LSCA Automation Grants:
Foundations for the Future

Abstract

This article describes the outcome and impact of six LSCA Title I and Title III grants supporting library automation awarded to Lincoln Trail Libraries System (LTLS) between 1980 and 1993. While the grants had many objectives, a single vision — to improve access to local library resources and resource sharing for the benefit of the citizens of east central Illinois — was the driving force to begin and continue this program. The system undertook the first project to enhance resource sharing and continued to expand the service based on that purpose. Member libraries also undertook the automation project for the resource sharing opportunities as well as to provide better access to local collections for local patrons and to automate routine operational tasks. These objectives also were achieved and have had a marked change on resource access to collections and local operations over the years.

Introduction/Background

Lincoln Trial Libraries System had automated the circulation of the collection that belonged to the system beginning in 1978. As a result of the success of that project the Board of Directors approved a plan to allow member libraries to participate in a shared program. The intent was not only to automate circulation but also to provide an online union catalog of holdings of the members of LTLS. This would facilitate systemwide resource sharing and collection development. At about the same time the Illinois State Library became an early supporter of shared or consortia-based library circulation systems to promote interlibrary cooperation and resource sharing for the benefit of Illinois citizens. When the Illinois State Library made available grant funding to support this shared project, LTLS was in a position to apply for the grant. The groundwork had been laid with the member libraries as communication had been ongoing explaining the opportunities that such a shared system would bring.

First LSCA Grant — $178,514 (FY80)

In FY80, LTLS received its first grant to automate eight libraries with the shared circulation system. Public libraries in Champaign, Danville, Urbaha, Rantoul, Charleston, Monticello, Mahomet and Philo and the Lakeland Community College Library elected to participate. Thus, the groundwork for cooperation among more than one type of library was laid from the inception of the shared automation project. LTLS received a $178,514 grant for the project. These funds along with system and local funds helped make this a cooperatively funded project from the beginning.

Several objectives were established with the very first grants. The primary reason for LTLS's involvement in the project was for resource sharing. While assisting libraries in automating circulation and local operations was important to the system, the interlibrary resource sharing aspect was critical to the system's primary mission. The second objective was that of multi-type involvement. While other library systems in Illinois participated in these grant programs for shared automation, LTLS was the first system to include a non-public library as an original partner in the activity. This involvement of more than one type of library has paid high dividends over the years in the attitudes and commitment to sharing resources to further the access and delivery of materials for all patrons.

A third objective that was established is shared telecommunications management. Lincoln Trail Libraries System has managed and administrated a Wide Area Network since 1981. The system was the agent that contacted phone companies and telecommunications equipment vendors and purchased equipment on behalf of the libraries. As part of this service, system staff designed the telecommunications network and worked with vendors to get the best possible prices to make the telecommunications costs affordable. In the late 70s and early 80s a state-administered telecommunications system — TELPAK — was the least expensive alternative for communications services, and the system used this service on behalf of its members. In 1981-82 TELPAK services were discontinued as a result of a decision by the Federal Communications

*Jan Ison, Executive Director, Lincoln Trail Libraries System, Champaign.

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Commission. The system staff again played a role in determining the next steps for getting phone connections for libraries. This role has grown over the years as part of the shared automation project.

A fourth objective was sharing bibliographic records. Early in the project Lincoln Trail contracted with MINI MARC to assist in the retroconversion of library catalogs into machine-readable format. This improved the project as the variation in cataloging practices among members was great and this assisted in developing a more consistent catalog and a viable union cataloged. MINI MARC was particularly successful in speeding up the conversion process, but was eliminated after one year due to costs as other methods were found to support this objective.

A fifth objective was that the program be designed as a shared cost program from the beginning. Libraries always paid their own telecommunications charges. In addition, libraries were to assist in the payment of ongoing costs for maintenance and support of the central-site computer equipment. While the formulas and amounts have changed over the years, the concept that the program is a shared responsibility has been maintained.

A sixth objective was the involvement of users' group of the participating libraries in the decision-making process. The users' group began by meeting on a monthly basis to share information and was not a policy making body. The automation project was one of many service programs of the LTLS, and the fiscal and policy-making aspect was retained by the Board of Directors. However, it was established early that local operational policy decisions needed to be shared between the system and its members.

Training and the importance of it were the seventh objective that would continue and expand significantly as the project grew. Lincoln Trail assumed responsibility for the training of members on how to use the automation system. The early training for the first grant focused on data entry procedures and has grown to a regular program of more than 25 courses to improve the ability of library staff to best utilize the functions of the shared system.

