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CLAN's Steering Committee met at the Pawtucket Public Library. Chair Susan Reed convened the meeting at 9:40.
Committee members in attendance included:
Deborah Barchi (for Regina Slezak), Regional Rep (BAR)
Peter Bennett, Central Suite Rep (PRO)
Carol Brouwer, Vice Chair (NSM)
John Carney, Regional Rep (EPL)
Donna DiMichele (for Anne Parent) OLIS Rep
Karen Taylor, Secretary (EGR)
Leslie McDonough, Treasurer (SCI)
Doug Pearce, regional Rep (WAR)
Susan Reed, Chair (PAW)
Kathryn Taylor (for Heather Field) Regional Rep (WES)
CLAN staff in attendance:
Peter Bennett, Systems and Network Administrator
Patience Bliss, Cataloger
Ginny Moses, Executive Director
Rick Payette, Technical Support Specialist
Cindy St. Amour, head of Data Processing
Others in attendance:
Laura Dixon, WWA
Frances Farrell-Bergeron, WWA
Mary Ellen Hardiman, NPR
Pat Redfearn, WRR
Eileen Socha, EPL
The Executive Director's report:
CLAN has contributed $500 to the Library Futures Conference as approved by the membership.
CLAN's attorney, Charles White, is reviewing CLAN's contract with DYNIX and will render an opinion on CLAN's situation in regard to negotiating costs with DYNIX based on problems with the system.
Ginny is awaiting a day and time to discuss our DYNIX contract with OLIS CIO Tom Collins.
Leslie McDonough has volunteered to represent CLAN at Library Legislative Day in Washington, D.C. in May. Hotel reservations have been made.
Novelist subscription options were discussed. Ginny indicated that a few of the libraries that currently subscribe on their own to Novelist would pay less and a few would pay more if the total cost of $26,500 were divided using the fee schedule. If the cost was divided up by the number of sites (locations) libraries would pay about $369 for each library and branch.
***Doug moved that the Steering Committee recommend that the membership approve purchasing the Novelist database from Ebsco system-wide and that the cost of $26,500 be divided among all libraries using the membership fee schedule based on % of usage of the system.
***Seconded by Leslie.
Discussion ensued, concerning the fact that all CLAN libraries will participate or none will, based on the motion.
***9 aye
1 abstention
***Motion passed.
Names ands phone numbers of Steering Committee members have been added to the Minutes and Reports webpage.
Ginny is arranging for a speaker from DYNIX to come and discuss the philosophy behind the design of Horizon.
Systems and Network Administrator's report:
Author authority problems have been found and fixed. We now have a utility to fix bad indicators. Peter proposes to remove all but "a, an, the" form the article table-will preserve the information if we need to restore it.
He'll run the utility later Friday night. It should fix the majority of searching problems.
Library problem-solving visits are scheduled or have been done for BAR, CRA, and many more to come.
+++Debbie says it was a good thing and has made her staff less tense. She advises that libraries have SPECIFIC questions prepared when help arrives.
Peter says some problems were solved on the spot; others will be fixed, if possible, later.
Q. from Debbie: what if there is a problem that can't be fixed?
A. from Peter: it depends on how crucial it is. DYNIX may decide to do an enhancement, but that can take a very long time for them to decide.
CLAN as a whole would have to decide to ask DYNIX to do it
Q. from Debbie: can CLAN lobby other library consortia to join in demanding enhancements?
A. from Peter: yes, or pay for custom programming, but those aren't usually a good choice since upgrades change the customization every time. Once we left DYNIX all custom programming had become part of the system
Debbie: it is frustrating when a good thing in DYNIX didn't migrate with Horizon. Please let us know at the annual meeting what we can do. Maybe join the list serve.
Cindy will prepare a handout about how to join the List serve
Q. from Carol: Debbie, please be specific about what didn't migrate with Horizon.
A. from Debbie: I can't remember.
A. from Cindy: one has to do with the criteria for Notices, one is patron name order, etc.
Debbie suggests CLAN wait it out through the "shakedown" period and see where we are.
It seems that some Horizon procedures take 10steps when DYNIX only took 3.
Donna noted that we should keep data about problems because some problems may be merely lack of understanding of a new procedure. 10 steps may not be needed, but a new method must be learned.
Debbie: it used to take 15 minutes to do a New Book list, now it takes 4 hours.
Donna: There may be a different and faster way to do it in Horizon that needs to be learned.
