SCLS Administrative Council

Thursday, June 21, 2012

SCLS Headquarters

 

 

Summary of action items: 

Approved 2013 Delivery Budget for use in calculating member fees

Approved 2013 ILS Budget for use in calculating member fees

Approved 2013 Technology Budget for use in calculating member fees

Approved 2012 Library Online Budget for use in calculating member fees

Approved Voting shares for Delivery, ILS, Technology, and Library on-line for All directors Meeting



Present: J. Berg (14), P. Bosben (11), J. Chase (6-7), J. Christensen (12), M. Friesen (3), C. Froistad, S. Lee, (8-10), T. Herold (5), B. Miller (4), S. Schultz (13), S. Selle (15), B. Stack (2)

(The number following each individual indicates the cluster they represent)

Also Present: H. Moe, M. Ibach, M. Van Pelt, B. Smith, J. Anderson, D. Anton-Wright

Excused: 

Absent: R. McCabe (1)


CALL TO ORDER:  M. Friesen called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. 

a.                  Introduction of guests/visitors: None.

b.                  Changes/additions to the agenda:  Add L. Belongia letter under ILS Committee

c.                   Requests to address the Council: None

 

Approval of previous meeting minutes:  J. Berg moved approval of the May 17, 2012 minutes.  T. Herold seconded.  Motion carried. 

 

Action Items: 

T. Herold started the budget discussion with three specific concerns: examining the expensing of SCLS staff costs to member libraries, the possibility of additional cost increases in ILS and Tech budgets over the next 5 years, and lastly whether items currently covered by grants or the ILS reserve (Library Thing and Crystal Reports), may no longer be subsidized in the future, which could result in higher costs to the member libraries. 

Everyone was in agreement that the member libraries are at a tipping point where cost increases cannot be sustained and serious changes need to be made.  There was discussion concerning the system staff salaries and benefit increases while many of the libraries are at a salary freeze.  Another point made was that it’s not about the salaries, but that the cost for service is too high.  The question of SCLS picking up the costs of Technology staff salaries and/or benefits was also discussed.  Prioritization of services was discussed.  The question was raised about what would happen if a member library was unable to pay its ILS/Technology fees.  The library would be considered out of compliance and lose its access to LINKcat and SCLS technology services.  

M. Van Pelt discussed the various strategies in place at SCLS for reducing spending and increasing efficiency as well as the cuts that have been made.  An email will be sent to the member libraries stating what changes and cuts were made for 2011 and 2012.  The SCLS mid-year budget adjustments will be posted on the SCLS website after it is approved by the SCLS Board of Trustees next week.  SCLS is dipping into its contingency fund to provide for shortfalls in revenue to help offset the member libraries costs, but this is not sustainable.  With system aid cuts, low interest rates, and rising costs, the contingency fund is threatened and affecting the system’s ability to provide services.  The system would need a contingency fund balance of $450,000 to cover costs if SCLS had to shut its doors.  ILS and Technology services have their own contingencies.

The AC is interested in holding a second All Director’s meeting to focus on the budget and services for 2014.


a. Approve 2013 Delivery Budget for use in calculating member fees:  B. Stack moved.   T. Herold seconded.  Motion carried: 12 Yes; 2 No B. Stack; T. Herold. 
The Delivery budget is flat for 2013 with no increases from 2012.  B. Smith noted the delivery budget could have been decreased by reducing Saturday delivery service, but the member libraries chose not to reduce Saturday service.  Bruce also pointed out that two full time employees and several part time employees were eliminated to help keep costs down for the libraries.  Delivery also goes outside of the system to find revenue.  Bruce asked the libraries for ideas/tools to help reduce costs.

 

b. Approve 2013 ILS Budget for use in calculating member fees:  J. Chase moved.  S. Lee seconded.  Motion carried.  B. Stack abstained.  10 Yes; 3 No J. Christensen, P. Bosben, T. Herold.
The ILS budget was decreased from last year. There was concern about the PTFS hosting fee increase.  Although LibLime is considering moving Koha to their local servers, the annual costs will not be decreased.  The ILS contingency fund will be used to cover development costs.


c. Approve 2013 Technology Budget for use in calculating member fees: P. Bosben moved.  J. Berg seconded.  Motion carried.  9 Yes; 5 No T. Herold, P. Bosben, B. Stack, J. Christensen, J. Berg.

The Technology Budget increased due to broadband costs.


d. Approve 2013 Library Online Budget for use in calculating member fees:  C. Froistad moved approval.  P. Bosben seconded.  Motion carried unanimously.
The 2013 Library Online budget stayed the same as 2012.

