June 8, 2018

 
1. WELCOME and CALL TO ORDER
 
The one hundred sixty-eighth meeting of the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees was called to order at 10:01 a.m. on Friday, June 8, 2018 by Board Chair Joe Greenward at the OPLIN office in Columbus, Ohio.
 
Present were Board members: Jamie Black, Susan Brown, Justin Bumbico, Jeff Garringer, Chris May, Travis McAfee, and Tara Sidwell.
 
Also present were: Mandy Knapp, Karl Jendretzky, Laura Solomon, and Don Yarman (OPLIN); Beverly Cain, Stephanie Herriott, and Jamie Pardee (State Library); Michelle Francis and Doug Evans (Ohio Library Council); and Holly Varley (Dayton Metro Library).
 
ACTION ITEMS
 
2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
 
Travis McAfee motioned to approve the agenda as presented; Susan Brown seconded. There was no discussion, so the chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.
 
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
 
The Chair called for public participation.
 
Beverly Cain reported that Missy Lodge is retiring at the end of September, and there has been a lot of interest in the position even with limited distribution outside of the state’s posting site. The State Library is accepting proposals for competitive LSTA grants up to $50,000 with a 25% match; application deadline is in September, to be awarded in December. At their meeting this week, the State Library Board approved some LSTA funding, state subsidy funding for the regional library systems and the Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, and OPLIN Board members for next fiscal year.
 
Doug Evans reported on OLC’s many recent and upcoming professional development events, including the New Directors’ workshop series; there have been over 60 director changes in Ohio public libraries in the past two years. The focus in 2019 for professional development will be community engagement, facilities, safety and security, and an on-demand, on-line series, possibly addressing HR management. OLC Board and Division elections are coming up starting the end of June.
 
Michelle Francis reported that state revenues have been coming in 3% above estimates; the PLF distribution for the current fiscal year 2018 came in $7 million more than originally estimated. The Ohio House has not had session since OLC’s Legislative Day April 11 until June 6 when they elected Speaker Ryan Smith from Gallipolis, and the next day passed 27 bills and resolutions. The House and Senate have extended their session calendars through the end of June. Francis discussed OLC’s efforts with HB292 to address issues with library bond ratings and limits on borrowing against PLF. Legislative Day 2019 will be at the Statehouse on April 9. Four different libraries will be presenting next Tuesday at the Governor’s Workforce Development Board meeting at Columbus Metropolitan Library: Bossard, Columbus Metro, Greene County, and Avon Lake. They will discuss library services and partnerships related to workforce development. OLC hopes to stream the meeting on Facebook Live.
 
 
4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of April 13 meeting
 
Jeff Garringer motioned to approve the minutes of the April 13, 2018, meeting as presented; Chris May seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.
 
5. ACCEPTANCE OF THE FINANCIAL REPORTS
 
Projecting out cash balance to decrease gradually over next three fiscal years to a more comfortable $1.7 million. One more month remains in this fiscal year, and expenses are pretty much on track; there is an available balance of $1.3 million in this fiscal year for appropriations. Overall expenditures for next fiscal year are expected to be higher.
 
Jamie Pardee reviewed the financial reports, noting that disbursements remain in line with estimates for this time of year. About $94,000 remains in unplanned spending authority, with a projected cash balance of $2.5 million remaining at the end of this fiscal year. Pardee noted that none of the Ohio Web Library Specialists have taken advantage of the offer to reimburse mileage, so those funds will just return to the cash balance at the end of the fiscal year.
 
Jamie Black suggested the Board table accepting the financial reports until after discussion of agenda item 6.1. “Selection of continuous learning resources,” as those expenses are anticipated in the draft financial reports.
 
6. OLD BUSINESS
 
6.1. Selection of continuous learning resources
Don Yarman reviewed the history of this project, beginning with the budget language that recognized public libraries as continuous learning centers and directing that job skills resources be made available to Ohioans through the Ohio Digital Library, and how OPLIN stepped in to position resources on a statewide basis, as ODL does not have statewide participation. OPLIN issued an RFP for continuous learning resources with a focusing on job skills development. Proposals came from Brainfuse, Xello, EBSCO, Gale, and Lynda.com.
 