The final objective was that all the members would be treated fairly and equally by Lincoln Trail Libraries System. The system, with member input, developed a standard agreement that all libraries signed as they began participation in the project. The original agreements had specific hardware included in the agreement and that was regularly changed, but the method of sharing costs, the responsibilities of the library, and the responsibilities of the system were the same for each member library.

It is important to note that these eight objectives still are basic to the shared automation system now called LINC. The board, system staff and member libraries are to be commended for having far-reaching vision so that the project that started with eight libraries now includes more than 60 individual library buildings.

Second LSCA Grant — $92,649 (FY81)

In FY81, Lincoln Trail Libraries System received a second grant for automation. The grant allowed the system to add a second group of eight libraries. Again, the composition of those members was multi-type in nature. There were five public libraries (Georgetown, Charleston, Tuscola, Tolono and Villa Grove); two community college libraries (Parkland and Danville Area Community College); and the first special library, Chanute Technical Training Center.

One of the key expenses in both of the original grants was for central-site computer equipment. The original expansion of the computer that supported the project was a DEC computer with 124 Kb of memory and two disc drives with a total of 600 megabytes of memory. The system could support 32 terminals and had to have a separate air-conditioning unit installed in a closed-in computer room to control temperature, dust and humidity. This was necessary to keep the down time due to equipment failure to a minimum. This second grant allowed Lincoln Trail Libraries System to purchase a second computer and more disk storage space to support up to 96 terminals with an average three-second response time.

Another innovation, the installation of OCLC cataloging workstations at LTLS to download records from OCLC into the automation system, came between the first and second grants. This was the beginning of using OCLC for cataloging data for the shared system and a further expansion of our fourth objective, sharing bibliographic data. While the step was not taken at that time to only accept bibliographic data from OCLC, the foundation was laid for this to happen in the future.

During the second automation grant, the need for more protocols was identified as the increased access allowed for patrons to better access the collections of the participating libraries. Protocols were developed for reciprocal borrowing, interlibrary loan procedures and management statistical categories so that they were compatible with online circulation requirements. The development of the policy, protocols and procedures were in line with our sixth and eighth objectives.

As a result of the first two grants, patrons of East Central Illinois began to see increases in the opportunities to get materials through Interlibrary Loan. There were two key indicators of the benefits to patrons. One was a 15.3 percent increase in the number of interlibrary

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loan requests received at Lincoln Trail in FY83 over FY82. Another was the 17.7 percent increase in the number of requests that could be filled within the system's geographical regional. This indicator alone demonstrated a better utilization of local and regional resources and a reduction in the costs of interlibrary loan as requests could be filled locally. This, coupled with an improvement in service, provides the opportunity to get materials to clients quicker.

Third LSCA Grant — $47,750 (FY84)

As the automation projects continued to progress, with libraries completing the conversion of holdings and circulating online, Lincoln Trail staff continued to explore opportunities to get more libraries online with the shared system. The vendor that provided the system had a product that allowed libraries to record circulation transactions on an Apple II+ personal computer and to upload those holdings in a batch mode to the central processor at the Lincoln Trail headquarters facility. This product was designed to improve circulation and recording transactions when the central-site equipment was down, but system staff determined that this could be used for libraries that had smaller circulations, that could not afford ongoing telecommunications charges and that wanted a method to start into automation as a phased in approach. This, the "micro circ grant" as it became known was designed and implemented. Once again the participants in the project were from more than one type of library. Of special importance was the beginning of school library involvement with the shared system. Four public libraries (Gibson City, Watseka, Marshall and Gilman); two school libraries (Marshall High School and Urbana Middle School); and one special library (Mercy Hospital Library) were part of this project.

Using the vendor back-up software did work well for the project. Additionally, LTLS stretched the use of federal dollars by using Apple II+ equipment from a previous LSCA grant to provide libraries with the necessary hardware to implement the project. It is important to note that, according to the library automation vendor, the process of using the back-up software in this fashion had not been accomplished by any other library. This type of innovation has been important in the development of the automation program to be inclusive of all members. Another feature of the grant was that libraries shared the cost of a toll-free line to Lincoln Trail to upload transactions, which helped to equalized the costs and make it affordable for all.

The project was a success as it both assisted libraries in managing local operations and assisted in a phased approach to becoming an online member of the program. Dialing in for searching and for uploading transactions worked; however, it did not afford the immediate access to the information that libraries and patrons needed. This grant did a good job of facilitating the circulation transactions for several years and allowed the libraries to plan for participating in the system at the next level.

