The 1997-1998 year was as busy for the consortia as usual, but it had some new emphasis to accompany the long established projects and more recent tasks the group has undertaken. The entirely new tasks and challenges were brought about by the formation and establishment of the California Digital Library. This phenomenon caused an upheaval of old organizational structures and long-established procedures. The existence of the CDL dominated much of our activity in the 1997-1998 year.

As is often the case in a dynamic institution, we lost some members and gained others, and some members merely changed hats. We continue to be grateful for the participation of our colleagues from Stanford and USC, the former a result of a formalized structure of resource sharing with the rich resources of Stanford University libraries, the latter in an informal status, but of great value for the specialized resources of the University of Southern California. Knowing, about changes in policy, collecting emphasis, and major purchases, firsthand, through the members of our group from those two institutions, is exceptionlly valuable to collaborative collection development.

I. CHANGE OF SCOPE

At the Spring 1998 meeting of the U.S History/Women's Studies Consortia, we discussed the need for linkage with other consortium, including other history groups. The lack of such groups, with the notable exception of the Germanist for which history plays into the discussions only peripherally, is a serious gap. We discovered that by adding only three new members, we could incorporate all the British history bibliographers into our group. It seemed the efficient thing to do. Thus our name and scope have expanded.

II. ACTIVITIES

A. Journal Projects

During the summer and fall of 1997, the four U.S. History Journal Lists were updated, based upon the latest data provided by members, and copies distributed to all. These lists are vital tools in our cooperative collection development activities. We have been able to maintain at least a single copy in the system of most journals in the field. The lists have also enabled us to identify gaps in coverage, cancellation of low use titles by some libraries, and awareness of new journals. Unfortunately, the lists point out that more and more journals are now subscribed to by four or fewer campuses, thus becoming part of the "endangered category."

Women's Studies Journal Lists were updated during the same period -- summer and fall of 1997. These lists indicated the changed status of several titles and the addition of several new titles. Because gender studies is a newer and growing area of research and degree programs are expanding on many campuses, more titles were added to these lists. Awareness of new titles and evaluation by fellow bibliographers are exceptionally valuable aspects of these lists.

Members agreed to check lists for accuracy and report changes in any of the lists of both disciplines. All members are making sure notes appear in local cataloging/serials check-in records which identify titles held exclusively by a particular campus as their responsibility for retention -- i.e., will not be canceled by that campus. These lists continue to prove beneficial in maintaining the highest degree of cooperation and awareness in our collaborative collection building.

B. Microform Projects

While the consortia acknowledges the critical importance of the Microform Lists, it was necessary to postpone most work this year to devote considerable energies to CDL projects. However, there was some discussion of the necessity of continuing a few very important sets begun with money from Shared Purchase funds -- monies which have subsequently been subsumed for electronic material. The necessary funding for these sets (one example is the Eighteenth Century) is a critical issue with no immediate solution. This issue and the established lists will be evaluated in the near future.

C. California Feminist Press Project

The Statement of Purpose for our California Feminist Press Project was distributed to the three participating Special Collections libraries/departments: Bancroft, UC Santa Cruz Special Collections, and UC Santa Barbara Special Collections. The cover letter established the acknowledgment by the heads of each of these entities, from verbal discussions, that they would purchase and retain an archival copy of each title of each press which is part of the project. Members of the consortia continue to purchase circulating copies for each title.

Additional activities included the increased efforts to acquire archives of these presses; agreement on uniform practice in entering local notes designating these titles as part of the project; and deciding at least one article describing the project should be written for publication. This was followed several months later by an article appearing in Feminist Bookstore News .

E. Women's Studies Primary Collecting Areas Project

The project to establish lists of campus strengths in collecting materials in specific areas of women's studies was further defined and refined. Such areas have been added to the consortia webpage. This list allows certain campuses to refrain from spending funds of low campus interest, knowing a sister campus is collecting such material.

F. Consortia Webpage

The webpage continued to be maintained with the latest, accurate information. The consortia decided to add additional documents, including those reflecting our newest projects and to create additional appropriate links to make the site of even greater utility for the group.

III. CDL ACTIVITIES

A. Infrastructure

This was the year which began with systemwide library administration in flux and previous infrastructure in limbo. With the demise of Library Council and thus the questionable official sanction of committees which formerly reported to that body (to which one, the Collection Development Committee - CDC, all consortia report) there was confusion as to our status. Our liaison to CDC could not provide us with any enlightenment, since that committee, along with all others, had not yet become a part of any new structure. However, we knew the importance of resource sharing and that the UC libraries existed and had to continue to function no matter what the reporting structure. Thus we persevered. In fact, we did far more than that.

B. Voicing our Concerns

We were troubled by the lack of any indication that bibliographers on the campuses were to have influence on decisions of electronic information added to the CDL even though it affected our collections budgets and thus our local collections and our ability to make cooperative purchases of essential materials for our subject areas.

This topic was so pressing the previous year that then Chair Kanter wrote a draft of a letter to be sent to various players in the new reporting structure. The two issues addressed were: 1) bibliographer involvement in selection of CDL databases and other material to become a part of the electronic collection, and 2) the pressing need for the immediate addition of social sciences and humanities materials rather than exclusive attention to science, and also the important concept that in the former disciplines, more traditional formats were still essential for basic research and thus required funding.

This last year, it became apparent that these concepts needed to become two separate letters. Four members took on the task of amplifying this draft: two expanded the concerns of the need for traditional materials and their funding, resulting in the document: "Library Resources in the Humanities and Social Sciences"; and two worked with campus bibliographer involvement in CDL purchases/licenses, resulting in the document: "Role of Collections Librarians in the University of California Libraries."

The consortia thought their cause would be strengthened with endorsement of other UC consortia A massive coordinating project ensued. The result was two letters with endorsement of eight UC consortium groups, numbering over seventy UC bibliographers.

C. Active Interaction with CDL

In an effort to establish contact, create an interactive relationship with newly appointed personnel of CDL, and seek answers to our concerns, we asked for a meeting with Beverlee French, the first CDL Associate Director, Shared Collections and Services. She attended an afternoon segment of our 1998 Spring meeting in Berkeley. It was an exceptionally enlightening and productive meeting from both sides. (More specific topics are delineated in the minutes for this meeting.)

As a result of the meeting with Beverlee French, the consortia immediately established two groups to compile lists (one for U.S. History and one for Women's Studies) of materials, both electronic and major non-electronic collections requiring systemwide funding which we intended to send to CDL for consideration. When the call came from CDL for just such lists, we were already well on our way.

IV. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

A paper archive of all materials generated throughout the long and productive history of the consortia was updated.

The established meeting schedule of twice a year is still deemed essential because of the many projects in which the consortia is involved. A one day meeting in the Winter and a two day meeting in the Spring worked well this last term, but with the addition of the additional tasks for British History, reverting to two day meetings in both instances is still considered an option.

Future leaders of the consortia were selected. Beth Sibley takes over the chair from Nancy Koller. Beth will lead the group for the 1998-1999 term, and Joan Ariel and Phoebe Janes will serve as co-chairs elect, then begin their term in 1999-2000.

Report submitted by Nancy Koller