Minutes — December 11, 2020

The one hundred eighty-third meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 11, 2020 by Board Chair Chris May at https://www.gotomeet.me/OPLIN/december-oplin-board-meeting.

Present were Board members: Travis Bautz, Jamie Black, Justin Bumbico, Roger Donaldson, Chris May, Hilary Prisbylla, Tara Sidwell, Garalynn Tomas, and Holly Varley. 

Also present were: Jessica Dooley, Rachel Fuller, Karl Jendretzky, Laura Solomon, and Don Yarman (OPLIN); Stephanie Herriott, Wendy Knapp, Eric Maynard, and Jamie Pardee (State Library); and Jay Smith (Ohio Library Council).

Jamie Black motioned to approve the agenda as presented; Holly Varley seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

The Chair called for public participation.

Wendy Knapp reported on how state librarians and IMLS are communicating with state departments of health, and that they urge the next phase of the REALM (REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums) study to focus on recommendations for best practices rather than data. State Library staff are continuing to work from home. The State Library Board approved seven LSTA grants at their last meeting, and Knapp reminded the OPLIN Board that open grants may be applied for at any time. The State Library and OhioNET will offer Library Leadership Ohio as a remote professional development program in 2021. The Cooperative Summer Library Program online portal is now available for libraries to begin their 2021 summer reading planning.

Jay Smith reported that OLC has no in-person meetings planned until at least summer, but will continue to hold virtual meetings and workshops. State tax receipts for November were 2.3% above estimates, so the December PLF distribution is also Ohio Department of Taxation estimates released in July. Overall, the PLF total for 2020 was $409,405,535, or $5.2 million less than original ODT estimates. Legislators are expecting a $2 billion shortfall for fiscal year 2021. Smith also outlined legislative activities as the legislative year nears its close, including the capital budget, HB450 which requires fiscal officers to have succession guidelines, HB13 Broadband Expansion Grant Program, HB76 which institutes ballot language that OLC opposes, and HB325 which establishes February 18 as Toni Morrison Day. 

Justin Bumbico motioned to approve the minutes of the October 9, 2020 meeting as presented; Tara Sidwell seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Jamie Pardee reviewed the financial reports, noting that about half the admin budget has been spent by this point as expected, and information resources have been paid for for the current fiscal year. Pardee noted that OPLIN’s request to purchase Juniper maintenance for 2020 is on the Controlling Board agenda for December, and that we will need to also budget for and request authority to pay for 2021 maintenance. Between purchasing Juniper maintenance and the timing of internet service billing from OIT, Pardee estimates that OPLIN will have to request a $600,000-700,000 increase in spending authority from the Controlling Board. The starting cash balance for the fiscal year was a little over $3 million, with a projected ending cash balance of $2.8 million.

Yarman explained that OPLIN’s request to pay for 2020 Juniper maintenance was not on the Controlling Board’s November 23 agenda because there was confusion about why the request was retroactive to December 2019, and whether the request was for 2020 or 2021. Those questions were answered, and the request is on the agenda for the December 14 meeting.  

Jamie Black motioned to accept the financial reports; Travis Bautz seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Career and Technical Skills Resources for Ohio Public Libraries — Don Yarman

OPLIN received five bids for possible replacements for Lynda.com when that contract expires June 30, 2021. The Content Advisory Committee reviewed these, and unanimously recommended that OPLIN renew the agreement with LinkedIn Learning. The committee noted that while competition is growing in this field, Lynda.com/LinkedIn Learning has a superior content collection, and it is more familiar to library patrons as they have been using it for two and half years. Yarman asked the Board to take action to accept the recommendation of the Content Advisory Committee to contract with LinkedIn Learning for career and technical resources for Ohio’s public libraries for an additional three years.

Jamie Black motioned to accept the Content Advisory Committee’s recommendation; Travis Bautz seconded. There was no further discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Yarman introduced Rachel Fuller, OPLIN’s library science student intern for the semester. Due to the pandemic, the Kent State iSchool has been struggling to place students in libraries for their practicum experiences, but OPLIN is fully functional as a virtual office. Fuller is working with OPLIN staff to learn more about electronic resources, managing library websites, and the statewide community of library organizations. 

