OHIO PUBLIC LIBRARY INFORMATION NETWORK (OPLIN)
ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SECOND REGULAR MEETING of the BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes — February 14, 2014
1. WELCOME and CALL TO ORDER
The one hundred forty-second meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 14, 2014 by Board Chair Karen Davis at the OPLIN office in Columbus, Ohio.
Present were Board members: Don Barlow (10:15 arrival), Jill Billman-Royer, Susan Brown, Ben Chinni, Karen Davis, Joe Greenward, Cindy Lombardo, Jamie Mason, Michael Penrod, and Becky Schultz.
Also present were: Stephen Hedges, Laura Solomon and Karl Jendretzky (OPLIN); Beverly Cain and Jamie Pardee (State Library); and Doug Evans and Michelle Francis (Ohio Library Council).
2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Cindy Lombardo motioned to approve the agenda as presented; Susan Brown seconded. All aye.
3. 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. Federal legislation has been drafted on tax incentives for publishers, working with Rep. Pat Tiberi. Legislation has also been drafted to narrowly expand the First Sale and Fair Use doctrines, working with Rep. Steve Chabot. OLC has been meeting with Glazen Creative Studios in preparation for a public awareness campaign, also supported by OPLIN funds. Lobbying efforts funded from other sources will soon resume. Other state library associations have been asked for resolutions of support from the library community; efforts are already underway in Illinois, California, Pennsylvania, and New York. In the Ohio Senate, progress has resumed on SCR22, which encourages Congress to address the ebook problems of public libraries.
Doug also introduced Michelle Francis, the new Director of Government and Legal Services for OLC. Michelle provided an update on the Data Ohio legislation, four bills (HB321-324) that are starting to work their way through the legislative process. The intent of the legislation is to increase government transparency. Michelle described the goals of each of the four bills. Library information is already more transparent than most, and is not likely to be affected by these bills, although HB322 does propose to create a more uniform accounting system.
Beverly Cain made the point that a great deal of information about libraries is already publicly available on the State Library website. She also announced two retirements from the State Library and current plans for replacements. She also called attention to the WebJunction Health Happens materials. Work continues on boundary issues in preparation for library levies.
4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of December 13 meeting
Karen Davis requested approval of the minutes of the December 13 Board meeting.
Jill Billman-Royer motioned to approve the minutes as presented; Michael Penrod seconded. All aye.
5. ACCEPTANCE OF THE FINANCIAL REPORTS
Jamie Pardee presented the Financial Reports for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015 as of January 31. She called attention to new line items for payments to libraries in support of the Digitization Hubs, and to an Internet broker for assistance in securing a fiber connection at Rock Creek library. Jamie highlighted income of over $27,000 from website services.
Cindy Lombardo motioned to accept the Financial Reports; Jamie Mason seconded. All aye.
6. OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business to come before the board.
7. NEW BUSINESS
7.1. Discuss amendment to Policy on Public Library Use of OPLIN
Stephen Hedges presented an email exchange with a library that had inquired about offering Internet fax services to patrons rather than their current telephonic fax services, but had concerns that their library would be violating the OPLIN policy against charging patrons for Internet services if they charged patrons a cost recovery fee. Stephen had replied that it had never been the intent of the Board to force a library to offer Internet services at a deficit to the library, and that he would propose that the Board alter the current policy.
Stephen presented a proposed revision to the Policy on Public Library Use of OPLIN that added the words "other than cost recovery fees" to the clause preventing charges for Internet services.
Don Barlow motioned to amend the Policy on Public Library Use of OPLIN as proposed; 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; Michael Penrod, aye; Becky Schultz, aye; and Karen Davis, aye.
8. OPLIN DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Stephen Hedges provided an update on the progress of the Digitization Hubs. Everyone involved in the project joined a conference call on Feb. 5. Stephen traveled to Cincinnati with the newly hired Cleveland Public Library digitization project manager on Jan. 10 for a very productive meeting with the digitization staff there. Most of the current work involves trading ideas between the partners, as well as re-writes of the contracts with the vendors and requesting the necessary federal and OPLIN funds. In responding to a question about the grant funding, Stephen took the opportunity to point out that most of the cost of the project is the responsibility of the local library partners.
