HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06211994 - 2.2 DETERMINATION ITEM 2 .2
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: Phil Batchelor; County Administrator ., `
Anne Marie Gold, County Librarian ;g Costa
oa County
June 16, 1994
f0 C�
DATE: rrA'Ce U
SUBJECT: LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . ACKNOWLEDGE the continuing efforts made by the County to
upgrade access to library information by the use of new
technologies and AGREE with the need to improve the automation
of library services, particularly in light of the recent
reduction in funding and resulting staff reductions .
2 . AUTHORIZE the County Librarian to prepare and issue a Request
for Proposal (RFP) for a new library automation system, in
order to determine which firms can . provide the needed
automation in the most cost-effective and expeditious manner
possible. The needed. system must not only enhance circulation
and internal record keeping activities but provide library
patrons with greater access to indices and databases
electronically.
3 . AUTHORIZE the County Administrator and County Librarian to
seek additional funds from grants, foundations and to identify
any other available sources to assist in funding the needed
automation.
4 . DIRECT the County Librarian to continue her efforts to
identify and implement other new technological resources that ;
will enhance both staff productivity and patron information
access .
5 . DIRECT the County Administrator and County Librarian to report
back to the Board of Supervisors upon receipt and evaluation
of the responses to the RFP, including possible mechanisms for
funding the needed automation.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE--2L--! dz,�_
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER .
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON June 7 1 ), 1994 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED June 21 , 1994
Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
CC: County Administrator SUPIS S AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
County Librarian
Director, DatatProcessing Services
D
BY CL 44m DEPUTY
r
DETERMINATION ITEM 2 .2
BACKGROUND:
Over the past several years, the County Library has taken a number
of significant steps toward increasing the use of automation in the
Library, as is outlined below. The simultaneous convergence of
several recent events dictates that we move even more rapidly in
the direction of relying on automation and technology whenever
possible to relieve the Library staff to perform those tasks which
only the Library staff can perform. These include:
♦ The installation of the information superhighway, which is
making it possible to transmit vast quantities of data from
one place to another almost instantaneously, thereby
substantially reducing the need to have specific pieces of
hard copy data duplicated in multiple locations within a
single community, and which places more importance on being
able to access the system to know where the desired data is
and how to retrieve it.
♦ The elimination this year of the Special District Augmentation
Fund, which reduced the County Library' s budget by 35% and the
staff by 30%, without any noticeable willingness on the part
of the community to reduce its need for access to the type of
data which a library has historically been known for making
available to the residents of a community.
♦ The interest of the cities, through the City/County Relations
Committee, in participating with the County in determining
some new directions for the County Library, which has
challenged the Library to find some new ways to provide
services to the public with fewer staff. One of the most
important of these ways is the increased use of technology and
automation.
Following is a brief historical review of the actions which have
been taken over the past few years which have led up to the need
for a substantial expansion of the use of technology.
In 1987 the County contracted with CLSI, Inc. to purchase an
automated circulation system for the Library with an intent that
the cost of the purchase would be covered by fund balance and
increased fines and fees over the next seven years . The system
purchased was intended to automate cumbersome manual circulation
methods and improve staff access to the library collection. The
system has provided an adequate solution to these processes over
the seven years since the Library purchased it but is not
configured to provide a growth or expansion solution for new
library technology needs . In addition, because of the increasing
age of the hardware, maintenance and upgrade costs are expected to
continue to increase significantly.
In 1988 the County Library introduced a CD-ROM catalog which
provided library patrons with access to an electronic list of its
holdings with a much greater search capability than the previous
microfilm catalog. The catalog was originally a joint project with
the Alameda County Library and only included information on which
library system owned the materials, not which particular branch.
This year the Alameda County Library ended its participation in
this joint project when it brought up an online public access
catalog as part of an overall upgrade to its automation capacity.
The library was able to negotiate with the vendor to keep
production costs the same, but is still paying $70,000 a year to
produce and maintain this separate catalog which is only updated 6
times a year. The CD-ROM units themselves are in need of continual `
repair and the Library has had to purchase surplus units for parts
from both Alameda County and Alameda City libraries as they
upgraded to online catalogs .
Over the past few years the options for library automation have
expanded significantly. Patron data access has also under gone a
significant transformation in allowing library users to access
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DETERMINATION ITEM 2 .2
directly information in electronic formats that before was
available only in print formats . Library automation systems today,
while continuing to provide circulation functions, are more focused
on end-user access to information and cost-effective information
distribution systems .
