ILCSO Users’ Advisory Group
Report to the CARLI Board of Directors
August 16, 2005

Submitted by Belinda Cheek, IUAG Chair

The Circulation and Universal Borrowing Functionality Task Force (CUB) held a forum on July 26 in Normal.  The main focus of the forum was delivery, and the Executive Summary and Best Practices Recommendations of the recent Delivery Study Report were distributed.  The forum was well attended and well received (see attached forum evaluation summary).  CUB members are currently making plans to distribute this information to consortia members who were not in attendance.

At its last meeting, the OPAC Customization Task Force (OPACC) wrote a recommendation to IUAG and to the CARLI Board encouraging a timely decision on a new CARLI accessible color scheme and graphic design guidelines.  This document also recommended a change in name for our shared OPAC, ILLINET Online.  The name iShare or I-Share was suggested.  At our August 11 meeting, IUAG discussed OPACC’s recommendations, and we would like to endorse their suggestions.  In particular, the IUAG Liaison to the WebVoyage Usability Task Force felt that the proposed changes support a need that has been identified in the usability testing.  Users seem to have a difficult time identifying whether they are searching in the local catalog or in the consortial catalog, and the terms ILCSO and ILLINET Online have no meaning for them.  IUAG supports the need for change, and we hope that this effort will move forward quickly.

Much of IUAG’s efforts in recent weeks have been directed toward planning for the coming year.  Each year IUAG and its committees and task forces plan a series of forums and other workshops targeted to specific functional areas.  We have just finalized and distributed to the membership a list of anticipated events for the coming fiscal year.  It is our hope that by developing and distributing this calendar early in the academic year, appropriate staff will be better able to plan their professional development time to include participation in these events.

Finally, IUAG has completed a final draft of our Annual Plan for FY2005-2006.  This draft is attached for Board review.  As you will see, IUAG plans for two main areas of focus for this year.  In addition to continuing with ongoing IUAG activities, we will devote time to ensuring a smooth transition of IUAG activities to a new CARLI structure.  Comments and suggestions from the Board regarding this plan are welcome