Yarman discussed plans for managing the transition from the Lynda.com platform to LinkedIn Learning the first week in May. He explained that none of the library account configurations will transfer to the new platform. To facilitate the work, OPLIN has requested that all of the admin account credentials be changed to logins that OPLIN controls, which will let OPLIN staff receive transition communications and do the work of setting up and supporting library authentication on the new platform. This authentication will be facilitated by a new OPLIN application called “Mask.” Karl Jedretzky discussed creating the Mask service to more easily launch subscriptions that require direct patron authentication against library patron databases, and to add additional security to patron information. Many library catalog systems only support unencrypted SIP2 authentication requests. With Mask, vendors will direct secured requests to mask.oplin.org, and OPLIN will pass the request with additional levels of security to library servers, passing back to the vendor only authentication success/failure information and stripping out the personally identifiable information that library servers often send by default.

Jendretzky discussed various coding updates to OPLIN’s services, including better handling of vendor changes for automated stats collection (stats.oplin.org), automatic delivery of wildcard SSL certificates (the “cert slinger,” which saves OPLIN $20,000 annually in certificate costs), and real-time error reporting for the SMS Gateway. This last was requested by the Central Library Consortium, which will use the error reports to implement updates to patron records when text-based communication fails. OPLIN has purchased new server hardware and VMware to replace the aging physical servers. Jendretzky reported that OPLIN has a new AT&T rep, and the AT&T circuit changes ordered for July are nearly complete (three locations remain). Based on conversations with the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, Jendretzky is developing a new router configuration that supports a Layer 2 network connection between a port on a library’s site router and any hardware a library implements in the SOCC Co-Location Space. Equipment at the SOCC would then be part of a library’s local network, behind their main firewall, and eliminate the need for additional firewall devices and VPN configurations.

Laura Solomon reported that there are now 85 libraries using Website Kits, and that customers have been adding the new features she has created, the most popular being the Cover Art Carousel which lets libraries link book or DVD cover images to those items in their catalog. In 2021, OPLIN will reintroduce the Web Form module; the module was an option under Drupal 7, but it was temporarily removed because the Drupal 8 version is a full-featured development platform with tremendous functionality that OPLIN doesn’t have the ability to support. To reintroduce the module, Solomon is recording targeted screencasts to demonstrate the most common form features needed by libraries. Libraries purchasing the module will be told that any support beyond these recorded instructions may be billable at the same rate as custom web design. Solomon continues to complete her coursework in pursuit of Web Accessibility Specialist certification, and anticipates taking the exam in spring 2021.

Yarman reported that as of October’s statistics database usage was bouncing back from pandemic lows. Starting in March, there was a spike in database usage statistics due to increased usage of Ancestry and Lynda, but the other Ohio Web Library databases (EBSCOhost, World Book, etc.) saw usage bottom out. In recent months, usage has returned to the normal levels.

Chris May had no business to report.

With no other business pending, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 10:59 a.m.

Minutes — October 9, 2020

The one hundred eighty-second meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:01 a.m. on Friday, October 9, 2020 by Board Chair Chris May at https://www.gotomeet.me/OPLIN/october-oplin-board-meeting.

Present were Board members: Angela Baldree, Travis Bautz, Jamie Black, Justin Bumbico, Roger Donaldson, Travis McAfee, Tara Sidwell, Garalynn Tomas, and Holly Varley. 

Also present were: Karl Jendretzky, Laura Solomon, and Don Yarman (OPLIN); Stephanie Herriott, Wendy Knapp, and Jamie Pardee (State Library); and Michelle Francis (Ohio Library Council).

Holly Varley nominated Garalynn Tomas to be appointed Board Secretary; Jamie Black seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Garalynn Tomas motioned to approve the agenda as presented; Justin Bumbico seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

The Chair called for public participation.

State Librarian Wendy Knapp reported that more than 100 people were registered for ODN Fest happening the next week. Mini-grants to assist libraries with metadata projects for inclusion in DPLA are due November 2. The SEO consortium is testing a mobile app that will allow patrons to check out materials using their phones. Because state employees are not permitted to travel, Knapp is scheduling virtual visits to learn more about local libraries and their services. 

OLC Director Michelle Francis gave an update on the Public Library Fund which came in above estimates for October; overall, the PLF is only down 2% from pre-pandemic estimates because state revenues have been strong due to stimulus spending. OLC surveyed libraries about services they have been offering during the pandemic, and the results can be viewed on the OLC website. Another survey focuses on digital literacy efforts; OLC is discussing with the Governor’s administration public library efforts in digital instruction, and how to close gaps. Francis outlined the Department of Education’s CARES Act-funded initiative RemoteEDx, addressing the digital divide challenges associated with K-12 learning. The deadline for public libraries to apply for the CARES Act funds the legislature has set aside for them is November 16; funds must be spent by the end of December. Francis also discussed other library-relevant legislation, including HB 606 which grants legal immunity to workplaces if they are responsible for COVID transmission. HB 733 which adds an increase to the PLF; it is unlikely to pass, but it is a good conversation starter with legislators to explain the library funding mechanism.

