November 2008 Executive Committee Meeting

PINES Executive Committee - November 19, 2008 - 1:00 P. M.
Macon State College Auditorium, Warner Robins, GA

Minutes Approved 5/20/2009

Microsoft Word Version (original)

Executive Committee members in attendance:

Marsha Christy, Jeff Tomlinson, Lecia Eubanks, Donna Howell, Thomas Jones, Nancy Tillingast, Lisa Rigsby, Richard Sanders, Claudia Gibson.

Others in attendance:

GPLS, PINES and Equinox staff, PINES library directors and staff members.

I.  Call to Order

Marsha Christy called the meeting to order.

II. Welcome

Marsha welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending.  She thanked Joe Shinnick for service and wished him well in his retirement.  She also welcomed Jeff Tomlinson, appointed by Executive Committee as Joe’s replacement.

III. Minutes – May 2008 Executive Committee Meeting

The minutes were distributed.  Gibson made and Jones seconded a motion to approve them as distributed.  Motion carried.

IV. Minutes - May 2008 PINES Annual Membership Meeting

These minutes will be on the agenda for approval at the next annual meeting.

V. Minutes - September 2008 Executive Committee Meeting

The minutes were distributed.  Eubanks made and Gibson seconded motion to approve them as distributed.  Motion carried.

VI. PINES Staff Reports

A. Staff Update: Dawn Dale, began October 1, responsible for PINES helpdesk.  She has been cleaning out helpdesk backlog.  Emily Arnold.  Time Daniels, now Assistant State Librarian, will continue to work on some PINES issues and heads up courier service workgroup for all libraries.  GPLS is looking at needs within PINES team to see what new staff positions are needed.  Usability and training are known needs, but currently all hiring for state-paid positions frozen.  Dr.  Veatch is asking for exemption to fill that position.
B. Emily - Director’s Survey, software development, working groups, site visits, communications

1. Director’s survey
   Marsha thanked everyone for responding to her survey regarding PINES issues.  Emily will be distributing the results shortly.
2. Software Development
   Handouts were provided and a PowerPoint presentation given on how software development works.  Emily described “Ready, Fire, Aim” – plan, implement, and improve/adjust.  There is a need to define whether problem is policy, process (workflow) or software to see who is responsible and how to approach it.  This will bring structure to table in working with Equinox and we should get better results.  Also this   will help decide which workgroups are needed to work on specific areas.
3. Working Groups
   Setting up working groups will insure that the people who know how to work modules best will test, document, identify issues, make recommendations.
4. Site Visits
   Plans are to visit all PINES libraries.  The formal plan for site visits on web page so everyone will know what to expect during visit.  The plan is important so PINES staff may identify issues, triage them, and give feedback.  It will insure that we know who “owns our issues” and that help requests are not going into a black hole.  It should help get relatively fast turnaround on questions.
5. Communications
   Since 90% of project management is communication, it is key to use as many avenues as possible.  The PINES page will be the gateway for communication for the PINES community.  The entire PINES community should feel free to make suggestions to improve, change, etc.  GPLS is trying to create a single point of contact for issues resolution to insure everything reaches the right person or group for resolution.  The site should be updated regularly.  Elizabeth reiterated the need for feedback from library staff to PINES staff.

C. Chris - Site Architecture, Testing Cluster, Vandelay

1. Site Architecture
   The PINES web site should be much more useful.  There is now a communication link from staff client.  PINES staff should be sure to visit and participate.  Anything worth communicating should be on this page.  A handout on site architecture was distributed and a PowerPoint presentation provided chart of how the web page was developed and structured.  Answers to questions, instructions, documentation, and other PINES items will be included here.  Forums will be provided to replace listservs for communication venue to insure there is a record of communications and to make it easier for everyone to participate as needed and it won’t be flooding in-boxes.  All workgroups are using this format now.
2. Testing/Training Cluster
   A testing cluster has been built from PINES equipment rotated out to allow more testing and without worry about impact of test on live PINES functionality.
3. Vandelay Importer/Exporter function
   This will allow PINES to mass import and export MARC records for quality control and required OCLC updates.

D. Dawn Dale – Helpdesk and P/P Manual

1. Helpdesk
   The helpdesk backlog is down to about 75 outstanding helpdesk tickets, 1/3 of those are older, 1/3 are timely, 1/3 are development issues.  They are trying to eliminate all but most current and working on acknowledging receipt of helpdesk ticket.  All PINES staff was asked to re-submit tickets if they have not received an answer on a ticket submitted and still have the problem.
2. Policies & Procedures Manual
   The format of the old manual requires re-typing to update, so it is taking some time to get it all set up.  Any PINES library staff member with portions of the manual in a recent electronic format is asked to send those to Dawn.  Dawn is the correct contact for problems or questions regarding the manual.

E. Elaine Hardy – Acquisitions and Cataloging Report

The PINES staff is proposing an expanded committee/workgroup, working with acquisitions, cataloging, and other related issues - including policy issues that may need to be addressed and non-financial transactions.  Their first meeting will be in December and is open to anyone interested.  Elaine manages database quality.  As discussed in hold meeting, the database needs cleanup.  The problem is there is no money and limited time and personnel.  De-duping and merging records is helping – usually eliminates half the records in PINES when records are cleaned up.  An intern is working to clean-up and enhance records.  Our database and PINES are only as good as our cataloging quality! Updates to OCLC holdings are being done so we are compliant.  Batch loading of Overdrive records will take place soon.  SOLINET and PALINET are planning to merge and some changes will be made.  OCLC policies are changing as well.  Should not impact us, but we will have to see.

D. Delivery Service

Elizabeth reported that two vendors have passed technical part of contract and their financials are being checked by OPB now.  Currently STAT is compliant with contract on turnaround time! Please let PINES staff know if there are problems getting items       in timely way.

