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Topic Friday February 2, 2001 Meeting
As scheduled, there will be a meeting Friday February 2 at the Rochester Thruway Marriott in Henrietta, 8:30 - 12:00. Agenda to follow........Camille
deleteduser 01/30/01 0 properties
Topic November 3 Meeting at the Lodge at Woodcliff
The meeting November 3 is at the Lodge at Woodcliff (same place as the Oct 6 meeting) Agenda items.....Snapshot Survey Results, Project Accelerate, Continued Student Courses Update
deleteduser 10/30/00 0 properties
Topic October 6 2000 Meeting
Check EduTech Services, Steering Committee, On Going Committee Work for the agenda for the 10/6/00 meeting at 8:30 at the Lodge at Woodcliff
deleteduser 09/29/00 0 properties
Topic Aug 16 Meeting
The agenda for the Aug 16 is posted on DocuShare. Any additional items can be addressed by emailing me CSorenson @edutech.org,......please note the meeting is at The Brookwood on Rte 96 in Pittsford/Bushnell's Basin....Exit 27 off I490.
deleteduser 08/11/00 0 properties
Topic Meetings Schedule
Meeting schedule for our summer meeting and the 2000-2001 school year are in the mail....see Docushare, Ongoing Work for a copy
deleteduser 05/24/00 0 properties
Topic Meeting Minutes
Minutes for the 4-7-00 meeting are on Docushare, please note meeting date schedule for the next year
deleteduser 05/04/00 0 properties
Topic February 28 Planning
Who's "cmanaser"?????....just kidding ...as its sits now here are the items that I am working on for the Agenda 1. Pricing at other Regional Information Centers, per our brainstorming session at the November Steering Committee meeting, 2 Cost Effectiveness Legislation, 3 Cognos Project Status, 4 as a standing item R & D (although at this point,the R & D status would not be very different than the last meeting), 5 a Committee member has asked that we discuss/re cap the history of LAKENet and the initial funding agreement.
deleteduser 02/14/00 0 properties
Topic Planning for February 28
Remember to let Camille know about agenda items for our meeting the first day back from break. Camille, should you and I get together before hand? This will be my swan song and I wnat it to go well... The group does need to think about (1) breaking in a new FL member and (2) someone unwise enough to be internal facilitator.
deleteduser 02/09/00 0 properties
Topic Cost Effectiveness Legislation
All paperwork submitted to SED regarding Cost Effectiveness Legislation is on DocuShare---collection EduTech, Steering Committee, OnGoing Committee Work, Cost Effectiveness Legislation - 2000
deleteduser 01/27/00 0 properties
Topic Cost Effectiveness Legislation
As per the SC Meeting there are two issues - 1. Should EduTech accept request for services from districts outside our 2 BOCES (other than the normal minor cross contact). Our recommendation would be "no". Our resources are already tight servicing the 47 districts, The income received would not offset the manpower and management capacity utilized. 2. What are the implications of one of the 47 districts going to one of the other RICs for services ??? If an EduTech district procures hardware/services from other BOCES they should be careful to compare ongoing support charges as well as onetime install charges and they should clearly receive all support from the other RIC. EduTech will not provide support for equipment procured through other RICs, this is especially important if the items fall outside of our standards. Questions, Comments, Issues.....
deleteduser 12/09/99 0 properties
Topic December 8 meeting materials
Check out Building the Meeting Agenda Collection for some of the December 8 meeting materials--- Agenda, District Pricing, Cost Effectiveness Legislation draft, Dial in Access Info.....see you December 8, 8:30 at the Rochester Thruway Marriott, Council Room
deleteduser 12/06/99 0 properties
Topic November 5 meeting materials
Meeting materials for the November 5 meeting are under EduTech, Steering Committee, Building the Meeting Agenda, November 5-99 Meeting Materials. Faxes should go out Tues afternoon or Wed morning
deleteduser 11/02/99 0 properties
Topic Agenda Forthcoming
Thank you for responses, Gary and Tiffany. Camille and I spent some time together this morning and drafted a tentative agenda. Look for it to be posted later today or tomorrow along with backup material. We are trying to model the use of technology we expect of others. We did, however, agree to keep using FAXes until 1/1/2000, so there will be some duplication of effort this time and next, but after that....
