Technology Plan
2000 – 2006
Revised and updated September 2004  

Vision Statement

 Each school library can share its resources and provide online services cost-effectively, with minimal local technical support.  Library holdings and other online resources are available to students and teachers at home, at the public library, and at other locations outside school through the World Wide Web. 

Goal I:  School libraries can share their resources and automate their libraries cost-effectively through RILINK.

Goal II:  Staff at RILINK member libraries have the training and expertise that they need to use the Union Catalog and RICAT effectively in providing services to their students and teachers.    

Goal III:  Through group purchasing of subscriptions to commercial databases and other resources, RILINK libraries have access to the online resources that their students and teachers need.    

Goal I: School libraries can share their resources and automate their libraries cost-effectively through RILINK.

Activity 1:  Move the server(s) to a location that can provide for additional bandwidth.

Progress to date:  This activity was completed in December 2003 with the move of the original server to the East Bay Educational Collaborative (EBEC) and the installation of the new RICAT servers at the same location.

Activity 2:  Apply for funding for additional bandwidth at the East Bay Educational Collaborative.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  In April 2003, RILINK notified William Fiske of its intent to request an additional T-1 line through E-rate/tariff funding administered by the Rhode Island Department of Education.  After evaluating traffic on the existing line at EBEC, it was concluded that an additional line was not a priority at that time, given existing traffic on the line and available funding.   In July 2003, RILINK submitted a grant proposal to OLIS for a LORI/LSTA grant, including funding for an additional T-1 line; however, this part of the proposal was not funded.   In September 2004 we are planning to submit a request for additional bandwidth through EBEC to the R.I. Dept. of Education for E-rate/RITEAF funding, citing system usage statistics available through RINET.  Current usage during school hours for the T-1 at EBEC averages 60%.

Activity 3:  Investigate the possibility of housing/maintaining the RILINK servers at RINET in the future.

Future action to be taken:  Talk to/set up a meeting with Steve Foehr at RINET in September 2004 regarding the possibility of RINET housing and maintaining the RILINK/RICAT servers.

Objective B: Improve backup facilities and procedures for RILINK servers, databases, abnd equipment by March 2005.    

Activity 1:  Develop a written procedure for updating member library holdings in the RILINK Union Catalog.

Progress to date:  Completed July 2004.

Activity 2:  Develop and implement a timetable for backup and remote storage of individual member library records as exports from the RILINK Union Catalog or RICAT database.

Future action to be taken:  Target date for completion is November 2004.

Activity 3:  Apply for an LSTA grant through OLIS for a new backup system.

Progress to date:  Completed June 2004.

Activity 4:  Install and implement new backup system with remote storage of backup copies.

Future action to be taken:  Target date for completion is March 2005.

Activity 5:  Seek grant funding to purchase up to five additional barcode scanners as backup for existing equipment and at least one portable storage device in order to help member libraries with the process of inventory.

Future action to be taken:  Target date for submission for first grant proposal is December 2005.

Objective C:  Implement measures  to ensure system availability at least 98% of the hours each day from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. by September 2005.    

Activity 1:  Check online availability of the RILINK Union Catalog and RICAT at least twice during each school day.

Progress to date:  Implemented September 2002 for the RILINK Union Catalog, March 2004 for RICAT.

Activity 2:  Apply for an LSTA grant through OLIS for a new firewall.

Progress to date:  Completed June 2004.

Activity 3:   Install new firewall.

Future action to be taken:  Target date for the installation of a new firewall is March 2005.

Activity 4:  Install and maintain anti-virus software on all RILINK servers.

Progress to date:  Maintenance of subscription to Norton (Corporate edition) is ongoing with automatic update of virus definitions.  Anti-virus software was installed on the new Union Catalog server in 2002 and on the RICAT servers in December 2004.

Activity 5:  Stop running the Microsoft IIS web server on the RILINK Union Catalog server in order to minimize potential avenues of attack on the server.

