Subject: Minutes of the SUNYConnect Advisory Council (formerly LASG) Meeting of April 20, 1999 Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1999 12:25:22 -0400 From: Pat Onsi Reply-To: SUNY Librarians Association To: Multiple recipients of list SUNYLA-L Minutes of the SUNYConnect Advisory Council (SAC) meeting of April 20, 1999 Present: Dan Schabert (Chair), Mary Beilby (SUNYLA), Eleanor Heishman, Nancy Heller, MacDonald Holmes (Academic VP), Ruedi Lienhard (COA), Tom Neiss (SUNYNet), Pat Onsi (SLAM Chair), Pam Peters, Larry Randall (SUNYConnect Project Manager), and Rick Winant. Absent: Christie Ackert (TOA), Carey Hatch (OLIS), Bernie Henderson (SBOA), and Maureen Zajkowski (SLAM Project Manager). Larry Randall will prepare the summary report. The Agenda was approved, with the addition of a SUNYNet Update item. 1. Minutes The minutes of the March 23 meeting were approved with the following corrections: (1) SUNYNet Update section, sentence revised to read "SUNYNet will manage ordering Internet connections with their Internet service provider, NYSERNet. This is called SUNYNet ISP. Cobleskill and Plattsburgh are moving to a direct Internet connection using SUNYNet ISP." and (2) OLIS Update section, sentence changed to read "Testing will be done over the summer, with installation completed by fall 1999." Rick asked for an explanation of SLAM motion 1, approved at the last meeting, "To have the SLAM Evaluation Team forward the library management system recommendation directly to the Office of the Provost." He expressed concern that this will leave SAC and the library directors "out of the loop." Additional discussion was tabled to be brought up later in the Agenda under New Business. 2. Name Change Dan announced that the Provost has chosen "SUNYConnect Advisory Council" to be the new name for LASG. 3. SUNYNet Update After the Provost has reviewed the SUNY Network Technology Plan, it will be reviewed by SAC, SBOA, COA, the ITEC Advisory Board, and the Research Council Advisory Committee, with a cover letter asking for a review and comments by May 14. SAC members are encouraged to review the plan (available on a non-public web site) and respond with comments to Dan by May 7. Dan will compile the comments, distribute them to the SAC listserv membership, and submit them to Tom by the May 14 deadline. Tom reported that SUNYNet has completed a search for a 4th network analyst. He expressed appreciation for the March 31 letter of support sent by LASG to Vice Chancellor Dunn, adding that it was very timely. 4. SUNYConnect Update Larry provided an update on the search for a rewritten position in the Office of Library and Information Service. The search was refocused to be a Library System Implementation Specialist, with experience in implementing a library management system with a variety of existing systems. The ad was released on a number of listservs, including SUNYLA-L. An ad has appeared in the Albany Times Union and will soon appear in the Chronicle of Higher Education. No specific deadline for application receipt was given; applications will be received until a candidate is chosen. The same search committee that carried out the earlier, cancelled search will serve again for the current search: Larry (Chair), Maureen, John Schumacher, Jennifer Chilrod, and Brenda Hazard (5 total). The SUNYConnect logo has been selected. the final design for letterhead, etc., is being prepared. Use of the logo will begin soon. An RFP for development of a Web-based Information Literacy Course has been completed and approved by Mary Ann Corsetti. Details of how the RFP will be released to SUNY will be forthcoming within a week, on either or both SUNYLA-L and SCLD-L listservs, with procedural details to be worked out. Proposals will be accepted either from units of SUNY campuses (e.g., a library) under a Memorandum of Understanding or from a SUNY employee or group of employees on an extra service basis. The time frame for SUNY applications, bid selection, and completion of the product is in early 2000. Mary asked if the RFP will be posted on a web page. There was a suggestion made to send the RFP to SUNY library schools, as well as post it on the OLIS web site. Larry will announce the project and have copies of the RFP at the upcoming SCLD annual meeting. 5. SLAM Update Pat announced that the SLAM videoconferences tentatively scheduled for May 7 and June 4 have been cancelled in order to focus efforts on the Evaluation Team's goal to complete the bid proposal review by the end of May or early June. Since it is not yet known whether a SUNY-wide announcement regarding the recommended library management system (LMS) will be ready by June 4th, the videoconference will be rescheduled to a date in July. The rescheduled meeting will provide an opportunity for the Evaluation Team to give an overview of the decision-making process for the LMS recommendation, as well as provide a formal closure to the charge of the SLAM-II committee. Mary asked if library directors and 1 or 2 others could be invited to the videoconference. Dan recommended a larger, video satellite conference