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The meeting was convened at 10:00 AM at the Westerly Public Library by Chair Susan Reed. In attendance were:
Steering Committee members:
Carol Brouwer, NSM and Vice Chair
Sheila Carlson, subbing for Anne Parent, OLIS
John Carney, EPL and Regional rep
Leslie McDonough, SCI and Treasurer
Doug Pearce, WAR and Regional rep
Susan Reed, PAW and Chair
Regina Slezak, NPT and Regional rep
Karen Taylor, EGR and Secretary
Non-members:
Laura Dixon, WWA
Paul Holliday, CRA
Kathryn Taylor, WES
CLAN employees:
Patience Bliss, Head Cataloger
Ginny Moses, Executive Director
Rick Payette, Technical Support Specialist
Cindy St. Amour, Head of Data processing
The minutes of the previous meeting were unanimously approved.
Executive Director's report
Attorney's letter expressing opinion on negotiating with DYNIX was distributed. Discussion ensued, with the decision being that Ginny will have our attorney write a letter to DYNIX asking for the following:
- Waive $90,000 annual maintenance fee
- Provide Web Reporter, including ILL statistics report capability, without charge
- Provide sufficient training for each library and any needed additional training for CLAN staff
- Provide any necessary customized programming
CLAN needs certain statistics for Federal reports with a deadline of mid-July for FY04 stats. CLAN committees will be asked to recommend what further training is required.
We need a "cheat sheet" with shortcuts in Horizon, similar to what we had for DYNIX. Paul mentioned that the power of Windows is that it offers alternatives: keyboarding, mousing, etc. Rick added that many employees in CLAN libraries may need a better working knowledge of Windows.
Cataloging "cheat sheets" will be posted.
PLEASE BE CERTAIN TO READ THE MINUTES OF ALL CLAN COMMITTEE AND MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS BECAUSE MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION IS POSTED THERE.
Membership did not approve Steering recommendation to purchase Novelist CLAN-wide.
Notes from Jim Wilson of DYNIX were distributed. Circ Heads Committee will be asked to develop a consensus concerning problems, training, etc.
Ginny will set up a meeting concerning Reference and Searching needs to establish an ad hoc committee.
Exeter has begun the process to join CLAN and plans to be operational by July 1, 2004. Interviews have been conducted for director and Amy Skolnik has been selected. Contact Amy about possible book donations before you send them!
CLAN will be talking with RILA regarding the situation at CFA and deciding what action, if any, will be appropriate.
Head of Data Processing's report
Cindy is posting Horizon updates regularly on CLAN message. DYNIX has adjusted the calendar to accommodate fiscal years. Batch discards report is available but requires a separate server.
Regina thinks DYNIX is dishonest since although Web Reporter is available, as we were told, it carries a price tag and requires a costly server.
Karen said Peter and Cindy's visit to EGR was very helpful and boosted staff morale.
Technical Support Specialist's report
Champlin request deadline to CLAN was April 26, 2004. 41 libraries submitted requests to us. Response to the new procedure was generally very positive, mainly because people like the simplicity of the form. Next year's form and procedure will be improved since we are learning as we go.
Standardization discussion:
Susan says OLIS is concerned that Gateways are not on the list of PC's recommended for grant by Champlin. Champlin has reiterated that they want standardization of equipment to increase cost savings and streamlining of support. CLAN staff met with Keith Lang and Tim Gorham on 4/28 and they are committed to the new system and wish to "stay the course" as previously outlined.
Sheila expressed a desire for more discussion of options next year as she would jave liked to have had Gateway PC's included in the CLAN recommendations.
Ginny noted that Champlin had made it known they were willing to discuss questions and concerns.
Rick said that Gateway is not a financially sound company. Sheila thought that more discussion was needed. Rick said that CLAN has standardized on Dell for four years. One of the benefits of this standardization is that libraries can draw upon a common set of experiences. This makes trouble-shooting easier.
Regina: Could Dell include some Gates features, such as erasing history, multiple users?
