ACQNET v7n010 (March 6, 1997) URL = http://www.infomotions.com/serials/acqnet/acqnet-v7n010.txt ISSN: 1057-5308 *************** ACQNET, Vol. 7, No. 10, March 6, 1997 ===================================== (1) FROM: Pat Wallace SUBJECT: Baker & Taylor: A Response + Blue Ribbon Committee Formation (194 lines) (2) FROM: Pat Wallace SUBJECT: Hawaii Law RE: Book Selection: Draft #3 (87 lines) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 02 Mar 1997 03:43:53 -0500 (EST) From: Pat Wallace Subject: Baker & Taylor: A Response February 13, 1997 Honorable Karen Knudsen Chairperson, Board of Education 1390 Miller Street, Room 405 Honolulu, HI 96813 Dear Ms. Knudsen: Baker & Taylor Books would like to express its appreciation for the Board of Education and Hawaii State Public Library System's continued commitment to its innovative approach to library management. The actions announced at the Tuesday, February 11 BOE press conference are endorsed by Baker & Taylor. We were pleased to see that the seven steps outlined in the BOE press release are parallel, and, thus, complement, the joint HSPLS and Baker & Taylor action plan presented January 16, 1997 at the Board of Education, Library Services committee public meeting. Baker & Taylor would like to respond to the positive measures you outlined at the press conference: Step One: The Hawaii State Public Library System will release $100,000 of Governor Cayetano's restriction release to the 49 public libraries so they can buy Hawaiiana and other books from local sources to meet immediate customer needs. The release of additional funds by the Governor to purchase Hawaiiana and other books from local sources, helps focus on the need to support the local economy. Step One complements the Baker & Taylor recommendation to utilize the remaining 1995-96 funds from products canceled or not supplied by the vendors and to allocate these expenditures to meet specific needs of collection development that are limited by the contract. Baker & Taylor has suggested these purchases focus on Hawaiiana, Asian-Pacific and children [sic] titles. There is currently a plan awaiting final approval by HSPLS to modify the Hawaiiana/Asian-Pacific selection process. Under the new process, local librarians review the titles and make final selection recommendations. Step Two: Mr. Kane will convene a meeting of library employees to explain the new purchase plan, improvements to Baker & Taylor's outsourced operations, and the evaluation of Baker & Taylor's performance. Baker & Taylor strongly agrees that communication among all parties is the key to effective management of any outsourcing project. Step Two is equivalent to Baker & Taylor's action plan recommendation that the HSPLS resurrect and enhance its internal communication process. The library staff will then clearly understand the contract and outsourcing. Baker & Taylor has provided HSPLS with a communications plan suggesting concepts and approaches to assist in an improved communication process. A major component of improved communications is to implement a two-way communication process that allows for (1) staff inclusion, and (2) consideration of branch library requirements and concerns. Step Three: Baker & Taylor collection development staff will return to Hawaii this spring and visit the public libraries to review and update each library's community and collection profile. This will provide more library employee input into the selection process. Baker & Taylor is pleased to see Step Three included in your press release as it is exactly one of the action items our company strongly suggests. It is essential to have the continued involvement of the branch librarians as they were the individuals that provided the profile information for the creation of the profiles. The selection review process and profile updating will be incomplete without the branch librarians' involvement. In fact, the contract requires that each branch have an appointed coordinator assigned to this continual review and update process. Baker & Taylor believes that the appointed coordinator is instrumental. The HSPLS and Baker & Taylor have a great deal of work to accomplish in preparation for the Profile Update Team visit. Prerequisites are information gathering and creation of collection development guidelines. The HSPLS staff is currently working on specific tasks. Weekly conference calls with the HSPLS Reengineering team were initiated by Baker & Taylor beginning the third week of January 1997 to facilitate completion of these assignments. On February 10, 1997 and February 12, 1997, Baker & Taylor representatives met with the HSPLS staff to focus on these items and develop the Profile Update Team's plan and schedule for the visit. Step Four: Hawaii State Public Library System will convene a meeting of all interested local publishers to discuss getting more of their books into our libraries through our local book distributor, Booklines Hawaii. Baker & Taylor is currently in discussion with its subcontractor, Booklines Hawaii, to develop a process expanding Booklines access to additional Hawaiian publisher's products. Additionally, Baker & Taylor has also begun discussing these issues directly with local suppliers. Step Five: Hawaii State Public Library System is audited annually. This is a financial audit to determine whether expenditures have been made and revenues and receipts have been collected and accounted for in accordance with the law. The Grant Thorton audit reviewed all HSPLS contracts including Baker & Taylor. Baker & Taylor supports the audit and review requirements. Audits and reviews are included in the contract and are an integral component of the contractual feedback required to provide accurate data to modify and update collection development profiles to better meet the needs of the library patrons and the taxpayers of Hawaii. Baker & Taylor would like to request copies of the Baker & Taylor portion of the audit report. Step Six: A Blue Ribbon Committee of library, business and government persons will be appointed by the Board of Education to review and make recommendations on Baker & Taylor's performance through June 30, 1997. This performance review will include circulation, customer satisfaction, contract pricing, mix and deliverables as well as error thresholds. Baker & Taylor supports and has requested this review process, a defined and controlled review process based on HSPLS supplied automation system and process control data and evaluated on contractual obligations is the best manner to evaluate and assure required performance levels. [sic]This feedback is also a required data feedback process for profile updating. The establishment of a broad-based Blue Ribbon Committee is an excellent approach for a balanced review of the current performance as well as the structure and content of the contract. Baker & Taylor will work with HSPLS and the Board of Education to provide them with the necessary information and resources to