FALCONS Meeting Minutes – November 18, 2021
The meeting was held on Zoom. Rex called it to order at 9:30 AM.
FLLS Staff Present: Eric Franks, Deb Geier, Sarah Glogowski, Rex Helwig, Jenny Shonk, Heidi Eckerson
Member Libraries Present: Cathy Sorber/Apalachin, Drew Urbanek/Auburn, Fran Miller/Berkshire, Heather Cobb/McGraw, Carla Jones/Union Springs, Brandi Rozelle/Waterloo, Lisa Semenza/Poplar Ridge, Lisa Carr/Auburn, Sandra Groth/Aurora, Jen Schlossberg/TCPL, Priscilla Berggren-Thomas/Homer, Erin Chapman/Newark Valley, Elizabeth Helmetsie/Spencer, Aimee Dorward/Cortland, Beth Bevars/Lodi, Cheryl Austin/Weedsport, Samantha Black/Weedsport, Sara Knobel/Groton, Laura Mielenhausen/Trumansburg, Andrea Tillinghast/Ovid, Ben Love/ (Port Byron), Diane Pamel/Dryden, Marcia Enright/Candor, Gayle James/Cato, Michelle Calupca/Lansing
Introductions:
New Directors at TCPL-Theresa Vadikan (Interim), Trumansburg-Lauren Mielenhausen and at Weedsport- Samantha Black
Announcements:
Sarah G. see yesterday’s directors meeting minutes. Pfizer and Moderna most likely to be approved for booster shots.
Approval of minute:
Minutes Drew U. moved to accept and Jennifer S. seconded minutes were accepted.
Old Business
2021 Computer Bulk Purchase Wrap-up:
- Chromebook license received yesterday. Libraries on the south route will get them tomorrow and the north route libraries will get them on Monday. All Dell computers have been sent out. In person installs are not being done. They public computers are set to go and anything extra can be done remotely (printer drives, etc.). Staff computers need about an hour for migrating to new computers which will also be done remotely.
- One Card Many Libraries (Claims, Patron Online Registration): Jen S. survey sent out and results received. Group met to discuss survey.
- 1st question about claims on items. 80% are fine with their items being placed on a claim without being contacted. Recommending that staff run a monthly report to see what items have been put on claimed returned and owning library can follow up as needed.
- 2nd question about renewing items from other libraries. Recommend renewing items that do not have a hold on them. If it reaches maximum hold and no holds on item yes you can renew. Recommending trying this on a trial basis and seeing how it goes and have everyone report back. A box in Polaris will come up on renewals and will let you know how many times an item has been renewed.
- 3rd question about update registration at different libraries. 90% are fine with other libraries updating their patron registrations and renewing their registrations. Need to ensure we all have a common understanding for checking and updating registrations.
- Rex (FLLS) online registration temporary barcode numbers do not work with Overdrive. If you do not have online registration patrons in your area may be registering under other libraries. Think about having this feature turned on. Birthdates are needed, email addressed, phone numbers and address are all critical.
- Eric and Rex are the only ones who can modify holds queue.
- To update birthdates pull up find tool, search by birth date, 1/1/1901 to 1/1/1901 search by library.
- Lisa (AUB) standards need to be discussed, on identification verification, paper copies or not. Rex will table this discussion till a later date.
- Lisa (AUB) claimed returned cannot happen once an item moves to lost status.
- Rex there is a report in Polaris to see what is being renewed. Jenny (FLLS) will send out instructions on how to do this.
New Business
- Overdrive Legacy App Retirement: Overdrive will retire the legacy app in February of 2022 it will no longer be available. They are shifting over to the Libby app. There are links that have been sent out to prepare you for this transition. Prepare your staff for this.
- Member Library Lending Policies Document: The document is on the FLLS website under About, Delivery, see 2019 version, there is a key that explains everything at the bottom of the document. See document for Local Hold Restriction and Preferred Borrowers explanation. This is only about holds restrictions, people can still come to your library and check out new items from outside their registered library.
- Lisa we should discuss our limits at a county level to begin with. Jenny (FLLS) agrees. Lisa would like a deadline for the county discussions.
- Polaris Leap News (Searching Titles [initial articles], Creating Quick Bibs): Rex: leap is getting closer to being equal to remote. Brandi at Waterloo found 2 main problems in Leap. The Search tool in leap doesn’t recognize the word “The” in the beginning of a title. If you type (The Notebook) no results will come up. Problem may be solved in January. Another problem is in creating bib records it throws in a blank line in the client record. Those lines have to be taken out manually through Polaris Client. New release may solve these issues. They are starting to build acquisitions into Leap as well.
- Technology
- Windows 11: Launched in October. Windows updates occur in the spring and fall. At some point the Public and Staff computers of 2019 should update to Windows 11 without an issue. Icons don’t show up on the start menu like normal. The windows button at the bottom is where you will find your computer information. Taskbar may be changed in settings. This is a heads up that this is coming up for those computers that qualify. 2019, 2020, 2021 computers will all get the update.
- Website Caching Program: For hosted websites through FLLS, if your update is not taking you might have to clear the cache, if you need help contact Eric.
- Techsoup (no more on premises Office licenses effective April 4, 2022): They are really pushing to 365 where it’s a monthly or yearly subscription. There will be an office 2021 so far but as of April 2022 you will no longer be able to get these licenses. We may need to switch to just google docs.
- 2021 so far can still be downloaded until they put an expiration date maybe years down the road. Now may be the time to get an Office license before they are no longer available on TechSoup coming in April. (Microsoft Office will be supported until 2026)
- Deep Freeze renewal is coming up. Please get your computer numbers in ASAP for all public computers that have deep-freeze.
- ARPA: updating the network equipment for the libraries that are using Meraki equipment with leftover money going to computers for libraries that are CIPA compliant. New devices will have better connections and position those libraries for the next 5 years. The plan is to replace the current equipment and for those libraries where they utilize a wireless router, move to a separate router and wireless access points. Should be getting feedback hopefully by December/January. Bulk buy will start earlier in 2022 to coincide with the ARPA money.
Open Discussion: No Discussion
The meeting adjourned at 11:04a.m.
Next meeting: 2/17/2021 at 9:30 a.m.
Submitted by: Brandi Rozelle (WAT).