Northeast Library System
Kathy Ellerton, System Administrator
2038 33rd Avenue, Suite 13
Columbus, NE 68601

Platte County Population: 31,662 (2000 Census)
System Population: 209,478 (2000 Census)
402-564-1586 or 1-800-578-1014


Technology Plan July 1, 2007- June 30, 2010

Technology Planning Committee
Linda Risinger, Library Director, Orchard Public Library,
Chair Ann Bachman, Library Director, House Memorial Public Library
Jolene Klein, School Media Specialist, Wakefield Community School

Northeast Library System is located in Columbus, NE where access to the Internet and other related technologies is very accessible. An ISP, Megavision has its central office located in Columbus and provides services to many local businesses, City of Columbus, Central Community College-Columbus Campus, Columbus Community Hospital, area libraries and both private and public schools. Computer labs are available to students at area schools and Central Community College-Columbus Campus. The Columbus Public Library, as well as other area libraries, has computers available for public use.

Goals & Strategies
The Northeast Library System utilizes basic and long distance telephone service to increase the efficiency of the System office. The telephone is the basic method of communication between the system office and system libraries. By having an 800 number, the system office provides support to system librarians without placing an undue burden on their small library budgets.

The Northeast Library System has a DSL connection for Internet service. This enables the System office to communicate instantaneously with its system members by email. With a fast connection, the System office can maintain its website which provides information about Continuing Education activities on a 24/7 basis.

Cellular phone service enables the System Administrator to remain in constant contact with the System office, member libraries and the Nebraska Library Commission. The Northeast Library System covers twenty counties in rural Northeast Nebraska, approximately 13,047 square miles. The Northeast Library System’s laptop is used by both system members and system staff. System members check out the laptop for presentations. The laptop is used by system staff primarily for basic skills training and other presentations. When the system administrator is traveling overnight, the laptop is used for e-mail. During the next three years, the Northeast Library System is anticipating updating the following technology in the office:


Year 1 – 2007-2008 Currently, the system office’s ISP is supplied by Megavision. The email server has been overloaded several times resulting in email not being delivered. This has caused confusion at times when senders receive a message stating email can no longer be delivered at that address. In addition, the ISP does not participate in the E-Rate program and the system does not receive a discount for their internet connection.

Specifications for an Internet connection are:
Download speed: 4 Mbps
Upload speed: 2 Mbps
Email: 2 addresses provided


Year 2 – 2008-2009 Both desktop workstation computers (Sb-4100-C & Gates Computer E-4100) will need to be updated or replaced. Both computers are already three years old and are operating on Windows XP. Microsoft has launched a new operating system, VISTA. Any new software will operate at an optimal level using VISTA. The computers will need to be upgraded or possibly replaced in order to use this new operating system. A new PC motherboard and RAM memory may be installed. Specifications for the motherboard are:
Processor: 2.8Ghz
System Memory: 1 GB
Bios Type: Intel
Bios Features: DMI2.0 support, ACPI 1.0b support, Multilingual BIOS, Hyper-Threading Technology, WfM 2.0 support, Rapid Bios Boot
Graphic Memory: 128 MB (minimum)
Data Bus Speed: 800 MHz
RAM Technology: 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM
Memory Speed: 533 MHz
Bus Clock Rate: 533 MHz
Storage Capacity: 160 GB or higher
I/O Ports: 2 USB, 1394, Audio jacks, parallel port
Drive Bays: CD/DVD Drive

The HP Photosmart 1115 color printer was purchased in 2002 and the print heads may wear out. With today’s throwaway technology, it may be more cost efficient to purchase a new printer than to have the older equipment repaired. The specifications for a new color printer are:
Technology: LaserJet
Max Resolution (b&w): 1,200dpi x 1,200 dpi
Max Resolution (color): 4800 dpi x 1200 dpi
Max Printer Speed (b&w): 30 pages/min
Max Printer Speed (color): 17 pages/min
Processor: 264 MHz processor, 16MB Ram


Year 3 – 2009-2010 The System’s laptop was purchased in 2002 and will need replacing. The laptop is used for workshop presentations by the system administrator and system members. The System Administrator uses the laptop while traveling. Specifications for a new laptop are:
Processor: Celeron M420 or higher
Processor Speed: 1.6 GHz
RAM Memory: 512 MB
RAM Technology: DDR2
Hard Drive: 60 GB or higher
Wireless: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 ABG or higher
USB Ports: 2.0 or higher
Battery: 6 Cell Lithium Ion or higher

The system administrator would be responsible for installing any new equipment purchased. The system administrator’s background includes teaching ‘Introduction to Personal Computers’ at Wayne State College and administering a computer network at a small business.

Continuing Education
There are many continuing education opportunities available for System personnel. Within the system service area there are classes available at Wayne State College in Wayne, Northeast Community College in Norfolk and Central Community College – Columbus Campus in Columbus.

Specific computer classes available are: Wayne State College: CIS 132 Principles of Computing & Information Systems
CIS 372 Computer Hardware
CIS 366 Introduction to Data Base
CIS 470 Networking

Northeast Community College: Info 1000 Basic Computer Applications Info
1010 Fundamentals of Information Technology Info
1100 Microcomputer Applications Info
1170 Operating Systems Info 1710
Web Page Development Info 2310
Database Concepts & Design Info
2610 Computer Support Technology Info
2650 Network Servers

Central Community College: BSAD 2560 Microcomputers in Management Info
1120 Microcomputer Applications Info
1190 Computer Security Basics Info
1300 Principles of Information Security Info
1400 Operating Systems/Windows Info
1510 Optimizing Web Media

In addition, the System Administrator and Administrative Assistant would attend workshops sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and attend statewide meetings such as the Nebraska Library Association Annual Conference. Also, the System Administrator would attend regional meetings such as the Mountain Plains Library Association Annual Conference and national meetings such as American Library Association Annual Conference.

