Update on goals and timeline

I was asked, along with NH State Librarian Michael York, to be part of a program billed as "An Update on Open Source ILS" being held on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Howe Library (10am-1pm). At this program we will be offering an update on our current goals and timelines.

 

Here is an overview of where we are at:

• Preliminary pricing has been obtained from a vendor that can support us in a KOHA installation. There are several variables that will influence the price, including how many libraries are ready to implement a system through this project. Preliminary pricing on an Evergreen installation has also been obtained, but there are a couple of questions about this quote that we are still waiting on an answer for. I expect to release a preliminary price sheet by mid-December (12/9/2011 is my target date for this to be sent to the nhaisLOCAL community)
   
• Collecting input from the libraries in the group was begun and then stalled (not enough hours in my day!) I asked for volunteers to help with this info collection and several stepped up. (Thank you!) There will be more data collection going on (with people other than me doing the compiling) between now and the end of the year.
   
• An online meeting will be held the first week of December with the KOHA vendor (Bywater Solutions) to show the system and discuss the options available to us with our group. Registration info for this meeting (and 2 date options) will be sent to the community (via the listserv) next week. I am hoping to arrange a similar online meeting with the Evergreen support company as well.
   
• Once these things are done the community will need to:

1. Decide which system will work best for us based on the identified needs of the community and the capabilities of the systems
2. Identify which libraries are ready to implement the chosen system (I am working on a checklist to help each library figure out where they are at regarding this question)

• After that a solid price structure can be settled on (which system is chosen and how many libraries will be implemented how fast will affect the final pricing), a fiscal and organizational structure for the co-op can be settled on, and we can set up the nhaisLOCAL integrated library system and begin implementation for libraries.