IUG Enhancements Process Update

["Seeman, Corey Glenn" <CSeeman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Folks -- 

As many of you know, we have been "enhancing" the IUG enhancements process for this coming cycle.  We hope that some of the changes that we are suggesting will allow the process to be more flexible to the needs and wishes of the users and provide a better voice for the members as a whole.  I want to thank the current group of Functional Experts, IUG Steering Committee members, and outgoing Enhancements coordinator Rich Aldred for their feedback and assistance through this process.

We have summarized the changes to the process and have posted that page on the www.innovativeusers.org site.  The full web address for the document is: 

http://www.innovativeusers.org/enhancements/IUG_enhancements.pdf

The key points are as follows:

First, the number of categories is being reduced from 16 to 10.  We are still going to include 240 ballot items and 70 "winners" as in the past, but we will be far more flexible in assigning more options and winners from popular products such as the WebOPAC.  Please see the document for the list of categories.

Second, we are going to accept submissions all year long (when we get the form up and running).  That means that this will hopefully be the only time that you will not be able to enter an enhancement request.  So you will be able to strike when the iron is hot (as it were).

Third, the functional experts will be working in teams of 2-3 people for each of the 10 categories.  When possible, we are going to make sure that we have people from different library types to better balance the enhancements that are passed forward on the final ballot in the spring.  FEs will also have term limits, so there will not be someone who potentially blocks an idea year after year.

We will be sending a notice out (hopefully shortly) announcing that the balloting has opened.  Thanks for your patience as Mieko and I tweak the process.  We will also be asking for people to serve as functional experts as we rework the committees.  

If you have any questions in the interim, please feel free to direct them to Mieko and/or me and we will get right back to you...assuming our inboxes are free from virus or other joys of our "modern lifestyle." 


IUG Enhancements Coordinators

Mieko Yamaguchi, University of Wales, Bangor
m.yamaguchi@xxxxxxxxxx

Corey Seeman, University of Toledo
corey.seeman@xxxxxxxxxx