SIGNAL - an e-mail newsletter

Published by the Southern Ontario Library Service

The introductory page for the Southern Ontario Library Service is www.sols.org.  From that page, you can move to any other pages created by staff at the Southern Ontario Library Service, as well as to links to resources and professional information. 

Note - as this is an older newsletter, some links may no longer be valid, or may refer you to a section of the site that has been updated in the interim. Please contact if you want more information on a specific initiative.

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In this issue:

1. CONSORTIA PURCHASING AGREEMENTS
2. SOLS DELIVERY SERVICE UPDATE
3. What’s new in Interlibrary Loan?
4. TRUSTEE COUNCIL MEETINGS
5. MORE JOINT SOLS-OLBA WORKSHOPS FOR TRUSTEES – Last chance to register
6. LIBRARY COMMITTEE MEETINGS
7. lIBRARY LITERATURE SERVICE
8. funding opportunitIES
9. SOLS TRAINING WORKSHOPS
10. SOLS – COOL VENDOR DEMOS
11. SOLS CEO LISTSERV
12. SOLS BOARD SUMMARY - September 2004
13. IN THE COMMUNITY 

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1.  CONSORTIA PURCHASING AGREEMENTS

SOLS negotiates charitable/consortia purchasing agreements (CPAs) on behalf of SOLS libraries. CPAs are ‘economies of scale’ pricing for the purchase or lease of a range of goods and services. 

a) On September 29^th, SOLS announced our latest Consortia Purchasing Agreement (CPA) for electromagnetic (EM) security strips.  The successful vendor is ID Systems of Toronto.  Products available include 5" EM double sided adhesive "Tail Tags"; 5" EM single sided adhesive "Spine Tags"; 3.5" EM "CD/DVD Tags"; 5" EM video "please rewind" "Video Tags", as well as a number of other products.  Information for these products is posted at www.idsystems.ca.  The period of this agreement is September 28, 2004 to December 31^st, 2005.

Further information on pending Charitable/Consortia Purchasing Agreements can be found at http://www.sols.org/resourcesharing/coolcpa/index.htm .  At that Web page, the various CPAs are organized by product and service, as well as by Vendor.  The contact person for most of the CPAs is the SOLS Purchaser, Ron Neems. Ron can be reached at 1-416-961-1669 or 1-800-387-5765 ext. 5115 or by e-mail at . If you have ideas for the CPA, please do not hesitate to contact Ron.

b) The Ontario Public Library Group Benefit Consortium (OPLGBC) is a proposal for a membership-driven, group insurance umbrella plan.  It is an opportunity to realize savings in operations, and possibly enhance the group benefit coverage for your organization.  If your organization currently has no benefit coverage, the OPLGBC is an opportunity to participate with other libraries and library organizations in a plan that provides coverage to your employees at a reasonable cost.  In the first stage of a two-stage process, interested libraries are being asked to provide input into the feasibility of the OPLGBC by completing the survey that was distributed through the SOLSCEO e-mail list on September 7^th, and which is due back to Mosey & Mosey on September 30^th.   In the second stage, libraries would be provided with data, and be able to obtain a quotation on coverage.  For more information on this consortium plan, please contact Daryl Novak, SOLS, Chief Administrative Officer at 416-961-1669 ext. 5135, or by e-mail to .

2. SOLS DELIVERY SERVICE UPDATE

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff in the libraries for their patience over the last few weeks while the SOLS’ drivers learned the new delivery route schedules and sorted out the many changes that were implemented on Tuesday, September 7, 2004.

It is apparent that some minor adjustments will need to be made to certain routes to ensure they meet our goal of providing adequate delivery service to the libraries while, at the same time, saving money.  In mid-October, some minor changes to the SOLS routes will be implemented.  If there is a change in the time and/or day of delivery to your library, you will be contacted directly by Mary Jo Lynett, Supervisor of Delivery Service. Please feel free to contact Mary Jo with your SOLS Delivery Service questions or concerns.  She can be reached at or 1-800-387-5765, ext. 5127. 

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3. What’s new in Interlibrary Loan?

a) Up and Coming ….

• The new INFO union catalogue is in the works.  By the September 15^th deadline, we had received “output” from 70 libraries, and we are presently working with 18 other libraries which are having problems with their output.  These days, fewer libraries actually submit output for the static union catalogue, as more libraries acquire accessibility using the z39.50 standard and can be considered to be “live targets”.  The number of z39.50 libraries has grown from a dozen in 2001, to 45 live target libraries currently participating in the INFO network. 
• The VDX upgrade to version 2.7.3 is projected to take place at the end of October.  Library staff members were introduced to the functionality in the new version at Spring 2003 VDX User Group Clinics and continue to have access to a VDX 2.7 Test System with which to experiment.

b) And after the upgrade…. 

