August 9, 2013

OHIO PUBLIC LIBRARY INFORMATION NETWORK (OPLIN)
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINTH REGULAR MEETING of the BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Minutes — August 9, 2013

1. WELCOME and CALL TO ORDER

The one hundred thirty-ninth meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 9, 2013 by outgoing Board Chair Jamie Mason at the State Library of Ohio in Columbus, Ohio.

Present were Board members: Don Barlow, Jill Billman-Royer, Susan Brown, Ben Chinni, Karen Davis, Joe Greenward, Cindy Lombardo, Jamie Mason, Sandi Plymire, and Becky Schultz.

Also present were: Stephen Hedges, Laura Solomon and Karl Jendretzky (OPLIN); Beverly Cain and David Namiotka (State Library); and Doug Evans (Ohio Library Council).

2. NOMINATION and ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS

Jamie Mason reminded the Board that in June the Nominations Committee had submitted a ticket of Board officers consisting of Karen Davis for Chair, Jill Billman-Royer for Vice-Chair, Don Barlow for Secretary, and Ben Chinni for Treasurer. Jamie asked if there were any additional nominations from the floor; there were none.

Jamie Mason asked for approval of the ticket of Board officers submitted by the Nominations Committee. All aye.

Jamie Mason passed the Chair's gavel to Karen Davis; Stephen Hedges thanked him for his service as Board Chair.

3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Sandi Plymire motioned to approve the agenda as presented; Susan Brown seconded. All aye.

4. ESTABLISH BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE for FY2014

Karen Davis called attention to the proposed Board meeting schedule, which in accordance with past practice set meeting dates as the second Friday of even-numbered months and extended beyond the end of fiscal year 2014 to October 2014, to allow Board members to plan ahead.

Susan Brown motioned to approve the proposed Board meeting schedule; Jill Billman-Royer seconded. All aye.

5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Karen Davis called for public participation.

Doug Evans updated the Board on the progress of the Ohio Library Council (OLC) "Federal Ebook Project" to ease both budget and copyright restrictions on library lending of ebooks. OPLIN's financial support for legal research has resulted in a draft of possible federal legislation, which Doug distributed. OLC will also be pursuing a joint resolution from the Ohio legislature supporting federal action to secure library lending rights for ebooks. Doug gave a presentation regarding this project to other state library associations in June at the American Library Association annual conference in Chicago and received considerable interest. Stephen Hedges noted that he and Doug will be reviewing the current contract between OPLIN and OLC now that the legal research is finished, and will contract for supporting development of communication materials, as the Board previously approved.

Beverly Cain reported that the State Library hosted a reviewer last week from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services evaluating the last five years of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funded activities in Ohio.

6. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of June 14 meeting

Karen Davis requested approval of the minutes of the June 14 Board meeting.

Don Barlow motioned to approve the minutes as presented; Sandi Plymire seconded. All aye.

7. ACCEPTANCE OF THE FINANCIAL REPORTS

In the absence of Jamie Pardee, Stephen Hedges presented the Financial Reports as of July 31. For the first meeting of a new fiscal year, with new Board members, a complete set of reports was presented: Report A, covering fiscal years 2010 and 2011 for reference; Report B, covering the fiscal years in the just-completed budget biennium (2012 and 2013) and the new budget biennium (FYs 2014 and 2015); and Report C, summarizing actual and anticipated cash flow from FY 2012 through FY 2014.

Stephen pointed out the encumbrances in Report B for new office and Board furniture, which will total about $6,000 less than the amount authorized by the Board. He also noted that the amount budgeted for Information Resources will be reduced in future Reports by about $25,000 to compensate for the fact that INFOhio's budget now allows a larger contribution toward the cost of the Ohio Web Library databases. Finally, he proposed changing the heading of the section currently labeled as "Education, Training, and Support" to "Other Library Support Services" to make it clear than this category was for expenditures for any services that directly benefit libraries other than the Information Resources and Telecommunications; the current "Filtering" section of the budget would also be moved into this section. The Board agreed with this change, so long as the amount spent for filtering was still clearly and separately identified. Stephen noted that the new state budget still requires OPLIN to render filtering assistance to libraries, but no longer earmarks specific funds for this assistance.

Stephen noted that the E-rate workshops and consulting for libraries, which has been done in past years by eTech Commission employee Lorrie Germann, will now be done under a personal contract with Lorrie. The eTech Commission was dissolved in the new state budget and Lorrie was assigned to the Ohio Department of Education; ODE suggested the personal contract, since assistance to public libraries is not within Lorrie's new job description, and legal review of a Memorandum of Understanding between OPLIN and ODE for Lorrie's services would require too much time. Since this arrangement was suggested by ODE, the Board had no objections.