In addition to automated circulation activities the Library has
actively pursued technological solutions to both staff processes
and public data access, including:
a. installation of a Local Area Network in 1990 that currently
links 35 users through 20 workstations in the Central Library
and Library Administration.
b. installation of a facsimile "fax" network in 1993 that links
all library locations providing electronic access for library
patrons to materials across the county, funded by the
Productivity Investment Fund.
C. installation of an automated computer voice response system to
schedule substitute staff, funded in 1993 by the Productivity
Investment Fund.
d. installation of various CD-ROM products for patron access to
data bases, such as government documents information,
encyclopedias, business data bases and general periodicals
data bases, funded by a combination of library funds and state
and federal grant funds .
e. installation of a book self-checkout system in the Central
Library which allows patrons to check out their own books,
thereby saving valuable staff time, and which handles nearly
20% of the Central Library' s circulation only six months after
installation, funded by the Productivity Investment Fund in
1993 .
f. installation of direct patron access to the Internet via PC
workstations in eight branch libraries, funded by federal
grant funds .
g. installation of voice mail systems for all library locations
enabling patrons to gain access to basic library information,
e.g. hours of operation, location, special programs, without
requiring staff intervention. Callers to the system will
receive a pre-recorded message which can be interrupted at any
point to gain access to a staff member if more information is
needed.
h. Installation at all library locations of printers attached to
terminals for the current automation system which will allow
staff to provide patrons with printouts of their circulation
records, as well as printouts of lists of books owned by the
library.
As part of the City/County Relations Committee' s work with the
cities over the past year on options for cooperation in the
enhancement of County Library services, the Board of Supervisors
committed to funding enhanced technology for the library at its
meeting of March 1, 1994 . The Board asked for a report back at a
future meeting with specific information on technological
enhancements which needed to be funded.
The County Library has been working with a consultant to identify
various options for enhanced uses for automation and has identified
the following potential projects :
a. Replacement of the library' s automated circulation system with
an integrated online system that will provide the following
functions :
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1 .
DETERMINATION ITEM 2 .2
1 . an online public access catalog (OPAC) which provides
direct patron access to the holdings of the library,
allowing patrons to find out exactly what books any
branch of the library owns in any given location and
whether that item is currently, available on the shelf or
checked out;
2 . a community information module that will provide patrons
with specific community information ranging from health
and human services provider information to club rosters;
3 . index and full text databases that will greatly enhance
patron access to electronic information and in most
library locations, provide access to a broad range of
this type of information for the very first time;
4 . acquisitions processing and fund accounting for all
library materials purchased, replacing cumbersome manual
systems and providing better methods for planning and
tracking county expenditures for library materials;
5 . serial tracking for all journals which will automate
checking and tracking procedures and enhance patron
access to these materials;
6 . dial-up access for home and office computer users to the
library' s automation system which will allow off-site
library users to access the catalog, place holds on
materials and search indexes and data bases without
coming into a library building and at any time of night
or day;
7 . other additional functions such as local newspaper
indexes, homebound materials circulation and bulletin
board systems as they become available.
b. Installation of book self-checkout systems integrated with
theft security systems at all branches of the library with
materials circulation high enough to warrant the expenditure.
Installation of five systems, in addition to the one currently
in use at the Central Library, are planned for FY 1994/95.
The branches that will have the systems installed next year
are the branches with the highest circulation including
Antioch, Concord, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and Ygnacio Valley.
C. Expansion of the current Local Area Network to a Wide Area
Network to all library facilities to upgrade staff access to
data-sharing and automate manual processes such as time
reporting and statistical data collection. Replacement of the
rudimentary telecommunications network currently supporting
library automation applications with a state-of-the-art
telecommunications network that will utilize broad-band width
capacity to allow the greatest possible flexibility in access
and growth of library data transmission. Planning for the new
telecommunications network will be done in conjunction with
the current work on the proposed SP right of way fiber-optic
network and other county telecommunications projects in order
to facilitate the greatest possible use of the network.
d. Expansion to all library locations of public Internet access
to allow as broad a variety of access points to the Internet
through the County Library as possible for library users .
Internet access will allow library patrons and staff to access
databases and resources around the world by themselves and
link the library to the fast forming Information Superhighway.
In addition to the above projects, there will be future options
that will link the library' s catalog with other library catalogs in
the Bay Area, allowing Contra Costa Library patrons to find out
what materials neighboring libraries own and requesting those
materials to be sent directly to their local library as well a
sharing of access to other online indexes and databases to reduce
local storage and maintenance costs .
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