Stephen reported that the E-Rate application process is underway, but will not be completed until some new telecommunications contracts with the state have been signed. Stephen and Lorrie Germann have also agreed to discuss restructuring her E-Rate consultant contract with OPLIN next year, using the OPLIN office to complete some of the routine records-keeping tasks. Stephen mentioned that one bid received for Internet access has opened the possibility of acquiring that access from a commercial vendor rather than from the Office of Information Technology (OIT).
Stephen informed the Board of a meeting the Libraries Connect Ohio partners had with Controlling Board President Randy Cole on Feb. 10. to discuss improving the process of library requests to the Controlling Board. This seldom would affect OPLIN directly, but could potentially affect the Search Ohio public libraries, since requests for updates and changes to OhioLINK's library software often do involve the Controlling Board. Stephen also informed the Board that the OPLIN Content Advisory Committee will have their annual meeting next week, after which the new version of the Ohio Web Library search will be launched.
Finally, Stephen reported that OPLIN has begun the process with OIT to replace the current office phones with Voice-over-IP phones. Such phones would allow OPLIN to remain operational even in a snow emergency.
Regarding OPLIN office activities, Stephen highlighted the INFOhio BookFlix breakfast, where he was able to speak briefly with Chancellor John Carey and Superintendent of Public Instruction Richard Ross.
8.1. Technology Projects Manager report
Karl Jendretzky informed the Board of steps taken to counteract a recent exploit of Internet time server protocols that used library routers to launch Denial-of-Service attacks. Karl reported that he sees a trend lately toward targeting libraries as sites to host exploits, as larger targets implement measures to block such activity.
Karl also provided more technical details about the new version of the Ohio Web Library search. The search no longer uses the Z39.50 protocol, instead using various methods put together by OPLIN to return search results. OPLIN now has complete control over how the search works, and has included Ohio Digital Library ebooks, "hot links" for common search terms, and other features.
Karl updated the Board on recent activities involving the library Internet circuits. Some upgrades to install a new AT&T service that were ordered almost a year ago are finally being completed. The NEO Regional office is moving, and their circuit will now be a business class cable connection. Cuyahoga County Public Library now has a 600 Mbps connection that will be upgraded to a full 1 Gbps as soon as some engineering work is completed. Karl also provided more information about the Voice-over-IP phone service order.
8.2. Library Services Manager report
Laura Solomon reported that another library website kit has been put in use, bringing the total in active use to seventy-four (74). Meanwhile, most of her time is occupied with upgrading the existing website kits from Drupal version 6 to version 7. For the third year, she has worked with the State Library to design a special template that can be used to add Summer Reading Program information to a website kit, which OPLIN installs for a $50 fee.
8.3. Database usage
Stephen Hedges reported that he has not yet received usage statistics for Ancestry Library Edition for January, so the statistics presented to the Board are calculated. In the course of doing those calculations, Stephen discovered that he had been reporting usage statistics for college and K-12 libraries as well as public libraries, so all previous Ancestry usage numbers have been corrected. The overall trend is still a gradual decline in database usage. The new version of the Ohio Web Library search will employ some caching of search results to improve response time, which may have a small effect on future search statistics, but will not affect the number of documents viewed.
9. CHAIR'S REPORT
9.1. Call for Board nominations
Chair Karen Davis asked Stephen Hedges to explain the timing of the Board nominations process. Stephen reminded the Board that the State Library Board appoints new OPLIN Board members at their June meeting, but the June OPLIN Board meeting this year is only a few days before the State Library Board meeting, leaving little time to communicate the OPLIN Board's recommendations. Typically, the OPLIN Board issues a call for nominations after the April Board meeting, but Stephen suggested it might be wise this year to call for Board nominations now and then decide on candidate recommendations at the April meeting.
Karen asked if there were any objections to calling for Board nominations now. Hearing none, she appointed Sandi Plymire, Susan Brown, and Cindy Lombardo to an ad hoc Nominations Committee to review nominations and present recommendations to the full Board in April.
9.2. Discuss April planning meeting
Chair Karen Davis asked if anyone wanted to discuss changes to the previous manner of conducting the April planning meeting. Stephen Hedges reviewed the general procedures and agenda items for the day. There were no suggested changes.
10. ADJOURNMENT
On motion of Susan Brown and second of Michael Penrod the Board adjourned at 11:33 a.m.