• Once the VDX upgrade has passed the vendor’s 20-day health check, SOLS staff will work with interested z39.50 target libraries to implement new DocFind Responder functionality.  This new feature will allow VDX’s DocFind processor to check the z39.50 accessible library catalogue for availability on an incoming ILL request.  If determined to be “not available” (for example, “in use”, “on hold”, “lost”, “at bindery”, “on order”), the DocFind Responder automatically applies a “Not Supplied” or “Try Later” response on the request for your location and the request will move on to the next location in the rota.  These steps will all happen without staff intervention, thereby saving time for busy ILL staff.   This functionality will also relieve some of the pressure that live target libraries experience for new titles.  Presuming a new title is in high demand locally, the DocFind Responder will find it “not available” and send an auto answer to that effect on incoming ILL requests for new titles.
• The VDX patron interface has also been upgraded in the new version, making it more intuitive and fun to use.  If you have been wondering about patron-initiated interlibrary loan for your library, these findings from our pilot project may be of interest:
  • At least 20 minutes of staff time is saved on each patron-initiated ILL.
  • The time spent by library staff in training patrons is 92% recovered when the second patron-initiated request hits the system.
  • The training program developed for patrons was found by 76% of the respondents to be “just right” and by 18% of the respondents to be “more than adequate”.  94% of the respondents found the “home user guide” to be just right for their purposes.
  • ILL items are received by the patrons anywhere from 0.57 days to 8.83 days faster when the request was patron initiated.
  • ILL statistics increase but the staff workload stays relatively the same.  Patrons issue more requests, at least initially, with the novelty of placing requests from home any time, day or night.  You can activate a “Patron Limit” feature to alleviate too many ILL items arriving within a time frame.  Staff at pilot libraries did not experience a large shift in their workload up or down.  They were receiving and returning more ILL items (with the bonus of increased statistics) but with the patrons doing at least half the work in an ILL request life cycle, the increased volume of requests was manageable.
     

Be sure to watch “INFO at SOLS” area on the SOLS Web site (http://www.sols.org/resourcesharing/INFO/index.htm) for more details on patron-initiated VDX and branch-initiated VDX and how this functionality might supplement the interlibrary loan service at your library.

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4. TRUSTEE COUNCIL MEETINGS – Fall 2004

The purpose of the SOLS Trustee Councils is to provide:

- A communication link between SOLS and boards regarding SOLS' services
- A forum for sharing information
- An opportunity to hear how other boards deal with similar issues
- Suggestions and support for trustee training
- To elect members to the SOLS' board according to the terms established in the by-laws

Trustee Councils meet twice a year in eight locations and all public library boards may send a representative.  While all appointed trustee council representatives will receive a print mailing of the agenda, the dates of the upcoming meetings have been included below for your information.  You may wish to share this information at the next library board meeting.  Further information is posted at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/networking/trusteecouncils/index.htm  For Fall 2004, the dates and locations will be as follows.

 Wednesday, October 13, 2004 from 6pm to 9pm [5:30pm for supper] - Trustee Council 7 - Petawawa Public Library

 Saturday, October 16, 2004 from 10am to 1pm - Trustee Council 1 - Lambton County Library - new Wyoming branch

 Saturday, October 16, 2004 from 10am to 1pm - Trustee Council 4 - Muskoka Lakes Public Library -Norma and Miller Alloway Branch

 Saturday, October 16, 2004 from Noon to 3:30pm - Trustee Council 8 - North Grenville Public Library - South Gower branch

 Monday, October 18, 2004 from 6pm to 9pm - Escarpment Trustee Council - Haldimand County Public Library - new Caledonia branch

 Monday, October 18, 2004 from 6pm to 9pm Trustee Council 3 - Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library

 Saturday, October 23, 2004 from 10am to 1pm - Trustee Council 5 - King Township Public Library - King City branch

 Saturday, October 23, 2004 from 10am to 1pm - Trustee Council 6 - Quinte West Public Library - new Trenton branch

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5. MORE JOINT SOLS-OLBA WORKSHOPS FOR TRUSTEES - Last chance to register

In Spring 2004, library trustees were given an opportunity to attend training workshops offered jointly by SOLS and OLBA (Ontario Library Boards Association).  The workshop, called “The Rules of Engagement: The New Governance”, was first presented at the January 2004 OLA SuperConference.  We believe trustees who take this training will gain new insights, and serve their libraries and communities better.

