Collaborative Libraries Forum (CLF) Meeting Minutes
November 12, 2001
Submitted by Monica Brooks (brooks@marshall.edu).
Co-Chairs:
Frances O'Brien, Dean, WVU Libraries and
Monica Brooks, Associate Dean, MU Libraries
Time:
1:30 - 3:00 pm
Locations:
WVNET in Morgantown / Governor's Office of Technology, Charleston
In Attendance:
Linda Bane (PSC),
Monica Brooks (MU),
Laura Neal (SC),
Ravi Sharma (WVSC),
Stephen Tipler (MU),
Ed Ward (WVNET).
WV Digital Library Z39.50 Committee - Chair: Jane Hughes
The Z39.50 Technology Subcommittee is being chaired by
Jane Hughes of Kanawha public library.
Jane has worked with Z39.50 servers for SIRSI.
She brings knowledge of national standards to the group,
with knowledge of MARC formats and information storage.
WVLA Automation Roundtable - Chair: Tammy Richards
As the new chairperson of the Automation Roundtable,
Tammy Richards of the WV Library Commission plans to pull
together all the technology commissions to keep from duplicating
efforts and expending excess energy.
WVLA Strategic Planning Process and WVLA Technology Subcommittee
The WVLA has taken on a large year-long technology
strategic planning project
originally started by Dottie Thomas. They are going to look at
the existing infrastructure and financing of state libraries, as
well as planning in interlibrary loan and information sharing.
Infrastructure:
With the use of technology increasing in West Virginia the project
has expanded to include K-12 etc.
Now the WVLA is working on this state-wide technology planning project.
The plans are to follow model of Kansas and Texas to
develop a state level document under the WVLA and the
state library commission.
Several large subcommittees are part of the strategic planning process,
including the Technology Subcommittee with more than 20 people.
Subcommittee chairperson Monica Brooks says
it is an open opportunity for anyone participate and
the subcommittee is not planning to re-invent the wheel.
Documentation:
The finished document is intended to help libraries to
make informed decisions about purchasing equipment and services.
Models in other states are going to be helpful as guides.
Information about services such as OCLC will be provided for example.
Many libraries in WV are not able to afford the price of OCLC services.
Recommendations:
Marshall University's Alan Taylor has documented large I.T.
projects and keeps track of I.T. industry trends.
He has helped steer Marshall away from making large expensive mistakes
in the purchase of computer software.
The WVLA Technology Subcommittee has a similar purpose,
that being to make recommendations to smaller local libraries
and help them with their planning and purchasing activities.
Standards:
Karen Goff and others in the library commission are going to help
develop a strategic planning document about standards.
Monica Brooks of the WVLA Technology Subcommittee
has already been active.
She plans to meet with Jay Justice of WVNET again,
as well as Phyllis Justice.
She has already discussed standards with
Interim Library Commission Director J.D. Wagonner.
Monica found out that Virtua,
the online catalog of Marshall University,
does not comply with Z39.50 standards at this time.
Finances:
Financial issues are impt too. -
The WVLA groups provide leadership at the state level
about how much things cost and how to spend money.
They are going to stress the compliance issues as well.
WV Library Commission Interlibrary Loan Computer System
The WVLC ILL system is inoperative and this is a problem
that needs to be solved.
CLF committee member Linda Bane mentioned that she
most of the ILL transactions she processes are in
lending and they don't require the WVLC server.
However smaller local libraries require the WVLC server
to borrow books and magazines,
and with the server down they are not able to.
Monica Brooks indicated that the situation might
have been prevented with some planning.
A maintained list of the email addresses
of the participating libraries would be helpful.
The West Virginia union catalog might be improved too,
or at least the email addresses should be kept up to date.
These are things for the library commission to take care of.
Marshall University has ILLiad to process interlibrary loan transactions. ILLiad works well, although it is one of the more expensive systems available. The WV Library Commission depends on LSTA funding. Charley Hively of the WVLA interlibrary loan roundtable indicated at the WVLA Conference that there are several possible solutions that do not require writing an in-house program to try and solve the problem. Monica also indicated it might be better not to try and reinvent the wheel.
Monica says a UNIX-based system is a workable answer, however that requires a systems staff person to maintain the server etc - a web based system like Athena or Follett might be less expensive. According to a committee member the Athena product places the entire catalog on a CD-ROM disk. That option does not require knowledge of UNIX. The issue of a viable interlibrary loan automation system for public libraries is an issue to discuss at the state level too.
CLF Webpage
Stephen Tipler posted a web page for the CLF committee.
The URL is:
http://www.marshall.edu/library-biz/clf/index.htmlThe minutes of committee meetings are posted on it, as well as helpful links pertaining to topics the CLF has under discussion.
Spring Fling
The Spring Fling conference is going to be April 5 in Flatwoods,
with the CLF meeting on the second of two days.
The plans are to have a combined technology program that
will include all four statewide technology-related
committees in the conference:
- Technology Subcommittee WVLA Planning Process, Chair Monica Brooks
- Collaborative Libraries Forum of WVNET, Chairs Monica Brooks and Frances O'Brien
- WV Digital Library Z39.50 Committee, Chair Jane Hughes
- WVLA Automation Roundtable, Chair Tammy Richards
Monica says funding will be provided to bring in at least one technology speaker. Monica asked the committee for their ideas about speakers. It is hoped that this effort will assist in sharing info between the four statewide committees. The conference will also be a combination of folks from WVLA and WVNET, and a low budget event. Monica said many folks want to participate and it is a good idea to get together once a year and discuss technology in WV libraries.
Salaries
Barbara Winters and Frances O'Brien are acting
together to review the entire library job family.
They are going to share the information in the
directors meeting November 30.
Marshall University has increased the salary range
of their clerical staff, however it remains less
than that of their peers.
Digital Library Update on Funding and Press Efforts
Barbara Winters and Monica handed out press kits
and information about the digital library at the
WVLA Conference this year.
A digital version of the promotional information
video is available and Monica plans to send the
URL of the website with that to the committee.
Monica has information about the digital library
available to anyone who requests it.
Jan Fox of Marshall University has ties to Charleston and
is helping to make information about it available.
Interim WV Library Commissioner J.D. Waggoner voiced a concern that the two-part proposal might be confusing to legislators. People attending the WVLA Conference provided comments about how to change any new versions of the video. 150 copies of the video have already been ordered. Monica says that whether funded the project is funded by the Chancelor's Office or by the Library Commission, the much needed funding is going to the libraries of West Virginia. Funding for the proposal might be approved when the legislators meet in January, 2002.
Announcements - CSA Demonstration
One of the CLF committee members is participating in a demo for
the Cambridge Scientific Abstracts set of 50 databases and is
looking for one or two more libraries in order to receive a
discount.
Contact Dr. Rachel Shipper at:
Sheppard, Library Director, 304-876-5312Monica says Marshall University pays $30,000 for CSA and students are able to access it from off campus with usernames and passwords.
Send e-mail to: rschippe@shepherd.edu
New Business - Ravi Sharma
Ravi Sharma asked Karen Goff about access to EBSCO.
WV is 50th of the 50 states in level of state library funding.
He says college libraries need more funding,
and there should be better communication
at the state level between all libraries,
public and academic.
Karen Goff is the state libraries representative. Monica said she will forward Ravi's question about why he didn't get EBSCO from the state purchase to Karen.
Next meeting
The date of the next meeting was announced as Monday,
January 14, 2002, 1:30 p.m. in the Governor's Office of Technology
and at WVNET in Morgantown.