Heads of Sci/Tech Libraries [Conference Report]


	
	
	




	Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship
	Summer 1998



	DOI:10.5062/F4NG4NM8




Conference Reports

Heads of Sci/Tech Libraries



Nan Butkovich

njb@psulias.psu.edu or njb2@psu.edu




Notes from the meeting on June 28, 1998

After attending an excellent STS reception at the National Aquarium, the Heads of Sci/Tech
Libraries Discussion Group met to hear presentations by Stephanie Bianchi of the National
Science Foundation and Jeff Baer from Community of Science. 


Ms. Bianchi discussed the challenges of producing the NSF Library's electronic newsletter
(available by contacting Ms. Bianchi at sbianchi@nsf.gov). She pointed out that with a
staff of three (one librarian and two paraprofessionals) there usually wasn't time to
dedicate to producing the newsletter. Instead, it was done in little bits and pieces as
time permitted. She provided an excellent handout of some of the most common sources of
information that she uses. 


She also commented that, although the newsletter often refers to the NSF webpage, most
people will be unable to access this website since it is behind a firewall. There are two
versions of the newsletter: one for internal use at NSF and one for external consumption.
The latter has had local interest items and proprietary items deleted from it.


Mr. Baer presented an overview of Community of Science. Within universities offices of
university research are more likely than libraries to initially subscribe to Community of
Science. However, many of these offices are not able to provide the support that faculty
need to make effective use of the features provided by Community of Science. He believes
that libraries should step into this gap and provide faculty with the assistance they need
to maneuver through the process of electronic submission of grant requests, abstract
submissions, etc. 


He described two projects which he felt represented part of the future electronic world.
One was a joint project between Community of Science and the Entomological Society of
America which involves the electronic submission of abstracts for presentations at society
conferences. The second was a project by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation which
involved the submission of research grant proposals in electronic format.


The presentations were followed by a spirited discussion period. Also someone announced
that the Goddard Space Flight Center has a new webpage at http://library.gsfc.nasa.gov. At
the end, a request was made for additional topics for future discussion group meetings.
Anyone wishing to submit a suggestion should send it to Nan Butkovich at njb2@psu.edu or
Bart Lessin at aa3327@wayne.edu.