MARINet Governing Board

Minutes (Approved)

Thursday, July 16, 1998

9:30 a.m.

San Rafael, Falkirk

---

From: MARINet Staff

CC: Val Morehouse; Glade Van Loan

Date: 08/20/98

Re: 07/16/1998 Meeting at San Rafael, Falkirk, 9:30 a.m. (Approved)

Attending:

Board Members---Debbie Mazzolini, MARINet Board Secretary (Belvedere-Tiburon Public Library); Anne Montgomery (Mill Valley Public Library); Vaughn Stratford (San Rafael Public Library); Carol Starr, Marin County Free Library); Sara Loyster (San Anselmo Public Library). Mary Richardson, Sausalito Public, Absent due to vacation. Staff---Val Morehouse (MARINet Systems Administrator). Guests--Gail Lockman, Chair MARINet Adult Services Committee; Maynard (Buddy) Evans of SCS Information Systems, Inc..

Mary Richardson is on vacation and was absent for the meeting. Minutes for the June 11th, 1998 meeting were approved. Val distributed a copy of the Automation Update which included MARINet activities through June 30^th.

 Journal Databases and INN-VIEW Discussion.

 With Board permission, the agenda was rearranged to allow Gail Lockman to present information from the MARINet Adult Services Committee on the INN-VIEW subscription. A copy of the Booklist review of journal databases was in the Board packet. Gail discussed how the different databases covered searches she had done on several topics. Not many search comparisons had been received from other Adult Services members and none from the County Library. Infotrac had a nicer look; and Gail liked the "limit to full text" on INN-VIEW. Searches in most databases appeared comparable across vendors, except that web access to the databases would shut out those libraries that had not yet completed the switch to PC's. Val Morehouse asked Ms. Lockman for her recommendation based on her experience and the circumstances of the network. Ms. Lockman recommended staying with INN-VIEW for another year to allow more time for network change and the acquisition of library PC's. The Board tabled further discussion until later under the Books In Print item.

 SCS Information Systems Demo

 Next, the Board invited SCS Information Systems' Maynard (Buddy) Evans to present information and demo his CD-ROM networking system. The Board viewed a presentation by SCS Systems of multiple CD-ROM database access using their high speed CD-ROM server. Access was via a web interface residing on a laptop, which had a Ricochet radio modem attached. The system allows more seamless updating of CD-ROM drivers as new discs arrive. Members accessed Books In Print on CD-ROM at San Francisco State for a hands-on trial during the demo. Belvedere-Tiburon Library maintains a multiple CD-ROM system and Debbie added substance based on experience to the discussion.

Additions to the Agenda:

 Under new business the following items were added to the agenda:

 Year 2000 compliance

Privacy: Barcodes on Printouts

Request to Purchase Review Files

SCAT Tables

Databases: BIP, etc.

Possible Use of the 856 field in the MARC record.

Lonely Planet Cataloging Issue

Barcodes.

Announcements:

Mill Valley is planning a preview party for the library renovation, scheduled tentatively during the last week of August. Mill Valley's T-1 line is in. Mill Valley will add Sunday hours.

San Rafael will add Sunday hours this fall through the school year. The Canal Learning Center reading program is doing really well this year.

San Anselmo has been in communication with Larkspur concerning recruitment for the new Larkspur Director. Marin County Library Director Carol Starr has written to Larkspur and offered help. Belvedere-Tiburon would share recruitment materials developed by the consultant if Larkspur wished to use it.

Belvedere-Tiburon, San Rafael, San Anselmo, and Marin County Library all have positions open. MCL Director Starr discussed the new hires: Anne Taylor, Libby Flynn, Suzanne Lo, and Donna Evans.

Technical Support Proposal VOTED

 Val Morehouse presented a revised Technical Support Proposal focussing on issues of most interest to Board members at the June meeting---staffing for increased support hours, weekend emergency network coverage (beeper), helpdesk triage for PC and network related needs, access to automated problem tracking software for the MARINet office, support for migration to newer telecommunications technology and equipment through MIDAS on a project basis, and a means to put HELP DOCUMENTS online via an Intranet. After discussion the Board agreed unanimously to fund the Agreement. Mary Richardson was absent due to vacation. Weekend coverage will begin on July 31, 1998 and continue until June 30, 1999. Support hours will be Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 12 Noon to 5 p.m. The Board urged Val Morehouse to follow-up on software to allow fixes of remote PC's by tech support staff.

 Budget/Audit Update

 The MARINet 4-year back audit is still not complete. MARINet staff and the Board are fielding historical questions dating as far back as1993-1994 and are clarifying procedures and past practices in order to assist the audit process. Val is waiting for a copy of the Auditor's Office budget reconciliation sheets.

Progress on CPU Replacement

 The components for the DEC Alpha replacement for the Central Site computer have been ordered. Karl Yett has been assigned as the installation Technician to be on site. Val and Karl have been attempting to schedule an earlier install date than the original October date. Val has requested that MARINet be slotted into an August date which opened up if Innovative can receive and prepare the components by then.