E. Training

1. SOLINET Training
   SOLINET will be offering Evergreen training as a venture between Equinox and SOLINET – these are not GPLS events.  GPLS/PINES will be continuing their free training for all PINES locations.
2. Local Admin Training
   Local Admin training offering was overwhelmed by the response, so they plan to have more sessions ASAP.  Training will be at GPLS because one of the participants is a contractor and no budget for travel.  Chris thanked all libraries offering facilities for regional training.
3. Wimba
   GPLS will try training via Wimba.  Headsets with microphones for every library were distributed at the September directors meeting for use with online training such.  They see there is a need and hope to continue to reach out with training in branches.  Let Chris know if there is a problem, or if you have a need for local training.  PINES staff is available for staff days and other training opportunities, so let them know needs.  Chris gave demo of Wimba.

F. Statistical Reports

Katherine gave rundown of number of training sessions provided and a handout of overdue materials and intra-PINES loans by system.  The breakdown by facility will be online and should continue to be available online quarterly.
Elizabeth said they are working with Indiana to see about setting up a new user interface for reports to make functionality better, more user-friendly.

Elizabeth also reported that the “Preminders” – e-mail notices sent to patrons when books are about to be due to give them a chance to renew or return on time- were in the works.  This is seen as a good communication tool and good PR.  It also provides another good reason to update patron e-mail addresses and helps prevent needless overdue notices.  Elizabeth says that so far PINES has spent over $276,000 on overdue notices this year.  This will help with cutting costs, and without it we may lose other state funding to continue.

VII. Equinox Staff Report

Karen Schneider, Community Librarian, hopes that communication is improving between libraries and Equinox.  They have been making site visits and found reports interface was universally disliked.  Documentation is not strong for PINES right now.  Currently they have four contractors working on documentation and got a $50,000 grant to help with that.  They are working with PINES on getting issues out on PINES list from Equinox.  New releases have been installed, and more updates coming with release candidates to be sent to workgroups for testing.  Release 1. 4 should have self-check product not requiring SIP2, making it low-cost, Acquisitions (no more development for a time), serials & reserves included in next major release, 2. 0 in May 2009.  New Evergreen newsletter is now available for wider Evergreen activities.  Better communication between PINES and Equinox and member libraries and appears to be helping.  Gave algorithm for how metarecords are provided.  Equinox will send out update giving information on upcoming releases.  The Canadian academic libraries, Operation Conifer, are coming online early 2009.

VIII. Action Items

A. AI1, Proposal to establish “Payment Plan” Patron Profile
Rigsby made, and Tomlinson seconded a motion to accept subcommittee recommendation to approve this profile.  Motion carried.

B. AI2. Definition of patron inactivity
As part of this, Katherine recommended that all libraries really work on adding county information into patron records – this did not transfer from SIRSI and makes it difficult to give information/stated that are requested by libraries/reports.

Two parts of this, what constitutes activity, and who should delete patron information and when.

First, Rigsby made a motion to accept GPLS/PINES staff recommendation (from handout) for definition of activity, Gibson seconded.  Motion carried.

Next, Elizabeth says that PINES staff strongly discouraged mass deletions because it removed other data.  Reports on patrons can be run to see which patrons are inactive.  The recommendation is that the records be marked inactive after three years of no activity instead of deleting them.  Recommendation is that somewhere in the patron record indicate that it was system deactivation.  While there are some valid reasons for deleting patron records – duplications, death of patron, etc. , doing so may result in lost data.  Rigsby moved that patron cards be marked as inactive after three years of no activity.  Tomlinson seconded.  Brief discussion on how these will be reported by default on patron count reports.  The committee asked that PINES staff let libraries know when this goes into effect. 

Katherine says that there has been no purge/change in patron database since 2006, so the next one will be large.  Development activity is required before this can go into effect.  Questions about how the large number of records impacts search time.  The committee requested that this issue be referred back to sub-committee to discuss the issues of deleting patron records to be sure there is a reasoned process in deciding when deletion is appropriate.

C. Proposal not to charge out of state patrons in Barbour County, AL
Quitman County recently changed library systems and joined PINES.  There was a long-term agreement between this county and Barbour County, Alabama for reciprocal library use.
Proposal one was that no out of state fee be charged.  Howell moved and Gibson seconded a motion to accept the subcommittee recommendation not to waive the out-of-state fee.  Motion carries with one opposed, Richard Sanders.

Proposal two was to allow a grace period for existing card holders before charging the out of state fee.  Gibson moved and Rigsby seconded a motion to give a grace period for these Barbour County, AL out of state users until their current PINES card expires.  Motion carried.

D. PINES Acquisitions Subcommittee Nominations
Because of timing, there is a need for a list of subcommittee nominees to be approved to work as subcommittee members until their formal approval at the annual meeting.  Tillingast moved, and Gibson seconded a motion to approve this list pending approval of library directors of staff members on the list, to have these folks act in their subcommittee capacity until officially approved at annual meeting.  Motion carried.

IX. Discussion Items

X. Old Business

Gibson asked about status of routing information printing on holds slips.  Elizabeth says it is on the list, but not yet available.  Also, asked about whether bubble wrap is required.  According to PINES policy it is.  Gibson moved that wording for policy as regards to wrapping items for shipment be changed by eliminating the words “in bubble wrap” from the policy.  The new policy should read “Items should be appropriately packaged to protect them from damage while in transit. ” Tomlinson seconded.  Motion carried.

XI. New Business

XII. Next Meeting – February 2009

XIII. Adjournment

Jones made and Gibson seconded a motion to adjourn.  Motion carried.

Respectfully Submitted,
Donna W.  Howell, Secretary
PINES Executive Committee