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Structure
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
I've just sent out a call for nominations to fill open seats on the ILS Operations Committee and an election will be held before the next meeting, August 21. This provides an opportunity for new faces to come to the table. (Always keeping in mind that every meeting is an open session and visitors are welcome to attend and participate.)
The Online Library directors elected the first ILS Operations Committee representatives and alternates in 2003 and the committee held its inaugural meeting on April 1, 2003. As SELCO and the Online Libraries were deep in the midst of our migration to Horizon, the first joint meeting with the Board appointed Technology Policy Committee was held October 9, 2003 after the September 3 migration.
As the joint committee dealt with the challenges of a new system, the meeting structure evolved over time using a variety of options for the collaborative discussions. These included the ILS Ops committee meeting for an hour or two before the joint meeting and the Tech Policy Committee joining ILS Ops every other bi-monthly meeting. At a special called meeting in January 2006, the joint committee decided it would meet monthly and this practice continues today.
The ILS Operations Committee has had an interesting mix of elected representatives and alternates. Some have been involved in this decision-making role since the committee was created and others have shared their time and talents but then moved on to other tasks. Previous members of the ILS Operations Committee include:
- Shirley Taylor, Lourdes High School, School Library Media Center Representative, 2003 – 2008
- Barbara Misselt, SELCO, 2003 – 2007
- Graham Benoit, Owatonna Public Library, Large Public Library Representative, 2003 – 2007
- Jeanne Johnson, Zumbrota Public Library, Medium Public Library Representative, 2003 – 2007; Also served as the elected chair of the committee, 2003-2007
- Angie Meyer, Dodge Center Public Library, Small Public Library Representative, 2003 – 2005
- Vicki Tate, Small Library Alternate, 2003 – 2005
- Dick Kettering, Shattuck-St. Mary’s, School Library Media Center Representative, 2003 – 2004.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- A Summary of Individual Comments as part of a public discussion on the possible merger of SELCO and SELS held July 15, 2008 at Albert Lea Public Library (PDF 53KB)
- A Summary of Individual Comments as part of a public discussion on the possible merger of SELCO and SELS held July 2, 2008 at the Lake City Public Library (PDF 55KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
At the joint meeting of the Technology Policy Committee and the ILS Operations in February 2008, members revised the responsibilities of the ILS Operations Committee. As part of a discussion, members reviewed the breakdown of voting representation in comparison to financial support of the SELCO ILS.
The makeup of the ILS Operations Committee with five members and three alternates elected to represent the online public libraries, two elected school representatives and one alternate, matches (within percentage points) the use of the system in terms of circulation and holdings shared with the cooperative. The representative make-up of the ILS Operations Committee also mirrors the levels of financial support by type of library.
As part of the public discussions on a possible merger of SELCO and SELS, the question has been raised if library representation on the ILS Operations Committee is the right mix. Based strictly on a statistic analysis, the current makeup fits a variety of factors, which certainly argues that in the interest of striving for a manageable size group, the number of individual should stay the same. Others might put forth an argument for a larger group, or a different mix and I am amenable to that discussion.
At the last ILS Operations – Technology Policy Committee, I proposed increasing the membership of the ILS Ops Committee and correcting a number of items that have slipped over time. Details of what I proposed are included below. No action was taken while the elected public library representatives poll the library directors.
Recommendation
1. Retain the current two elected representatives of large public libraries and elected alternate
2. Call for nominations for the position vacated by Jeanne Johnson formerly representing medium public libraries and currently filled by LaVonne Beach, the elected alternate. (The call for nominations in August 2007 did not receive any responses.)
3. Shift the seat held by Sharon Grossardt from representing small public libraries to a medium slot since the St. Charles population places this library in the “medium” category. This would give medium public libraries a second seat at the table.
4. Call for nominations for a small public library representative in the slot previously held by Sharon Grossardt.
5. Call for nominations for the second small library representative since Susan Hart completed her second term, 2005-2007, and there should already have been a call for nominations. Susan would be eligible for a third term and is currently the elected Vice-Chair of the Committee.
6. Likewise, a call for nominations for the small library alternate is needed. Stephanie Silvers completed her first term, 2005-2007. Stephanie is also eligible to be nominated.
More information is available on the website.
