SIRSI User’s Group Minutes

Thursday, October 2, 2002    9:30 – 12:00

Richland Community College, Decatur, IL

 

1.         Call to order

Shelley Koehler called the meeting to order at 9:40 am and thanked Richland Community College for hosting the meeting and providing refreshments.

2.         Introductions

Shelley asked that the members introduce themselves.

3.         Approval of July 17, 2002 minutes 

            Becky Wright made a motion that the minutes of the July 17, 2002 meeting be approved as written. Leann Fisher seconded the motion, and the motion passed.

4.                  Committee Reports

A.     Database Standards

Cathy Marx reminded the members that they need to fill out their certification forms and mail them into Patsy after attending the SIRSI Cataloguing Training Sessions with Diane Kovacs. The forms are available at the RPLS website at http://www.rpls.ws/to_anyone_who_enters_data_in_netcat.htm

The Database Standards Committee will be meeting Thursday, November 13, 2002 at 10:00 am at Richland Community College.

B.     Finance

Nancy Huntley note that there was no report from the Finance Committee.

C.    Policies

Lee Ann Fisher reported that the Policy Committee is working on an update to the policy manual, which they hope to have available online.

D.    Technology

Pat Burg reported that the minutes for the 8/29 and 9/19 meetings for the Technology Committee meetings are available at the RPLS website. Their Request for Quotes resulted in five quotes. They selected RMG Information consultants after checking with three libraries that had worked with RMG and requesting that his quote be revised to include a five-year cost projection. The contract was reviewed by the RPLS attorney, and on 9/12 the contract was approved by the SIRSI Governing Board.  On 9/17 the RPLS Board approved the contract. Rob McGee has asked to see the contracts and manuals, and a list of specific needs. The Technology Committee will be meeting at RPLS at 1:00 pm today. SIRSI User Group members, particularly committee heads are encouraged to attend the meeting. The Technology Committee and Governing Board encourage representatives to attend the all day meeting with Rob McGee on 10/24/2002 form 9:30 am until 4:00 pm at RPLS.

5.                  RPLS Report

Paul Johnson reported on central site problems, since the last meeting.

1)                             The first was the result of the automated deduping last summer using the DRA software. The process was stopped when it was determined that there were glitches in the software, which were effecting the authority records. DRA rewrote the software and it is now being tested. It should be available later this month, and it will pick up the process where it left off.

2)                             The problem reported with keyword searching in recent weeks, will require the rebuilding of the keyword index. There will be no access to NetCat for 3 to 4 day time period during which the index is being rebuilt. Terry is looking at starting this process 10/8/2002. It was pointed out that someone should check with Diane Kovacs to make sure that this would not interfere with the cataloguing classes. The question was asked why this was not being done on the weekend, and Paul reported that the SIRSI support that was available during the weekends and evenings was not of the quality that was available during the regular working hours which could result in a longer processing process in the long run.

3)                             Lewis & Clark database is now available again. A newly installed firewall resulted in loss of access to netcat, but access has now been restored. Bill Stevens also reports that access is also available through the gateway.

4)                             Email problems, which are limited to the rpls.lib.il.us accounts are being worked on by Tim and Terry at the system office. ICN had made changes, which were thought to be the cause of the problem, but this proved not to be the case. John Grimsley has provided information that will enable RPLS to approach ICN again for additional information.  If the problem continues, John Grimsley may be hired to sort out the problem.

Paul reminded members to check the status page before calling RPLS. If they are experiencing problems that are not reported on the status page, they should then contact RPLS to report the problem. Paul and Bob Plotzke reported on the Moen Report, which should be out in its final version shortly.

1)                 Recommendations for improving the quality of cataloguing by developing best practices.

2)                 Recommends sharing LLSAP catalogue records. There was discussion about software that was demoed for the system directors, which would enable the pulling of records from one LLSAP to another LLSAP directly. Currently OCLC records are downloaded locally and ftp’ed to Terry, who then loads them into our system. The software that was demoed would allow records to be sent directly from one database to another.  The State Library will be pressing for the use of OCLC records, so the RFP should address the ability to easily transfer OCLC records.

3)                 Develop cataloguing centers on a cost recovery basis with the underlying long range goal of eliminating them with the use of a single source for records into the LLSAP’s (OCLC).

4)                 Identify best practices at RBLS, RPLS, and LTLS to increase participation rates and variety.

5)                 Encourage reorganization and merging of several LLSAP’s to research the implementation of integrated library systems, though not necessarily the RLS’s.