deleteduser 11/02/99 0 properties
Topic Last Call
Anybody other than the professionals at EduTech have any input for the steering committee meeting agenda for Friday? Camille and I are getting together tomorrow to prepare it. Please post anything here or drop either of us an email. Remember - you are modeling the technology usage you expect and will get from your subordinates.
deleteduser 11/01/99 0 properties
Topic Cognos
The majority of GV and WFL Superintendents have approved moving ahead with Cognos and we have begun a number of initial steps with the vendor
deleteduser 10/26/99 0 properties
Topic Addresses
See Collection EduTech, EduTech Steering Committee, OnGoing Committee Work, Steering Committee Contact Info for member phone and fax numbers and email addresses
deleteduser 10/22/99 0 properties
Topic Email List
Camille- Do you have the email addresses for everyone on the Steering Committee? Maybe it would be helpful to create this list to send quick messages like " Check Docushare"... Just an idea.
deleteduser 10/19/99 0 properties
Topic Next Steering Committee Meeting
Our next meeting is scheduled for Novemeber 5 at the Marriott Thruway off 390. My understanding of what we hoped to cover was 1) Budget development for 2000-01 from EduTech, 2) look at the planning piece being presented to the WFL BOCES board aligning EduTech with the BOCES Strategic Plan and 3)continued discussion of pricing and implications of any changes we might suggest/recommend. What else would people like to see on the agenda? Any input received by 10/29 will be processed by Camille and I in setting the agenda which will be posted here by 11/3. Thanks.
deleteduser 10/19/99 0 properties
Topic Installs..... last time
The sole reason I came here was for the schools and the kids. I believe we are cost effective in installs. I wish the aid structure allowed you to choose EduTech or a vendor without losing aid. I have no problem abandoning installs and eliminating the associated staff. Steve, you said that you dislike that troubleshooting is subsidizing installs. But I provided you access to that information. That's something a vendor does not have to share. When we procure your IBMs through WNY, you are probably subsidizing their marketing budget, their golf tournament and the basketball hoop that they have in their back parking lot. The difference is that you dont know their expenses vs their pricing.
deleteduser 10/07/99 0 properties
Topic Reflections on October 1 Meeting
I'd like to apologize to our group for injecting too harsh a note of dissonance into our meeting in the late afternoon. Perhaps full day meetings beg to be ended badly. However, I did not intend to cast a pall on the successes we enjoyed that day with my criticism of the budget/pricing presentation. I think I used the word "stonewall" and it had a much stronger punch than I wanted it to. I merely want now and wanted then to support the notion that we should talk about pricing when it is NOT an issue, so that there is time to reflect, gather data, explore options, etc.. My fear is that there are unknowns out there that will alwyas prevent us from moving if we let them, and that if we don't talk about the issue it will fester until it boils over sometime down the road when one of us superegos has their bill cause them a coronary. Anyway - sorry for spoiling the party and I hope you don't take it out on me on the 5th of November ( that's my birthday and you should be nice to me if for no other reason than that).
deleteduser 10/05/99 0 properties
Topic SAA Statistics
Per a prior note from Jack, SAA statistics are available for the years 97-98 and 98-99 under the DocuShare collection EduTech, EduTech News, SAA Statistics........Customer Assistance Center call stats to follow.......while we're talking along the PR route....next week you will see a new look to the edutech home page...an electronic newsletter in effect.....enter URL //edutest.edutech.org to preview (please note a few items are not fully operational yet, but they will be prior to rollout).........Also under EduTech News, Daily Technical is an daily log of where technicians will be, as reqested by districts--we will be communicating this info to districts shortly.
deleteduser 09/03/99 0 properties
Topic Installs........