In reviewing Report C, Stephen pointed out the three-year trend toward reduced budget reserves and noted that additional fiscal restraint will soon be needed. He also noted that no funds have yet been received from the state for FY 2014.

Jamie Mason motioned to accept the Financial Reports; Susan Brown seconded. All aye.

8. OLD BUSINESS

8.1. Approve Network Testing Service plan

Stephen Hedges presented two proposed revisions to the Network Testing Service document reviewed at the June meeting. This new service would allow OPLIN staff to assist local library IT staff with some network problem solving, to make sure local libraries are able to take full advantage of the bandwidth OPLIN provides to them. One version included only a minor change discussed by the Board at the June meeting. Stephen felt, however, that the document discussed in June was better suited as a description of the service, rather than a plan, so he also presented a possible reorganization of the document contents into an "Action Plan" format that was more suitable for use as a planning document.

Stephen reviewed the elements of the new service as proposed in the action plan, leading to additional discussion but no requests for further changes.

Jill Billman-Royer motioned to approve the action plan for the new Network Testing Service as presented; Cindy Lombardo seconded.

Recorded vote: Don Barlow, aye; Jill Billman-Royer, aye; Susan Brown, aye; Ben Chinni, aye; Joe Greenward, aye; Cindy Lombardo, aye; Jamie Mason, aye; Sandi Plymire, aye; Becky Schultz, aye; and Karen Davis, aye.

9. NEW BUSINESS

9.1. Discuss Content Advisory Committee background and approve Charter

Stephen Hedges reminded the Board that the current version of the Strategic Plan removed language about the type of databases which OPLIN should purchase, now delegating development of proposed database guidelines to the OPLIN Content Advisory Committee (CAC). Stephen distributed background information on the CAC, which was one of four advisory committees established in the earliest days of OPLIN, but has been inactive since early 2008. The background information also included a copy of the committee's original charter; some of the tasks assigned to the committee have since been passed to OHIONET by agreement, so a new charter will be needed.

Stephen presented a proposed charter, based on elements of the old charter, examples of other committee charters, and portions of the old Electronic Resources Selection Policy, which directed much of the work of the CAC but was rescinded by the Board in October 2011. The most notable differences from the old charter are: 1) the acknowledgment that the information needs of public libraries sometimes differ from the needs of Libraries Connect Ohio; and 2) the requirement that the committee meet as a "public body" under Ohio's Open Records and Open Meetings laws.

Susan Brown noted that since the committee is only required to meet once a year, it could be a year before minutes of the last meeting are posted, but the Board generally felt that there was enough latitude in the charter to allow informal review of the minutes before posting. Jamie Mason also pointed out that the committee should meet early enough in the year to be able to present recommendations to the OPLIN Board at the April planning meeting. Stephen clarified that the committee's recommendations would be presented to the Board by the OPLIN Director.

Stephen will make some changes to the proposed charter, based on the discussion, and bring it back to the Board for possible approval at the October meeting.

10. OPLIN DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Stephen Hedges reported on a July 17 of the Libraries Connect Ohio directors with John Carey, the new Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, and he thanked Beverly Cain for arranging the meeting. On the same day, Stephen met with Dr. Tomas Lipinski, Director of the School of Library and Information Science at Kent State University (KSU), during which the possibility of a practicum experience at OPLIN for a KSU student was discussed and Dr. Lipinski expressed interest in contributing some work on policy issues facing deposits of materials collected from the public to the regional digitization hubs project. Development of the LSTA grant proposal for that project continues on schedule, but the Ohio Historical Society has dropped out of the project and Columbus Metropolitan Library has joined. Stephen informed the Board of a new initiative from Connect Ohio, called Digital Works, which trains people for guaranteed telecommunications jobs; at the launch of the first site in Zanesville, Connect Ohio staff asked Stephen if some libraries now hosting Every Citizen Online training might be interested in becoming Digital Works sites. Finally, Stephen reported that OPLIN now plans to issue an E-rate Form 470 twice a year, to allow upgrades to library Internet connections without jeopardizing long-term eligibility for E-rate reimbursements.

Regarding OPLIN office activities, Stephen highlighted Laura Solomon's presentations at ILEAD USA and the Ohio Library Support Staff Institute (OLSSI), and Karl Jendretzky's visits to libraries in Columbus, Fostoria, Louisville, and Alliance. He also noted that the Library Snapshot Day Committee, of which he is a member, has met and begun preparations for the 2014 Snapshot Day.

