The Educational Activity Committee Report
January 27, 2000
Two main issues to be addressed in this report, the Employer Professional Development Award and the IEEE Region 3 lending library.
Gilbarco Incorporated has been selected for the 2000 Employer Professional Development Award for the year 2000. Gilbarco nomination satisfies the criteria set by the Committee for the award. The Educational Activity Committee would like to forward this selection for award to the Excom members for approval.
The IEEE Region 3 lending library has a new home, the visualization lab of the electrical engineering department at the University of Mississippi. This library activities are in progress and a couple of requests have been processed. The Library is composed of categories of videotapes and audio cassettes. Currently we do not have any means of keeping up with the contents of the library other than a few printouts of the contents and materials currently loaned out. There is a need to develop a database system that can be used to manage the library. Such a database will significantly decrease the amount of time needed to managing the library. Furthermore, when the time comes for passing on the library to another manager, we can also pass along our database. This well enable for any such transition to be as effortless as possible. Development of the IEEE Region 3 Lending Library Database will be processed in three stages. The first stage should result in a database system capable of managing the library from a single machine using standard forms. The second stage should add web-based access to the database for routine management tasks. In addition, reporting capabilities should be added during this stage. The third stage should entail the development of web pages to allow IEEE members to access the contents of the library and determine the status of each item (available for loan, on loan, reserved for certain dates, etc.). Web pages should also be developed to allow requests for new loans and renewals. It is hoped to complete the three stages by the end of 2000. Additions of new educational material such as software and electronic manuscripts to the library is also one of the committee goals to improve and expand the service provided by the library.
Respectfully,
Atef Elsherbeni, Chair