This workshop is a joint project of SOLS and OLBA. Workshop leaders are Peter Rogers, longtime trustee and a Past President of OLA, and Randee Loucks, Trustee Development Manager at Southern Ontario Library Service. This is an introductory level workshop that offers an opportunity to learn directly from the experience and expertise of practicing library trustees and consultants across Ontario. The workshop covers four major “rules” library boards must follow to build better communities:

         Understand your community

         Lead effectively

         Communicate well

         Measure strategically

A variety of topics are covered including: Legal responsibilities and accountability, advocacy, community development, strategic agendas, governance tools, key board relationships and many more. 

Two more workshop locations have been chosen for this fall:

Saturday, October 2, 2004 from 9:30am to 3pm - London Public Library - Masonville branch

Wednesday, October 6, 2004 from 6pm to 9:30pm - Cavan-Millbrook-North Monaghan Public Library – Millbrook branch

The cost for the daytime workshop is: Members: $30.00 + GST and Non-members: $40.00 + GST and the cost for the evening workshop: Members: $25.00 + GST and Non-members: $35.00 + GST.  A 10% discount is being offered by OLBA to library boards that register more than one person.  Interested boards should register through OLA’s Education Institute at http://www.accessola.com/  .

A governance workshop in French is also planned for the Clarence-Rockland, Clarence Creek Branch on Saturday, October 16, 2004. 

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6. LIBRARY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

SOLS provides an opportunity for library staff members to meet and discuss issues of common interest.  Committee meetings of area libraries often involve a special clinic on a particular area of interest.  This fall, the clinic will revolve around the Ontario Public Library Guidelines.  Information about the meetings, including an agenda for each meeting, is posted on the SOLS Web site at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/networking/librarycommittee/index.htm.  The next round of meetings will be as follows:

 Monday, October 25, 2004- Peterborough – Otonobee-South Monaghan Public Library, new Keene Branch

Monday, October 25, 2004 - Saugeen – North Perth Public Library

Monday, November 1, 2004 - Tri-County – Cramahe Township Public Library, Colborne Branch

Monday, November 1, 2004 - Simcoe & Muskoka – Georgian Bay Public Library, Honey Harbour Branch

Monday, November 1, 2004- Lanark - Carleton Place Public Library

Wednesday, November 3, 2004 - Leeds & Grenville – North Grenville Public Library, South Gower Branch

Thursday, November 4, 2004 - Renfrew - Petawawa Public Library

Lundi, le 8 novembre, 2004 – Prescott-Russell - Bibliothèque publique de Hawkesbury

Tuesday, November 9, 2004 – Escarpment – Haldimand County Public Library – Caledonia Branch

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 7. LIBRARY LITERATURE SERVICE

For a number of years, SOLS has provided copies of selected articles from the professional journals.  These selection lists were distributed through the (then) Small Library Committee meetings.  Once selected, print copies of requested articles were delivered to the requesting libraries under our Cancopy agreement.  Our library literature service is now available to our client libraries in on-line format.  More information about this service is posted on the Web site at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/networking/librarycommittee/LibraryLiterature/index.htm

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8. FUNDING OPPORTUNITES

 a)       Library Strategic Development Funding (LSDF)

The Ministry of Culture’s 2004/05 Library Strategic Development Fund (LSDF) program helps bolster strong communities and student success by funding initiatives that will enhance public libraries across Ontario. LSDF funding assists the public library community to implement strategic planning priorities and conduct provincial level research and development, to better serve their customers. New technical support services for the public library sector, research initiatives, increased capacity to address emerging issues, innovative projects to improve access to the public library system, new standards and guidelines, partnerships for new products or services, and digital collections and services are examples of projects that can be considered for funding. The 2004/05 LSDF deadline is September 30, 2004. 

Applicants are required to complete an LSDF application form which is posted at http://www.culture.gov.on.ca/english/culdiv/library/lsdf.htm . Program guidelines, application forms and a cover bulletin were distributed to public libraries in June 2004.  For more information, contact: Rod Sawyer, Library Policy and Program Advisor at (416) 314-7627 or e-mail rod.sawyer@mcl.gov.on.ca

b) share the stories : Funding Program for Book Collections and Reading Circles
Courtesy of Coca-Cola Ltd.
Facilitated by ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation

Coca-Cola Ltd. is committed to fostering the love of reading in Canadian children through share the stories. Launched in communities across Canada in 2001, this corporate philanthropy project aims to provide $1 million in funding to libraries and literacy organizations for family reading initiatives.