10.1. Technology Projects Manager report

Karl Jendretzky reported on the work he recently completed building a new interface for the Sanborn insurance maps and described many of the new features. Stephen Hedges clarified that OPLIN purchased these maps in 2000 at which time they were hosted on an OhioLINK server, but recent changes in OhioLINK software altered the user interface for the maps and resulted in complaints. Rather than pay ProQuest $27,000 a year to host the maps, OhioLINK sent the data back to OPLIN and Karl built a custom interface. This interface has now been beta tested and enthusiastically approved by frequent users of the maps in libraries and state agencies.

Karl informed the Board that the SMS (messaging) service will require our second purchase of 500,000 message credits ($5,500) from Trumpia in a few months; the annual cost of providing the service is now averaging about $3,700/year. He is now working on adding location-awareness to Find-A-Library, so users can simply identify libraries close to their current location. Karl described some of his recent experiences beta-testing networks at library sites, and reported that the new network testing service should work well for libraries. Karl also provided more details about the new procedure for handling circuit upgrades by first issuing an E-rate Form 470 and why the change was needed in order to take advantage of newly negotiated circuit prices without forfeiting E-rate discounts.

10.2. Library Services Manager report

Laura Solomon reported that she is involved now in a major project to upgrade all of the Website Kit sites from Drupal 6 to Drupal 7. This is a major upgrade from Drupal which requires a re-design on most sites so they will work properly on a wide variety of devices, a two-fold process; Laura hopes to have a KSU practicum student to help with this. There are now 62 website kits in use, and another eight under construction. Laura is also working with OLC to support the social media for the October convention; she also will be doing a presentation for the Indiana Library Federation in October, and possibly a presentation in New York.

10.3. Database usage

Stephen Hedges explained changes to the previous report format to account for changes in the Ohio Web Library collection starting July 1. He also described changes in vendor procedures for collecting statistics that have affected the report over the past year and created difficulties in making meaningful comparisons. Over the last two years, however, the trend seems to be toward fewer searches but more document requests.

11. CHAIR'S REPORT

11.1. At-large appointment to Executive Committee

Chair Karen Davis appointed Jamie Mason to the at-large position on the Executive Committee.

11.2. October and December meeting locations

Karen Davis reminded the Board that the October Board meeting would be held at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, to coincide with the OLC Convention, and starting with the December meeting the Board will meet at the OPLIN office. Meeting times remain the same; only the locations change.

12. EXECUTIVE SESSION

Jamie Mason motioned to enter into Executive Session to discuss the performance evaluation of the OPLIN Director and the compensation of an employee as permitted by O.R.C. 121.22(G)(1); Susan Brown seconded.

Chair Karen Davis asked Stephen Hedges to attend the Executive Session.

The Board entered Executive Session at 11:30 a.m.

The Board returned from Executive Session at 11:52 a.m.

Cindy Lombardo moved the adoption of the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) provides broadband Internet connections and related information services to Ohio public libraries and was statutorily created as an independent agency within the State Library of Ohio (ORC 3375.64) with its own governing board, and

WHEREAS, the OPLIN Board is entrusted to employ and fix the compensation of personnel necessary to carry out OPLIN's mission (ORC 3375.66(A)(1)), and all OPLIN employees are designated Administrative Staff (99580), and are exempt and unclassified, and

WHEREAS, at their February 2013 meeting, the OPLIN Board resolved that the OPLIN technology projects manager is specifically a necessary position for the operation of OPLIN within the meaning of ORC 3375.66(A)(1) and is necessary to carry out the functions of the Board pursuant to ORC sections 3375.64, 3375.66, 3375.67 et seq, and

WHEREAS, the Ohio Attorney General's Office has issued a memorandum to the OPLIN Board confirming that the authority granted to OPLIN by the General Assembly in ORC 3375.66(A)(1) expressly allows the OPLIN Board to fix the compensation of a technology projects manager, and

WHEREAS OPLIN technology projects manager Karl Jendretzky (EmplID 10070313, PN 20010403) currently earns $64,584.00 annually, but has so far initiated and completed projects which realize documented savings to OPLIN of over $150,000 per year, and

WHEREAS, during his six years as OPLIN technology projects manager, Mr. Jendretzky has added significant customer service tasks to his work, actively working with local library technology staff to help solve internal problems, a type of assistance that OPLIN had not previously been able to offer, and as a result has significantly increased OPLIN's customer service focus,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the OPLIN Board, pursuant to ORC 3375.66(A)(1), fixes the compensation of OPLIN technology projects manager Karl Jendretzky (EmplID 10070313, PN 20010403) at $80,000 annually.

Adopted and recorded this 9th day of August, 2013.

Ben Chinni seconded the motion. The Chair put the question on the adoption of the resolution.

13. ADJOURNMENT

On motion of Susan Brown the Board adjourned at 11:56 a.m.

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