zILLANE Study Status Report

Illinois Library Resources and Automation in the Networked

EnvironmentDr. William E. Moen

<wemoen@unt.edu>

Texas Center for Digital KnowledgeSchool of Library and Information Sciences

University of North Texas

Joint Meeting of Illinois State Library Advisory Committee (ISLAC) and Systems Presidents and Directors (SP&D) – March 21, 2002

March 21, 2002 zILLANE Study Update 2

Goal of the study

Identify strategies for enhancing access to Illinois libraries’ holdings, where the strategies ensure the best stewardship possible for state and federal grant dollars for library automation and resources

Build consensus among stakeholders on strategies that are responsive to their concerns and needs

March 21, 2002 zILLANE Study Update 3

Study activities to date• Revised project plan to incorporate

ILSDO information needs• Conducted 6 site visits to regional

systems– Writing site visit reports– Analyzing data collected

• Developing strategies to gather data on bibliographic systems cost

• Preparing follow-up questions for each regional system

March 21, 2002 zILLANE Study Update 4

Preliminary “findings” so far• Emerging models of LLSAP

– Full cost recovery for operations– Major subsidy from regional system – Cataloging – Role of leadership, planning, clear mission,

standards

• Representing library holdings in LLSAP – All libraries in regional system? – Only full member of LLSAP?

• Getting non-LLSAP libraries to use LLSAP database as resource sharing tool

• Changing LLSAP vendors and products– 5 of 6 LLSAPs visited are planning changes

March 21, 2002 zILLANE Study Update 5

Issues identified so far• Barriers to change

– Existing technology (e.g., stand alone systems)– History, politics, and personalities– Voluntary nature of library cooperation (benefits and carrots)– Lack of clear understanding of benefits of shared system

• Constraints on increasing LLSAP membership– Perceived costs and other burdens of ongoing participation for

small libraries (especially school libraries)– Existing technology (e.g., stand alone systems)

• Lack of coordination across regional systems and LLSAPs– LLSAPs with same vendor products, planning changes, etc.

• Functionality of VIC– Disappointment with lack of functionality to support state-wide

resource sharing

• Telecommunications and ICN

March 21, 2002 zILLANE Study Update 6

Ideas where to go…

• For LLSAPs planning change in vendor or product:– Encourage a voluntary moratorium on system

changes / purchases until long-range automation plan and zILLANE study are completed

– Put language in RFP or contract to add specifications emerging from zILLANE study and long-range automation plan

– Work together with other LLSAPs to get similarly configured products

• Set goals for library holdings represented in LLSAP– Get 95-98% of all libraries’ holdings within 3 years

(whether LLSAP members or not)