effectively conduct this review. Baker & Taylor appreciates the opportunity to have this evaluation of the entire contract performance based on valid data and reviewed by an impartial body. Step Seven: There are serious deficiencies in Baker & Taylor's performance since July 19, 1996. The state librarian will be sending a letter to Baker & Taylor identifying nine areas that need specific improvement immediately. The Baker & Taylor contract calls for a 90-day dispute resolution process. It is expected that all nine areas will be addressed. They are standing orders: Hawaiiana; reference books; LBPH materials; bestsellers; children's selections; young adult selections; award books; and response to library community profiles. Baker & Taylor has not yet received this official notification of performance deficiencies. In fact, we have never received an official notification of specific performance deficiencies. I have scheduled a meeting with Bart Kane for Sunday, February 16 to discuss the deficiencies in detail. Until we receive this notification and can review the data of which these deficiencies are evaluated, we cannot appropriately respond and initiate the required issue resolution actions. Immediately upon receipt of this document, and the supporting documentation, Baker & Taylor will assign appropriate resources to address these issues. Baker & Taylor also expects the HSPLS staff and other HSPLS contractors to provide the appropriate resources, data and function required for Baker & Taylor to resolve any outstanding issues. This outsourcing project is structured as a team, collaborative process and requires effective coordination of effort and resources from all parties involved. Ms. Knudsen, we are pleased by your issuing remarks that over 70,000 persons a week use Hawaii's public libraries and circulation of books is at an all-time high in Hawaii. In spite of the project transition and implementation issues, patrons are using the library and circulation is increasing. As we all work together to improve the outsourcing process we can expect higher usage and increased circulation. Sincerely, Arnie Wight Last updated 2-24-97 by Jo Ann Schindler, HSPLS Board of Education's Blue Ribbon panel ***************************************************************** BLUE RIBBON PERFORMANCE EVALUATION COMMITTEE 28 FEB 97 To: All users From: STATE LIBRARIAN Subject: BOE Blue Ribbon Review Committee The Board of Education Committee on Public Libraries approved a recommendation to the full BOE eight persons to comprise the blue ribbon performance evaluation committee of Baker & Taylor. Recommended members are Friends of the Library of Hawaii directors Nick Huddleston and Rod McPhee; Maui LAC Chair Buck Buchanan; Oahu LAC Chair Doug Ehresman; Makawao's Carla Mauri; Liliha's Sylvia Mitchell; HSL's Vernon Tam; and U.H.-Manoa Vice-President Dr. Lee Putnam. The full BOE is to take action on March 6, 1997. BOE Committee Chair Kelly King said she will initiate action to call the blue ribbon committee after full BOE action. The BOE Committee on Public Libraries extends a very hardy thank you to all 18 HSPLS employees who volunteered as well as all employees who voted for the selections. BARTHOLOMEW A. KANE (2)--------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 02 Mar 1997 22:11:38 -0500 (EST) From: Pat Wallace Subject: HAWAII LAW RE BOOK SELECTION: DRAFT #3 Fwd: HAWAII SB538, DRAFT 3 REPORT TITLE: Public Libraries STATE OF HAWAII--NINETEENTH LEGISLATURE, 1997 THE SENATE--S.B. NO. 538 S.D. 3 DESCRIPTION: Authorizes librarians of the state library system to select books and other resources for the state library system. Authorizes the state librarian to contract with external sources for the purchase of the librarian selected books and resources. (SD3) A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII: SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the state librarian recently entered into a 5-1/4 year, $11,200,000 contract with a mainland book vendor to select, acquire, catalog, and process all new books for the State's public libraries. In doing so, Hawaii has become the first state to give broad control over its book selection process to a private company. The firm in question, Baker & Taylor, an information and entertainment company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been the subject of a significant amount of criticism regarding its performance under this contract, and is currently the subject of a whistleblower's lawsuit for overcharging libraries an schools. The federal government has joined this lawsuit. In particular, the firm has been responsible for acquiring many duplicate and unwanted books. In addition, the purchase of critical reference works has declined and new purchases in some foreign languages and music have been eliminated. Although Baker & Taylor has maintained that they were initially buying books for Hawaii without having access to computerized records of book selections by librarians in the state library system, the legislature finds that this type of outsourcing contract in general is poor public policy, which could elevate the book's price over the book's content. Hawaii taxpayers should not be paying more for books that they never wanted and cannot use. The legislature finds that the savings generated will be worthless if inappropriate book choices are made. The purpose of this Act is to prohibit outsourcing contracts to purchase books and other resources for the state library system that fails to incorporate a book selection process involving the affected librarians. SECTION 2. Chapter 312, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows: Selection and acquisition of library books. Decisions regarding the selection of books and other resources on behalf of the state library system that require the expenditure of public moneys shall be performed internally by the public service librarians of the state library system. The state librarian may contract with external sources for the purchase of books and other resources selected by the public service librarians. The state librarian shall be responsible for books or other resources acquired on behalf of the state library system." Your Committee finds that it is not feasible to divest the State Librarian of the authority to contract externally for the purchase of books or other library resources. However, your Committee recognizes that public service librarians are the persons most knowledgeable about the reading material desired by their clientele and therefore are the persons most suited to selecting books for their libraries. Your Committee also finds that the provision voiding existing contracts is drastic and unnecessary. Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means, ________________________________ LEHUA FERNANDES SALLING, Co-Chair ________________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair ****** END OF FILE ****** ACQNET, Vol. 7, No. 10 ****** END OF FILE ******