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MEETING \MINUTES
Schools and Libraries Advisory Board
March 27, 1996
Members Present: Joanne Steneck, Phil Lindley, Barry
McCrum, James McCarthy, Raymond Poulin, Gary Nichols, Stephen
Gilbert, Bill Black and Reggie Palmer
1. Minutes of March 20, 1996, meeting approved with no additions or changes.
Old business - Ms. Steneck received a one page narrative
(and a revised RFP) from Ms. Gulliver describing the
proposed training agreed to by the Board at the last
meeting. This narrative will be inserted into the NYNEX
Plan.
2. Mr. McCarthy discussed the shared backbone tier
services. This includes network monitoring, Internet access
and help desk which is now being referred to as "technical
support services." He stated that these services were
consistent with the understandings reached last summer, that
libraries and schools would initially direct user problems
through school district technical coordinators or other
local designees with the so-called help desk function being
communications limited to community from the technical
coordinator and a limited number of designated other
personnel on system-type problems. He said NYNEX was open
to changes if this is what the Board desired.
Mr. McCarthy described NYNEX's consideration of IBM, University of Maine, Envisionet proposals. U of M scored highest based on education experience and support, overall cost-effectiveness and overall customer satisfaction. Envisionet representatives presented additional information on how they could provide end user help desk functions. They distributed a sheet summarizing typical calls received from a user of their services. (It was later pointed out by Mr. Gilbert that most of these calls related to connection problems which would not occur with dedicated access such as on the NYNEX system.)
Discussion by all members of the need for direct users support help desk, particularly for librarians.
After discussion, everyone agreed that further consideration of the need for user support (help desk)
function was needed.
Ms. Steneck suggested that the Board table this help
desk question and proceed to approve the shared backbone
tier service as proposed by NYNEX and resolve issue of the
help desk within a couple of weeks. The Board agreed to
proceed with the plan as proposed by NYNEX to Commission,
with further consideration of a help desk.
3. Computer Eligibility
Mr. Beiser suggested "grant" approach with $2,000 maximum for those with computer hardware of less than
286 capacity and $600 for upgrading of those with capacity of 386. The Board agreed that everyone eligible should receive a computer or upgrade and that if $500,000 proves to be insufficient that we should request additional authorization from the Commission.
All in agreement with the "grant" approach; $2,000/$600 figures accepted.
4. Break
5. Review Implementation Plan
A brief discussion of revisions, descriptions of access tier hardware, modems, installations, FRAD
and modem maintenance.
6. Evaluation
Discussion carried over to next meeting.
7. Material passed out: draft grant application, access tier selection form, alternative equivalent value services; and
draft cover letter. These materials will be discussed at the next meeting and mailed to libraries and schools around
April 3 if possible.
8. NYNEX agreed to present further information at the next
meeting about the range of likely values for those choosing
alternative value service. Mr. Larsen, of NYNEX, explained
that NYNEX is still working with the independent telephone
companies to cost out the value of their services.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 4:05 P.M.