During the upcoming year, no training is anticipated. Both the System Administrator and Administrative Assistant feel comfortable with the possible installation additional memory or processors for the desktop units. If training were required, Dave Graber of Wayne State College or John Seyfarth of Sump Memorial Library in Papillion would be contacted.

Budget

The Northeast Library System intends to use the Universal Service discounts for the following services listed below. All these services require no installation and charges continue monthly:

1. Local and long distance phone service
2. Cell phone
3. Digital Subscribe Line (DSL) for Internet Access
4. 800 Service

The non-discounted portion of telecommunications and Internet Access will be paid from the regular budget of the Northeast Library System. The System’s operating budget has line items for telecommunications that is sufficient to pay for the non-discounted phone and Internet costs.

Continuing education has always been of the highest priority for the Northeast Library System. The budget has line items to cover participation and travel costs for all staff. See attached budget sheet.

Community Internet (Megavision) provides the Internet access for the Northeast Library System. If a problem occurred with our DSL connection, Jeff Uchtman from Megavision would be contacted for assistance. He has installed DSL in a number of libraries in central Nebraska and is familiar with library situations.

New hardware (computer, memory, printer, etc.) will be budgeted for in our Equipment & Software line item. When appropriate, grants for hardware will be written. Grant resources include the Nebraska Library Commission and private foundations.

Plan Evaluation

Data will be collected on the source of phone calls and number of phone calls and will be presented to the board in order to be evaluated at the March System Board meeting. Success will be measured by the usage of the service by 65% of the member libraries. If this goal is not met, the System’s Technology Committee will re-assess the goal.

The DSL connection for Internet service at the System office will be evaluated at the March System Board meeting. Data will be collected on the usage of the web site, amount of research done at the System office and a 24-hour turnaround time to answer requests. Success will be measured by how many items are downloaded from the web site and an 85% rate of 24-hour turnaround time. If this goal is not met, the System’s Technology Committee will re-assess the goal.

Cellular phone service will be evaluated at the March System Board meeting. Data will be collected on how many times the System office, board members, or system members contacted the System Administrator while she was out in the field. Success will be determined by a 90% contact rate. If this goal is not met, the System’s Technology Committee will re-assess the goal.

Statistics will be kept on how many times the laptop was checked out by system members and how many times system staff members utilized it. Success will be measured by the laptop being used on the average of once a month. If this goal is not met, the System’s Technology Committee will re-assess the goal.

Updating the System Office technology will be evaluated at the March System Board meeting. Installation of new equipment will be reviewed for improvement of system services and greater production at the System office. Data will be collected on the success rate of data back-ups, how much time used to print publications, and how many times a computer crashed. Success will be determined by a 95% success rate of system data back-ups, 95% computer utilization without crashing and a 15% decrease in printing production time. If this goal is not met, the System’s Technology Committee will re-assess the goal.

Technology Assessment / Inventory

2 telephone lines
$91.00 monthly cost
Frontier is the service provider
Fax: 402-564-7977 – The fax is separate from the phone and Internet line.

800# Service
WCS Telecom is the service provider
$68 average monthly cost

Cellular Phone
Alltel is the service provider
$48 average monthly cost

Internet Access – Digital Subscriber Line (DSL).
Megavision is the service provider.
Average monthly cost: $50
Average speed: 384 Kbps

ITEM	Serial/Model No.	Date Purchased	Value
1 Gateway ‘Gates’ Computer E-4100	BMG-100-0013-00	10/15/2002	$1,275.00
1 Gateway Sb-4100 C Computer	00019-111-229-236	06/17/2003	$865.00
1Cisco LinkSys Router	C2130D249410	06/17/2003	$75.00
1 Elastic Networks DSL Modem	H102400-BA-D-182	07/20/2004	$100.00
1 HP Photosmart 1115	MX1BN1Y1JM	06/30/2003	$275.00
1 HP Office Jet 7110	SG33CB10VD	08/01/2002	$150.00
1 Sharp AR-M237 Copier	4500009 8	06/19/2005	$6,000.00
1 Emerson TV/VCR	451-41015939	04/01/1995	$100.00
1 Olympus C2040 Zoom Digital Camera	#163206131	08/01/2002	$250.00
1 Dell Inspiron Laptop	#220-6290	08/20/2002	$750.00
1 InFocus Proxima Projector	#AABN2210D7	08/20/2002	$1,500.00
1 Apollo Public Address System	#PA-55400	03/01/2006	$200.00
1 Apple iPod – 30 GB	#	05/01/2006	$300.00
1 Apple iPod – 30 GB	#	05/01/2006	$300.00
1 Creative Zen MP3 Player	#	05/01/2006	$250.00
1 Cellular Phone	ESN 33315031	03/25/2004	$80.00
1 Panasonic KX-TG2740S Expandable Cordless Phone System (2 phones)	#3ABTF23199	06/19/2000	$175.00
Quartet FlipChart Easel	#0000-0000	10/10/2005	$300.00

Staff is constantly striving to learn more about technology and how to use it in the library. Once the staff is comfortable with new technology, the System Office passes this knowledge on to system member libraries. This inventory assessment will be used for planning new technology services at the System Office.