ACRL Distance Learning Section Research Committee Minutes of the Meeting ALA 2001 Midwinter Conference Sunday, January 14, 2001

Members present: Sandy Slade (2001), Chair, Brette Barclay (2002), Acting Secretary, H. Frank Cervone (2002), Douglas Carroll (incoming).

Members excused: Rick Bean (Virtual Member, 2002), Connie Constantino (Virtual Member, 2001), Karen Liston (2002), Katherine Phoenix (2002), Steve Schafer (2002).

1. Welcome and call to order.

2. Appointment of Secretary - Brette Barclay.

3. Introductions.

4. Approval of minutes of the previous meeting:

Corrections:

• Katherine's name was misspelled (correct spelling Phoenix)
• Frank's first initial should be H (not C).

5. Approval of the agenda - approved; no additions.

6. New business - no new business.

7. Status reports on the dissemination of survey results:

a. Recap of purpose and methods of the survey: to heighten awareness and develop best practices; distribution was via the OFFCAMP list and to attendees at the Off-Campus Library Services Conference in Portland.
b. Duties for dissemination of survey results were assigned and completed as follows:

• Katherine Phoenix and Brette Barclay: library schools in the US
• Steve Schafer: library schools in Canada
• Elaine Jayne and Connie Constantino: international library schools (Australia, UK, India, Bangladesh, and Africa)
• Steve Schafer: distance education related mailing lists (OFFCAMP, DEOS-L, DISTLIB-L)

c. Task to be reassigned: for health reasons, Karen Liston has been unable to disseminate the survey results to various library and distance education newsletters. Frank Cervone will work with Rick Bean to identify and contact a selection of print and electronic newsletters.
d. Recap of the C&RL News incident and affirmation that DLS needs to continue to identify and disseminate survey results to other publications.
e. Reports of responses to survey dissemination:

• Sandy reported that ADEC (California) has invited DLS to present the results of the survey at its conference in San Francisco in February. Steve Schafer will be presenting.
• Sandy reported that the survey results were added to the News Items section of the Distance Education Clearinghouse (http://www.uwex.edu/disted/newz)
• Sandy reported that Katherine Phoenix has received several responses from library schools.
• Brette reported that she has also received several responses from library schools.

f. Further action to be taken:

• All committee members present agreed on the importance of following up with library schools in the US and Canada that did not respond to the initial contact.
• Sandy will liaise with the DLS conference planning committees to investigate opportunities for presenting topics from the survey at future conferences; he would like to see "collaboration with faculty" as one of the topics to be addressed.

8. Model Web sites
a. At this point, Kate Adams (former committee member and current liaison from the DLS Web Committee) joined the meeting in progress and recapped her previous assignment to prepare a list of six library Web sites that are models of service to distant learners.

• Kate also asked for updates in changes in membership, email, etc., in order that she may update the DLS Web site.
• Kate also asked that the Midwinter minutes be made available to her by March 31. Brette agreed to deliver the minutes to Sandy for his review prior to this date.
• Kate also asked for any changes in our charge to be made available to her by March 31.

b. Sandy suggested that each committee member identify 5-6 more sites using Kate's criteria. All committee members present agreed to do this. Sandy will contact the members not present to inform them about this assignment. The results are to be sent to Sandy prior to the meeting at the Annual conference.

9. Use of DLS Web site Committee members discussed additional links to be included on the DLS Web site and all present agreed upon the inclusion of the following: survey results; research aides; links to the top 20 library Web sites that are models of service to distance learners (as determined by the committee members), as well as to Bernie Sloan's list.

10. Wisconsin Library Association Library Research Round Table Research Database Submission Form Committee members discussed whether we should emulate this Web site (http://www.uwec.edu/library/lrrt/resform.html) and all members present concurred that we should. Sandy assigned the tasks of contacting WLA for permission and creating a prototype Web form to Brette. The Web Committee will be asked to create and maintain a submission database. Reminders will be provided every six months at conferences and via notes to the OFFCAMP list.

11. ACRL Research Mentoring Program All committee members present concurred that we should provide a link to this program (http://www.lib.lsu/acrl/index.html) on the DLS Web site.

12. Liaison with other research committees, e.g. LAMA Committee members discussed the possibility of identifying and then contacting other ALA research forums. Doug was assigned the tasks of identifying committees and contact people and developing a cover letter/statement. Doug will have this information to DLS by June 1 and contact will be initiated after Annual.

13. Workshops on research at various conferences

• At this point Carol Moulden joined the meeting in progress. Sandy shared a message from Jack Fritts that we consider presenting at distance education conferences with a broader mandate, such as the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning. Carol suggested we might ask ACRL for funding or co-sponsor with other ALA division groups.
• The committee supports this idea, but Sandy will talk to Jack to receive his input, clarify what we need to do and how to do it. Sandy suggested partnering with library school faculty such as Dan Barron and Mike Eisenberg. Brette offered to speak with Dan Barron.

14. Future activities of the Research Committee It was decided that we should raise this question again by email (as this topic is difficult to discuss with so few members present), with a view to fuller discussion at Annual, to coincide with new membership.

15. Other business At this point Anne Marie Casey joined the meeting progress. Sandy will email members not present to confirm their continuing membership.

16. Meeting adjourned

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