Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, September 19
2007,
10:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.
Librarians Room—Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY
Present: Bardyn, Barrett, Bartle, Bower,
Burke, Cannell, Choltco-Devlin, Duncan, Ebert, Eggleston, Elliott,
Fiske, Hogan, Janowsky, Katzin, Kendrick, Killian, Kramer, Krupczak,
Mayo, McRae, Penniman, Pope, Seivert, Serlis-McPhillips, Storms,
Todd, Tuliao, Weisman, Welch, Whelan, Woodward, Wyrwa
Absent: Borges, Conroy, Desch, Gilloon (formerly Klose),
Hatch, Howe, Roe, Walsh,
Guest: Maria
Holden, State Archives
Recorder: Deitz
Welcome/Approval of Minutes—Sarah Conrad
Weisman
Ms. Weisman welcomed everyone to the meeting, especially our newest
members for whom this is their first “in-person” meeting:
- Shirley Bower, Wallace Library, Rochester Institute of
Technology
- Tim Burke, Albany Public Library
- Marcia Eggleston, Norwood-Norfolk Central Schools
- Peg Elliott, Onondaga County Public Library
- Matthew Hogan, Southeast Steuben County Library
- Curtis Kendrick, The City University of New York
- Jason Kramer, NYS Higher Education Initiative (Ex Officio))
- Bob Mayo, Rensselaer Research Libraries, Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute
- Esther L. McRae, New York City School Library System
- W. David Penniman, Nylink (Ex Officio)
- Sophia Serlis-McPhillips, Middle Country Public Library
- Shirley Whelan, Buffalo and Erie County Library
In addition, State Library staff who attended the meeting for the
first time are: Stephanie Barrett, Research Library; Meagan Doyle
(graduate student assistant) and Lisa Seivert, Library Development.
The minutes of the May 16 conference call were approved: Bartle
moved; Tuliao seconded.
Introduction for the Steering Committee—Janet
Welch
Ms. Welch provided a brief introduction of the history, roles
and responsibilities of the NOVELNY Steering Committee, referring
to “Libraries Expanding Information Access for New Yorkers
in the New Century,” the “green book” that
members receive upon their appointment to the Steering Committee.
NOVELNY funding, budget process,
and role of the Regents
Ms. Welch gave an overview of the NYS budget process and timing. She
commented on current economic and demographic factors affecting future
funding for New York’s libraries. For example, LSTA funds continue
to decrease as they are population driven and the State’s population
continues to decline compared to other states.
The Board of Regents determines policy and planning for the State
Education Department, which includes the New York State Library.
Regents Legislative Proposal
The 2008-09 Regents proposal for funding priorities will be voted
on at their October meeting. Further information will be provided via
a NYLINE message after the Regents meet. The Office of Cultural Education
has proposed the Statewide Internet Library as the vision of what a
state-funded expansion of the NOVELNY pilot program could become.
Statewide Internet Library—PowerPoint
demo
Valerie Chevrette of the State Library’s Communications Office
gave a presentation on the Statewide Internet Library geared toward
a general (read: non-librarian audience). Comments on
the PowerPoint presentation can be directed to Ms. Chevrette at vchevret@mail.nysed.gov
Related Legislative Proposals—NYSHEI/ARIA—Jason
Kramer
NYSHEI’s top priority is ARIA (Academic Research Information
Access), with NOVEL funding as a corollary priority. As part of a concept
of New York’s “Information Infrastructure,” the NYSHEI
is asking the Legislature for high-end database content that would
be used at a doctoral/research level. ARIA could be used to build
a modern economy, which would help prevent the “brain drain” of
young educated professionals from New York State. Further information
on ARIA is available on the NYSHEI advocacy page: http://nyshei.org/advocacy/default.htm .
ARIA content would be delivered through the NOVELNY (or Statewide Internet
Library) platform.
Related Legislative Proposals—NYLA—Janet
Welch
NYLA’s 2008 State Budget Priorities:
- Make permanent: $8 million in supplemental system aid and
$14 million in public library construction.
- $7.6 million increase in aid for public libraries to purchase books
and materials;
- $2 million increase in aid (coordinated collection development)
for academic libraries;
- Increase in Library Materials Aid from $6.25 to $10 per pupil for
school libraries.
- $7.4 million in additional operating aid to bring every library
system up to $20 increase needed to close the gap created by inflation
and years without an increase.
- $5 million annually for expanding NOVELNY.
Further information is available on the NYLA website: www.nyla.org .
Digitization Project—Maria
Holden
Maria Holden, State Archives, spoke with the group about a preliminary
proposal to work with Ancestry.com to digitize some of the State Library’s
collections. More details to follow as the proposal moves forward.
“What could be part of a Statewide
Internet Library?”—Loretta Ebert
New York State has a long history of collaboration. The NOVELNY pilot
project has been successful in many measures. Now is the time to raise
the level and extend the benefits of the project through the attainment
of permanent state funding for a Statewide Internet Library.
Ms. Ebert posed three questions for consideration during small discussion.
- Is statewide licensing of content still a
priority for your constituent group? (Y/N)
If yes, what are the compelling arguments?
Is state funding still a requirement for achieving it?
Could a cost-share model be included, at least for some portion?
Is the draft, “Why Invest in a Permanent Statewide Internet Library
for New York” persuasive? If not, what could make it
better?
