Minutes of the NOVEL Steering Committee
Albany Public Library June 10, 2004

Present: Alrutz, Baaklini, Cannell, Courtney, Desch, Douglas, Ericson, Hiebing, Janowsky, Knight, Little, Lynch, McCain, Redmond, Storms, Todd

Absent: Brink, Crumlish, Cunningham, Ebert, Hatch, Huxley, Johns, Kadamus, Kaplan, Meierhoffer, Monahan, Nichols, Roe, Shaloiko, Walsh, Welch

Recorder: Deitz

Welcome/May Conference Call Minutes-Dottie Hiebing

Ms. Hiebing welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked members to introduce themselves. The minutes of the May conference call are still in draft form and will be e-mailed for review and approval at the July 27 conference call. Changes/corrections can be sent to Lisa and Lorraine (lpetroce@mail.nysed.gov and ldeitz@mail.nysed.gov).

Legislative Update-Carol Desch

Ms. Desch updated the group in Janet Welch's absence.

There has been little change in legislative advocacy efforts since our last conference call. NYLA is working hard to keep library issues before the Legislature. Our understanding is that the budget is basically settled, with the exception of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity issue.

There will be a NYLA mini-legislative day on Tuesday, June 8. NYLA expects a restoration of the five percent, but the likelihood of any further library funding from the Senate or Assembly is shaky. The legislative session ends on June 22. NYLA encourages people to contact their legislators. See the NYLA web site for sample letters.

Staffing at the State Library-Due to retirements, we are in a staffing crisis, particularly in terms of library development staffing. We are doing our best to try to carry out basic functions, but it is a real challenge. While we have requested permission to fill positions, we have heard nothing so far. Ms. Hiebing referred to the statutory requirement that the State Library monitor library programs, and stated that things will be in flux and change during the next year or so.

Demo of Agent: Auto-Graphics' Library Management System

Albert Flores and Lynn Shrewsbury of Auto-Graphics gave a demo of Agent, an Auto-Graphics software program, followed by a question and answer session.

Working Group Reports

• Electronic Resources Group-Diane Courtney

NOVEL Databases: Feedback Form for Library Staff-
Approved format with slight modifications:

• Elicit feedback-actively!
• Add, "I am a staff member at .
• Be sure there is an automatic "Thank you for your comments."
• Limit on text box-Is there one?
• Extend to library users at some point
• Multiple links to get to form

Action Item: Cara Janowsky should make changes and put up the Feedback Form on the web site.

Access to NOVEL with Driver's License

• Agreement between DMV and NYSL has been signed. We need a message to the library community that this is a reality, carefully worded to stress that this is supplementary and an alternative method of access to NOVEL databases. Message to Library community should go out before any public announcement. Product should be up and running smoothly prior to any announcement to Library community. Other ways to publicize:

  --Web page
  --NYLINE Message, NOVEL Database LISTSERV, Press release to Library Journal, American Libraries, Hotline.
  --Make a generic release for systems to send to local media
  --Regents Press Conference
  --Work to get blurb about this on DMV web site; insert into license renewals by mail.
  --Be sure to lead them back to the State Library authentication page, which has more other resources-"free"

• Will libraries be able to link to our authentication page and authenticate (school libraries who do not have an authentication mechanism)?
• Where exactly will the link be: NOVEL Home Page? NYSL Home Page? BRAND it with the NOVEL logo.
• Link to the information about how to get library cards, drivers' licenses, and NYS non-driver photo IDs.
• Consider implications of this new access method on Help Desk Service?

Ms. Douglas added that it will be at least six weeks between inserting the DMV code in our page and testing it, despite the fact that the agreement was signed June 9. The agreement is between the New York State Library and the DMV. The code cannot be shared. If other organizations want to use it, they will have to link to our page. Access will also be made available through the Department's Virtual Learning Space (VLS) page.

Action Item: Marilyn Douglas and Mary Redmond will develop messages for the Library community and the general public, as well as other activities to announce the new way of accessing NOVEL Databases.