So you think we need to get out of the install business......why ??? because it 1. takes away from troubleshooting time, 2. takes away from R & D, 3. takes away from creative technology pursuits, 4. a business can do it cheaper 5. all of the above ????? ----------------- Well ---1. Maybe, of the 5,000+ technical trouble calls in 98-99, more than 50 % of the calls were resolved in 1 week - leaves room for improvement..... 2. True, we need to be more proactive on some items (i.e. Windows, Office, Novell), however on other initiatives we are leading edge - Wide Area Network, remote diagnostics, web based instruction, curriculum database, Title III implementations, etc...... 3. False, see answer to # 2....... 4. False, yes Vanstar, WNY Computing etc. are going with economies of scale that I cannot touch, but their salary structure is higher and they factor in a profit margin. If we charge $400 a workstation(rather than $100) for installation, this would directly allocate all resources associated with installation, remember what this means. Yes, probably a vendor would "ghost" a software image on a workstation, enter workstation specific parameters on it, put it on a table in a school, connect it to a phone jack, and turn it on for < $400. However, remember what direct and indirect costs (and onetime AND ongoing services) are in our $400 --- configuration design (and integration with existing district equip), purchase order processing and procurement, receiving inventory control, order staging (making sure ALL components are received),handling equipment returns and DOA's, disposition of obsolete equipment, fixed asset insurance, equipment tagging for asset management, database entry for asset management and warranty database control, ghosting all software images and specific parameters, site surveys, cable terminations, delivery, setup in school, invoice processing, bid compliance, bid process and renewal(last year we procured 56,000 different items on behalf of districts), help desk operation, warranty control and dispatch of maintenance service provider. Remember the direct and indirect costs rolled in to the $400 per workstation. Forget Aid !!!!!! Go price an outsourcing deal for the above services...the bet is it cost a few dollars more than $400 per workstation.
deleteduser 09/03/99 0 properties
Topic Response
Romulus uses BOCES aid as a key component in selling technolgy to the Board and to the community. I would be hard pressed to negotiate with outside vendors the scope and quality of service - including the continuity of personnel, that I am able to get from BOCES.

What I'm still unclear about is the impact of the new budget language on technology aid to schools. This may be a driving factor in what we choose to do.

I am not opposed to per call pricing as a viable option, but would have a hard time with BOCES getting out of the install business altogether...

deleteduser 09/01/99 0 properties
Topic Time to Start Modeling the Behavior
It's 3:30 on the Friday before one of our steering committee meetings and we're still getting faxes without even posting the same information in our collection. With the start of the 1999-2000 season, let's do the moeling we said we wanted to do!
deleteduser 08/20/99 0 properties
Topic Cleaning
FYI, I did some reshuffling/organizing of the Steering Committee collection
deleteduser 06/28/99 0 properties
Topic Thanks
Thanks for posting the directions and memo and map on Docushare. I was able to access all three this way and could not open them as attachments to the email sent Wednesday. Nice to know the technology works...
deleteduser 06/04/99 0 properties
Topic Steering Comm.
Tentative date for the meeting is June 14, final agenda is being developed. Any suggestions, just let us know.
deleteduser 05/27/99 0 properties
Topic Steeriing Committee Meeting?
Well, we all sent our dates available back one way or another. IS there a rescheduled date? Please advise so I can clear four slots with question marks off my June calendar.
deleteduser 05/27/99 0 properties
Topic Response
Chris thanks for the info, I've passed the dates on
deleteduser 05/13/99 0 properties
Topic Passive- Agressive Non- Compliance is the surest way to change behavior
I refuse to succumb to the FAX-ease when we have technology we are supposed to be the leaders in using! I am available on June 3, June 8, June 9 OR June 14, and will reserve those dates on Schedule+ on my desktop.

I AM interested in a day-long summer meeting and think we need to spend some time on communication, modeling, planning, R&D, videoconferencing, the role of the steering committee, AND the goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of this year.

'Nuff said.

deleteduser 05/12/99 0 properties
Topic Meeting Cancelled?
Got a voice message today that our meeting Thursday ( which had been off, then on) is now off again. Why the FAXes and the voice system when we're supposed to be modeling behaviors here? Time to revisit those goals we set for ourselves?
deleteduser 05/11/99 0 properties
Topic Next Meeting
Do we have an update yet on next meeting date after the solicitation of our available dates for rescheduling? Let's remember to USE THE TECHNOLOGY folks! Thanks.
deleteduser 04/30/99 0 properties
Topic Erate Update
We processed over 60 applications for $4.1 million for the 1999-2000 school year. This includes telecommunications for LAKENet and individual school districts. The money is slowly coming in for this school year. To date districts have received about $25k in funds.
deleteduser 04/15/99 0 properties
Topic Waterloo
The district is the party that requested that St. Mary's be connected. They are very much interested and are an advocate for the St. Mary's connection. The connection was requested from a Waterloo initiated SAA. The request did not come to EduTech from St.Mary's
deleteduser 04/13/99 0 properties
Topic St Mary's Again
Given the reread of the letter of opinion Jack got and shared with us about the inclusion of privates, I'm not sure we CAN exclude anyone. The question becomes more of an assignment of cost one for me. We are charging Penn Yan something different fro not coming in up front, aren't we? I just want to make sure we're consistent and fair in our approach. Thanks for including us in the discussion, Camille. Anybody else out there interested or involved? Or am I once again the only one who doesn't know the horse is dead?
