ILS Evaluation Lead Workgroup Minutes

October 2, 2024, 11:30 am

SCLS Headquarters/Zoom

Action Items:

None

Present: Debbie Bird (POR), Eddie Glade (STP), Emily Whitmore (SGR), Heidi Cox (MCF), Phil Hansen (FCH), Theresa Skov (VER), Nate Snortum (DCL), Margie Navarre Saaf (MAD), Molly Warren (MAD), Tom Campbell (MAD)

Absent: Nicole Menzel (ROM), Suzann Holland (MRO), Katherine Elchert (MCM)

Excused: None

Recorder: Michelle Karls (SCLS)

SCLS Staff Present: Vicki Teal Lovely, Amy Gannaway, Heidi Oliversen

1. Call to Order at 11:33 am

a. Introduction of guests/visitors

i. None.

b. Changes/Additions to the Agenda

i. V. Teal Lovely would like to add Marshall Breeding Technology Survey as 4e.

2. Approval of previous meeting minutes: September 4, 2024

a. Motion: M. Warren moved approval of the September meeting minutes.  T. Skov seconded.

b. Discussion: none.

c. Vote: motion carried.

3. Action Items

a. None

4. Discussion

a. Site Visits

i. Pewaukee, 9/17 (Leap)

ii. Beaver Dam, 9/24 (Leap)

iii. Virtual: CCS in northern Illinois, 10/15 (Leap)

iv. SirsiDynix

1. Discussion: The in-person site visits for Polaris Leap Circulation and Cataloging are completed.  A. Gannaway is compiling follow-up questions and sent out a form for participants to fill out.  On October 15 we have a virtual set visit scheduled with CCS for Polaris Technical Services (Acq, Ser and Cat).  There is a registration form for this.  The SCLS ILS staff met with Detroit staff to discuss BlueCloud, which they are using.  We are still working on possibilities for site visits for at least BlueCloud Circulation. 

b. Vendor Viability questions

i. Discussion: V. Teal Lovely sent out an email with the Vendor Viability questions.  This is a document that SCLS will send to all vendors including LibLime, Aspen, and Bibliocommons.  The questions are open ended with the exception of the request for references.  H. Cox suggested asking for a list of partnerships with other vendors.  SirsiDynix has vendors to add more functionality (ex. Spring Share – MCF uses for meeting rooms/reservations).  There could be extra features integrated into software and that would be helpful to know.  It would also indicate viability in the current marketplace.    We will add a question about partnerships.

c. Discovery Layer follow-up

i. Discussion:  Aspen and Bibliocommons demos were completed.  The next steps are reviewing checklists and compiling the information.  A. Gannaway has scheduled a Discovery Layer workgroup meeting for November.  At that meeting, we will see where people are at. 

d. Topic Workgroup meetings

i. Discussion:  A. Gannaway has scheduled the Acquisitions and Discovery Layer workgroups.  H. Oliversen has sent out a poll to schedule the Circulation workgroup.  K. Linke is working on scheduling the Cataloging and Serials workgroup.  At those meetings we’ll compile information and send ahead of time to the groups.  We are interested in hearing what people like/don’t like, any and any outstanding questions for vendors. 

e. Marshall Breeding Technology Survey

i. V. Teal Lovely brought to the group’s attention, the annual Marshall Breeding’s Technology Survey.  Breeding writes monthly library technology articles, to which people can subscribe. The articles include information such as which libraries have signed a contract with which vendor, vendor announcements, etc.  He also does an annual survey that goes to libraries or consortia to fill out about their vendors.  He compiles the information from the survey, writes a report, and it gets published in American Libraries. From the 2024 article: “No library management product can be expected to work well for all libraries. Public, academic, school, and special libraries each have distinctive characteristics relative to the types of material in their collections and in the services they provide. The type, size, and overall complexity are important factors when considering the technology products and services best suited for any given library”. This article is very timely and can be considered as we continue to go through the ILS Evaluation.  We won’t get everything from one software. https://librarytechnology.org/

f. Questions

i. Discussion: none.

5. Plan for the Next meeting:  November 6, 2024, at 11:30 am via Zoom conflicts with WLA

a. We will cancel the November meeting.

b. The next meeting will be December 4, 2024, at 11:30 am via Zoom. 

6. Adjournment at 11:54 am.

For more information about the ILS Evaluation Lead Workgroup, contact Vicki Teal Lovely.

SCLS staff are available to attend cluster meetings to share information and answer questions pertaining to this committee meeting and other departmental projects.

ILS Evaluation Lead Workgroup/Minutes/10-2024