NOVEL SC Conference Call
March 9, 2004, 20:00-3:00 p.m.

PRESENT: Alrutz, Baaklini, Brink, Courtney, Desch, Douglas, Ebert, Hiebing, Johns, Kaplan, Knight, Little, Lynch, McCain, Monahan, Nichols, Redmond, Shaloiko, Storms, Welch

ABSENT: Cannell, Crumlish, Cunningham, Ericson, Hatch, Huxley, Janowsky, Kadamus, Keitel, Meierhoffer, Roe, Todd, Walsh

RECORDER: Petrocelli

WELCOME

Dottie welcomed everyone. Minutes from the February 19 meeting were approved.

RECAP OF OCLC PRESENTATION

Summary of OCLC/Robert Smith's presentation:

Information sharing presentation given as a result of Robert's discussion with NYSL last fall - OCLC decided to put together a statewide Union catalog proposal for New York.

Their rationale for doing this:

• Users don't have easy way to discover available resources
• Users cannot easily access all available resources
• Burden on users to locate resources
• Libraries' resources are not being fully utilized

This NY Union catalog

• would use a 'First search' interface
• holdings could be viewed for the entire state, for a region, or by library type

Three pricing models were described

• Unlimited WorldCat & NY Group Cat Access

  NY Group Catalog added to FirstSearch OCLC unlimited subscription packages and guest access to NY Group Cat for users outside the OCLC/Nylink FirstSearch Program

• NY Group Catalog available to libraries for a fee as optional add-on to OCLC FirstSearch unlimited subscription packages and guest access to NY Group Cat for users outside the OCLC/Nylink FirstSearch Program

We will be talking about the proposal in more detail at the next NOVEL SC meeting. OCLC is demonstrating this in Illinois, Missouri and Florida.

• John Shaloiko noted that the extent of holdings on Worldcat do not reflect all holdings in State. The pricing seemed to show only access to holdings, not for resource sharing or interlibrary loan.

UPDATE BY WORKING GROUP CONVENORS

• Tom Alrutz reported. DMV is preparing a formal letter of agreement between State Library and DMV to be able to use the driver's license for authentication to access NOVEL databases. Tom had contact from the Governor's Office for Technology and has the name of a person in OGS who will monitor and guide us as we seek to develop and purchase portal software. Software purchases over $50,000 have to have an "Intent to Purchase" process.
• Tom contacted Autographics, which is the vendor who sells AGENT, the portal software. They have begun implementation in New Jersey and will be implementing in Connecticut within the next six months. Chris Sheehan, from Autographics, will do a demo for us at either our April 13 or June 10 meeting. ACTION ITEMS: Tom will talk to Chris Sheehan and schedule him. Tom will find out if Autographics is on State contract.
• John Shaloiko mentioned that on April 26 there is a workshop scheduled in the Southeastern region on federated searching, Judy Luther will be speaker.

ELECTRONIC DATABASES

• NECAT held their first meeting. Members of NECAT are John Shaloiko , Randy Ericson, Gerry Kuntz, and Gail Barraco. Next meeting is scheduled for March 22. Two issues NECAT has to address:
  1. have to look at newspaper product
  2. ability to count use of EBSCO product because many systems upgraded their EBSCO subscription. This may result in State Library undercounting use of EBSCO databases.
  3. Marketing and Training

UPDATE ON LAST MEETING'S EVALUATION
(What is the one thing you can do to move NOVEL forward?)

• Marilyn Douglas has been in touch with Office for Technology re portal
• Client training on databases has taken place in some areas
• METRO has done another round of letters to legislators on behalf of restoring cuts.
• Gerry Nichols is meeting with all legislators in his region. Gerry noted there seems to be more optimism from legislators.
• Kitty Little had reception for State level legislators last month and made sure the NOVEL message was there.
• John Monahan followed up visits with letters. Sandy Galef was thinking about having a press conference in Westchester. John will call her re the press conference. There were a number of school libraries not signed up on NOVEL (18), however, that number is now down to 9.

LEGISLATIVE/BUDGET UPDATE

• Janet Welch reported that in talking with legislators, the situation is looking more optimistic. Revenues are turning around and we do have a chance for new money, however, it is important for us to keep the pressure on and continue with more letters, visits and calls.
• At this time there is nothing in writing re the $14 million NOVEL initiative. The Senate budget at this point includes restoration of 5% but nothing new.
• The training on NOVEL of legislative staff led by METRO and Western NY was very successful. Janet encourages other regions to consider working with Mary Redmond to schedule more of this training.

SPEAKERS BUREAU

• Wanda Knight did a presentation to 140 speech teachers in her area. Many contacted her after the meeting wanting to know how to access NOVEL.
• Janet thanked Dottie for her continued leadership of the NOVEL Steering Committee.

NEXT MEETING

April 13, 2004, 10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., East Greenbush Public Library. Lisa/Lorraine will send directions before the meeting.