 

e. Approve Voting Shares for All Directors Meeting: Delivery, ILS, Technology, Library On-Line:  B. Stack moved approval of the voting shares for Delivery, ILS, Technology, and Library On-line for recommendation to the All-Directors meeting.  J. Christensen seconded.  Motion carried unanimously.

Reports of action of committees/workgroups:

a.      Delivery Committee:  No report.   The minutes may be found here:  http://www.scls.info/committees/dc/index.html

b.      ILS Committee:   S. Lee noted the committee discussed the ILS budget, Koha reports, cataloging contract review, and the upgrade to the Solar Index Software.  The Solar search engine will be in the sandbox for testing at the end of June.
The Non-ILS Lending Work Group met and submitted a lending policy recommendation to the ILS Committee.  The ILS committee made revisions to the lending policy at the request of Non-ILS libraries and recommends the clusters review these policies prior to approving it at the August AC meeting.   The minutes may be found here: http://www.scls.info/committees/ic/index.html

 

c.       Technology Committee:  No report.  The latest meeting minutes may be found here:  http://www.scls.info/committees/tc/index.html

d.      E-commerce Work Group:  Met May 17th.   Another meeting is being scheduled.  V. Teal Lovely will be speaking to two vendors (Comprise and Envisionware) at ALA to obtain more details about their products and solid pricing figures. The minutes may be found here: http://www.scls.info/committees/workgroups/ecommerce/index.html

e.      Non-ILS Library Lending Work Group:  Recommended a non-ILS lending policy to the ILS Committee.

 

f.        Cost Formula Work Group:   Member libraries need to verify their supported devices with SCLS.  If this figure has changed, SCLS needs to know because it affects the formula and fees.  If anyone has a question, please call Pat Dolan (608-242-4714) before Wednesday and after Wednesday Jon Mark Bolthouse (242-4718).  They can tell you how many supported devices are on file for your library.  The minutes may be found here: http://www.scls.info/committees/workgroups/cost-formula/index.html

 

g.      Governance Review Work Group: Met June 15th and discussed the results and comments of three surveys collected from member directors and cluster reps.  The work group felt the structure of the committees (AC, TC, DC, etc.) was fine as well as the cluster idea, but the clusters need strengthening.  This topic will be discussed during the afternoon of the All Director’s meeting.  Prior to that meeting, everyone is encouraged to view a 3 minute video that details the governance structure.  It is available on the web here: http://www.scls.info/committees/governance_video/index.html 
The minutes may be found here: http://www.scls.info/committees/workgroups/Governance%20Review/index.html

Items from clusters for initial discussion:  None. 

 

Other discussion:
a. All Directors Meeting: 
The All Director’s meeting will be held July 19th at the Fitchburg Public Library.  A tentative agenda was discussed.  The morning session will include the introduction of new directors, presentations by V. Teal Lovely, J.M. Bolthouse, B. Smith, M. Ibach, and M. Van Pelt and finish with the voting of system fees. 
The day will include a short presentation on the SCLS Foundation by Trish Frankland then a program on strengthening the clusters and gathering feedback on the current governance structure. 

Fitchburg is offering tours of their library either at lunch or after the meeting is over, or both… it’s yet to be determined….

 

b. Contracts Revisions:
M. Van Pelt noted changes that have been made to the Agreement to Participate in Shared Integrated Library System (ILS) Contract.  Some of the changes include:

Moving the cost formula from the body of the contract to an appendix
Changed the date due to July 1 (instead of June 1)
Changed “Automated Resources” to “ILS and Technology” Services

Removed any reference to the LINK Consortium
Removed the glossary and governance policies listed as appendices

 

The Technology Only Services Contract for Rome, Nekoosa and PCPL received changes referring to Badgernet.

 

Both of the new contracts (as well as the old contract for comparison) will be sent to member directors via email.  Any changes to the contracts need to be submitted to your cluster rep. so they can compile the changes and get them to Marty by July 9th.  The AC will hold a special meeting at 9 a.m. on July 19th (prior to the All-Directors meeting) to approve the ILS and Technology contracts and any changes that have been made. The contracts do not need to be signed by members until later in the year but they need to go to the SCLS Board the next day. 

 

Meeting adjourned at 12:02 a.m.

Next meeting will be at Fitchburg, July 19, 9:00 a.m. (prior to the All Directors Meeting)

 

Heidi Moe, Recorder