lbm19830823-
-
-
AU'}UST ?3, 1963
MUSKEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
CITY HAil-
Present: Board members Christenson, Holf, Roberson, Turzinski, Leichtfuss, ~imier,
Matheson, Nilsson, Director Holly Sanhuber. Guests: WCFLS Director Kathy Gosz,
Angela Ferber, Phyllis Maki, Donna Schmid, Dorothy Christenson, and Arlene Salentine.
Special meeting was called to order at 7:00 D.M. by President Christenson.
Kathy Gosz, WCFLS Director, was introduced to speak and answer questions on library
automation. She advised the following:
Automated circulation is the area WCFhS feels should be first in priority
(cheek-in, check-out, overdues, reserves, ...~. Microcomputers cannot do everything.
Minicomputers have greater capacity than micro, but not as large as main frames.
The questions to be answered are: how many operations are to be processed, cost
of equipment, and cost/effective efficiency. Advantage of automated circulation
would be to have all libraries in the system share a data base (card catalog) in one
central place (Waukesha).
There are six steps in system automation:
1) MY NEED --15 libraries with individual and colle ctive needs.
2) SPECIFICATIONS - WRITTEN NEED3: Libraries will be asked to do sampling
and record statistics in October and Noyember, 1983 such a3 nUT:lber of fines,
number of dRlinquent borrowers, and time and cost of gathering data. This data is
necessary to prepare specific~tions -consolidate needs and isolate individual
requirements. 1^,CFLS is investigating the possibility of a federal LSCA grant to
bire a Derson to prepare specifications from the data. Automation could be
expanded to tie in book ordering, financial reco~ds, budget, and inventory.
Again, more tasks equa.l more expense. :'\.dvantage to automation is the machine does
routine, time-commming, repetitious tasks more quickly anrl more accurately, rot
still a person is required.
3) snFYt~ARE (computer programs trat tell the hardware what to d0) poses the
questions: --equipment changes-how long will this be functional?
--competition is increasing - will this Iml"er prices?
--how many vendors will be involved?
4) HA.RD'v'lARE (nhysical equipment in automated s,j8tem). The kind depends on
capacity required and how fast information is needed. Telecommunications field
is rapidly changing and becoming more sophisticated. The State is looking at ~
state-wide system to share resources. Possible equipment could be cable TV,
digital, or fiber optics. 5) CONTRACT - WRITTEN to guarantee specifications are met and the system does
what it was meant to do.
6) IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING: It could take up to five years to have automated
circulation system in place. It takes TIME to convert records, collect statistics,
write specifications, solicit vendors and get their response, evaluate vendors,
subnit written contract, installation of equipment, and on-line testing.
WCFLS would be a pioneer in system automation. There are no library systems
in the State of \üsconsin totally automated. A number of systems have one or two
automated libraries within the system. There are no models or guidelines to
developing a perfect system. There are limited case studies of now operating
systems, and the state has an automation consultant.
Cost of the sy~tem is unknown at this time. State aids will not help on this
project. The investment will cost money. It is unlikely it will save money--
probably avoid people costs, but system will cost money to operate. Automation
may be necessary to maintain the "status quo" of the library.
MUSKEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY 30ARD
AUGUST 23, 1983
PAGE 2
~- WCFLS has formed an automation committee of system library directors.
Half' the committee is charged with gathering statistics and data for specifications.
The other half of the committee is charged with determining the best way to
convert records (card catalog) to acceptable, standard, machine readable form (HARC format) for data base. The committee will also be looking at cost, time,
and effort vs cost factors.
Starting point for Muskego Library automation is to determine our needs,
anò to CO-ODerate with WCFLS in counting, sampling, and recording time and cost
of collecting data. It could take twelve to eighteen months to have specifications
and costs, so a realistic outlook is necessary. If WCFLS is going to automate,
it is advantageous for Muskego to have a compatable system.
0, Mimier and R. Christenson requested and were granted permission to attend
the directors committee meetings and bring back information to avoid duplication
of efforts. Next committee meeting will be September 13 in Waukesha.
Meeting adjourned at 8:37 P.M.
....
Secretary
Approved: q.-~.-ß3
-