ILS Evaluation Lead Workgroup Minutes

July 3, 2024, 11:30 am

Zoom

Action Items:

None

Present: Nicole Menzel (ROM), Debbie Bird (POR), Suzann Holland (MRO), Eddie Glade (STP), Heidi Cox (MCF), Phil Hansen (FCH), Theresa Skov (VER), Nate Snortum (DCL), Margie Navarre Saaf (MAD), Molly Warren (MAD), Tom Campbell (MAD)

Absent: Emily Whitmore (SGR), Katherine Elchert (MCM)
Excused: None
Recorder: Michelle Karls (SCLS)

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

1. Call to Order at 11:32 am

a. Introduction of guests/visitors

i. None.

b. Changes/Additions to the Agenda

i. None.

2. Approval of previous meeting minutes: June 5, 2024

a. Motion: T. Campbell moved approval of the June meeting minutes.  D. Bird seconded.

b. Discussion: none.

c. Vote: motion carried.

3. Action Items

a. None

4. Discussion

a. ALA follow-up

i. A. Gannaway, V. Teal Lovely, M. Navarre Saaf, and T. Campbell went to ALA last week and met with vendors.  OCLC Wise was another vendor mentioned in the past and A. Gannaway and T. Campbell checked in with them.  They don’t have RTH capabilities or anything close.  They also aren’t really marketing it right now but plan to do more next year after they’ve added functionality. We also met with EBSCO regarding their FOLIO ILS that is in development. They are still working on developing this product and some academic libraries are using it.  M. Warren asked if those two products should be considered to be in a beta phase.  Yes.  Aspen and Bibliocommons are two additional Discovery Layer options besides SirsiDynix and Polaris.  A. Gannaway will work on getting together potential dates for virtual demos in late August/September.  They will be recorded and available for staff to watch if they cannot attend live.  They also talked to SirsiDynix and Polaris about our timeline and follow-up questions.  V. Teal Lovely mentioned she feels like they got a better sense of Polaris’s user group side of things because they were able to attend a session at ALA.  They did not attend one for SirsiDynix but we know they have a robust user group already.            

b. Update on vendor demo follow-up

i. Since the demos, virtual module workgroup meetings were held to gather follow-up questions for SirsiDynix and Polaris.  The follow-up questions were sent to the vendors with the exception of Reports because the demo was held later.  We asked for written responses and/or recorded videos.  Both vendors will schedule an Acquisitions webinar for follow-ups to get more details on issue that were missed or not clear in the in person demos.  These sessions can be recorded.  H. Oliversen asked if we did set-up a Polaris live demonstration webinar if we could do the PATRON4 checklist demonstration on the same day as the Polaris ACQ. (They demonstrated CIRC4 twice by accident).  We are looking to get answers to our follow-up questions by end of the month at the latest, with the exception of Acquisitions because the follow-up sessions haven’t yet been scheduled.  H. Oliversen mentioned the only follow-up question/comment she saw on the REPORTS checklists was MAD’s comment that Polaris didn’t demonstrate multi-location or multi collection code options within the Weeding Report.  The answer to this question might be a short demo/recording.    

c. Update on site visit options

i. V. Teal Lovely sent out a poll to gauge what dates are best.  We got in touch with Pewaukee and Beaver Dam, who are both on Polaris Leap.  Pewaukee responded that they are using Circ and Cat in Leap.  Beaver Dam is only doing Circ in Leap.  For the TS modules (Acquisitions and Cataloging) there is consortium north of Chicago using TS modules in Leap.  For SirsiDynix, it is tougher to find sites nearby currently using BlueCloud Circulation and SirsiDynix is working to identify options.  We could potentially set up virtual demos/meetings/discussion with sites using SymphonyWeb for Technical Services.  We are still working on this. We have scheduled System Administration sessions with each vendor for SCLS ILS staff.

d. Questions

i. None.

5. Plan for the Next meeting:  August 7, 2024, at 11:30 am at SCLS Headquarters or via Zoom

6. Adjournment at 11:49 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/07-2024