[DPLAsteering] Meeting with OCLC

Wed Feb 10 08:56:08 EST 2016

My understanding of what I was doing at this meeting with OCLC was determining whether they were even a possible option by engaging senior leadership who would be capable of making this decision. We still don’t know for sure, but based on Terry’s reports of his discussions with Taylor at OCLC, Terry identified that as the missing piece — OCLC senior leadership attitude and ability to make a commitment. I think it is premature to commit to them for many reasons. However, they seem rather eager to commit to us, which was the point of the meeting.

I’m going to disagree with Tom, here. We’ve spent an enormous amount of time discussing putative and in many cases apparently speculative technology options at the steering committee meetings in advance of the actual technology committee’s deliberations — all members of the committee should be discussing these options in depth and making recommendations before the steering committee discusses these. In the interests of everyone’s time and sanity, I would like to propose the following plan of action:

  1.  The steering committee does not discuss technology until the full technology committee meets, discusses, and delivers its draft report.
  2.  SLO/the steering committee hold off on any decisions or recommendations on technology staffing until that report is delivered, since the actual person or entity hired will depend so much on the actual technology.

I know we have a smaller group phone call this Friday to discuss what should be in the technology report, but I feel like we are chasing our own tails too far in advance of the discussions at the actual technology committee, which does not meet until the 17th of February, and which has not yet had these discussions.

Best, Gwen

Gwen Evans
Executive Director, OhioLINK
http://www.ohiolink.edu/<https://email.osu.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=yABf3LFOkkWRenaUhIeuu8fgj9Eh09EIzjzYk8LZChVNExG8a_rLuGXWeDNyfAo-Yn1uw1Chvck.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ohiolink.edu%2f>

ph: 614-485-6608
gwen at ohiolink.edu
1224 Kinnear Rd
Columbus, Ohio 43212
ORCID ID:0000-0002-4560-0435

Per Ohio Revised Code, this communication and any attachments may constitute a public record. (http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/149.43)

From: "Reese, Terry P." <reese.2179 at osu.edu<mailto:reese.2179 at osu.edu>>
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 2:48 AM
To: Gwen Evans <gwen at ohiolink.edu<mailto:gwen at ohiolink.edu>>, DPLAsteering <dplasteering at lists.oplin.org<mailto:dplasteering at lists.oplin.org>>
Subject: RE: Meeting with OCLC

Thanks for the update Gwen.  I’ve gotten the same impression that this is something OCLC seems pretty interested in thinking about.  I will say, even if OCLC were willing to go forward, I’m still not sure this would be the best option for Ohio.  I could see working in parallel , maybe a pilot to test aggregation, and a separate track working with a well-known technology stack.  I think OCLC could potentially offer institutions an avenue for providing metadata to the project, I just wouldn’t be enthusiastic of turning the technology stack over to them.  While doing so frees the state hub from managing a system, it also comes with a significant technology cost, and I think, only kicks the technology question down the road for another 3 years.  I also have significant reservations that 1) this is a project that will hold their interest to get the kind of updates it needs, and 2) that they can modify the gateway to meet our needs.  I work with OCLC a lot on these types of projects (that fall outside of WorldCat) and their track record of bringing these types of things to fruition and supporting them long-term has not been good in my opinion.  Things tend to get half done, and I would prefer not to work with a 1Ž2 solution.

My personal option (and I may be the only one) – but if we don’t have an organization in this state willing, and able to handle the aggregation component – it’s not time for Ohio to submit a proposal.  OCLC may have a role to play and place in that space, but I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm for them being our technology infrastructure.  But as I say, that could be just me.  I know that is what Nathan and I will be working with the subcommittee to make more clear.  Because I see a number of scenerios based on the different hub homes, and OCLC managing the technology certainly is one.  I just don’t think it would be my first or second choice.

--tr

From: DPLAsteering [mailto:dplasteering-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Evans, Gwen
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2016 5:25 PM
To: DPLAsteering <dplasteering at lists.oplin.org<mailto:dplasteering at lists.oplin.org>>
Subject: [DPLAsteering] Meeting with OCLC

Hello All — I met with Bruce Crocco and Mary Sauer-Games today about DPLA. I asked two things of them: Can they get past the CC-0 requirement for metadata, and if they could, could they make a decision quickly about partnering with the DPLA in Ohio group to work on the aggregator. They said they think they could have a yes/no answer about metadata by next Friday’s Steering Committee meeting, and shortly after that  they would confirm whether they would be willing to be the technology hub aggregator (I mentioned that we were planning to apply early summer, but we had meetings scheduled each month and would expect an answer on that question in March. Mary has been talking to Taylor so he has the level of detail needed. I emphasized that this was a three year commitment, not for all time, and the benefits of OCLC engagement would be that they would be able to assess what the business opportunities were, if any. We did discuss the necessity of being more or less ready to go (or ready to start) implementing if DPLA accepts our application.

They (Mary, really) expressed serious interest; I think if they deliver on the metadata yes/no on time, then we can press them on the next commitment. I would recommend that we have a “plan A” for hub hosting and management just in case they say no, or waffle too long.

Best, Gwen

Gwen Evans
Executive Director, OhioLINK
http://www.ohiolink.edu/<https://email.osu.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=yABf3LFOkkWRenaUhIeuu8fgj9Eh09EIzjzYk8LZChVNExG8a_rLuGXWeDNyfAo-Yn1uw1Chvck.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ohiolink.edu%2f>

ph: 614-485-6608
gwen at ohiolink.edu<mailto:gwen at ohiolink.edu>
1224 Kinnear Rd
Columbus, Ohio 43212
ORCID ID:0000-0002-4560-0435

Per Ohio Revised Code, this communication and any attachments may constitute a public record. (http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/149.43)

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