Advisory Group Meeting Notes, October 23, 2008

Funding Status

• Departments in state government have been told not to request additional funding for FY10 which is the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2009. 
  
• The State Library had no choice but to submit a flat budget request, however, we will continue to talk about the project.
  
• The State Library wants to provide more than half of the funding for the project.
• Grant funding will be useful to get us off the ground, but we need a stable funding source. 
  
• We may use federal LSTA funds, but we don’t have enough LSTA funds to fund the entire project.  
• Participating libraries will be expected to contribute and we will need to collect information on what libraries are currently paying for their automation system including the maintenance costs. 
• Legislative session in 2010 will be very important for this project.  This is the session where we will request funding for FY11 which is the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2010.

Iowa Library Association Support

• ILA is supporting the project in its 2009 legislative agenda which states “Support efforts to develop a statewide shared library catalog and check-out system.”
  
• Including it in the agenda gives libraries a way to talk about it with legislators.

Benefits of the Project

• Better service for Iowa library users
  
• Easier to find library resources
• Convenience - Iowans will be able to search one, statewide catalog from any computer with Internet access.  Iowans will be able to use the same library card to check out items at all libraries participating in the project. 
  
• Libraries that haven't been able to afford to automate will have an efficient automated system
  
• Cost saving for libraries; the cost difference could be used for other programs and services
  
• The library funding being spent on out-of-state automation systems will stay in Iowa
  
• Promotes collaboration among different types of libraries

Revised Assumptions 10-17-2008

• State Library of Iowa is in charge of the program
• State Library secures the funding and sets the cost structure for participating libraries

• Advisory group will recommend, not set policy
• Circulation committee, not the State Library, will decide the default policies based on the most common practice  
• Administrative rules committee decides security of the system (which staff can get to which parts of the system)
  

• Participation is voluntary
• Libraries will have to pay something
• All types may participate
• Minimum participation is both the shared catalog and the shared circulation
• Libraries will be added to the system according to a specified process at a limited rate per year
• Non-automated libraries can become automated though the system

• Non-automated libraries can add holdings to the shared catalog, before they participate in shared circulation 

Infrastructure

• IT infrastructure will be hosted by the State Library
• Libraries must maintain a high-speed connection to the Internet
• Libraries will provide the staff workstations

Interlibrary Loan

• The Locator and SILO Interlibrary Loan system will be maintained

• The shared catalog will not replace the Locator

• The shared catalog and the Locator will be synchronized

Cataloging

• The State Library will identify and enforce cataloging standards
• Libraries will continue to acquire and process their own items
• Libraries will catalog items in the system, with OCLC or other cataloging utility
• Bibliographic data must meet a defined set of minimum standards
• Bibliographic data will be matched and merged
• Libraries will add item data
• Current collections can be maintained
  
• There will be at least two security levels for cataloging:  Original: Can create new bib records from scratch or edit any bib record in the shared catalog;  Copy: Can attach holdings to any record in the shared catalog and edit item data for their library
• To get permission to catalog in the shared system, library staff will be required to attend training, pass a test, go through a peer review process, or some combination of these.

Circulation

•  One statewide library card for participating libraries
• One shared patron database
• Patron database will be built from scratch
• Each library honors patron confidentiality rules
• System is set with default circulation policies, but local libraries can change to reflect current practice regarding loan periods and fines
• Circulation rules can be based on the patron's home library, the library that owns the item, the current location of the item, and the pick-up location.
  
• Circulation rules can be applied to the entire system, to a specific library, or to any arbitrary group of libraries.
• Libraries will be able to change the default circulation rules, after attending a class.  Basic changes will be possible through a graphical interface.  More advanced  changes may be done by a developer writing scripts. Libraries will be able to use these scripts in their rules.
• All libraries can use age protection to override the circulation policy.  It's based on the date the item was added to library's collection, not the copyright date or the date the bib record  was added to the catalog.
• All patrons will be required to designate a home library
• When a patron changes their home library, they will receive a new library card from the new home    library.  - All patrons will be required to designate a home library.  - When a patron changes their home library, they will receive a new library card from the new home library.

Training and Support

• The State Library will provide training for all participating library staff
  
• The State Library will provide web and telephone technical support during regular business hour
• The State Library will provide emergency, after-hours support whenever libraries are open

Next Steps

• Survey libraries to identify current automation costs
• Develop cost scenarios
• Developing ways to talk about this project
• Decide on next meeting