April 11, 2008 Minutes

OHIO
PUBLIC LIBRARY INFORMATION NETWORK (OPLIN)

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH MEETING (Board Retreat) of the BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Minutes
-- April 11, 2008

1. WELCOME and CALL TO ORDER

The one hundred seventh meeting of the Ohio Public
Library
Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at
10:05 a.m. on Friday, April 11, 2008 by Board Chair Gayle Patton at
2323 W. Fifth Avenue, Columbus, Ohio.

Present were board members: Gary
Branson, Terry Casey, Mary Pat
Essman,
Jim Kenzig, Bonnie Mathies, Gayle Patton, Bob Richmond, Jeff
Wale, and Michael Wantz. New member Holly Carroll was unable to attend
because of a prior commitment to present at a workshop at Kent State
University.

Also present were: Stephen Hedges (OPLIN), Karl
Jendretzky
(OPLIN), Laura Solomon (OPLIN), Vincent Riley (OPLIN -- morning only),
Bobbi Galvin (OPLIN -- afternoon only), Jo Budler (State
Library), Roger Verny (State Library), Diane
Fink
(State Library, until 1:15), Jeff Jones (State Library, after 1:00),
Doug Evans (Ohio Library
Council, until 11:15), and Carol Verny (OHIONET).

2. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The Chair called for public participation, and there was none.

3. APPROVAL OF THE
AGENDA

Bonnie Mathies motioned to
approve the agenda; Mary Pat Essman seconded. All aye.

4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of February 8th
meeting

Mike Wantz motioned to
approve the minutes from the February 8th meeting; Bob Richmond
seconded. All aye.

5. ACCEPTANCE OF THE FINANCE REPORT

Diane Fink gave a detailed finance report, updated as of March
31.

Report A covered budget and expenditures for previous fiscal
years
(FY
2006-2007), listing open encumbrances, disbursements, and available
balances. There are no open encumbrances for these fiscal years.

Report B covered budget and expenditures for the current
fiscal year
(FY 2008). Diane called attention to a new column showing the
allocation of the 10% budget reduction mandated by the Office of
Management and Budget (OBM), amounting to $433,000 each year in FYs
2008 and 2009. The largest reductions were in the telecommunications
accounts, where shortages will be covered by Fund 4S4 (E-rate). Only
$149,257.95 remains in General Revenue Funds after the budget
reduction, most of which will be used for administrative expenses.

Reports C and D covered projected revenue and cash balances
in Fund 4S4 for FY 2007-2008.

Diane Fink then provided an overview of the budget reduction
measures undertaken by the State Library as a result of the OBM
mandate. Diane will be attending an OBM briefing on FY 2010-2011 budget
levels this afternoon at 2:00.

Terry Casey pointed out that it is possible for the
legislature to
try to take OPLIN's Fund 4S4 balance as they attempt to make up for
General Revenue shortages. He advised that OPLIN research the federal
regulations governing disposition of E-rate reimbursements as a
possible defense against such action.

Terry Casey motioned to
accept the Finance Report; Gary Branson seconded. All aye.

6. PLANNING SESSION

Roger Verny lead the Board into a long discussion of OPLIN's
strategic plan through June 2011, the end of the next budget biennium.

Roger started by asking the Board to list the environmental factors,
both external and internal, that impact OPLIN. Among
the external factors were:

• the library community is neither understood nor
  highly-valued by
  state government, and is in competition for a dwindling pool of state
  funds in a poor economic environment;
• K-16 educational organizations are receiving a lot of state
  attention right now, which could be either a threat or an opportunity
  for public libraries;
• OPLIN and the Internet connections to libraries are often
  taken
  for granted by the public library community, except when there are
  bandwidth shortages;
• second generation web services, mobile networking, and
  social computing cannot be ignored, but
  public libraries often suffer from a lack of affordable and skilled IT
  resources for handling these services; and
• competing with Google, satisfying the growing need for
  information, and balancing demands for privacy and the demands of law
  enforcement are all challenges for public libraries.