While the OLC Annual Convention was cancelled, OLC has partnered with the New York Library Association to allow OLC members to attend the New York virtual conference at member rates. OLC is also hosting “COVID-19 and Stress,” a free webinar with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), explaining how to cope with anxiety and manage stress during these challenging times.

Jamie Black asked whether Francis or Yarman had any idea how many households do not have access to the internet. Francis and Yarman discussed some of the problems with this data: an entire census tract may be marked with available broadband if only one house within that tract has access, or providers may indicate that broadband is available when it may not be. Some recent data can be found at https://connectednation.org/ohio. Francis discussed HB 13, which OLC supports, to provide matching dollars for public/private partnerships to expand broadband coverage in Ohio.

Holly Varley mentioned that the state library of Oregon released a letter based on the REALM study and Lancet recommendations that reduced the quarantine of library materials from 3 days to 24 hours, and wondered if Ohio might do the same. Wendy Knapp mentioned that the Oregon Department of Health made that recommendation, and that Knapp and her state librarian colleagues in the Great Lakes region will be reaching out to in their regions to see if other state health authorities might follow. Michelle Francis advised that because Batelle and OCLC are in Ohio, and because Ohio has only an interim health director, the situation is more politically delicate.

Angela Baldree motioned to approve the minutes of the August 14, 2020, meeting as presented; Justin Bumbico seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Jamie Pardee reviewed the financial reports, noting that there is a cash balance of a little over $3 million to start the year, with a projected cash balance of about $2.7 million to finish, a decrease of $258,000. Earlier in fiscal year 2020, Pardee had projected a negative number in “Unplanned Spending Authority,” but because of the timing of the internet service bill from OIT, OPLIN’s expenses did not exceed the allotted spending authority for last fiscal year; it will be necessary to ask the Controlling Board to increase spending authority appropriation for fiscal year 2021 to cover these bills. Pardee also summarized the expenses so far for the fiscal year, which are on track for this time of year.

Yarman added that staff have collected one quote from a Juniper service reseller which covers exactly what is needed for the time period required, and is continuing to work with Juniper to provide two more resellers with the required identical coverage for price comparison. Black asked what happens if the deadline to submit requests to the Controlling Board passes; Yarman said Controlling Board approval for the purchase is necessary, and he will keep working to get it through. Jendretzky said that although the process of getting quotes has been difficult, it is resulting in very good pricing. 

Jamie Black motioned to accept the financial reports; Tara Sidwell seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Yarman talked about OPLIN’s history using EZproxy to authenticate users outside of libraries into subscription databases. A change in how OCLC supports EZproxy functions drove a major change to OPLIN’s EZproxy implementation. To support statewide authentication, OPLIN needs wildcard certificates for each of the 252 instances of EZproxy. Karl Jendretzky explained how he and Jessica Dooley, using the Let’s Encrypt non-profit certificate authority, have built an automated system, the “cert slinger,” which connects to the state’s DNS system, generates any wildcard certificate it needs, then deploys the certificate onto the appropriate server. They also discussed how OPLIN staff worked with the Upper Arlington Public Library to customize that instance of EZproxy so that it authenticates with barcode and PIN against the library’s patron database, allowing the option of tighter authentication security (and library branding). Future possibilities include developing an “authentication handler” which would let OPLIN front-end any authentication into the diverse environment of Ohio’s library systems using more secure protocols than SIP.

Yarman announced that the RFP for statewide Career and Technical Skills learning resources would be going up on the state’s procurement website after the meeting, and he would email all the vendors who have expressed an interest about the opportunity. The Content Advisory Committee will review the responses to the RFP, and send their recommendation to the OPLIN Board for the December meeting.

Yarman reported that database usage seems to be recovering from the disruptions of the spring, when stats for Lynda.com and genealogy resources spiked but everything else cratered; usage has returned to levels congruent with the same months the year before, but about 10% higher. In discussions with Lynda/LinkedIn Learning, Yarman learned that LinkedIn intends to remove the statistic for number of videos viewed, which is the “item investigations” equivalent that OPLIN reports to the State Library as part of the annual count of database uses for each library. LinkedIn recommends an alternative statistic which will cause libraries’ usage numbers to drop.