Fourth LSCA Grant — $100,100 (FY90)

During the period of adding the "micro-circ" libraries and the changes in the library automation world, Lincoln Trail Libraries System, along with its members, began an internal study to determine the future of the shared system database. Library personnel had differing opinions on the nature of the database. Should the database be continued as a short bibliographic database or should the system undertake a process to enhance the database by moving to a MARC-based system? The automation system was about 10 years old and some members were satisfied with the status of the product while others wanted to go to the next level of more online access for the public as well as for a better means of data access. MARC records would afford that access but it would mean converting approximately 450,000 bibliographic records to MARC, adding more hardware and software, and maintaining the database in MARC once it was converted. This was not an easy decision, but in reviewing the market place and the desires and needs of the libraries, it was recommended that the database be based on MARC records as the recognized standard for data storage and retrieval.

As a result of that study, which enhanced the shared bibliographic objective of the system, Lincoln Trail applied for and received an LSCA grant to upgrade the database to MARC through a retrospective conversion process. Lincoln Trail staff wrote specifications and a Request for Proposals for machine conversion of the database. Following this activity the staff of Lincoln Trail and member libraries began to use OCLC to individually enter information from the remaining records where there was not a match from the machine conversion. The final phase was to physically match the remaining records with materials in the library and to originally catalogue the new and unique records. The grant paid for the first two phases of machine and individual conversion, but it could not fund the part of physical match of records and new cataloging due to time constraints of federal funding and limited staff resources in member libraries. This part of the project has been continued with local resources.

This phase of improvement of the shared automation project was also a success. The 450,000 bibliographic records were now in MARC format, the database became portable, and the subject access to resources was enhanced because the database could be searched by keyword and the records themselves were more easy to manipulate.

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Another important by-product of conversion was the ongoing commitment of libraries to maintaining the MARC database. As a result of the decision to have a MARC database and the subsequent grant to implement the retrospective conversion of MARC, the libraries also developed a shared means of adding new MARC records to the system. Again, the original objective from the first grant was continued and enhanced. One of the key elements of this ongoing process was the implementation of the Lincoln Trail Libraries System Cataloging Center. The shared automation program had libraries of all sizes as participants and many libraries did not have professional cataloging operations or did not have access to the bibliographic utilities to search and add records. Therefore, the LTLS Cataloging Center was instituted for libraries that did not have the facilities to provide MARC cataloging according to the standards and criteria developed by the member libraries of adding new records to the database. The members determined after a thorough staff study that the source for all new records would be OCLC and that no records would be entered directly into the database.

Fifth LSCA Grant — $70,000 (FY92)

The fifth LSCA grant awarded to Lincoln Trail to support the shared automation project was known as the "Incentive Grant." The Illinois State Library made LSCA grants of up to $10,000 for each library to join a shared automation program. Lincoln Trail applied for a $70,000 grant to add seven libraries to online status in the shared program. Several of the libraries that had participated in the "micro circ" project were interested in getting to the next phase, but needed assistance in funding to be able to afford the up-front costs of full online participation. Three new public libraries — Casey, Oakwood and St. Joseph — were added to the project in addition to Cissna Park Community Library (a joint school/public library). This was the first major increase in membership for the program since the first two grants. The up-front costs were such that many libraries could not afford to join without the incentives of the LSCA grants. Libraries were able to commit funding to support the ongoing shared costs, which included central site support, telecommunications local equipment support and for those that needed to use the LTLS cataloging center.

Sixth LSCA Grant — $60,357 (FY93)

A final grant, which enhanced the shared automation project, was that of including holdings from member libraries that were not online or "micro circ" in the database. This was encouraged to have a means of identifying holdings with Lincoln Trail's geographic region for purposes of resource sharing. The original means of including holdings was for member libraries to send a shelf-list card to Lincoln Trail and the staff at the system would enter the data. This same process was used for deletions. This became more difficult to maintain as libraries were not consistent in providing information to LTLS on new materials and deleting older materials. However, the members and Lincoln Trail believed that a union listing of information would provide improved holdings information. Therefore, the system applied for a grant to add the complete holdings of participating member libraries into the shared database. This allowed the expansion of holdings in the database to several K-12 school districts. This grant was significant as it put in place a new membership in the shared automation project — Union List Members. These libraries contributed information about all their holdings and maintained that information and participated in the LTLS Cataloging Center program.

Other Developments

While there was no further LSCA funding that went into the shared program, there have been many developments in the shared system since the last federal grant was received for this project. At the conclusion of the federal funding there were 21 members of the shared project who used the system for online catalog and circulation functions. The Chanute library withdrew due to closure of the air force base. Three other libraries withdrew due to funding, and another determined not to go online but to maintain holdings for purposes of resource sharing. However, those losses are far outweighed by the increases that took place between 1993 and 1998.

