Minutes - SMLC MeLCat Task Force July 27, 2006

 

 

Woodlands Co-op Task Force Report - Gail

Woodlands Library Cooperative 36 libraries have applied to go in as a group in Fall 2007

Status of Other Cooperatives

Capital Library Cooperative (23) all in 2007

TLN (64) and Suburban (20) will join MeLCat in 2007

White Pine (41) will all be in by the end of 2006

Northland (21) will all be in by the end of 2006

Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative (13) all in but 3 for 2007

Lakeland (48) forming a Task Force to work on a plan

 

Mid Michigan Library League (47) most in – rest in 2007

Hiawathaland (8) - ?

Superiorland (29) – some in, remainder deciding

 

We reviewed the Member Readiness spreadsheet and looked at the current status of Member’s  

            Automation Systems

            Internet Access

            Static IP addresses

            10 SMLC members have applied

 

Member Concerns

­       Impact of increased ILL workload – will go up initially, like candy jar, turn on Agent Patron – initiated ILL and let patrons get it our of their systems

­       Patron initiated ILL and 50 item limit – get on MeLCat committees

­       Cost of static IP addresses

­       Time learning new system – steps similar to agent, demo for governing boards

­       Marking new materials as unavailable – make a status code

­       Requesting ILL not in MeLCat – train on getting OCLC # from World Cat

­       MARC records – get from World Cat or MeLCat, helps in matching for migration

 

Resolving Non MeLCat ILLs

Co-op will have to create a web-based form for blank ILL requests to come to the co-op, as OCLC requests do now

 

MeLCat Policies

Added to web-based FAQ

 

Transitioning with Agent  

As members go to MeLCat we can pull their records from Agent, members will not want to run two ILL systems side by side.  Those left in Agent will have a smaller pool of resources from which to borrow, may result in increased OCLC usage.

 

MeLCat Training

SMLC is bringing MeLCat Cataloging class in the Fall.

 

MeLCat demonstrations

(Andrews and K College) Visitors reported a positive experience with the demonstrations.  We are anxious to see some non-Innovative libraries in action.

 

Next Steps

Committee members will be calling on three libraries each to discuss MeLCat preparation with the Directors.  This will be completed by the first week in September.  The co-op will then begin calling members who have not yet submitted their MeLCat applications.