Connecting Indiana Libraries

INCOLSA’s regional forums in October will be designed to share information about the progress of merger discussions with the Michigan Library Consortium.  As I prepare for these discussions, I’d like to have input from INCOLSA members.  What questions do you have about a merger with MLC?  What concerns you?  What excites you?  What are you ambivalent about?  I look forward to hearing from you!

Marnie Maxwell

Interim Executive Director, INCOLSA

Users of WorldCat.org, WorldCat Local and WorldCat Local “quick start” can now search all OCLC electronic resource services through an upgraded interface.  Integrated search results include resources from all services – OCLC FirstSearch databases, NetLibrary eBooks and eAudiobooks, Electronic Collections Online eJournals, ArchiveGrid archival collection descriptions and CAMIO (the Catalog of Art Museum Images Online.)

A simple search box connects users with content in OCLC electronic in a user-friendly experience that delivers relevancy ranking of locally-owned items cataloged in WorldCat, faceted browsing and simultaneous searching of an unlimited number of databases.  Soon, users also benefit from access to social tools such as personal profiles, reviews and ratings and list creation and sharing that are not available in existing service interfaces.

This enhanced access is the first step toward more full integration of OCLC electronic resources, with the goal of eventually making WorldCat.org, WorldCat Local and WorldCat Local “quick start” the primary interface to these services.  OCLC plans to release enhancements to the new interface on an ongoing basis.

Access to current services continues

These enhancements let libraries offer users a new interface for access to OCLC electronic resources at no additional charge.  Existing interfaces for FirstSearch, NetLibrary, CAMIO and ArchiveGrid will be available through at least 2011 to ensure a smooth transition for library staff and users.  Staffs at each library control the timing of the introduction of these enhancements to local library users.  More information on the single-search access to OCLC electronic resource services can be found on the Web at www.oclc.org/access

As my first blog posting, I wanted to bring you up to date on what’s happening with the merger discussions between the Michigan Library Consortium (MLC) and INCOLSA, Inc.

As you may know, we have decided to build on the success of a collaborative relationship developed over the past year and enter into a formal investigation to merge the two organizations.  A merger design team consisting of MLC Executive Director Randy Dykhuis and myself, and three members each from the INCOLSA Executive Committee and the MLC Board of Directors met at the end of July to establish a process for the merger.  The due diligence process is underway. The timeline calls for a Memorandum of Understanding to be approved by both governing boards in mid-November.  Here’s what we’ve jointly said, which was announced in a joint press release issued today:

“Our library members are challenged by the current economy, so it is in everyone’s best interest that we look for ways to control costs,” said Dykhuis. “The OCLC and group licensing cooperative initiatives between MLC and INCOLSA have been very well received by the members of both networks. Our governing boards have agreed that a merger of the two organizations is the next logical step.”

Over the next several months the merger design team will explore all aspects of the merger. “A critical component of the potential merger is gathering input from the members of both organizations,” said Maxwell.  “INCOLSA and MLC will hold regional meetings later this year to ensure our members have a chance to make their voices heard as we embark on this next phase of delivering the highest quality service to our libraries.”

If you have questions about the merger discussions, please don’t hesitate to email me at marnie@incolsa.net.

Marnie Maxwell, Interim Executive Director of INCOLSA, Inc.

WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway helps libraries maximize Web visibility of digital collections via WorldCat

OCLC has released the WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway, a new
service that helps libraries and other institutions maximize the
visibility of unique primary source materials, such as digital photos,
newspapers, letters and diaries, through WorldCat on the Web.

The WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway is available to all users of
OCLC CONTENTdm Digital Collection Management software at no additional
charge.

The WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway offers libraries a self-service
tool to easily upload metadata from their unique digital content to
WorldCat, the world’s largest online resource for finding items held in
libraries. Once the metadata is in WorldCat, libraries’ digital
collections are more visible and discoverable by Web searchers through
WorldCat.org, WorldCat Local (including the ‘quick start’ version),
Google, Yahoo! and other popular search engines.