- For a complete roster of the ILS Operations Committee members and ex-officio attendees
- For the committee charge and list of responsibilities as edited by the Committee in February 2008 and approved by the Board
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- A Summary of Individual Comments as part of a public discussion on the possible merger of SELCO and SELS held June 24, 2008 at St. Olaf College (PDF 54KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
As noted earlier, there is a wide selection of organizational agreements in use around Minnesota's regional libraries. Here are a few more examples:
- North Country Library Cooperative (NCLC) Organizational Agreement (PDF 60KB)
- Northern Lights Library Network (NLLN) Organizational Agreement (PDF 131KB)
- Southcentral Minnesota Inter-Library Exchange (SMILE) - 2002 Organizational Agreement (PDF 52KB)
- Southwest Area Multicounty Multitype Interlibrary Exchange - FY 2003 Organizational Agreement (PDF 37KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- Alternative Model for Advisory Committee Structure submitted by James Hill, Director, Zumbrota Public Library (PDF 130 KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
As intended when the Board approved conducting a series of public discussions about a possible merger of SELCO and SELS, ideas abound. James Hill, the Director of the Zumbrota Public Library, has offered a well-constructed meeting proposal. It is quite evident from the discussion thus far that hosting only two general meetings and adding a “zone or cluster” meeting will be insufficient as initially outlined for a public library meeting schedule. James proposed four quarterly public library directors’ meetings and a series of regular meetings, not based on a geographic zone but on size of library. A very interesting concept and one SELCO staff and members of the Structure Study Committee feel can easily be integrated with other suggestions coming from the public library discussions.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
The SELCO Bylaws were originally adopted in July 1973. A major revision occurred in during FY 2002 and most the recent amendments were approved in April 2003.
The SELS Bylaws were originally adopted in July 1981 and amended in July 2002.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
The public library and multitype systems just to the west of SELCO/SELS have also been engaged in a structure study. Soutcentral Minnesota Inter-Library Exchange (SMILE) and Traverse des Sioux Library System (TdS) will present a merger proposal to the regional library board at their June meeting.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
What defines a public library as small, medium, or large? In the early days of the region, the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the definition was simple. Libraries in communities with populations of over 10,000 were large libraries and everything else was small since the remaining communities with public libraries were all under 5,000. For the better part of the first two decades of shared library automation, beginning in 1983 when Owatonna and Zumbrota Public Libraries and Austin High School came online, this breakdown correlated closely with the volume of library use as counted by circulation.
The Internet explosion changed everything. Not just how libraries did business but how much service each location provided. SELCO’s Telecommunication Task Force (1999) defined basic telecommunication service as “reliable access to the online library system, remote cataloging, subscription databases and limited Internet access. SELCO will provide a sufficient network infrastructure, both centrally and remotely, to ensure high-performance at peak hours of operation.”
In today’s 21st century world of downloadable everything, we would never get away with using “limited” as an adjective to define Internet access. At the time and facing fiscal realities, the Telecommunication Task Force described basic service by the size of the telecommunication circuits needed for that reliable service --- one-56Kbps, two-56Kbps, and T-1. A complicated rubric measured city population, circulation, with 9 as a multiplier and defined the new “tier” structure. While the formula worked relatively well for a few years, increased telecommunication options and decreased prices made this mathematical calculation obsolete.
In 2003, SELCO migrated to a new integrated library system (ILS). In order to insure consistent, regular input from the Online Libraries, the Oversight Committee responsible for recommending the new ILS suggested SELCO create an elected ILS Operation Committee. The small, medium, and large designation, based simply on the current population counts (either the State Demographer’s estimates or census data) is used to define the five elected public library representatives (2 large, 1 medium, 2 small) and the elected alternates. For a copy of a recently updated population chart, click here. (PDF 38KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- Summary of individual comments from the June 10, 2008 discussion of a possible merger of SELCO/SELS with the SELCO Advisory Committee (PDF 52KB)
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- An Invitation to Discuss a Regional Merger (PDF 68KB) Additional dates and times have been confirmed for public discussions.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
- July 2, 2008 at the Lake City Public Library from 2:00 - 4:00
- July 15, 2008 at the Albert Lea Public Library from 2:00 - 4:00
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
One thing is certain --- SELCO/SELS hosts A LOT of meetings. This has been a topic of concern at various times but especially now with local budgets under constant stress and the price of gas causing people to pause before hopping in the car and dashing off to Rochester.
The Structure Study Committee's initial recommendation includes merging the SELS and SELCO Advisory Committees. This would reduce the number of advisory groups from three to two and eliminate some, but not all meetings.
Since it is still a very good idea to bring people together to discuss their interests, SELCO proposes a new approach for the public library directors and takes into consideration a number of factors:
1) The Structure Study Committee's goal to streamline the committee structure
2) Decreasing attendance at the bi-monthly public library director meetings due to busy schedules
3) The recommendation offered during the strategic planning retreat (March 3-5) for opportunities to visit local libraries and meet local staff.
The proposed meeting schedule also outlines a number of regular meetings that will continue in a merged organization.
Ann B. Hutton, Executive Director
The Board's Structure Committee feels it is time to unite SELCO and SELS into a single entity and will hold a series of discussions with library staff and trustee around the region. The materials pertaining to these upcoming discussions include:
- An Invitation to Discuss a Regional Merger (PDF 78KB)
- Structure Study Recommendation from the Structure Study Committee to the SELCO/SELS Board of Directors, April 2008 (PDF 50KB)
- Questions & Answers regarding the possible merger of SELCO and SELS (PDF 42KB) [Dated: 5-28-2008. Note: This document will be edited and content will be added throughout the summer based on questions raised at the public discussions. Each edition will be posted to the Structures Blog.]
- Current & Future Accounting Structure (PDF 12KB)