Since completing the Drupal 8 migration, Laura Solomon and Jessica Dooley have been working on a test Drupal 9 migration, since Drupal 8 will be end-of-life in a little over a year. Those migrations have failed as the current Drupal 9 release lacks some important functionality, so they will try again with the next Drupal 9 release. Typically, OPLIN offers a new, free Webkit feature each year, but there wasn’t one during the Drupal 8 migration project. With that done, Solomon is offering a new feature that will allow libraries to embed emoji directly into their content. She is also working on some premium features, including a Cover Art Carousel (images of library materials that are linked to those titles in the library’s catalog), Sticky Header (an interface enhancement that keeps the library’s logo and menu at top as users scroll down), and Color Coded Upcoming Events Block.

One of the reasons OPLIN has stuck with Drupal is that web accessibility is built into the foundation of the platform. One in four Americans identify as having some kind of disability, and accessibility of online content is vital. This has long been an interest of Solomon’s, and OPLIN is supporting her time to study for the Web Accessibility Specialist certification from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals. Solomon’s accredited expertise in web accessibility will be a beneficial service for Ohio’s public libraries.

Jendretzky reported that the CLC would like to explore using OPLIN’s SMS Gateway instead of their own local messaging service. The CLC’s message volume is double that of OPLIN’s (300,000 messages per month to OPLIN’s 150,000). Tripling the load on the SMS Gateway would burn OPLIN’s credits faster, but would save the CLC libraries money; it is also likely that with the added volume, OPLIN could buy credits at a lower per-credit cost. CLC has requested OPLIN build out the service, so that CLC can receive instant feedback on messages and have their catalog respond to errors. This advanced capability could be offered to CLEVNET as well.

Installations of new circuit orders are proceeding well, with only 9 of the 80 original orders still open. 

With no other business pending, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:06 a.m.

Minutes — August 14, 2020

The one hundred eighty-first meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 14, 2020 by Board Chair Travis McAfee at https://www.gotomeet.me/OPLIN/august-oplin-board-meeting.

Present were Board members: Angela Baldree, Travis Bautz, Jamie Black, Justin Bumbico, Roger Donaldson, Chris May, Travis McAfee, Hilary Prisbylla, Tara Sidwell, Garalynn Tomas, and Holly Varley. 

Also present were: Jessica Dooley, Karl Jendretzky, Laura Solomon, and Don Yarman (OPLIN); Stephanie Herriott, Wendy Knapp, and Jamie Pardee (State Library); and Jay Smith (Ohio Library Council).

The Nominations Committee proposed the following slate of officers: Chris May; Chair; Justin Bumbico, Vice Chair; Jeff Garringer, Secretary; Tara Sidwell, Treasurer. Travis Bautz seconded the nominations. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the nominations; all aye. The new Board Chair Chris May assumed control of the meeting.

Travis McAfee motioned to approve the agenda as presented; Angela Baldree seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Following the pattern of holding OPLIN Board meetings at 10:00 a.m. on the second Friday of even-numbered months, Yarman presented the following meeting schedule:

• August 14, 2020 
• October 9, 2020 
• December 11, 2020 
• February 12, 2021
• April 9, 2021, 9:00 AM (planning meeting)
• June 11, 2021

Jamie Black motioned to approve the meeting schedule; Roger Donaldson seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

The Chair called for public participation.

Wendy Knapp reported that the State Library’s CARES Act mini-grants were very popular, and applications for these grants had to be closed early. Library access to the Ryan Dowd webinars on service to the homeless have been supplemented with new material on library service during COVID-19. The State Library has cancelled all meetings in the building through the end of the year, and plans to begin offering curbside service in September. Because Knapp has not been able to go out and meet Ohio librarians face to face, she is starting to schedule virtual tours to learn more about Ohio library services. The State Library staff are completing their narratives in support of the state budget request due in September.

Jay Smith outlined upcoming OLC activity, including a webinar on OBM’s new grant portal for the $18.3 million in CARES Act public library assistance grants, a webinar with the Secretary of State’s office on voter registration, and virtual versions of the Trustees Dinners that were cancelled last spring. OLC has begun planning the “Road Ahead” tour, where OLC will meet virtually with library directors grouped by Senate district to discuss advocacy and important talking points for communicating with legislators during budget preparation this fall. Smith also discussed the change in leadership at the House, and some pieces of legislation that are relevant to library interests.

