Tech Support Meeting Minutes for April 24, 2001

Minutes for Tech Group Meeting

24 April 2001

Downtown Library, Room B

Present: Debra Spindle (chair), Kay Bauman, Janet Brooks, Jane Carvajal, Anne Fischer, Karen Marriott, Donna Morris, Jim Welch

Diskette sales

The structure is in place for diskettes to be sold by libraries that choose to do so. Implementation will occur when Supplies in the Business Office completes ordering the supplies and the go-ahead comes from Judy Walden.

Equipment location

Discussion regarding location of equipment in the public service areas showed that most libraries have a data closet for the equipment. Equipment at other libraries is located in a place considered to be safe from accidental bumping.

Data cd-roms for public use

Clarification was sought regarding the use of cd-roms for public use. Some indexes are available in this format and the Downtown Library anticipates having additional titles. Marriott will work on the policy for this process.

Internet suspension clarification

If a customer is banned from the internet, this includes using the Microsoft programs to go “out” onto the internet without logging on with one’s card. This does not preclude using the programs themselves, but only if they are being used as a gateway to the internet.

Chapter-a-Day Service & Webmaster

Chapter-a-Day will be added to the MLS website soon after the new webmaster begins May 7. (Webmaster is Teresa Goggins.) This is a service that customers can sign-up for that delivers a partial chapter of a book to their email each day for a week. Each week is a different title—the goal is to allow customers to preview books.

Internet Policies

The Public Services Committee will meet June 7 to finalize discussion of the impact of recent legislation on internet usage policy. Probably all computers in all libraries will be filtered, with different levels of filtering for adults and for minors.

Color printers

Color printers will soon be installed in most of the libraries during May and June. These are customer-based printers, and use of these printers will require some policy and placement considerations. Public Services will work on such a policy.

Tech Group Chair

The Tech Group was formerly chaired by the Director of Planning. When Linda Levy, as Director of Planning, served as Interim Director, the chair of the Tech Group was rotated among members. Questions arose regarding this procedure since the Director of Planning was recently filled by Kay Bauman. Kay will check with the Executive Director to see if the Director of Planning should resume as permanent chair.