deleteduser 04/12/99 0 properties
Topic St. Mary's
We've started to "move down the path" to connect them given the district's strong desire to connect them in. But I hear you, and we will place that piece of the SAA on hold until we can discuss it as a group further. I understand the ramifications and precedents but let me phrase it this way...we gave every LAKENet district a certain bucket of capacity (be it a T1 or whatever). Waterloo chooses to share a portion of its capacity with a private school in their area. Is it their right to use their assigned capacity the way they want????????
deleteduser 04/07/99 0 properties
Topic St. Mary's Comment
Ya'll remember the heated discussions we've had about the leveling of the playing field between publics and privates and our lack of desire to contribute to that deconstruction process? Judging from the lack of response to Camille's posting below, I would assume nobody's read this yet. Camille, please don't take that silence to imply consent. This is not something we should entertain without discussion. We decided once ( before you were on board, I think) to exclude privates from the infrastructure we have built with public funds. Please DO NOT go far down that road without consulting the entire steering committee. Thanks.
deleteduser 04/07/99 0 properties
Topic EduTech News
Checkout the new DocuShare Collection under EduTech called 1999 EduTech News, an attempt to let our districts know what we're working on and a little of the volume and makup of our efforts.
deleteduser 03/24/99 0 properties
Topic WFLibraries Collection
Camille and Jeff ( and others on our group), may wish to check the WFLLibraries Bulletin Board. Canandaigua and a few others have some continuing concerns with the unblocking we tried to perform.... Please don't let them fester into another meeting like we had last week.
deleteduser 02/12/99 0 properties
Topic Librarian's meeting Success
Thank you to Camille, Jeff and Jack for meeting with the tech committee of the Finger Lakes librarians last Thursday. The meeting helped to diffuse some of the frustration and clarify some of the misinformation which was causing problems. Expect to hear a reqest at our committee level to have a customer satidfaction focus group formed whcih might help bubble information up to us for consideration.
deleteduser 02/08/99 0 properties
Topic Erate
We're starting to receive approval on LAKENet applications. Up util yesterday we have been receiving approval on district phone bills (for voice), they are declining items that they call "internal connections" i.e. routers, hubs. Yesterday we received approval for Lakenet monies from Frontier and Bell Atlantic expenses, so far $220K. We received a April 6 extension for filing, prioir date was in March.
deleteduser 02/03/99 0 properties
Topic Erate
We're getting close. I actually signed a few district forms yesterday which is the last step to receiving money. The form authorizes sending the check to the district.
deleteduser 02/02/99 0 properties
Topic Librarians' Tech Committee
Finally confirmed with Linda Davis on Jack's schedule. Please plan for Camille, Jeff and Jack to meet with WFL Librarians' technology subcommittee at 1:00 pm on February 4 in Newark. Room TBA. Let's try to call the bluff and really talk about the concerns our users have in libraries in our region. Thanks.
deleteduser 01/21/99 0 properties
Topic Librarians
If I don't hear from Jack today or tomorrow, I'll see him at CSO on Friday and try to nail down a date. Thanks for your input so far...
deleteduser 01/13/99 0 properties
Topic Librarians
I can make any of the dates specified. I just want to make sure that there is a connection to LAKENet wherever we meet. Let's turn it into an educational session rather than a "I Can't" session. We can show them how to find any information that they might need.
deleteduser 01/11/99 0 properties
Topic Lib Answer
Chris, I will follow up
deleteduser 01/08/99 0 properties
Topic Librarian Meeting
Camille, no response yet from Jack or Jeff. Can you check with them?
deleteduser 01/08/99 0 properties
Topic Erate clarification
We have received Erate information on 13 Districts. To date we have only received information on the District paid expense application. We have not received any information on BOCES expense items (LAKENet expenses etc). Of the 13 Districts we have received approval of $174,736 on applications of $297,203.