Garalynn Tomas motioned to approve the minutes of the June 12, 2020, meeting as presented; Jamie Black seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Jamie Pardee reviewed the completed financial reports for FY2020, noting that expenses totaled $4.9 million, leaving $35,000 left in the total appropriation. July numbers were not yet recorded in the report, so the budget estimates for FY2021 are unchanged, with expenses projected to exceed spending authority but remain well within cash reserves. In the budget process, Pardee explained that agencies submit a request for “Operating A” which is a reduction scenario, and “Operating B” for continuing priorities. Because OPLIN is not funded from general revenue, the Operating A request will be 100%, and Operating B will be a request for increased spending authority, as rising telecommunications costs, support for Lynda.com, and increasing maintenance costs have driven expenses higher. 

Justin Bumbico motioned to accept the financial reports; Holly Varley seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.

Juniper Hardware and Software Maintenance

Yarman explained that maintenance on network equipment previously had been purchased by OIT, but for current equipment, purchased nearly four years ago, OPLIN was asked to assume this cost. That original maintenance term has expired, and staff are working with Juniper and its vendor partners to price out continued maintenance on the equipment. Because the purchase will be more than $50,000, OPLIN will have to get approval from the Controlling Board for the purchase, as well as request additional spending authority to cover this unbudgeted expense. Yarman further explained that current budget directives only allow agencies to purchase maintenance for 12-month terms, so as it is currently understood, OPLIN is seeking quotes for twelve months backdated to when maintenance expired in January, and for on-going maintenance coverage January-December 2021. Yarman asked the Board to approve expenses up to $150,000 for the renewal of Juniper maintenance in this fiscal year.

Jendretzky added that vendors steeply discount the maintenance costs as more years are purchased, so while the maintenance originally cost about $53,000 a year for the initial three years, buying one year at a time will push the cost up to about $75,000 per year.

Black asked how stable the Juniper equipment is over a three year period; Jendretzky asserted that all the hardware in place he expects to still be operating in three years, and that the devices will last longer than that. The current devices have the capacity to handle growth in library network usage, and no library should outgrow the hardware OPLIN has installed for their location in the next three years.

The Board strongly endorsed a three year maintenance agreement for the network equipment.

Jamie Black motioned to approve up to $150,000 in expenses for the renewal of Juniper maintenance; Justin Bumbico seconded. There was no further discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.

Recorded vote: Angela Baldree, aye; Travis Bautz, aye; Jamie Black, aye; Justin Bumbico, aye; Roger Donaldson, aye; Chris May, aye; Travis McAfee, aye; Hilary Prisbylla, aye; Tara Sidwell, aye; Garalyn Tomas, aye; Holly Varley, aye.

Yarman, Solomon, and Jendretzky delivered a presentation on OPLIN Services in FY2020. Yarman focused on how budget expenditures squared with the strategic plan, the status of contracts for subscription databases, and the usage trends of those databases over the fiscal year. Solomon reviewed the year’s work migrating Website Kits to Drupal 8, and discussed the next steps to Drupal 9. She also talked about projects that grew out of pandemic response, such as a library-contributed online programs database, Solomon’s popular library remote worker webinar, and a weekly series of short mini-webinars about Webkit features, including a new graphic resource site for Webkit customers. Jendretzky provided overviews of network bandwidth utilization and the distribution of circuits across vendors in Ohio, and gave details of how libraries are making use of services like Umbrella, SOCC Co-Location, Infosec IQ, and the SMS Gateway. Jendretzky also updated the Board about the causes of a hardware failure at the core that caused some libraries to lose internet on July 23, and the measures that were put in place so that when a related piece of equipment failed August 5, no libraries were affected.

FY2022-FY2023 Budget

Yarman expects expenses to be generally flat. The state will give guidance on how agencies should construct their salary and benefits budgets. Increases will be due to on-going maintenance cost of Juniper equipment, and possible expansion of the co-location space as more libraries move equipment there.

Yarman had nothing additional to report.

Solomon had nothing additional to report.

Jendretzky had nothing additional to report.

Nomination Committee appointment

May appointed Angela Baldree, Justin Bumbico, and Garalynn Tomas to the Nominations Committee for FY2021.

With no other business pending, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 11:40 a.m.