2017-03-31 Meeting notes

Goals for conversations:

1. Develop an understanding of consortial architectural needs
2. What patterns exist because of prevailing structures?  Which patterns address actual needs?  Which patterns are a result of the structure?
3. Could the modern design of FOLIO provide alternative approaches?
4. What is the future for consortia and consortial technological needs?

The 4 models: 

Every vendor offers this as their standard offering.  Complete separation between institutions that involves a separate system installation per institution.  ILL or Resource Sharing software is needed to connect them to each other. 

What elements are crucial for ILL/Resource Sharing software to function well?  Is something missing now?  Is something working well?

 Relates to these specific vendor models/General notes:

Standard shared ILS installation of every vendor that involves a single installation of the system for the entire consortium.  Typically used in a library with branches where sharing financial information is not an issue.  Standard acq functionality around needing multiple fiscal years would be needed.  Administrative controls need to be granular at the branch level for this to work well in a consortial setting.

Could this model satisfy all consortial scenarios with enough granular permission options?  If not, what is needed?

This is similar to model #2 but provides walls between institutions when it comes to both patrons/circulation and financials.  What necessitates these complete separations?

This is similar to model #2 but provides walls between institutions for financials only.  Could these separations be handled differently?

Note:  The host believes based on past research that the last two are really just special cases that could be handled with the 1st 2.

Questions for Consortia Discussions:

1.  Which of the 4 models below represents your consortium?

   1. What works well about your configuration?

   2. What challenges do you face because of your configuration?

   3. What is missing from your configuration?

   4. With what you know now, would you change to a different given model?

2. Without the restrictions of the following models, how would an ideal system be structured for your consortium? 

   1. What do you prefer to share?

   2. What needs to be separate per library?

   3. What levels of administrative control are necessary?

   4. What do you need to keep separate/independent in metadata records?  Is this just a permissions/ownership issue?