Yarman introduced Holly Varley, a member of OPLIN’s Content Advisory Committee and a new appointee to the OPLIN Board; Varley will begin her term in July. The Content Advisory Committee reviewed the proposals and gave their priorities for negotiation. Staff were concerned that content and services proposed would replicate those currently provided by Ohio’s Department of Jobs and Family Services through OhioMeansJobs.com, and reached out to OMJ/JFS for assistance, connecting with Mark Birnbrich and Tanya Calbert. They detailed the role of OMJ in tracking activities necessary for unemployment disbursement, and offered to review the products for overlap. After eliminating proposals that replicated existing services or were not recommended by the Content Advisory Committee, only Gale Courses and lyndaLibrary remained.
 
Yarman outlined the different pricing/licensing models of the two products, and compared how the two products align with Ohio’s list of in-demand jobs, an evaluation component specified in the RFP. Jamie Black praised Lynda.com content and the pricing offered, but expressed concern about the ability to continue offering the product beyond the three years proposed. Michelle Francis explained how the legislature was impressed with the resources available through the Ohio Digital Library, and separately were looking for solutions for retirees and veterans looking to acquire new skills, especially in rural areas. Francis shared her opinion that providing these resources presents an advocacy opportunity with the in-coming General Assembly for library services, particularly in regard to technology and career development. Beverly Cain added that, with data showing that the project was successful, there would be a strong opportunity to ask for additional funding for support.
 
Susan Brown asked how the original $500,000 budget was set -- Stephen Hedges selected a round number in line with other subscription costs – and questioned what analytics would be available to demonstrate outcomes. Mandy Knapp discussed past experiences gathering customer satisfaction data, and Karl Jendretzky outlined the many datapoints available via the stats API access that Lynda.com provided him.
 
Chris May contrasted his library’s experience with Gale Courses, seeing the 6-8 week commitment for classes as a deterrent, and the content not meeting workforce development needs. Mandy Knapp affirmed that the Content Advisory Committee preferred Lynda.com.
 
There was some discussion about other uses OPLIN might make of the cash reserves, and what a desirable cash balance to have on hand would be.
 
Jamie Black motioned to increase the budget for job skills/continuous learning resources up to $725,000; Travis McAfee seconded. There was no additional discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.
 
Recorded vote: Jamie Black, aye; Susan Brown, aye; Justin Bumbico, aye; Jeff Garringer, aye; Joe Greenward, aye; Chris May, aye; Travis McAfee, aye; Tara Sidwell; aye.
 
Jamie Black motioned to accept the financial reports; Justin Bumbico seconded. There was no discussion, so the Chair called for a vote on the motion; all aye.
 
6.2. Phishing awareness services
Some libraries report an increase in targeted e-mail campaigns attempting to steal login credentials or financial information (a practice known as “spear phishing”) against library directors and fiscal officers.  Karl Jendretzky has begun investigating the services of companies which provide benevolent phishing campaigns for the purposes of vulnerability testing and targeted staff training, with the idea that OPLIN could create generic campaigns geared toward public library staff. Libraries would join a queue to participate in a 2-3 week period of education/testing, and when that was over, clear out the accounts and on-board the next library. Because extended or on-going campaigns of phishing awareness are the most successful, he is exploring an alternative option, more like OPLIN’s OpenDNS service, where OPLIN operates a managed service provider interface to hand off accounts it licenses on behalf of libraries, letting libraries customize and manage their own phishing awareness campaigns. Travis McAfee and Justin Bumbico discussed how this service might be beneficial to their libraries, and McAfee asked for a more complete MSP proposal for the next Board meeting.
 
 
7. NEW BUSINESS – Don Yarman
 
7.1. Decide on staff raises
Yarman explained that with the passage of HB292, exempt state employees will be granted salary increases matching those negotiated by the employee unions.
 
Justin Bumbico motioned that, in that State of Ohio E-1 employees are expected to receive a 2.75% salary increase beginning on the first day of the pay period that includes July 1, 2018, and whereas this increase is expected to be allowed for other exempt state employees up to 2.75%, the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN) Board of Trustees, in accordance with Ohio Revised Code Section 3375.66(A)(1) which allows the board to fix the compensation of OPLIN personnel, approves adjusting the compensation of each OPLIN staff member to one that reflects a 2.75% salary increase beginning with the pay period that includes July 1, 2018; Chris May seconded. There was no additional discussion, so the Chair called for a roll call vote on the motion.
 
Recorded vote: Jamie Black, aye; Susan Brown, aye; Justin Bumbico, aye; Jeff Garringer, aye; Joe Greenward, aye; Chris May, aye; Travis McAfee, aye; Tara Sidwell; aye.
 