Among the internal factors were:

• OPLIN has a talented but small staff, with good
  technical skills;
• OPLIN has not done enough product "bench testing," nor
  enough marketing; and
• OPLIN enjoys strong support from the public library
  community.

Roger then asked the Board to consider the question, "Who are
OPLIN's customers?" Possibilities considered were public libraries, end
users, K-12 students, and OPLIN "members." The Board consensus was that
OPLIN services might eventually reach end users through the libraries,
but public libraries are really OPLIN's customers.

Roger Verny then began the process of reviewing OPLIN's
current
goals and objectives, asking for comments, revisions and additions.

[During this process the
Board took a lunch break from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.]

The goal of providing Internet connections to libraries is a
continuing goal. The Board suggested that the current objective within
this goal "to assist public library systems with their branch
connections" was actually an activity within the objective "to provide
adequate Internet bandwidth to every public library." The Board also
felt that it was important to increase the marketing of this service
and remind public libraries that their Internet connection is an
important service which they receive from OPLIN.

The Board felt that the goal of providing online subscription
databases needs more activities aimed at increasing database
usage. The Board saw a demonstration of the Ohio Web Library search
tool which OPLIN staff is developing for roll-out on July 1. There was
discussion of including promotion of the Ohio Web Library as an
activity within the objective of increasing database usage.

The Board now decided to remove marketing and promotion
objectives
and activities from the other goals and create a new goal: targeted
marketing and promotion of all OPLIN products and services. Objectives
within this goal might include: investigating social networking sites
as promotional tools; making presentations and contacts at conferences;
developing displays for areas near public library computers; and
developing plug-ins and widgets for embedding OPLIN services in web
pages and browsers. Marketing must also include customer surveys.

The final current goal of assisting libraries with new
technologies
was modified to place OPLIN in more of a leadership role. While current
informational publications should continue, OPLIN should also develop
educational programs on network technologies, web technologies, and
data security. A forum should be established where libraries can
contribute their experiences with new technologies to a technical
knowledge base. After seeing a demonstration of a possible web site
template for public libraries which Laura Solomon developed, the Board
felt that this service should be added to OPLIN's current web hosting
services.

During the lunch break, Diane Fink learned that the
state guidelines for the FY 2010-2011 biennial budget called
for an
additional 10% reduction in General Revenue Funds, meaning the OPLIN
budget that began this fiscal year at $4.33 million per year GRF, and
was already reduced to about $3.9 million, would be further reduced to
about $3.5 million. The Board was unwilling to remove any goals or
objectives
to accommodate this reduction, including the new marketing and
promotion
goal. The Board was also unwilling to spend all E-rate funds, wanting
to keep some reserves for unanticipated network improvements. The Board
suggested that the budget be balanced by reducing expenditures within
goals and objectives, not by eliminating goals and objectives.

Stephen Hedges thanked the Board for their guidance, and will
prepare a draft of a new strategic plan for the next Board meeting.

7. OLD BUSINESS

7.1. Discuss sponsorship of
Ohio Library Council conferences

The Board discussed support
for this year's OLC conferences after tabling the discussion at the
last meeting. The four workshops scheduled after July 1 were seen as
good opportunities to promote the Ohio Web Library by combining OPLIN
staff presentations with a special sponsor's logo promoting the Web
Library on conference materials and signage.

Jim Kenzig motioned to
support the four OLC workshops after July 1 as the Bronze Partner
level; Gary Branson seconded. All aye.

8. NEW BUSINESS

8.1. Accept resignation of
Laura Watkins

Laura Watkins has resigned her position as OPLIN
Communications Manager to accept a promotion with her previous employer.

Mary Pat Essman motioned to
accept the resignation of Laura
Watkins effective March 1, 2008. Bonnie Mathies seconded. All aye.

