary reallocation of switch replacement resources).

• Upgraded all wireless access point to the “N” standard.
• Installed outdoor class access points in athletic fields for both end user access and to accommodate Web broadcast and other athletics uses.

Refine mobile device option as part of the computer replacement program.

• Introduced a mobile option as part of computer replacement program. Developed a program for deploying iOS device including imaging and user support.

Experiment with mobile devices in library and technology instruction, including e-readers.

• Deployed iPads to research librarians, curricular and research technology staff, some technicians and others to begin learning how these devices work, and how to help others use them for their work.

Improve proxy access to licensed information content for off-campus use.

• Tested alternatives and deployed EZproxy. Release scheduled for September 2012.

Select new web conferencing tool(s), including consumer-level services such as Skype.

• Selected Adobe Connect as supported web conferencing tool and upgraded G13 Pettengill to provide high-quality video conference room.

Management and partnerships

Complete 2011 update of ILS strategic directions document.

• Strategic Directions update was completed and reviewed with ILS staff, campus leadership and the Board of Trustees in fall 2011.

Disaster Recovery Test April 28, 2012

• Developed operational disaster recovery site for Banner and Hyperion administrative systems.
• Conducted full test of disaster recovery procedures for Banner operations. Systems were shutdown, moved to disaster recovery sites and restarted in about an hour.
• Planned for recurring testing, including refinements and extensions over the next years.

Plan for overhaul of internal communications including communications media (calendar, e-mail, electronic bulletin boards, lists etc.).

• Worked with senior leadership, Bates Communications Office staff and others to plan and implement a two year project to look at the basic internal communications functions of the college, Campus Connect. Google Apps for Education deployment (above) is a key component of this project.

Electronic records management process development, including policies, procedures and technology for e-mail archives, and plan for plan for storage capacity for Muskie Archives – electronic and paper.

• With the beginning of 2012, the Archives began officially recording all electronic accessions–29 such accessions, amounting to 81 digital files. A small total, but expect this total to increase significantly in the coming years.

Continue efforts to manage with high levels of service and high efficiency.

• Bibliographic Services staff reorganized many of their functions to ensure that there is backup staffing for most processes. Reduced staffing levels by 1 FTE and improved efficiency.
• In a collaborative project between Research, Bibliographic, and Access Services, the library reorganized the bound periodical and science book collections, consolidating both onto the upper and lower stack levels of the ground floor, freeing about 3,000 sq. ft. of floor space for the learning commons project. We reduced the number of browsing periodicals to an essential minimum compatible with a new coffee shop arrangement, and created a new home for the Math and Statistics workshop with temporary furniture. All this to enable both planning and building of expanded learning functions in the library.