REPORTS
 
8. OPLIN DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Yarman reported on his experiences at the International Coalition of Library Consortia meeting in Detroit and the Net Inclusion conference in Cleveland, April 16-19. On April 21, he presented OPLIN’s Awards for Advanced Digital Researcher at Ohio History Day held at Ohio Wesleyan University. The Junior Award went to Devin Corrington and Parker Williams for their project “Nuclear Conflict, Peaceful Compromise,” and the Senior Award when to Molly Paker for her exhibit “Rosie the Riverter Campaign: Putting America’s Women to Work.” Both exhibits were selected to advance to the national showcase.
 
In-coming Board member Holly Varley introduced herself.
 
8.1. Library Services Manager report
Laura Solomon reported that OPLIN currently is running 80 Webkit sites, slightly over 31% of Ohio’s public libraries. She continues to investigate the eventual migration from Drupal 7 to 8. Jendretzky built a separate sandbox server running Drupal 8 for tests. It was recently announced that Drupal 8.6 will be released in the second half of 2018, promising improvements in the migration process and the addition of some critical third-party modules.
 
8.2. Digital Resources Manager report
Mandy Knapp reviewed the latest statistical report, noting that ProQuest and/or Ancestry have changed something in their reporting, so the drop in stats is either an error or a correction of an existing error. (Both companies are blaming the other.) Roll-out of the new resources is on track; the links are ready for distribution and will be announced closer to the July 1 live date. Knapp has ordered promotional bookmarks for Chilton’s, Transparent Language, and the genealogy resources, and will announce the availability of these on OPLINLIST later this month.
 
Forty individuals signed up to be in the Ohio Web Library Specialist program – 1/3 of them continuing from last year, and 2/3 new to the program. Former OWLS were surveyed for suggestions to improve the program, and in response OPLIN will host a meeting for OWLS at OLC Convention in the Training Zone adjacent to OPLIN’s booth. Knapp has set dates for the training sessions, and will contact new OWLS later in June after the ALA Convention.
 
Kent State iSchool student Eric Vescelius will be conducting his practicum with OPLIN starting in September. Vescelius currently works at the Gahanna Branch of Columbus Metropolitan Library; his main activities will be to create training materials for databases.
 
8.3. Technology Projects Manager report
Karl Jendretzky updated the Board on router deployments, which have stalled due to a delay in receiving additional rack mounting brackets. About 100 routers have been deployed. Jendretzky is verifying the new circuit orders due July 1; most are part of the big CLEVNET move to the core. The OPLIN-CLEVNET collector trunk is in production, with four libraries (all Everstream circuits) using it. With the new architecture, the Morley Library, which will be joining CLEVNET in the middle of the service year, can be mapped into CLEVNET without changing the circuit through their vendor.
 
Greene County and Worthington have signed agreements for space in the Co-Location Center. Jendretzky is organizing a tour of the SOCC for metro libraries.
 
Jendretzky has been working with OARnet to bring up redundant links for library customers that use the state’s CBTS phone system.
 
OIT has granted Jendretzky greater access to OPLIN’s routers, and as he completes his Juniper certification training, he is able to implement changes directly rather than wait for them to be pushed through OIT. It gives him the ability to help libraries out with smaller network issue, for example helping a library to configure the network to pass test required for payment card processing.
 
Internet browsers are increasingly preferring https over http, so some library-hosted websites are now showing “insecure” warnings to some users. Jendretzky has been helping those libraries implement SSL certificates for their web servers.
 
9. CHAIR'S REPORT
 
9.1. Executive Session to consider the compensation of a public employee (Director’s evaluation)
 
Susan Brown motioned to enter Executive Session to consider the compensation of a public employee; Jamie Black seconded.
 
Recorded vote: Jamie Black, aye; Susan Brown, aye; Justin Bumbico, aye; Jeff Garringer, aye; Joe Greenward, aye; Chris May, aye; Travis McAfee, aye; Tara Sidwell; aye.
 
The Board entered Executive Session at 11:58 a.m.
 
The Board returned from Executive Session at 12:02 p.m.
 
Joseph Greenward provided Don Yarman with a copy of his evaluation summary report.
 
9.2. Resolutions
 
The Chair recognized Chris May to offer the following resolution:
 

 
 
Jamie Black seconded the resolution. All aye.
 
13. ADJOURNMENT
 
On motion of Tara Sidwell and second of Susan Brown, the Board adjourned at 12:05 p.m.