“Libraries, museums and archives should do whatever they can to get
their materials available online and expose their collections to
users—wherever they are—on the Web,” said Roy Tennant, Senior Program
Officer, OCLC Research. “The WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway is an
easy and effective way to do this.”

The Gateway has been piloted in 12 institutions. Since May, the pilot
participants used the Gateway self-service tools to upload thousands of
records from their CONTENTdm collections into WorldCat. Because they
have used the Gateway to set up profiles for their collections, the
pilot users’ metadata will be regularly uploaded to WorldCat as they add
to their digital collections over time.

“The Gateway is an important tool for the Clark to broaden the
visibility of its collections,” said Penny Baker, Collections Management
Librarian from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, one of the
institutions that participated in the pilot. “From there we have created
WorldCat lists and have also tied in online interactive communities such
as Facebook and other Web 2.0 tools.”

One of the WorldCat lists created by the Sterling and Francine Clark Art
Institute can be found here
www.worldcat.org/profiles/tompinch/lists/772561.

As libraries, museums and other cultural heritage organizations continue
to upload CONTENTdm metadata, they are creating a collective digital
repository to enrich the resources available to their end users. End
users will be able to search WorldCat to find the resources they need
from their library’s digital collections of rare, historic or local
materials, along with materials provided by other libraries around the
world. Users will be able to click on items and visit these unique
collections virtually by viewing items immediately on their computer
screen—anytime, from anywhere.

More information on the WorldCat Digital Collection Gateway can be found
on the Web at www.oclc.org/gateway.

I’m pleased to announce that the INCOLSA nonprofit conversion is on track to take effect 1 July 2009. The era of INCOLSA the quasi-governmental Library Services Authority will end at midnight on 30 June 2009, and the era of INCOLSA Inc. the nonprofit corporation will begin at 12:01 AM on Wednesday, 1 July 2009.

At the annual meeting on 14 April 2009, INCOLSA’s Board of Directors voted to approve the charter conversion. On 6 May 2009, Governor Daniels signed into law our conversion-enabling legislation. Today, Marion Circuit Court Judge Louis Rosenberg granted our petition for approval of the INCOLSA nonprofit conversion, enabling us to file the necessary papers with the Secretary of State.

We expect to file tomorrow with the IRS the application for a determination of tax-exempt status for INCOLSA the nonprofit. According to IRS rules, we had to wait until we gained court approval before filing. We’re hopeful for a favorable IRS ruling, since INCOLSA has had 501(c)3 status throughout our history.

These steps conclude INCOLSA’s charter conversion-related proceedings. Beginning in 2007 and continuing to the present, many people helped us achieve this advance. I especially want to thank Beverly Martin, your INCOLSA President, along with current and former EC members during 2007-2009: Janet Brewer, Amy Harshbarger, Wendell Johnting, Patty Lunsford, Nancy McGriff, Beth Booth Poor, Kevin Roe, Janet Scank, Ann Sheehan, John Stachacz and Joe Wehlacz.

I also thank you, our members, for your support. You were instrumental in helping us gain the flexibility that comes with nonprofit status, and I am most grateful. In upcoming posts, you’ll hear more about INCOLSA’s continuing evolution. Please stay tuned.

Dear colleagues,

Next Tuesday, I will celebrate my fifth year of service at INCOLSA. I want to thank the INCOLSA Executive Committee and our membership for allowing me to work with you all to advance library services statewide.

As we near completion of INCOLSA’s nonprofit conversion, and as we begin a new chapter for your statewide library cooperative, it is time for me to chart a different course. Therefore, I have submitted my resignation as INCOLSA Executive Director, effective 31 July 2009. On 1 September, I am looking forward to joining the Prairie Area Library System in Illinois.

We are in the process of completing transition plans, which I expect will be announced after next Thursday’s INCOLSA Executive Committee meeting. Meanwhile, please accept my thanks for the many ways you have helped me grow during these past five years. I wish you every future success.