MINUTES OF THE TDR MEETING
APRIL 12, 1999, 9am - 12pm
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

PRESENT: Bo Wandschneider, Doug Horne, Susan Moskal, He/le\ne LeBlanc
[Jack Cooper, Don Hamilton and Richard Pinnell attended parts of the
meeting as indicated.]


1. UPDATE ON BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORDS

* Sue Moskal reported that Larry Helfand has created 2
bibliographic records for datasets for the OPAC; these records had been
downloaded from Statistics Canada's Library's database, "BiblioCat". Larry
would like feedback on the one we like best.

* Changes / comments (based on the record for "GSS 10") include:

-that we should be able to "click" directly into a data
file from the record;
-the license agreement should pop up each time access to
the data from a record is requested;
-the first 2 links under "Location" (both start with
"Click here for access and select...") should be
changed to simply (one link?), "Data";
-create direct links to any online "Codebook"
or "Questionnaire"

* Questions remaining:

-if any MARC tags are being suppressed, may we see
them? (ie. how to decide which fields should be
selected to be shown to the user);
-looking at the "GSS10", there are "41 files" listed in
the "Description"; what, exactly, does this mean?
Bo suggested that this is the sort of information
that we would probably like to suppress in the
OPAC records, as it is information that is more
likely pertinent only to Stat Can's Library who
created therecord. Bo will email Ernie Boyko at
Stats Can to see why Stats Can does this, and what
it actually means.


2. a. UPDATE ON MOUNTED CENSUS FILES (Jack & Don present for this
discussion)

* Bo reported having added a number of older Census files from
1971 and 1981. Items are always being added a bit at at time, but the
layouts are difficult.

* Sue will look into what old Census files (profiles, BST's at the
CT & CSD levels) that U of W may already have.

* Sue also suggested that it would be handy to be notified by
email once a dataset has been mounted. This will be done.


b. HARDWARE ADDITIONS

* 50 gigabytes have been allocated for data; not all have been
used, although it is close to being full.

* Estimates have begun based on space. It is difficult to know
what's needed in hardware or human resources, especially if staffing
increases.

* He/le\ne pointed out that some Census B2020 files are timing out
at public work stations, while they are trying to load. She will attempt
to show Don the problem.

* Don pointed out that Laurier has a CD-writer.


c. SAS 7

* Bo noted that Barry (U of G) is looking at "taking the PERL
script out", although people may still want PERL script there.

* The benefits of having both online and "hard" paper copy
documentation were discussed

d. OTHER INFO

* Don announced the arrival of Rene/ Paquin at WLU. Don suggested
that Rene/ could go to Guelph to spend some time under the tutelage of Bo,
on how to prepare data sets for mounting. He could then practice on one
to three assigned data files so that, eventually, he could aim to do one
dataset a week at WLU.

* Sue will ask Chuck Woods to set up a listserv, instead of an
email group for the TDR.

* Jack looked at "Cognos" and its relationship with B2020 & flat
files.

* Doug is beginning to put up documentation from the B2020
CD-ROM's.


3. OUCC PRESENTATION (Jack and Don present for this discussion)

* Bo will be submitting a presentation about the TDR to the
Ontario Universities' Computing Centres' annual conference.


4. REVIEW OF TDR (only Bo, Doug, Sue and He/le\ne present for this
discussion)

* Task distribution still needs to be sorted out, but is
influenced by all our skill sets and available time.

* Perhaps another model for providing support to the TUG community
will be needed, such as the hiring of a "data expert" whose time and
support may be shared amongst the three libraries. (ie. 50% time spent in
Waterloo; 50% in Guelph; or, located in Guelph or Waterloo, but accessible
by phone, email or in person by all members of the TUG community.)

* Any suggested changes to web pages (such as the "CD-ROm
Inventory") will be put up on the Administration Page. We can then give
the URL to TUG Reference Staff for comments. He/le\ne also suggested that
a "COMMENTS" button should be installed on these service pages to gather
any feedback about their layout from our users.

* Doug will begin the outline for the report which we need to
prepare for the University Librarians on the progress of the TDR. The
report should include our views on how things have worked / not worked;
suggestions for funding; and the possibility of a shared "data expert"
who should have both technical and reference experience with data.

* Procedures and coordinators should be established to form
liaisons between the TDR, the TUG Collections Committee, and local
collections committees, so that if other data sets are viewed as desirable
to obtain for TUG, we know how / to whom to apply.

5. GIS (Richard Pinnell present for this discussion)

* A discussion was held on where to go with GIS as part of the
TDR. It was suggested that a small group of users from all three campuses
give us their input on what they would like to see. Bo, Sue, Richard and
He/le\ne will all think of names of the most pertinent people who should
be present. Bo and Richard will then try to set up a focus group.