One-Eighth Cent Sales Tax and Patron Mailing Discussion

Carol Starr reviewed background documents concerning the 1/8 cent sales tax and its effect on library revenue. The Board decided that MARINet libraries need to be able to better inform library patrons about this and other library matters. After discussion, the MARINet Board instructed Val Morehouse to find a method of identifying patrons who wish to receive library mailings. Morehouse will send a request to Circulation Committee members to design a half-page generic patron registration form containing a checkoff for "mailings OK" for presentation to the Board. This tax item will be placed on the August agenda for additional development.

 Release 11 Basic Training & MARINet Training Contract

Release 11 Basic training is complete. When the Webpac 11 comes up, MARINet will arrange for additional training on its new features. This will require that the Training Contract be in place. At the moment, it is delayed while the County Counsel's office reviews it. After approval by the counsel it will go to the Board of Supervisors for final approval.

NEW BUSINESS: MARINet Committees

Gail Lockman had already reported for Adult Services Committee. Val Morehouse will communicate Board desires to the other committees as appropriate. Board members discussed cataloging problems with the Lonely Planet series of travel guides. As cataloged, individual country books are not searchable. The Board asked Val to convey to the Bibliographic Standards Committee that cataloging of the entire Lonely Planet series of books should be redone to allow patron's to find books on individual destinations.

 YEAR 2000 Compliance

Val Morehouse pointed out that a copy of Innovative's Year 2000 Compliance letter was in each Board member's packet. Also included was a document from the County Information Services concerning other software packages which do-and-do-not comply with the Year 2000 requirement.

Privacy: Barcodes on Printouts

Val informed Board members that questions had come to MARINet about the use of patron barcodes on the overdue mailings. This is a privacy issue. Innovative says it can be removed, but not relocated on the mailer. The Board asked Val to consult with the Circulation Supervisors to see if they use the barcode for any purpose. If not, then delete it. Val will follow-up at a Circulation Supervisors' meeting.

Review Files Purchase Voted

Val Morehouse stated that a request to purchase another set of 40 non-specific review files has been received. MARINet concurs that more review files are needed. After discussion, the Board voted to purchase 40 more review files. Mary Richardson was absent due to vacation.

 Date Due Slips, SCAT Tables, and Weeding

Carol Starr presented a letter from Phil Youngholm about problems and possible fixes for MARINet's current SCAT tables, which have not been altered since Terry Toy input them during system implementation. Carol also presented Nora Harris' discussion of the need for better SCAT tables for weeding. The County Library wants to eliminate date due slips soon; but that will remove a weeding tool used by the branch librarians. The crux of the matter is that thousands of item records in the database are without call numbers, which disrupts compilation by the SCAT table. In addition, various cataloging practices in the consortium, regarding the length and placement of location statements in front of call numbers, cause the SCAT table to misfile things into sub-categories. It then becomes problematic to get an inventory list for weeding purposes in shelf list order. Val commented that there had been similar discussions on the Innovative listserv. Phil Youngholm's letter mentioned the Inventory Control Module as one possible solution. The Board requested that Val discuss general SCAT table weaknesses with our Innovative Team Leader, and obtain pricing and a functional description of the Inventory Control Module for the next meeting.

INN-VIEW Renewal Voted, Books In Print, etc.

 The Board returned to the topic of INN-VIEW, which they discussed r with a request by the County Library for the addition of Books In Print online. Val had very preliminary pricing for Books in Print. The Board decided to proceed with the renewal of INN-VIEW for one more year. Val will obtain additional information about Books In Print through INN-VIEW for the August meeting. The Board also discussed Moody's and the Galenet databases. Debbie Mazzolini has been investigating Galenet and will gather information on that.

 

MARC 856 Investigation Needed

Debbie Mazzolini discussed the potential use of the 856 in the MARC record, which allows input of URL's into the online catalog record. After consideration, the Board would like the Bib Standards Committee to develop recommendations on how to begin using the 856 in the Innopac for stable URL's that would not require continuous maintenance by catalogers.

Barcodes

The board asked MARINet to gather information on 10 mil barcodes with plasticized surfaces.

Tabled for Consideration at Next Meeting

 Tabled until the next meeting: agenda items: SCAT Tables; 1/8 cent sales tax, etc.; "Scheduling of MARC Loads".

The next meeting will be Aug. 20^th, 1998 at the Civic Center, Board of Supervisors Chambers.

Attachments:

Service Agreement between the County of Marin Information Services and the MARINet Library Consortium.

7/15/98 Update on the CPU with RAID Purchase.

"Comparing three full-text journal services", Booklist, Mary 15, 1998, p.1647-1650.

Labor Update Packet: MAPE spreadsheet, MAPE Library Workers Flier; Laura S. Armour MAPE negotiations.

Innovative Year 2000 Statement and Selected List of Compliant Software Compiled by Marin County Information Services.

Letter: Call Numbers in MARINet Database (SCAT Table).