Future action to be taken:   With the current release of the Union Catalog software, it is no longer necessary to run the Microsoft IIS web server to provide access to the Union Catalog.  The target date for moving RILINK’s domain name to a commercial web service provider is June of 2005.  Links would be provided from a “landing page” at www.rilink.org to the RILINK Union Catalog, RICAT, information about RILINK, additional online resources for students and teachers, and resources and information for RILINK member libraries.

Objective D:  Improve the bibliographic records and access points in the RILINK Union Catalog and RICAT database, eliminating duplicate records, adding annotations and reading and interest levels to individual records by October 2000 and continuing thereafter.

Activity 1:  Begin and maintain subscriptions for both the RILINK Union Catalog and the RICAT database to Follett’s database of online cataloging records for matching against current and new holdings as they are added to each database.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  Subscriptions to Follett’s Alliance+ cataloging database have been implemented and will be maintained for both the RILINK Union Catalog and RICAT.

Activity 2:  Provide the services of a school library media specialist/cataloger to merge records within each database, find and import full MARC records, and add authority headings.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:   In 2002 RILINK hired a school library media specialist/cataloger with LSTA grant funds; our cataloger continues to work with the records in the RILINK database up to 30 hours each month, with current work funded as part of the general operating budget for RILINK.  The number of bibliographic records in the RILINK Union Catalog has decreased as the number of library holdings and participating libraries continues to increase as duplicate records are identified and merged.  Work on the RICAT database is tentatively scheduled to begin in November 2004.

Activity 3:  Provide additional sources for full MARC records for both the RILINK Union Catalog and RICAT.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  Using LSTA grant funds, RILINK purchased copy of BookWhere, a Z39.50 interface program for the cataloger to use in locating additional full MARC records when a record is not available from the Follett Alliance+ database.  Also using LSTA grant funds, RILINK experimented with MARCIVE, another source for bibliographic (and authority) records.  With the implementation RICAT and its use of Follett Destiny software, access to additional Z39.50 catalogs is available through the cataloging interface itself.  RILINK has added six other potential sources for MARC records, including the Library of Congress and OhioLink, to the full MARC records that are available through the Alliance+ subscription.  This arrangement will be continued into the future, and will be re-evaluated annually.

Activity 4:  Provide for group purchasing for annual subscriptions to the Follett Alliance+ cataloging database.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  Group purchasing for Alliance+ for standalone Follett system users implemented and ongoing annually.  Alliance+ is an ongoing part of the annual Destiny renewal cost.

Objective E:  Determine needs for upgrade/replacement of RILINK servers and network facilities by September 2001 and annually thereafter.

Activity 1:  Replace the RILINK server to provide the capacity to serve a minimum of twenty-five schools, including use of the database by students and teachers.

Progress to date:   RILINK Union Catalog server replaced in 2002 through grant program administered by the RI Dept. of Education.

Activity 2: Upgrade the RICAT servers to provide the capacity to serve up to 50 schools, including use of the database by students and teachers.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  In June 2004 RILINK applied for an OLIS/LSTA grant for additional disk drives and memory. 

Activity 3:  Annually, explore options/feasibility/desirability of moving additional members currently using Follett standalone systems to RICAT.   

Future action to be taken:   Begin implementation once bandwidth issues have been addressed; consider when local system not meeting current needs.

Objective F:  Provide for group purchasing of Follett support for local software and systems by September 2000 and annually thereafter.    

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  Implemented and ongoing annually.

Objective G:  Support at least two school libraries in their efforts to automate their collections and join the statewide library network by January 2003 and annually thereafter. 

Activity 1:  Provide Z39.50 access to the RILINK Union Catalog for other school libraries.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  Implemented in 2002 and ongoing.

Activity 2:  Work cooperatively and collaboratively with libraries seeking to automate their collections and join the statewide library network.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:   The RILINK Executive Director consulted on the ESEA grant application submitted by the school libraries in Newport, and was an active participant in the process of getting full MARC records for the items in the elementary school library collections.  In 2004-2005, RILINK will work with two elementary schools in East Greenwich that are automating their collections and services using Destiny and RICAT.

Activity 3:  Seek grant funding to help additional school libraries in their automation efforts.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:   In 2004-2005, RILINK will seek grant funding to purchase additional barcode scanners to help libraries use Destiny and RICAT to automate their collections.  In future years, RILINK will help libraries identify possible sources of grant funding for data conversion and automation and will help with the development of grant proposals.