Once again in 2004, funding is available to school libraries, public libraries and not-for-profit literacy organizations to assist in the development/maintenance of a reading circle or to create/supplement a children's book collection. Successful applicants for reading circle funding will receive $2,500, and successful applicants for book collection funding will receive $1,500. ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation is responsible for the management of this project, including the distribution of funding, on behalf of Coca-Cola.  A news release about the project is posted at http://www.abc-canada.org/sts/index.asp.  While two deadlines have already passed, there remains a chance –October 15^th. 

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9. SOLS TRAINING WORKSHOPS

The details for the Fall 2004 workshops have been posted on the SOLS Web site, located at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/training/clinicsworkshops/index.htm.  We are offering the following workshops in English:

•          Homework Help & Other Ways to Connect with Students in your Library
•          Purchasing for Public Libraries: The basics and much more
•          The Value of Volunteers - Developing effective Volunteer Programs for your Library
•          Serving diversity: services for a multicultural population
•          Reality check @ your library: Reference for the real world
•          Tickles and Tunes 2: A workshop with Kathy Reid-Naiman
•          COOL Vendor Demonstrations

We are offering the following workshops in French:

•          Atelier sur la gouvernance par politique (Fall 2004)
•          Atelier sur les services à la clientele (Spring 2005)

To update you on the status of our workshops, you should be aware that both of the “Homework Help” sessions are now full.  The session of “Reality check @ the library”, scheduled for Wednesday, October 3^rd in Simcoe County, is also full.  There are two back-to-back sessions of “Tickles and Tunes” scheduled for the Strathroy branch of Middlesex County on Monday, November 29 and both of these sessions are now full.

You might want to review these workshop offerings and register as soon as possible,  to ensure that there is a spot for you or your staff at the workshop of your choice.  It is also possible that a workshop might be cancelled due to low registration numbers, so it is best to register as soon as possible to try to ensure that a workshop will run.

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10. SOLS – COOL VENDOR DEMOS

This fall, SOLS will offer free vendor demos in several locations.  Two vendors, Micromedia ProQuest and EBSCO, will participate and will provide an overview of their products offered through COOL [Consortium of Ontario Libraries]. We will provide an opportunity for existing and/or potential new subscribers to ask questions.  While these workshops are free, pre-registration is required. 

Micromedia ProQuest's products incorporate information from Canadian companies, media sources, regulatory bodies and government agencies. They are also a Canadian distributor for a number of international publishing groups, including Southam, Infomart and HW Wilson. Included in the COOL consortium offerings of Micromedia ProQuest products are the Canadian Almanac Directory, Canada's Heritage from 1844, the suite of Electric Library databases, the Toronto Star's 'Pages of the Past', and the SIRS group of databases.

EBSCO publishing offers a wide variety of full text reference resources to such sources as magazines, journals, newspapers, newswires, transcripts, pamphlets, reports, biographies, primary source documents, almanacs, biographies, encyclopedia and more. Included in the COOL consortium offerings of EBSCO products are Auto Repair Reference Center, Book Index with Reviews, Canadian Literary Centre, Canadian Reference Centre, Health Source Consumer Edition, MagillOnAuthors, MagillOnLiterature, Marshall Cavendish databases, the MasteFILE suite of databases, NoveList, MAS Ultra Public Library Edition for small public libraries, and Primary Search and Middle Search.

Unfortunately, the Vendor Demo scheduled for October 4^th at the Kingston-Frontenac Library has been cancelled due to low numbers, but the COOL Vendor Demo scheduled for the Simcoe County Library Cooperative on Tuesday, October 5, 2004 from 10am to 3pm will proceed.

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11. SOLS CEO LISTSERV

SOLS maintains a list of all the e-mail addresses for SOLS CEOs.  It is this list that is used to distribute Signal.  Several times through the month, you may also receive other messages from SOLS staff members.  In September 2004, the following messages were sent: 

• on September 7^th , Laurey Gillies posted a letter from Steve Salmons, CEO of the Windsor Public Library and Chair of the Strategic Directions Council, regarding the distribution of a Federation information package to every CEO and Board in Ontario;
• on September 16^th , Randee Loucks posted a message regarding the upcoming joint OLBA/SOLS sessions of The Rules of Engagement: The New Governance  (more information on these sessions are provided in this issue of Signal);
• Brenda Lewis posted a new offer from COOL for access to Edu Reference.  This company offers subscriptions to such products at Marshall Cavendish, Salem Press Online, Facts on File and ABC-Clio.  Trial access to all the above products is available until November 15^th.  You must indicate your intention to renew or subscribe by Wednesday, September 29^th, to Brenda Lewis;
• on September 21^st , Laurey Gillies posted information concerning a consortium purchase of group benefits.  Attached to the e-mail was an information letter and a questionnaire which each interested library is requested to complete and fax or e-mail to Scott Warner of the firm, Mosey and Mosey, no later than Thursday, September 30^th;
• on September 23^rd, Sue Walls posted a message regarding the Ontario Public Library Week materials.  This year, the Ontario Public Library Week will be celebrated from October 18^th to October 23^rd.  Attached to the message were several files with a bookmark, proclamation and ideas for celebrating;
• on September 29^th, Ron Neems sent two messages regarding our latest Consortia Purchasing Agreement (CPA) for electromagnetic (EM) security strips.