deleteduser 01/06/99 0 properties
Topic Librarians
Nothing has been relayed to the Librarians after the December Steering Committee, so I wouldn't be suprised that they do not feel any relief. I am available 1/26,2/4, and 2/10. I have no problem talking to them about what we have found and listening to their concerns. As I indicated at the meeting I was able to retrieve information on about 80 - 90% of the items they said were blocked....Camille
deleteduser 01/06/99 0 properties
Topic Librarian Customers
Camille, Jeff, Jack and others interested... I met yesterday with the technology subcommitee of the WF Library Council. They are not the happy campers we were led to believe they had become at our last Steering Committee Meeting. In order to arbitrate and mediate and otherwise make my committee life tolerable, I suggested that there needed to be an open discussion of issues with as many people as possible present. In this way we might avoid some of the communication barriers that seem to have developed recently. We selected three possible dates for a meeting of the three above-named individuals with this subcommittee of 5 or 6. Dates are: 1/26; 2/4 or 2/10 at either 1 or 2 pm any of those dates. Please check your calendars and let's see if we can't end some of this agony. I'll look forward to a response by 1/15? Thanks.
deleteduser 01/06/99 0 properties
Topic Erate cont
Supposedly, the groupings were based on aid ratio (90% then 80% etc), however that does not appear to be the case. We're not sure what the method is and the timing on the other districts - the letters are coming on a daily basis.
deleteduser 12/28/98 0 properties
Topic Erate Question
Camille- what is the logic ( if this is not too silly a question presuming there is logic) behind the groupings of schools? That seems like a pretty disparate group. Any idea when the rest of us will hear?
deleteduser 12/22/98 0 properties
Topic Erate Update
We have received letters indicating Erate award amounts for 5 schools. The letters are being sent in a series of groupings, so we should hear of other schools in the near future. Red Creek, Perry, Alexander, Wayland/Cohocton, Cal-Mum will receive 100% of the amount applied for. We received a pre-letter, announcing a forthcoming letter, then we fill out a form, then the money will be sent directly to the District(yes we're still a number of steps away). As it regards next year's filing, the period began in December and will continue til early March. EduTech will again file on behalf of the Districts. Mary Ellen Darling (and a temporary that we have starting jan 4) will coordinate the effort.
deleteduser 12/22/98 0 properties
Topic WFL CSO Edutech Com Meeting
Glad to meet, but we're running out of days when people will be around before the 6th.
deleteduser 12/17/98 0 properties
Topic Latency and more
We have seen success with some parameter changes that we made a couple of weeks ago at Warsaw CSD, given the same problems. I'm meeting with Sandy Sommers and Jeff G Thurs to discuss further rollout.
deleteduser 12/15/98 0 properties
Topic Rural Schools Conference
FYI - I submitted a proposal to Rural Schools on using Docushare to creat virtual workgroups in the school setting. They have accepted it for presentation on Monday July 12 in the morning. I will plan to show off some of the RCS stuff, and anything more we have developed with RIC and the Title III curriculum sharing. Otesaga in Cooperstown. Anybody else going? We can flesh out a presentation if you'd like.
deleteduser 12/15/98 0 properties
Topic WFL Supes and EduTech budget
Would be glad to carry the ball with WFL Supes, especially provided a meeting of Tiffany, Steve and me with Jack and Camille ahead of time. Look forward to both. When are we setting up this meeting? When are we presenting the edutech budget to the CSOs? Anyone?
deleteduser 12/15/98 0 properties
Topic Budget
The Vocational Ed budget went up 5.65 % with an enrollment increase of 1.59 %; EduTech budget went up 6.8% with the number of workstations increased by 28 % and number of LANs increased by 5 %. We installed $11 million worth of equipment last year. To continue to support this environment we need highly skilled, trained technicians. I can support any approved budget, but the volume is increasing not decreasing and soon we we start to enter the replacement cycle of the installed workstations.
deleteduser 12/15/98 0 properties
Topic Latency cont
Both the LAKENet area and the Technical Support area have been working on the lock out problem at Canandaigua for two months now, making about a half a dozen changes that have reduced the situation some(from replacing NIC cards to evening the packet size of data in the network). The problem was that workstations would lose their connection and not be able to reconnect for 10 - 15 minutes, my understanding now is they lose their connection but can get back in. I understand that this still is not acceptable. It affects a number of districts, and we continue to consider it a priority.
deleteduser 12/15/98 0 properties
Topic WFL Chiefs
Steve- I checked the WFL file before this one. This is obviously the better place to chat about any discomfort you have with the budget and our CSO group. I think the key is the number of additional staff hired this year which first show up in NEXT year's budget. Without that, we're looking more like 2% or less, no?