8.2. Discuss realignment of
staff positions

Stephen Hedges explained how staff job duties had been shifted
to take over the duties of the Communications Manager, since the
position cannot be filled under the state's current hiring freeze.
Revised position descriptions were presented; the biggest shift in
duties would be shouldered by Bobbi Galvin, whose position would be
retitled to "Customer Relations and Support Staff." Stephen and Jeff
Jones will be asking the Department of Administrative Services to
approve a 4% pay increase for Bobbi due to the significant change in
her position description.

Stephen asked the Board for an opinion on what to do once the
hiring freeze is lifted. Should OPLIN seek a new Communications
Manager? Should OPLIN continue to function with current staff? Or
should OPLIN seek a different type of staff member.

The Board felt that it would be unhealthy to try to function
for an extended period with current staff. The consensus was that OPLIN
could use someone to handle marketing and training once austerity
measures allow. Stephen proposed to allow for this position as he and
Diane Fink develop the budget for future fiscal years, and that he work
with Jeff Jones to develop a new position description along those lines.

9. OPLIN EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Stephen Hedges presented his Director's report. He highlighted
the passage of Senate Bill 185, placing OPLIN in permanent law, and
described the work of the committee that reviewed the proposals
received in response to the Libraries Connect Ohio Invitation to
Negotiate for database purchases. The committee's list of proposed
purchases using LSTA grant funds will be presented to the State Library
of Ohio Board for approval at their April 24 meeting.

9.1. Databases
and Network Reports

9.4.1. Database
usage

Laura Solomon reported that while database searches were down
compared to previous months,
documents retrieved were up 21%.

9.4.2. Support
Center (February and March)

Karl Jendretzky reported that the number of circuit work
orders was high, with twenty-six circuit upgrades still in process. The
latest survey of circuit usage identified less than 10 sites which need
to be investigated further, so upgrades will be slowing. Jeff Wale
thanked the OPLIN Help Desk for their excellent customer service.

10. CHAIR'S REPORT

10.1. 2008-2011 Board
candidates

Gayle Patton noted that three Board members' terms expire on
30 June this year: hers, Terry Casey's, and Bonnie Mathies'. She and
Bonnie are eligible to renew for another term and have elected to do
so. With one vacancy to fill, she and Stephen Hedges suggest that names
be selected from the recent nominees for the April 1 Board opening,
rather than calling for new nominations.

Gayle recommended that the OPLIN Board request that the State
Library of Ohio Board select either Sandi Plymire, Director of
Muskingum County District Library, or Benjamin Chinni, Trustee of
Euclid Public Library to fill the vacant position. Stephen Hedges noted
that the State Library Board seemed to appreciate that he knew the
OPLIN Board's preference when he was asked the last time they made an
appointment to the OPLIN Board. Questions were raised as to whether it
was important to look for a trustee or to consider geography. Both were
considered to be important, but the experience and abilities of
the candidates were felt to be more important.

Jim Kenzig motioned that
Sandi Plymire and Benjamin Chinni be
nominated for appointment to the OPLIN Board by the State Library
Board, and that in the event the State Library Board requested a
preference from the OPLIN Board, that the preferred candidate be Ms.
Plymire. Bonnie Mathies seconded. All aye.

10.2. Fiscal Year 2009 Board
officers

Gayle Patton asked Stephen Hedges to provide some background.
Stephen explained that in the past a committee was appointed each
spring to select new Board candidates and also recommend a slate of
officers for the following fiscal year. The actual election of officers
takes place at the first meeting of the new fiscal year. The Attorney
General's office now recommends that all discussion of Board candidates
and officers take place in an open meeting. This meeting or the next
meeting would be an appropriate time to discuss next year's slate of
officers.

Mary Pat Essman asked Gayle Patton if she would consider
continuing for another year as Board Chair. Terry Casey also expressed
his support for this suggestion.

Jeff Wale motioned that the current officers of the Board be
the slate of officers presented for ratification at the August 2008
Board meeting. Gary Branson seconded. All aye.

11. ADJOURNMENT

Bob Richmond motioned to
adjourn the meeting at 2:28 p.m.