Goal II:  Staff at RILINK member libraries have the training and expertise that they need to use the Union Catalog and RICAT effectively in providing services to their students and teachers.    

Objective A:  RILINK staff members successfully address 95% of RILINK member questions regarding the Union Catalog, RICAT, and other Follett software and systems, including local stand-alone systems, by March 2003 and continuing thereafter.

Activity 1:  RILINK staff members attend Follett training sessions and participate in the Follett User Group listserv to become familiar with all aspects of current software and be aware of future software and system developments.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:   RILINK’s Executive Director and a RILINK member library media specialist attended week-long training sessions at Follett in 2001 and 2003.  The Executive Director participates in the Follett User Group listserv, searches back files for relevant information as needed, and gets regular updates from Follett on upcoming developments.  Follett is beginning to offer web-based training, and RILINK staff will participate in this training as it relates to the systems and software currently in use.  The Executive Director is actively seeking ways to learn more about firewalls, SQL (used by Follett/Destiny software for the database, and Microsoft servers.

Activity 2:  Hire an additional part time RILINK staff member (approximately 30 hours per month) to provide additional support for member libraries by January 2005.

Objective B: Staff in RILINK member libraries have access to current, up-to-date manuals and the online information they need to participate in RILINK and use RICAT software.

Activity 1:  Each new RILINK member library receives a current updated copy of the RILINK manual.

Progress to date:  Implemented and ongoing.

Activity 2:  Each new library using RICAT receives a manual that highlights the procedures they need to get started with using the system.

Progress to date:  Implemented  June 2004 and ongoing.

Objective C:  Staff in RILINK member libraries get the training they need to participate in RILINK and use RICAT.    

Activity 1:  RILINK encourages staff of member libraries to attend Interlibrary Loan training sessions sponsored by the LORI Committee.

Activity 2:  RILINK staff visits each new member library to review interlibrary loan policies and procedures and help set up email to respond to requests.

Activity 3:  RILINK provides at least two training sessions/workshops for staff of member libraries annually related to specific topics of interest to member libraries.

Activity 4:  RILINK informs staff of member libraries regarding opportunities for training and CE, especially those that relate to cataloging, resource sharing, interlibrary loan, and Follett products, and works collaboratively whenever possible with other organizations to sponsor/provide opportunities.

Activity 5:  A RILINK staff member visits each member library once every year to determine needs for training and support as well as other issues and concerns of individual member libraries.

Goal III: Through group purchasing of subscriptions to commercial databases and other resources, RILINK libraries have access to the online resources that their students and teachers need.    

Objective A:  Provide opportunities for shared trials and group purchasing for at least one online database or other resource each year.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  Implemented in 2002 and ongoing annually.  Group purchasing implemented for barcode labels, MARC Magician software, WebPath Express, and Gale database products.  Additional group trials and purchasing to be arranged annually.

Objective B:  Students and teachers at RILINK member libraries have access to subject-based, K-12 appropriate links to web sites.     

Progress to date, future action to be taken:  Implemented in 2000 and ongoing annually.  Follett’s WebPath Express links are also included in RICAT.

Objective C:  Explore options for accessing the holdings of other libraries for interlibrary loan.

Progress to date, future action to be taken:   OLIS provides access to OCLC’s WorldCat to staff of all member libraries in the statewide library network, as well as links to other RI consortia and library catalogs on its web site.   In 2003-2004, RILINK used LSTA grant funds to subscribe to Follett’s Find-It-All One Search service as a way to search the holdings of the HELIN and Ocean State Libraries libraries as well as additional free resources on the web with one search from the RILINK website.  RILINK worked intensively with Follett and consulted with Peter Bennett at Ocean State Libraries and Bob Aspri at HELIN, but we were never able to get the Z39.50 interface to each of these databases to show holdings (in the case of HELIN) or perform author searches (in the case of Ocean State Libraries).  In the future RILINK will participate with other consortia and libraries in the statewide library network, working with OLIS to explore other means of providing a statewide interconnect.