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Upper Hudson Library System
Friday, June 6, 2003 At UHLS

Attending: Jeff Cannell (APLM); Nancy Pieri (BETH); Carol Trager (BRUN); Darlene Miller (CAST); Deborah Canzano (COHS); Bob Jaquay (COLN); Pat Nonamaker (EGRN); Barbara Nichols Randall (GUIL); Carol Gaillard (HOOF); Pat Sahr (NASS); Margie Morris (POES); Judy Felsten (RCSC); Rebecca Lubin (RVLL); Barbara Kubli (STEP); Phil Ritter (UHLS); Gail Sacco (VOOR); Barbara Schoen (WVLT)

Visitors: Julian Critchfield, Chief Operating Officer, Dynix; Patti Pray, Director, Customer Relations, Dynix; Peter Kowalski, UHLS; Marcia Middleton, APLM

Meeting convened at 9:05am.

Report from Dynix:

• Mr. Critchfield reported that the Dynix team has been here for a week. They have found that information coming in across the Internet to UHLS is good, but going back out it is poor. With Roadrunner (RR) access, the bandwidth is not guaranteed. The more people on RR reduces the bandwidth, unlike a T-1 line which is a dedicated line. More information needs to go out from UHLS than comes in. The slow down due to RR also slows down T-1 requests when RR requests are also in line. The 56K lines are a big issue; they are too slow and sites cannot run a full Horizon client on a 56K line. Barbara Kubli brought up the point that 56K lines were deemed to be adequate when the specs for the new system were released. Mr. Critchfield stated that using both Horizon and Internet traffic were too much for the line. Dynix would like to have a look at the network topology design for UHLS and the member libraries to see how everyone is connected. There is a program available, CITRIX (sp?), which can help with bandwidth constraints and increase speed for 56K lines. DSL is a better way to go as there is guaranteed bandwidth. It was brought up that there are budget issues involved with changing lines. The demands vary from library to library. The issue of the RR, T-1, 56K lines and bandwidth needs to be addressed before Dynix can go any further in correcting other problems. They believe that many of the current problems stem from the bandwidth issue. The topology information would also be useful to Rawdon. It is recommended that at the UHLS site, they go off of RR and have a dedicated line.
• Phil asked if the Directors’ Association feels that UHLS should go ahead in finding a solution with Dynix as part of the team? Consensus is that we need to solve this problem. Phil stated that UHLS has switched to a partial T-1 line and is looking to increase to a full line. He proposes that DSL & RR libraries switch to the partial T-1 at the UHLS site and remain as DSL or RR at the library site. Phil stated that we could have someone other than Dynix do the topology and Dynix assured everyone that they would work with that group or person. There was discussion as to why regular Internet traffic was not taken into account when the network recommendations were originally given by Dynix. Internet access is a regular service in a library and a company that sells systems to libraries should realize that. Mr. Critchfield would like UHLS to upgrade Horizon to the current version as it has some enhancements and fixes some bugs that are in the previous release.

Motion: (Sacco, Jaquay) Ask Dynix to evaluate and design network topology and UHLS should bear the cost. The cost is to be negotiated between Phil Ritter and Dynix. Carried.

• The question was raised as to whether we want to stay with Dynix. Marcia Middleton stated that we would be starting all over with a new system and that Dynix is invested in fixing the problems.
• Mr. Critchfield said that it would take time to gather all the data from the 36 sites. Bob Jaquay asked about a ballpark cost to do the topology. Mr. Critchfield said it would be a fixed cost, not per hour. They will check staff workstations, patron PCs, and look at routers and hubs. 
• An issues log will be distributed to libraries in order to see what some issues were and what was fixed. Dynix is limited by the lack of a stable connection to the server.
• There was discussion regarding the upgrade and possibly setting a policy to decide if UHLS should upgrade every time or even every three times, depending on the importance of changes in the upgrade. Pat Nonamaker stated that in order to get to the bottom of what the issues are, we need to be in the current version of Horizon, at least for now.                

Motion: (Sacco, Nonamaker) Upgrade Horizon to version 7.24 and IPAC 2.03.01. Carried.

• Mr. Critchfield will come to the Directors’ Association meeting on July 11^th. It was suggested that joint meeting between the Directors’ Association and the Automated Services Committee be held on that day. Phil will arrange that with the ASC.
• Mr. Critchfield stated that he was in charge of the program for UHLS. He can be reached at

jcritchfield@dynix.com.

Minutes:

Motion ( Jaquay, Schoen) to approve May 2, 2003 minutes. Carried.

UHLS: Phil Ritter

• Annual Meeting – Mitch Freedman is having health problems and will not be the speaker at the dinner. He is under doctor’s orders to rest. ALA’s Chief Executive Director, Keith Michaels Fields will be the speaker.
• Resignation of Sara Dallas – She has been hired as the Director of the Southern Adirondack Library System (SALS). They are working on the distribution of Sara’s duties. She will be on a medical leave beginning the end of June.

UHLS Administration: N. Pieri

No meeting

Services: J. Felsten

LSTA grants were passed as was Adult Literacy Grant.

Finance Committee & UHLS Board: J. Cannell

UHLS will be having annual reviews rather than audits. All previous audits have been fine and the reviews will be cost saving. The Central Library Grant was approved. 

Central Library: J. Cannell

They are at the midpoint of the strategic planning with the consultant.

Nominating Committee:

Nominations are: President – Pat Nonamaker; Vice President – Ginny LaJuene; Secretary – Margie Morris; Representative to UHLS Board – Jeff Cannell. The secretary cast one ballot for the slate.  All other committee representatives will remain the same. Gail Sacco expressed thanks to Pat Nonamaker for her hard work this year.

Nuts & Bolts:

BETH: Budget and referendum passed. They will be able to make many improvements to the library.

RCSC: Ventilation system is almost installed. They will be holding their first Garden Festival on June 7^th. A new book bag is being offered.

POES & VOOR: Librarians from Russia and Bulgaria visited the libraries. They saw Poestenkill’s preschool story hour and had a luncheon at the library.

VOOR: Gail will be doing the PLS booth at NYLA and is looking for help. She is running for president of PLS.

GUIL: Joyce Carol Oates Program on July 16^th. The new GUIL trustee is the director of the library at the College of St. Rose.

BRUN: Carol attended the awards dinner for the Arts Council of the Capital Region.  They are using the old Stanley’s Department Store for exhibits. Rensselaer County libraries are welcome to use it. They want to have a collaborative effort.

Old Business:

none

New Business:

Summer Reading Clubs – A YSS librarian expressed concern to Mary Fellows that other staff at the library were complaining about the additional work created by the summer reading club. Mary just to relay this concern to the directors.

Motion (Gaillard, Pieri) Meeting adjourned  11:10am. Next meeting July 11, 2003 at UHLS.

November’s meeting will be rescheduled from November 7^th to the 14^th due to NYLA in Saratoga