During 1993-1998 the Illinois State Library began a new program that was available to library systems for automation/technology enhancement. Among its priorities was to add new libraries to the shared automation programs. With the Incentive Grant that is providing up to $10,000 per library to join the shared automation projects of systems as a model, the state offers grants to library systems to add new members to the shared database. Lincoln Trail has been the recipient of several of these grants, bringing the membership of the program to 64 library buildings as of April 1998. The most important aspect is that the directions that were established with the FY80 LSCA grant were continued and enhanced. Libraries are sharing more information between and among themselves and the patrons are better served.

Within the shared program itself, there have been many changes. In 1992, Lincoln Trail and the member libraries issued a Request for Proposal for an enhanced automation system and a contract awarded to a new vendor. As the staff and members migrated the database from one vendor to another, the process would have

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been much more difficult had the database been in a non-MARC format. However, the 1990 grant for conversion had made the Lincoln Trail database a portable system so that the libraries and the system together could better determine their own destiny. The funding for the shared system came from adding new members as well as sharing costs between those libraries that were continuing from the very early projects. At that time the program was given a new name — Librarians IN Connection (LINC). Prior to that it had been known by the name of the automation vendor, which did not adequately describe the sharing and cooperation that the program entailed. At the time of the migration new modules were made available — Media Scheduling, Gateway access to other databases, Homebound Services, Community Resources, Serials and Acquisitions.

In addition to new modules, the functionality was enhanced tremendously. The most significant enhancement was the ability of patrons to place holds on local library resources. In addition, patrons were given the opportunity to get materials from other libraries by placing their own holds rather than making requests to library staff. This became known as Patron Initiated Interlibrary Loan and changed the face of interlibrary loan for library users in East Central Illinois. In FY97, more than 129,000 requests were made between libraries using this patron and library staff function. The number of requests increased by 500 percent the first year alone and has continued to rise. The library users enjoy this privilege and now expect it as a part of their regular library service. It is important to note that implementing this function was voluntary on the part of participating libraries and every library chose to do it. This made the original goal of resource sharing come alive for the citizens of East Central Illinois and is paving the way to the future interlibrary loan enhancements.

Another feature that was made available early was dial access to the LINC database. This feature allowed patrons to search the database from their home or work. The reciprocal borrowing agreements allowed patrons to then go to a library of choice to get materials so that their needs could be satisfied quickly. Another feature of the dial access was the ability of patrons to place holds remotely, thus, getting the same functionality at home or work as well as in the library.

A final feature of LINC is the gateway access to other databases. Through this feature and the Illinois State Library's funding of OCLC's FirstSearch, the patrons received access to bibliographic data, periodical databases and full-text materials they never had before. This all became part of the online catalog in the local libraries and a true enhancement to the LINC program. This continued to further the original purpose that was an underpinning of the original federal grants of enhancing resource sharing and information access.

Conclusion/Observations

Through the "seed" funding from these automation grants, the program now known as LINC has 64 member library buildings, 604,749 unique bibliographic records and 1,556,052 holdings. Annually, the circulation is 2,711,165 for all items circulated online. Library patrons have the benefit of being able to place their own reserves for materials in the local library collection, and have the benefit of being able to place reserves on materials in collections of other member libraries.

The original eight objectives of resource sharing, multi-type involvement, management of a Wide Area Network, shared costs, fair and equitable treatment of members, training, shared bibliographic database building and member involvement in decision making continue today. The groundwork laid in the late 70s and implemented in the early 80s will continue into the 21st century. While the means to implement these objectives changes from time to time, the goals stay the same. The federal funding brought libraries together with common goals of improving local library operations and sharing resources. This has continued and been enhanced many times from what the vision of those who originally supported and adopted this program.

The federal grants provided seed and start-up money to the local libraries, and the system provided the ongoing support of the program. Federal dollars also were the seed to get additional state grant funds to further expand the program. Throughout the years only five libraries have not continued their participation in the program, whine 61 have elected to join the original eight.

This increasingly fast expansion rate along with the resource sharing opportunities has made LSCA grant dollars among the best investment that could be made in a resource sharing infrastructure. The partnership of the federal dollars as seed funds, while the local and state agencies provide maintenance funding, is a model that allows the local agencies to set the future objective and continue to provide the best possible service for the lowest cost to improve the ability of citizens to get the materials they need.

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