Topic: Profiles

Present: Sherrie Antonowicz, Esther Ogirri, Linda Stone, Michele Hayslett, Jeanne Crisp

Committee members reviewed two profiles supplied by Susan Herzog. (Please contact Michele Hayslett if you would like to see a copy of the profiles.) We agreed on that the fields used in the profile below are mostly OK. Sherrie will ask Susan's opinion about the usefulness of one or two of them (Susan's response: none of the fields are superfluous). The following questions were sent to Carol Bonnefil at 24/7 to clarify our options and next steps.

1. Is the list of data fields in a profile (Reference email contact, phone, loan limit, etc.) a fixed list, or could we add additional fields if we chose to collect more information about NC libraries. As an example, we are considering a field that would be used to report Special Services or Collections. Examples of what would go in this field would be, ADA equipment; a particular collection strength the library wants to emphasize, and so on.

24/7's response: If you need other fields for your group, we can certainly talk about adding more!

2. Are there definitions for the fields in the profile? Any instructions or examples to guide libraries in what to report or how to report it?

24/7's response: We feel that a combination of hotlinks to the right portions of the library website along with one- or two-sentence descriptions of the information requested is a good mix. That way, a librarian can go to the page and cut and paste the relevant information to give to the patron while in a session. You will see that not all libraries provide the information this way, but we are working towards that.

3. What process is used to gather the information from libraries? Any web-based forms?

24/7's response: There is a web-based entry form but it is too cumbersome in my opinion, for the one time user. (You can't go back and make corrections for example.) Our staff will do the inputting for you.

4. We know that you are willing to maintain profiles for us. But please explain the profile creation and maintenance options to us.

5. Is there a way we could log onto a page right now and look at the profiling part of 24/7, from an administrative point of view?

24/7 provided access.

6. Is the data collected in the profile ever made available to end users? If so, how does that work? Could you provide us with examples of libraries that do share profile information?

24/7's response: All librarians can look at the policies of all the libraries using their passwords. We do not make the policy page available to the public, as there is often sensitive information such as library card numbers on the policy page.