Peter says there are upgrades in beta testing that will then go to general use. Big things they'll correct are:
*Batch item delete
*Ability to enter different digits in barcodes
*Acquisitions will be improved
There is a new HIP release, too, but we'll wait for other libraries to react before we load it.
Karen: I have had a problem with a record that appears and disappears on the screen.
Peter will investigate.
Head of Data Processing's report:
Cindy reports she and Peter are still having their weekly phone meetings with our project manager at DYNIX. They are making progress on resolving issues, as evidenced by the spreadsheets.
Peter picks one problem each week to emphasize. Next week's will be "Notices" after meeting with BAR staff.
We also need DYNIX's help with statistics.
We continue to post update on CLAN Message.
If the spreadsheet is helpful Cindy will continue to keep it updated and posted. She will put it on CLAN Message as an attachment before the CLAN meeting.
Technical Support Specialist's report:
Rick reminds everyone of the Champlin grant workshop top be held on April 2, 9:30 AM at WAR. There will be answers to your questions and clear specific information about equipment. A summary will be sent out after the meeting but this one really should be attended by someone from each library for vital information.
Charge for the Options Committee:
Leslie, Chair of the Committee, distributed minutes from the meeting, including the committee's charge:
CLAN Systems Options Committee 3/16/04
Members present: John Carney (EPL), Laura Dixon (WWA), Margaret Victoria (WES), Christie Getches (SKI), Donna DiMichele (OLIS), Paul Holliday (CRA), Leslie McDonough (SCI-committee chair).
This committee was 'charged with the responsibility to investigate the ILS options for CLAN, including but not limited to switching vendors.'
The committee submits without recommendation the following options to the CLAN Steering Committee:
- Stay with Horizon
- Migrate back to DYNIX
- Develop an RFI or an RFP to approach other ILS vendors
- Investigate the possibility of a merger with HELIN
- Disband CLAN and each library obtains its own in-house system.
We do not feel that the charge to the Systems Options Committee can be given serious consideration until CLAN's structure is evaluated and any changes deemed necessary have been implemented.
However, if the Steering Committee chooses to develop an RFP in order to approach other ILS vendors, this committee recommends that a new committee be formed consisting of the following members:
- CLAN Executive Director
- CLAN Technical staff
- 4 CLAN library staff members with expertise in the following areas: Cataloging/Acquisitions, Circulation, Reference, and Management"
***Leslie moved that we wait to explore alternatives until the proposed restructure is completed.
***Seconded by Carol.
***Discussion:
Debbie agrees there are 2 different tasks to be accomplished but the process of reevaluating CLAN will take a long. She would rather see them done concurrently. Gather data now. We would like info on other systems.
Leslie: the committee wants to make the point that this is a huge undertaking.
Donna: I agree that CLAN staff need to be involved, but the workload of CLAN staff is very heavy right now. Also, things are calming down. Why are we really pursuing this? It seems like buy work. Let's postpone any action for 3 months at least.
John: an RFP can take 3 months or more to develop.
Doug: thank you to Leslie and the committee. I second John's comment regarding RFP's. They can be huge, sometimes requiring years of work. Is it realistic or just because we're upset at the moment? Let's do a half-baked job. We can investigate, gather general information, but not go the RFP route yet. Let's find out about fees, customer evaluations, etc. Look at CRSI, III, and…? We don't want to put too much of a drain on CLAN resources.
Debbie: that's a good interim step, but don't drop the entire idea. We could hire someone to do it.
Peter: we can gather information. Connecticut hates CRSI. Georgia is bailing from CRSI. Let's have no RFP until we are sure we will not keep Horizon, but we could do an RFI instead.
Donna: we need a script so all vendors are asked the same question
Cindy: technology changes so fast it will be hard to stay current
Karen: I don't agree that things are getting better with Horizon.
Ginny: I have been in contact with several patrons since December who have told me they are so happy with Horizon now, especially since they can place Holds efficiently again.
Peter: many things are better and many need to be improved.
Some issues at libraries have to do with setting.
It was decided that Ginny will investigate other systems after getting questions to ask from Circ Heads, Database Management and Acquisitions people within CLAN. Then we'll do an RFI.
***The motion was amended to read: Recommend to the membership that we have Ginny assemble questions through the aforementioned committees and individuals to ask vendors and systems (III, CRSI, CARL, Endeavor, etc.)