6.       Unfinished Business – none reported.

7.           New Business

A.     Nomination of Vice President/President Elect

Shelley Koehler nominated Nancy Huntley. Betty Lou Hicks seconded the nomination, and the membership approved.

B.     Pass the Gavel

Shelley reported that her term in office felt like the quiet between the storms. Becky Wright thanked Shelley for her leadership and hoped that Shelley was wrong about the storm.

C.    Library types caucus to elect chairs to Governing Board

Academics – TBA

Publics – Ann Adkesson

Schools – Pam Bradford

Specials – Betty Lou Hicks

 

8.           Announcements

A.     Governing Board meets Thursday, November 7, 2002, 9:30 at TPL

B.     SIRSI User’s Group Wednesday, January 15th , 2003 at Rochester PLD.

C.    Nancy Huntley invited everyone to the kickoff of “Together We Read: Plainsong”, a joint project of the public libraries of Springfield, Chatham and Rochester, at Chatham PLD on Thusday, October 3rd at 3 pm.

D.    Ann Adkesson reported on the Small & Rural Libraries Conference held in Columbus OH.

E.     Mary Lee Melhorn announced the Small Pubs meeting to be held at South Macon Public Library on October 17th from 2 – 4 pm.

Lee Ann Fisher moved to adjourn. Steve Craven seconded the motion, and the membership approved the motion.

 

Database Numbers

2672705 items

773440 bib records

307333 patrons

 

Attendees and Summary

 

Anna Adermann                    Assumption PL

Ann Adkesson                       Barclay PLD

Jennie Alexander                  Mt Zion PDL

Karen Anderson                    Decatur PL

Sally E Ascenzo                    Marrowbone PL

Mike Barnard                         Lincoln Land CC

Deborah Bates                      Maroa Forsyth Jr-Sr HS

Cyndi Bowman                      Argenta-Oreana PLD

Pam Bradford                        CAM HS

Chet Brandt                           IL ECI Clearinghouse

Pat Burg                                 IL State Museum

Marsha Burgener                  Atwood-Hammond PL

Jean Campbell                      Forsyth PL

Timothy R Childers               Lincoln Library

Barbara Collins                     Mowequa PL

Steve Craven                         Decatur PL

Theresa Cripe                       Hope Welty PL, Cerro Gordo

Eileen Curry                           Windsor PL

Deb DeJarnette                    Lincoln PLD

Ellen Dixon                             Chatham Area PL

Stephanie Edwards              Weldon PLD

Lee Ann Fisher                      Decatur PL

Helen Flynn                            St Teresa HS

Susan Full                              Springfield College in Illinois

Harry Gaylord                        IL Supreme Court Library

Kathy Goleman                      Divernon Township

Carolyn Greger                      Mt Pulaski Library District

Bev Hackney                         Decatur PL

Robyn Hendricks                   Decatur PL

Betty Lou Hicks                     Hanson Professional Services

Nancy Huntley                        Lincoln Library

Karla Johnson                       Helen Matthes Library, Effingham

Paul Johnson                         RPLS

Shelly Koehler                       Shelbyville PLD

Junie Lonbons                       Decatur PL

Kathy Marx                             Richland CC

Doris J McKay                       RPLS

Mary Lee Melhorn                 South Macon PLD

Linda Meyer                           Chatham Area PL

Colleen Mitchell                     Elizabeth Titus Memorial

Tim Moody                             Richland CC

Gisela Motzkus                      IL DOT

Bev Obert                               RPLS

Linda Perona                         Blue Mound PL

Bob Plotzke                           RPLS

Scott Pointon                         Decatur PL

Alisa E Porver                       Mason City PLD

Dorla Reavis                          Divernon Township

Alice Reed                             Blue Mound PL

Jane Schmidt                        IL State Historical

Tammy Schnell                      Lincoln Land CC

Linda Shaw                            Rochester PL

Shirley Shaw                          Taylorville Jr HS

Dorothy Siles                         Taylorville PL

Nancy Simpson                     IL EPA

Lisa Spracklen                      Marrowbone PL

Sandi Trezzo                         Decatur PL

Patsy Walters                        RPLS

Matt Wilkerson                      Decatur PL

Marlene Wirth                        Sullivan HS

Susan Wood                          Elizabeth Titus Memorial

Becky Wright                         Taylorville HS

Nina Wunderlich                    Taylorville Elementary

Diane Yeoman                      Mason City PLD

 

Academic                     =         04

                                    Public                            =         40

                                    School                           =         08

                                    Special                          =         07

                                    System Staff                 =         05

                                    Total                              =         64