Technology Committee Minutes
April
10, 2024 1 p.m.
South Central Library System
Virtually and in-person
Action Items:
The TC recommends extending MyPC reservation time limit from 2 to 4 hours.
Present: R. Ziegler (1), J. Bailey (2), L. Schmiedicke (3), S. Kucher (5), J. Holmes (7), B. Anderson (8), N. Snortum, (9-10), C. Wong, M. Spelman (11-13)
Absent: R. Mader (6), P Garvey (11-13)
Excused: C. Danner (4)
Recorder: Michelle Karls (SCLS)
SCLS Staff Present: Vicki Teal Lovely, Shannon Schultz, Andrew Hoks, Kerri Hilbelink, Brian Hahn
i. Renee Ziegler is filling in for Erin Foley at ACL today. Kerri Hilbelink and Brian Hahn from SCLS Technology are attending today as well.
i. None.
i. None.
i. Discussion: We asked for submissions for new services that may or may not impact the budget. One of the requests was about expanding MyPC reservations from 2 hours to 4 hours. This will be discussed as “c” under Discussion on this agenda. The other request was to have a better wireless printing solution. This request launches into a whole new discussion of what is available out there. Some libraries are still using PrinterOn. TBS now has a new print option--while others are moving to ePRINTit. There is more information about this in the Feb/Mar 2024 Technology report.
i. Discussion: V. Teal Lovely reviewed the draft budget. If this budget is approved, then it will go to SCLS Board in September for them to vote on. The budget is the core piece us to determine the fees to member libraries. The Cost Formula Workgoup oversees the formulas dictating how the fees are distributed. SCLS has piloted and put into production Juniper network equipment which will replace Cisco equipment. Juniper equipment is less expensive than Cisco. This does reduce the network equipment costs, but costs for wireless access points is still increasing. Overall, this year V. Teal Lovely split the central server hardware and telecomm equipment. In 2023 paying we started paying for a help desk service which will have increases to their fees every year. The broadband lines stays the same as our service providers. They’ve held their fees the same for the last few years. The unknown piece is staff salaries and budgets as we have not done those calculations yet. This last piece will be coming in the next few weeks. As of right now, without salary increases, it’s a little bit less than last year. We wouldn’t anticipate more than a 1-2 percent increase after the salaries are added. The yellow highlights on the spreadsheet indicate V. Teal Lovely need to finalize these numbers. The State Aid contribution will change a little. We will no longer bet getting paid for maintenance for Bibliotheca, as many libraries moved to Envisionware. By the next meeting these numbers will be finalized.
i. Discussion: An email was sent out to MyPC participants and the Tech Committee about extending the time limit from 2 to 4 hours. K. Hilbelink reviewed this. For details, see the document called “Request to raise the system time limit Request to raise the system time limit” posted on the meeting page. If this goes through, SCLS staff will reach out to libraries for their desired changes. J. Holmes asked if the settings can be different based on PC type (Adult vs. Children). K. Hilbelink reported that yes, the booking length can be different based on type of PC. C. Wong mentioned that MSB has 90 minute time limits for their 4 PCs. K. Hilbelink said that staff will still be able to prevent patrons from extending their sessions without a staff override. PIN might want longer reservations because they have more PCs available. We can also offer extensions to patrons for sessions they are currently in if there are no reservations. Libraries can also implement a setting so a patron has to wait to log in to another session. SCLS will have to make the changes to the settings for each library. J. Holmes doesn’t feel like she could vote for her cluster today because it was split and a few didn’t respond. She did receive some negative feedback but believes the library would be OK with it. They just wouldn’t change their own settings. The group was comfortable with moving forward with the vote.
1. M. Spelman moves to extend MyPC daily time limit from 2 to 4 hours. B. Anderson seconded.
2. Discussion: Libraries can opt out if they chose and use customized set-ups. There will still be local control, but the system wide setting would be 4 hours. A plan will be developed and more information will be sent out to the email list.
3. Vote: motion carried. (opposed – 0, abstentions – MRO,SUN)
i. V. Teal Lovely reviewed the February/March 2024 Technology Report.
SCLS staff is available to attend cluster meetings to share information and answer questions pertaining to this committee meeting and other departmental projects.
TC Minutes 4-10-2024