| Newsletter 11, February 1996 |
During the Summer, discussions took place regarding the standing and use of this Group, which resulted in it being reconstituted as a subcommittee reporting direct to the Director of LSS, with additional reporting to the Dean of Academic Quality and Development, to ensure that general matters concerning Teaching and Learning could also be passed up to a higher level.
The Group met for the first time since restructuring in November 1995, and I have to admit there seems to be some confusion over its membership. The Group is for representatives of all Faculties — possibly, but not necessarily, one from each School.
The Group will be discussing matters of concern to users of Computing Services, Media & Educational Development Services and the Library, and thus members should be staff with experience of the services and their use by staff and students. It is not a technical group — but will be receiving presentations and discussing general matters such as Inter-Library Loans, Library opening hours, the Internet, general network connections, use of copying machines, colour copying etc. The present list of representatives is given below this article. Any amendments should come through your Dean.
So what did we talk about in November?? Firstly, a couple of minor successes for the Group. pilot Inter-Library Loan service has been established. Both of these came about after strong pressure from the User Group.
Moans and groans included the long wait for network connections, and their high cost; problems regarding reprographics at Beckett Park due to only one staff member; lack of journals in the library. No easy answers were offered, as these all depend on scarce resources, but the points have gone back to the Head of LSS.
The presentation was of Internet access via the Home Pages set up by the Library. The Group was delighted that this project was under way, and with the quality of the pages and the links that had been established. It was reported that 3 terminals were now in existence in each library and that teaching clusters would also be up and running very soon. The obvious question was — when can all students and staff have access? At the meeting it was stated that there could only be a slow rolling programme, gradually increasing the 2 points for each Faculty later in 1996 once the traffic had been monitored. I hear now that things may be able to move rather more quickly. We can hope!
One function of the Group is to get feedback from Faculties for the LSS units, to assist them in planning etc., and, from this meeting, reps were asked to get information on the following, for discussion in March: feedback on LSS Induction video and on staff LSS induction; ideas on how to ensure all staff hear about new LSS resources; extended opening hours for libraries and IT Suites.
If you have any comments about those matters, or about any matters that you think would merit discussion within the Group, please get in touch with one of your Faculty representatives, or direct with me on 7417, Fairfax 104, email S.J.Welch. I really would like to hear from you, the users of LSS!
Sue J Welch, Chairman(The next meeting of the LSS User Group is planned for the week commencing 11th March.)