Rick: Gates PC's rely on Local Policies in Windows, and they are difficult to change. This works fine in locations where computers are left unattended for long periods of time. But if you want to do something new with a Gates-type computer, such as enabling patrons to use their own personal USB flash drives (AKA 'keychain drives'), it is very difficult to do - maybe even impossible, unless you are willing to risk changing the way the whole system works. Also, libraries should do security updates in Windows regularly. This is more difficult with Gates-style systems. Our goal is to make computers more manageable centrally, instead of treating them as stand-alone systems. Using server-based Group Policies allows you to make a change once, and have it apply to all of your systems.
As far as system security is concerned, DeepFreeze is a software product that many CLAN libraries use to protect their public computers. Computers with DeepFreeze will always boot up with all traces of previous activity removed.
Regina: Is there a thin client?
Rick: For book mobiles you can use either Windows Remote Desktop or a freeware solution such as VNC.
Susan: Rick will work with the LIT forum next year on ideas for Champlin requests. Also, CLAN needs to revise its technology plan, and the LIT forum would be a good place to start looking at it.
Organizational Study Committee:
Susan has had input from Fran Farrell-Bergeron and others. Handout was presented with questions and some possible answers.
Agenda changes to shorten meetings could include staff reports being istributed by email in advance so members can digest the info.
Ginny: I will do as the membership wishes, although I prefer oral reporting since it stimulates discussion. Peter should not be asked to report in writing as it would be too time-consuming for him, especially with Horizon issues, field visits and frequent Steering and CLAN meetings.
Rick: No problem for me, but there will be things coming up at the last minute that will not appear on a written report.
Cindy: The Horizon updates on CLAN. Messages are my reports.
Responses:
Regina: You can write one in advance and speak also
Kathryn: Keep it short, like 1 or 2 lines per subject
Karen: It should not replace the oral report
Regina: Mmeetings will be better since members will have time to prepare
Sheila: A list of topics would be helpful
Regina: We need to see a financial report regularly since if there were a problem we would be responsible. Though I am not suggesting there is a problem. It is the role of Steering to review finances.
John: Things change so fast that a written report would be outdated by the time of the meeting
Carol: I come to both Steering and Membership meetings because. I want to hear the technical stuff repeated.
Susan: Let's try the written report idea for the next meeting (except for Peter). Please post it on CLAN.message and Director's email.
Financial reports should be made quarterly.
Committee Chairs should contact Ginny if they have issues that need to go on the agenda.
Regina: Prefers paper copy since "electronic formats don't nudge you to read them"
Rick was asked to post an explanation of how the fee schedule formula works on the CLAN Support Site-showing the breakdown of percentages.
Susan: Steering Committee needs to live up to its responsibilities
Kathryn: Suggests Debbie Barchi and Susan Reed work on delineating what Steering's responsibilities are.
The Steering Committee as of May meeting will comprise the Organization Study Committee.
Regional representatives need to be committed to show up at all Steering and Membership meetings, if possible.
An alternate rep should be named from each region, too, in case the main rep cannot attend.
Fran Farrell-Bergeron will be asked to review the By-Laws and recommend changes, additions.
Leslie: Ginny will forward my financial reports to the members of the committee.
There were no committee reports.
Other:
Sheila: There is a new server for LORI email. There will be a new domain in about a year. DOA has installed a spam filter.
Susan: Should CLAN run a mail server? Maybe that could be added to the technology plan?
Rick: If we really want to we could, but riclan.org wasn't meant to do anything but replace DYNIX mail. If we went to full-service email we'd need a server upgrade. Let's consider that next year. Most of us have too many email accounts already.
John: Let's get rid of "seq" emails. Please let us know when you are going to do it.
Susan: What do we want Horizon to accomplish, and by when? We need a list of things Horizon must do before we are happy. How do we get such a list?
Ginny will send out Mr. Wilson's (DYNIX) letter and ask people to add to it.
Also she will get info on Logitech's $5k self check. Some libraries have no circ desk, only a concierge to help if there's a problem with self checks.
Paul: CRA is getting a 3M self check. It takes a commitment to really push the idea. BAR has one that is not in a primary spot and so doesn't get lots of use. Peter Lamb is the 3M rep. You need a dedicated PC for self check.
Rick will post info on new RFID Listserv. RILA will have a speaker who will address RFID's.
Susan bid us goodbye, since she is outgoing Chair and will not be at the May meeting. Thanks to the staff for all their hard work and the members for their patience and support.
Meeting adjourned at 12:20 PM.
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