North Star Project   April 2003 Update

NLLN School Automation Project Update   April 2003 

FY 2003 

• Waubun/Ogema/White Earth schools, Kittson Central Schools, and the Red Lake Tribal Archive and Library, migrated from the DRA system used by Aurora (NCAP).
• Summer 2003, Waubun and Kittson media specialists, along with other members of a committee, went through an in-depth process to select a new integrated library system.
• Follett Circulation Plus/Catalog Plus software was selected in August as an interim system to be used until such time as the Follett Destiny software was available. Both schools had a need to be operational on a new system in the Fall of 2003. The longer-term goal was to move to a completely web-based system on a central server and to investigate the possibility of using an applications service provider so that technical support requirements in small, rural districts could be kept at a minimum. A central server would be maintained off-site.
• New software was purchased, installed, and customized for each district. Records were removed from the DRA system, converted by Follett, and migrated to the new system. The users database was created from school student files (e.g., SASI). Accelerated Reading information was included in the catalog record.
• By November, both districts were up and running on the new system, importing full MARC21 records into the catalog, making the OPAC available on the web, creating customized reports, tracking equipment, creating teacher bibliographies, etc. Both schools make the media center available to students/teachers via the web for access from home and classroom. Both schools are using CatExpress (OCLC) to import MARC records into the catalog.
• Both schools were able to use their existing 14 digit unique barcodes and are able to borrow from each other, using those barcodes for circulation tracking both between schools and within the school. Previously purchased scanners worked with the new system.
• A presentation was made at the February MEMO Midwinter conference for others who are interested in how this project works, or in joining this project. Regular updates were made to the NLLN Governing Board and to the wider world via the NLLN Newsletter.
• Preliminary discussions have been held with several districts who have not been automated or who are looking to upgrade their automation system.
• The Red Lake Tribal Archive and Library is investigating the possibility of sharing a library system with the Red Lake schools and the Red Lake Tribal College. The schools are currently on a Winnebago Spectrum system; the Tribal Archives and Library uses both Library of Congress and Dewy Decimal classification for their holdings; the tribal college is newly formed and not yet accredited.
• NLLN will request that the expansion of this project – automating non-automated school/special libraries, linking to larger regional databases – will be an eligible goal in the next round of Library Services and Technology Act  (LSTA) grants. It is an eligible project under the new 5-year Minnesota LSTA Plan, however, it was not an activity that was selected for funding in the first round of LSTA grants in 2003.

 FY 2004 

• Name the project.
• Complete the implementation and refine the use of the Follett CatalogPlus system, including Find It All,  in the Waubun and Kittson Schools.
• Explore the possibility of migrating to the Destiny system on an application service provider model. Identify possible hosts for the server.
• Conduct a formal survey of the needs of unautomated school/special libraries in the NLLN region.
• Provide workshop(s) on using the basic functions of an automated library system that meets Minnesota standards for an integrated library system. (e.g., MARC 21 catalog records/how to get them, what Z39.50 compatibility means, how to get unique 14 digit bar codes for your library).
• Negotiate group purchasing options through NLLN, or purchase through an NLLN consortium license.
• Designate NLLN funds for this phase of the project: to hire a consultant, to provide workshops, for implementation/migration assistance, assistance in linking libraries, CatExpress/LaserQuest licenses, etc.
• Apply for LSTA grant for NLLN member library automation project.

 FY 2005 

• Establish governance, administration and funding structure for the project.
• Implement fully Z39.50 compliant, web-based, integrated library system for NLLN member libraries, using an applications service provider.
• Make system available to all NLLN member libraries that are not currently automated or are not on a linked system.
• Link this system to other regional and state catalogs.
• Provide training, upgrades, review, evaluation of the project

Ruth Solie
April 2003