***Unanimously passed.
Susan handed out a sheet containing suggested charges for the Organizational Study Committee and The ILS Options Committee, as follows:
"I submit these charges as a basis of discussion. I am willing to make changes.
Charge to Organizational Discussion Committee:
Study and make recommendations on how to improve CLAN's organizational decision making processes and the responsibilities of these bodies that comprise CLAN's organizational structure including:
a. how the membership makes decisions
b. the responsibilities of steering committee
c. the responsibilities of regional representatives
d. the responsibilities of the executive board
e. the responsibilities of CLAN employees
Charge of ILS Options Committee:
The committee is charged with the responsibility to investigate the ILS options for CLAN, including but not limited to switching vendors. (submitted by Chair Leslie McDonough.
Susan L. Reed
Library Director
Pawtucket Public Library
13 Summer St.
Pawtucket, RI 02860
www.pawtucketlibrary.org"
***Susan moved that the charges to the committees be accepted as written
***Seconded by Peter.
At this point in the meeting the motion was put aside to allow for a discussion of whether members of the gallery who are not committee members should be allowed to participate in discussions.
Susan asks that comments form non-members be heard at the end of the meeting.
Doug suggests they be allowed to participate at any time.
Debbie pointed out that it has been our precedent to allow non-committee members to participate.
The majority decided that discussion can be open to all present, whether on the committee or not.
Back to discussion of the motion at hand:
Donna wants an outside facilitator since it will be difficult from within.
Susan: we should consider that, but don't need to include it in the charge.
Debbie: we would need subcommittees.
Donna: Need to let it be known that there are specific subcommittees to be included.
Debbie: should invite others than just those on Steering to participate.
Susan: this recommendation is for "what," not "how."
It was decided that a timeline would be added for the Organizational Study Committee to report.
Interim report deadline: CLAN meeting in September 2004
Final report deadline: CLAN meeting in May 2005
Fran suggested categories to consider: governance and authority; budget and finance; personnel; organizational and procedural matters.
Kathryn has offered to write a grant request to the RI Foundation to obtain funds to hire a facilitator.
Susan: let's continue to let the current Steering Committee be the Organization committee.
Eileen: could others join? Not all regional reps are always reliable.
Pat: should have a subcommittee of Steering
Discussion continued.
***The committee decided to table the discussion of who should comprise the committee until the 4/29 Steering Committee meeting at which time Susan and Ginny will present a revised charge proposal.
Nominating Committee:
The slate for new officers:
Chair: Kathryn Taylor
Secretary: Susan Aylward
Regional representatives will be chosen at the May CLAN meeting. The Steering Committee wants to remind members that the person in this position needs to attend all CLAN meeting and Steering Committee meetings, if possible, and to communicate with the directors in his or her region about CLAN issues. In addition, an alternate representative should be appointed form each region in case the actual representative cannot attend a meeting.
Other:
Doug reported on a Directors' meeting regarding Holds that was held at his office a few days ago. Some consensus was reached, in that all in attendance agreed the ideal system would be one where everyone gets everything everywhere. But in reality some restrictions are needed. The suggestion is we need a clear definition of who "my patron" really is. Doug defines it as a person who lives in my town, pays taxes there and therefore buys the materials for my library.
Peter is to check and see if the database can be made to reflect where a patron lives, not where he got his card. A group of locations could be indicated in a patron record for priority access to materials.
***Doug moved that the patron agency in the patron records reflect residency and CLAN should use that location or group of locations as a basis for any priority in access to certain materials, like new books, etc.
***Debbie seconded the motion.
Discussion:
Karen: disagrees. This could cause problems with long-time patrons who live in other towns but have always come to EPL.
Peter: in DYNIX where you placed a hold was the determining factor. In Horizon it is:
Who owns the item?
What agency is in the borrower's record?
What is the pickup location?
What are the Itype groups?
Peter: we could alleviate confusion regarding pickup locations and give ourselves a starting point for further tailoring of Holds. On the whole it would do some good.
We could restrict by group. For example, EGR could allow WAR patrons to be part of the priority group, if desired.
Donna: the issue of the state paying 25% of fees should be considered in this discussion.
Statistics of patrons using other libraries is of concern to members.
Ginny noted that some libraries are concerned because patrons from other towns get cards at their libraries to use their locally-funded online databases.
***vote: 7 aye, 1 nay, I abstain
Motion passed.
Meeting was adjourned at 12:20 by unanimous vote.
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