with 2-way audio. He invited the group to Utica/Roma via SUNYSat. Rick pointed out that this is an opportunity for more exposure and for others to participate who are outside the library, such as computer center personnel. SAC recommended changing the SLAM meeting from a compressed videoconference to a SUNY-wide, SUNYSat, 2-way audioconference to cover everyone and allow everyone to receive. The key is to choose a date and schedule ahead as soon as possible, avoiding the July week of the Woodstock concert and the Baseball Hall of Fame induction. Dan will talk with Bill Snyder of NYNetwork to see if he will cover the transmit costs. Pat will bring the recommendation up at the next SLAM Steering Group conference call. Pat also provided a SLAM RFP update, since not all SAC members have seen library listserv updates. The SLAM Evaluation Team has completed the development of the formal review process for the bid responses. The document defining the review process was submitted to the Office of the State Comptroller on March 26. March 30 was the closing date for submission of bid responses to the SLAM RFP. Six vendors responded: Ameritech, DRA, Endeavor, Ex Libris, SIRSI, and VTLS. The Evaluation Team will formally evaluate the proposals in April and May. It is anticipated that there will be customer site visits and/or reference calls, and vendor demonstrations/interviews. The Team will meet April 20-22 to review proposals, review issues related to the short list of vendors, review topics related to customer references, and prepare for vendor demonstrations/interviews. The Team will participate in non-public, vendor demonstrations/interviews during May 17-28, in order to clarify questions/comments/issues identified in the bid responses and from other sources, such as customer contacts. The goal is to have a final recommendation by early June, although the review process may require additional investigation which may impact when the final recommendation can be made. 5. SLAM Successor Recommendation In the absence of Maureen, Larry presented a draft recommendation for a successor to SLAM-II. Considerable discussion followed. Pam brought up the need for both planning and implementing. The conclusion reached was that two groups, rather than one, are needed. The first group will be appointed/approved by SAC and will report to it, making recommendations on planning for the LMS implementation based on policies of the Council. These will include such issues as criteria for type of site (host, etc.), criteria for creating the implementation schedule, networking configurations, etc. This group will serve only until the planning process is complete (perhaps 6-9 months). The second group will be formed by OLIS to advise it on ongoing operational/technical matters as the implementation proceeds. Its members should be experienced in the respective areas under discussion, such as circulation, technical services, etc. This group may, as needed, appoint ad hoc subcommittees to focus on specific matters. The group will serve until implementation is complete (multi-year) or until it is deemed by OLIS to be no longer needed. Representation on both groups should strive for the broadest possible representation of all types of campuses. Larry was asked to convey the sense of the meeting to Maureen. 7. SUNYConnect Governance, Expenditures and Revenue Dan reported that he and Pam met last week with members of the Virtual Library Action Group and discussed committee structure. Eleanor presented a draft of a document to begin discussion of the reorganization of the SUNYConnect Advisory Council. There was a discussion of the role of a proposed SAC Executive Committee. Other standing committees mentioned included: Finance, Long-Range Planning, and Bylaws. It was agreed that bylaws are needed to spell out roles and functions. Larry recommended looking at bylaws of other organizations, such as SUNYLA and SCLD. Dan will present the reorganization draft and the new, revised mission statement at the SCLD meeting. The SUNYConnect Projected Expenditures and Sources of Revenue document was reviewed and discussed. The current LAIP set aside fund is $1.5 mil., with an additional $660,000 in expected income this year. 8. New Business The earlier, postponed discussion about the SLAM Evaluation Team recommendation (Item 1) was continued. Rick recommended that SAC and SCLD be involved inn presentation of the LMS recommendation to the Provost. The following motion was made by Rick and seconded by Eleanor: That the SUNYConnect Advisory Council and the SUNY Council of Library Directors each be invited to send a representative to the meeting at which the recommendation of the SLAM Evaluation Team is presented to the Provost. The motion passed. 9. Expiring Terms It was noted that the terms of appointment of the following SAC representatives are expiring: the University Colleges of Technology, SUNYLA, and the community colleges. Meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m. Recorders: Larry Randall, Pat Onsi Next meetings: Tuesday, May 25, at Utica. Dan will make arrangements. Tuesday, June 29.