If you did not receive this message, and would like further information, please contact the SOLS HelpDesk at 1-800-387-5765, ext. 4, or by e-mail to

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12. SOLS BOARD SUMMARY - September 2004

Assurance of Funding - MPP Visits

One of the four jobs of the Board is assurance of funding through advocating the provincial government for optimal funding and pursuing a variety of funding and resource development activities that support SOLS’ Ends priorities.

The Board has launched a program to visit all MPPs whose ridings overlap SOLS’ service area, as well as most Cabinet Ministers. A total of 77 visits are planned and thirty-two visits have been completed to date. MPP visits have been a priority for this Board term. With the Board term ending next June, completing the remaining forty-five visits will be a focus of Board activity over the next several months.

Assurance of Funding – Fundraising

SOLS’ Board is launching a campaign to solicit individual donations to support the work SOLS does to assist public libraries. The campaign goals are to:

1.       Develop organizational capacity to raise funds through individual donations.

2.       Develop donors willing to give to SOLS.

3.       Raise $30,000 for SOLS’ 05/06 budget.

A pilot stage of the campaign is scheduled for this fall, with a target of completing twenty visits raising $5,000. To get this stage underway, canvasser training was held just prior to the September Board meeting and over half the Board participated. The Board also adopted the Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code developed by the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy.

Stronger Libraries Stronger Communities – SOLS’ Service Plan 2004 -2007

SOLS’ new service plan will be published this fall. The plan is the result of a year’s work by SOLS’ Board and Management, with input from key informants drawn from our client libraries. Following approval of a new mission and priorities at the June Board meeting, Laurey Gillies, SOLS’ CEO, drafted the service plan and then reviewed it with eighteen library CEOs representing all sizes and types of libraries. The plan was very well received and the input from the key informants was helpful in fine-tuning the plan.

Copies of the plan will be sent to library CEOs and Chairs, distributed to Trustee Council representatives at the fall meetings, and mailed to all MPPs in SOLS’ service area.

SOLS’ Board operates on a three year term and the current term ends in June 2005. Elections to the Board will be held at the spring Trustee Council meetings. To help prospective Board members consider whether they wish to run for election, an information package and presentation will be provided at the fall Trustee Council meetings.

SOLS moved and downsized its Toronto office this summer. Our new location is 111 Peter St., Suite 902, Toronto, M5V 2H1. Phone and fax numbers remain unchanged.

Our new office contains a meeting room that will comfortably hold 20 to 25 people in boardroom style. This facility is available for rent at $100.00.

An update on SOLS’ services is available at http://www.sols.org/aboutsols/reports/index.htm

The next meeting of SOLS’ Board is scheduled for Saturday, December 4, 2004 at SOLS’ office in Toronto.

On Friday, September 24^th, 2004, the Petawawa Public Library Board hosted the opening of its newly renovated library.  The expansion doubled the size of the library to approximately 12,000 square feet.  The $1.775 million project was entirely funded by the community. The renovation, designed by Kingston architects Shoalts and Zabeck, began on October 1, 2003 and took eleven months to complete.

Highlights of the renovation include a shared entrance with the Civic Centre, also located in the facility; a much-needed multi-purpose room with a separate entrance; a very open concept with tall windows, high, wood-covered ceilings and earthy colours; an inviting sitting area with a fireplace and tapestry woven by over 500 members of the community, and a much enlarged children’s section including a spacious programming room and a nook for young adults.   

SOLS staff have collected other information on newer library facilities, which has been posted on the SOLS Consulting section of the SOLS Web site.  A longer article about the new Petawawa Library is posted in that section of the Web site at http://www.sols.org/consulting/index.html

All issues of SIGNAL, including the French version of SIGNAL, can be viewed online at www.sols.org/signal.  However, if anyone would like to receive the e-mail version of this newsletter, please send a message to .  You can reach the editor of SIGNAL at:  or by telephone at 1-866-380-9767.