TUG Statistics and Reports Group Meeting

Minutes
UW Porter Library Room 407
July 18, 2002  9:00-11:00 a.m.

1. Agenda review/revision
   There were no changes to the draft agenda.

2. TUG Stats & Reports Group terms of reference

   Operational/administrative issues.
   Ron will chair the group for the first year; chair will rotate annually. Linda will take the minutes for the first year.

   Joanne reported that the TUG Executive will expect TUG Stats & Reports to submit a separate account of staff time in excess of 30% spent on TUG Stats & Reports work as well as an annual budget. For 2001-2002, Gail and Bill’s time was included in the TRELLIS-related submission to TOMG. TUG Executive advises that since the large majority of Bill and Gail’s time is better described as “reports” work, it should be reported under “TUG Stats & Reports” for 2002-2003.

   UW will act as the fiscal agent since the Cognos servers are located at UW. All reports-related travel claims should be submitted for reimbursement to our home institution, with the information copied to Annette Dandyk in the UW Library Office who will then process the financial adjustments in accordance with the TRELLIS cost-sharing formula.

   The group’s mandate includes the coordination and facilitation of all management statistics and reports, except daily operational/functional reports already managed in another forum (e.g. TRELLIS canned reports and notices). Specifically, this group’s role should be to ensure that the infrastructure and standards are in place to help managers obtain, interpret and analyze data. This includes provision for education and ongoing support.

   “TUG Statistics and Reports Group”: There was some discussion about whether the group’s name might be confusing and whether it should be changed to more clearly indicate an MIS role. The issue was shelved until the group’s work is underway.

   Priorities for action:

   • Prepare a vision/direction statement
   • Prepare a budget framework
   • Move forward on the TUG Cognos Project recommendations
   • Plan for a meeting with TUG Managers to review the TUG Stats & Reports vision and recommendations of the Cognos Project [meeting in late Sept./Oct.?]
   • Address the Cognos web design secondment recommendation by gaining an understanding of the work and skills required and the time and costs involved
   • Review work on the UG MIS data environment and explore how it might link with the TUG Cognos work (input, storage, web interface, etc. issues); include review of other local MIS initiatives (e.g. UW’s plan for input and storage of local data) [meeting with Ralph, Gail and someone from WLU in the fall?]

   To do:
   • Linda will arrange a demo of the Cognos web interface by Gail & Bill.
   • Ron will draft a budget framework.
   • Ron will begin drafting a vision & first steps document.

3. TUG Stats & Reports Cognos Project report
   Some recommendations were discussed under agenda item 2. A meeting with Gail and Bill is needed to better understand the Cognos web server deployment project. We also need to clarify the intent of the web reports request form and status database as it applies to work already being done by local reports creators.

   The Cognos Project report should be mounted on the revamped TUG Stats & Reports web page but questions remain about how much to expect managers to read. For example, we might focus managers on the Executive summary, Appendix A and B.

4. TUG Stats & Reports web site
   There are two stats & reports-related web areas on the TUG Staff Web. “TUG MIS” is outdated but the data needs to be reviewed to ensure nothing essential will be lost if the pages are decommissioned. “TUG Reports” was created for the TUG Cognos Project as the entry point for the reports request form and database created by George. If the TUG MIS pages can be retired, we will create a TUG Stats & Reports area, with “TUG Reports” as a secondary page.

   To do:

   • All will review the data on the TUG MIS pages to confirm that it is no longer needed; Ron will review the Annex page with Heather Martin.

5. Maclean’s stats
   A spreadsheet of ARL/CARL/Maclean’s data created by Gail was forwarded in advance of the meeting. Confirmation of the accuracy of the “Volumes withdrawn” count was requested.

   To do:

   • Linda will discuss the “Withdrawn” count with Gail when she returns from vacation.

6. Next meeting
   Date to be arranged for late July or early August if possible.
   Agenda to include a demo by Gail and Bill of the Cognos web product, with discussion of desirable web design & organization customization work.