Statewide NOVEL Education and Information Project

• Made several improvement suggestions to draft project description.
• Not enough funding to do both an excellent education and information campaign and hire outside evaluators ($100,000 the first year, $50,000 year two and $50,000 year three). Eliminate need for outside evaluation firms and build into whatever results/evaluation wanted for the project.
• Increase the amount of funding for the project.
• Be specific that this project pertains to the NOVEL Databases.
• Stress that the goal is to create a statewide education and information campaign with excellent products that can be used statewide with the media and that local libraries can adopt and build on for local use. TV ads could be placed as Public Service Announcements, etc.
• Make institutions of higher education eligible to apply.
• Add web site links to document
• Envision whole thing as a "tool kit"
  
  
• Portal Group-Tom Alrutz
• Auto-Graphics Demo

The software is extremely flexible, can be changed, and implemented in many states and integrated in many libraries-multi tiered. It is an excellent product to be used statewide. Some locations use one functionality, while others use multiple functions. We have been looking for a portal that has a single point of access to the databases, with cross-database searching and additional functionality. In the second phase, we should also consider access to library catalogs and an ILL component.

We could use the New Jersey model and apply New York state functionality to it--using the portal component and the cross database searching at a cost of $35,000 to $50,000 a year for a ASP system. They would host it and maintain it on their server, changing and revising it according to our specifications. Buying the product and maintaining it ourselves would cost three times as much as the hosted model--$150,000-plus a 15 % annual fee. Of the states using Agent, all are hosted except Wisconsin. Connecticut, New Jersey, Kansas and Tennessee have bought the hosted portal, which is similar to the model we are looking at.

The Auto-Graphics representatives estimated they could bring up a New York State portal in thirty to sixty days for the NOVEL Databases. If a local library wanted to expand the portal to include additional databases, that would be possible though the portal would still retain the NOVEL branding.

Action Item: Ms. Hiebing will consider a future Agent presentation by Mr. Flores for the entire Steering Committee.
Ms. Courtney recommended that the State Library also review federated searching/portal software from other vendors before making a final selection.

Action Item: Mary Redmond will pursue setting up demos for NOVEL SC and NECAT.

NYLA Conference, Rochester-Carol Desch

-- NOVEL Steering Committee Program at NYLA (Thursday, October 21, 4:30-5:45 PM)

Liz Bishoff, former Director of the Colorado Digitization Project, will offer advice on developing statewide digitization projects, followed by an update from the State Library on NOVEL and other initiatives.

-- NOVEL Poster Session (Friday, October 22, 1:30-3 PM)

Last year we were a part of the poster session, and this year we are poised to participate. We will discuss the need for an additional volunteer during the July 27 conference call and at the September 14 meeting. In the meantime, thanks to our first volunteer, Wanda Knight. We also need to discuss what NOVEL-related items should be displayed at the poster session.

Action Item: During the July 27 conference call and at the September 14 meeting,
Ms. Hiebing will discuss the need for another poster session volunteer and the NOVEL-related items that could be displayed.

*****Speaker's Bureau*****

Future Meetings:

Tuesday, July 27, 2004, 10 AM Conference Call

Tuesday, September 14, 2004, 10:30 AM Meeting, East Greenbush Community Library

Thursday, October 14, 2004, 10 AM Conference Call

NYLA Conference, October 21-22, 2004, Rochester

The meeting ended at 3 PM.

Summary of Action Items

Action Item: Cara Janowsky should make changes and put up the Feedback Form on the web site.

Action Item: Marilyn Douglas and Mary Redmond will develop messages for the Library community and the general public, as well as other activities to announce the new way of accessing NOVEL Databases.

Action Item: Ms. Hiebing will consider a future Agent presentation by Mr. Flores for the entire Steering Committee.
Ms. Courtney recommended that the State Library also review federated searching/portal software from other vendors before making a final selection.

Action Item: Mary Redmond will pursue setting up demos for NOVEL SC and NECAT.

Action Item: Ms. Hiebing will discuss the need for another poster session volunteer during the July 27 conference call and at the September 14 meeting. We also need to discuss what NOVEL-related items should be displayed at the poster session and NOVEL-related items which could be displayed.