- If the pilot project, NOVELNY, is discontinued, what
impact (if any) would it have on your constituent group? (Include
financial, administrative, programmatic, etc.)
- What components should be included in a statewide
internet library (i.e., databases, full-text, government documents,
archives, images, other digitized content of statewide interest)? What
subject areas? What levels: K-12, college, research,
general adult audience, etc.? Are there items that should
not be included in a statewide internet library?
Small Discussion Groups—New York’s Statewide
Internet Library
Public Library Group
The group was in favor of statewide licensing—provides budget
relief. Would like to see state funding as a part of it—enables
universal access. Cost share was not as well received—too
vague on details; deep concern over stretching what are perceived as
limited resources. Some comments follow:
- Preserve equity of access. What high end databases would we buy
and how would users gain access—cost sharing?
- Cost sharing could possibly work at a system level.
- When children grow up using databases throughout K-12, they become
adult users of electronic resources offered at their public
library.
- If NOVELNY were to be discontinued, there would be a complete lack
of electronic resources for some. Public libraries have the
broadest range of users. Distance education and home schooling have
impact on services. The public library group considered how many
libraries are able to buy electronic resources on their own.
- We need other kinds of databases. People are looking for
help: cars, preparing for tests. Some of the databases
do not get used as much as others. Would like to see Learning
Express, Homework Help, Ancestry.com, an encyclopedia, Reference
USA; rebuild the traditional ready-reference shelf online.
- Digital Collections: It would be nice to find a way to centralize
digital collections—to have the novelnewyork.org portal become
a “one key” access to information, but not at the price
of databases.
- Suggest you make the PowerPoint presentation less wordy and use
more bullets with even plainer language to replace jargon.
School Library Group—Sue Bartle
The group agreed that there would be an equity of access issue if
there were no databases. There is a need for state funding—limited
infrastructure and budget affect materials available. Cost share: very
difficult. Suggest software aid—technical amendment that
you could use software aid to include online databases. Consider
aligning it more with P-16 initiative: a big focus of the Commissioner
and in the K-12 community. If the pilot went away, it would
be disastrous for the schools. For schools, most would only get
what the system provides, contingent upon school library system funding. Other
components important to developing the Statewide Internet Library: core
collection concept, newspaper collections with imaging, periodicals,
an online encyclopedia.
Academic/Special Group—Loretta Ebert
Academics view NOVELNY resources as supplements at best; core collections
come from those independently licensed. The impact of having
NOVELNY disappear would not have an impact in the larger academic area—may
experience slightly higher pricing for databases currently licensed
by the NOVELNY program. Some comments follow:
- Alumni would like to have access to resources—feel entitled. Licenses
do not generally allow for alums to have access, but offering
NYS resident alumni the NOVELNY databases is a positive step. We
need future promotion in the alumni arena.
- Disappearance of NOVEL—Impact on Hospitals
- Eighty percent of the electronic resources in public hospitals
are supplied through NOVELNY. The impact of NOVELNY cessation
would be that hospitals would be less safe. The Governor wants
the State’s hospitals to be the safest in the country by 2010.
NOVELNY directly supports this initiative. Commercial products
available through NOVEL meet the needs of the hospital administrators/clerical
staff and are a great resource for serving constituents.
- Rural and remote populations: A large percentage of reference
questions are health related. Consumer health information is
sometimes difficult to provide in those locations.
- Digitization: Desirable to provide for a coordinated platform—would
be a real asset.
Please
contact Maribeth Krupczak mkrupcza@mail.nysed.gov with
any suggestions that would make the case for a Statewide Internet
Library.
Beverly
Choltco-Devlin referred to the Himmel and Wilson Evaluation focus
group information on what is important about NOVEL. Both the report
and the Appendices are available on Library Development’s website:
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/lsta/eval/novel/reportm.htm and http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/lsta/focusrpt.htm .
Beverly
Choltco-Devlin suggested that we look into the regulations regarding
CCDA funding—what can and cannot be purchased—as this could
be another revenue source in terms of cost sharing.
Report Items
- NOVELNY Ready Level Tables—Linda
Todd/David Fiske
Linda referred to the two charts that were sent prior to the meeting,
which were prepared by Dave Fiske and former Steering Committee member,
Jerry Kuntz. A toolkit is available to prepare Basic, Advanced,
and Leader level certificates. Library systems keep their own
stats and check with their member libraries as to their progress toward
the Advanced and Leader certificate. The State Library compiles
information on this program from the system reports for reports to
the Federal government.
Comments about the NOVELNY Ready Level Tables
should be sent to Dave Fiske at dfiske@mail.nysed.gov
- Statewide Education and Information Program—Linda
Todd
(Tabled until next meeting.)
(This information will be relayed vai e-mail.)
- NYLA Conference—Maribeth Krupczak
(This information will be relayed via e-mail.)
*****Action Items*****
Comments on the Statewide Internet Library PowerPoint presentation
can be directed to Valerie Chevrette at vchevret@mail.nysed.gov
Contact Maribeth Krupczak mkrupcza@mail.nysed.gov with
any suggestions that would make the case for a Statewide Internet
Library.
Comments about the NOVELNY Ready Level
Tables should be sent to Dave Fiske at dfiske@mail.nysed.gov
The meeting adjourned abruptly at 2:35 PM due to a fire drill.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, February 6, 2008, 2-3 PM Conference
Call
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