Multi-type Regional CooperationThe Florida Model

Diane Solomon

Executive Director

Tampa Bay Library Consortium

Grass Roots

• TBLC 1979

• SEFLIN 1984

• CFLC 1989

• PLAN 1991

• SWFLN (1991) 1998

• NEFLIN 1993

FundingMember Dues

o Each Differento SEFLIN model provides highest revenue dues are

based on size of budget – full members are large libraries and are all OCLC full members

o TBLC model now based on budget also – only 2 really large libraries – 3-4 good-sized county systems. Graduated number of Service Credits based on dues are provided.

Funding Cont.

LSTA Grantso Became competitive grants in 1998o Strength for State –Promotes Innovation and

Piloting of New Programso Weakness for MLC’s – Unstable funding, only

partially sustainable without federal $$. o Full funding of State Library Cooperative Aid would

help.

Funding Cont.

State Library Cooperative Aido First Funded 1993o Static funding at $1.2M annually – divided equally (in a State

with a population of over 15 million people)o Cap originally 1.2M, raised in 1996 to 2.4Mo Non-recurring – challenge each year o 2001 Gov. zeroed outo 2003 MLC’s have hired a lobbyist

Funding Cont.

Service Fees, Training Feeso Must be entrepreneurial

 

FundingStrengths

o Encourages creative thinking Example: Librareo Enables us to think outside the box and do things that can

only be done cooperatively by many members Examples: Job Placement Service, Web Design Service, Retrospective Conversion Services, Current Cataloging Service, Little Used Materials Storage

o Able to meet grassroots demands that are based on level of library development in a specific region

Weaknesses

o Hard to create a unified statement for State funding

o The FL MLC’s are different in different places and some of us are far more developed than others

TBLC’s Model for Success

Planning

• Cornerstone of success• Meet member needs• Keeps us flexible, agile• Able to make mid-course corrections

• Strategic Plan • Every 5+ years• Process energizes the organization and its members• Enables us to involve many people and get their buy-in• Last Strategic Plan a 9 month process with a consultant

Planning Cont.

• Technology Plan Every 3 years• Provides focus for our most central functions• Required for e-rate• Last two plans a short process with a consultant

• Annual Plan of Service• Built from the Strategic and Technology Plans• Produced by the Executive Director with a Planning

Committee as a sounding board• Revised annually - 2 Planning Committee meetings and

Executive Director preparation and follow-up

ServiceKey to Success

• Libraries join for the services they can build together• Since 1995 TBLC has grown from an organization with 6.5 FTE and

a $750,000 annual budget to 12.5 FTE and a $2,400,000 budget• All Florida MLC’s provide training – technology and library skills• All support ILL and reciprocal borrowing• Only TBLC provides a fully cost recovery integrated library

automation system for members who would otherwise find it difficult to maintain a stand alone system

• TBLC has the most robust service program, the largest staff, the most members and the highest annual budget

Web Site

• Highlights Services• LSTA funded, trained Web Designer on staff

• Entrepreneurial effort to keep him• Strength- Able to have expertise on staff and

make it available to members at cost recovery prices

• Weakness- Few members can get funding to go outside for web site design and maintenance. Sales curve may be too long.

Anywhere-Anytime Library

• Demonstrates MLC role as innovator

• This is a web-based service provided directly to the end user

• Umbrella site soon will replace Alleycat on web page

• Started as LSTA funded prototype, pilot for a virtual library with Alleycat in 1999.

• Other elements have been added to make it a full service site.

Librare

• Demonstrates MLC agility

• Helped libraries get in near the beginning of change

• Collaborative Cooperative Collection Development

• New media introduced at low cost per library in about 6 months from concept to availability

• Through the power of cooperation 34 libraries introduced e-books and continue to develop a targeted shared collection

Alleycat

• Is a true research and development project• Builds on the results of services TBLC began providing 15

years ago –retrospective conversion, bibliographic training, OCLC Group Access

• This is a distributive cooperatively staffed service• TBLC is offering participation to libraries in other regions in

cooperation with the MLC’s in those regions – one example of cooperatives cooperating

• Today 42 libraries on 14 servers are offering Alleycat ILL service

Alleycat Cont.

Together these libraries: • have 108 outlets (places where people can pick up

materials),• are located in the counties served by TBLC and SWFLN,• serve over 3.7 million residents directly and 12,000 FTE

higher education students,• hold nearly 8.3 million volumes,• use 6 different library management products, which are

sold by 5 different vendors.

Reciprocal Borrowing

• Demonstrates MLC role as facilitator

• Committee driven

• Self sustaining

• Low cost – once the challenge of getting materials back to the home library is solved

• TBLC handles PR and statistical gathering

Delivery

• Exemplifies MLC role in providing a statewide service• TBLC is “agent” for Florida Library Network Statewide

Ground Delivery (Service began May 1998)• Represents regional administration of a statewide service• Subsidized by LSTA grant from the State Library• 75% of cost is paid by participants• Alleycat and Reciprocal Borrowing depend on this fixed

cost service• Interlibrary loan statewide remains strong because of it

V-ref – Ask A Librarian

• Demonstrates collaboration of dissimilar cooperative organizations

• Shows how a project can be started in one area and expanded statewide rapidly

• Utilizes expertise on multiple levels

• Planned to go live with first service in May

• An example of a cooperatively staffed statewide service

• LSTA funded pilot –CCLA and TBLC working together

Organizational Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths• Agile

• Flexible

• Innovative

Weaknesses• Dependence on

competitive LSTA grant funding

• Dependence on uncertain, limited State Library Cooperative Aid

Contact Information

Diane Macht Solomon, Executive Director

Tampa Bay Library Consortium

813-622-8252

Web Site

http://www.tblc.org