deleteduser 12/14/98 0 properties
Topic Librarian-thanks
Camille and Jeff- thank you for addressing the concerns the WFL librarians have expressed. From the sounds of our brief discussion at Steering Committee yesterday, they have been heard and are being worked with. All any of us can ask.
deleteduser 12/10/98 0 properties
Topic AUP
Correct, LAKENet user must comply with District AUP (allowing the District the discretion to require written statement). Yes, please forward a copy to me...Camille
deleteduser 12/03/98 0 properties
Topic Bess Again
I have been working with the Librarians from both GV and WFL with very positive results. GV Librarians overwhelmingly think that Bess is great, very useful, and allows them to get to any relevant information that they are looking for. On the WFL side we have received response from 5 users to a survey that Carol Berry sent out. Only 3 of the five are having any problems at all and they appear to be a simple matter of education in hoe to search the internet. I will continue to work with them and hopefully be able to give a class in using the filter with search engines for them.
deleteduser 12/02/98 0 properties
Topic Revised LAKENet AUP
For your review, in DocuShare, Steering Committee, Ongoing Committee Work, is a revision to the LAKENet Acceptable Use Policy. As a result of district review of the policy an issue was raised under the "USERS, Individual Users" section. The 6-19 version read " All individuals using LAKENet must have a signed written statement on file with their institution acknowledging their agreement to abide by the rules set forth in their district's public library's Acceptable Use Policy for network and Internet access." The issue was raised that such a written statement is inappropriate for very young students. Therefore the statement was revised to read - "All individuals using LAKENet agree to abide by the rules set forth in their district's public library's Acceptable Use Policy for network and Internet access. This will allow the districts to determine whether or not a written statement is required and at what age. Please note any issues or comments by 12-15-98.
deleteduser 12/02/98 0 properties
Topic All set
Jack, you're all set. Remember, after Updating Permissions on the collection, they do not automatically filter down to the other objects in the collection. The second step is to click on the Unify button. This copies the Permissions list to ALL objects in the collection.
deleteduser 11/19/98 0 properties
Topic Starting Point on Bess
In case anybody tries to go back to the very beginning of this discussion and look for the first comment in the string on BESS, I have moved my original request for us to consider this issue to the WFL Library System's bulletin board so the librarian's could see that I did do what I said I would. Apparently you can only post a bulletin board message in one bulletin board at a time ( at least I couldn't figure out how to copy it). Something for us to add to the list for the Xerox folks to work on as an improvement....
deleteduser 11/16/98 0 properties
Topic Goals
A note: In my effort to practice what we preach and to learn more about this wonderful software, I have moved Linda Davis's document on our goals into the folder on On-going committee work and added another file under the Goals collection which suggests some revision to our work. Check it out! It was easy to rearrange stuff and to save the file, copy and paste and then repost.
deleteduser 11/04/98 0 properties
Topic Bess Again
The issue the librarians brought to us is one of either perception or reality ( the two get confused for me sometimes). But either way it is still an issue to them, and they are our customers - very often high frequency users of this service. If Bess is our best bet, and if there is no such thing or a need for a viable system of age-discriminatory filtering for appropriate material, maybe we still need to meet with these people for the education piece someone mentioned earlier. I don't think the answer to the presenting problem is to just say we understand your concern but there is no solution. ( not the Quality way). I strongly suggest this topic be on our December agenda.
deleteduser 11/02/98 0 properties
Topic Bess Revisited
Just an Update on the content filter issue. Over the past year we have reviewed two new to market filters one being x-stop and the other border manager. In terms of performance and support neither came close to the product we currently use. As for cost, they were both similar to our current system, however would involve new upfront purchases, and increased maintenance costs. Niether new product was focused on education and had no plans to create a special feature that is. we also reviewed some of the other filters previously reviewed, and got the same results as many have not put much new effort into making them better, just selling them more. Bess is still by a long shot the best and most flexible solution. As for different levels of filtering, it is a sham. How can you segment the school population by what is appropriate for what age? Who says that what is apropriate for the Junior at Dundee is appropriate for the Junior at Victor? For that matter who decides that what is appropriate for My Junior at Dansville is appropriat for your Junior at Dansville? Let alone what is appropriate for someone in california most likely is not for someone in utah. Age has no bearing on information. Pornography is pornography at any age. The filter delivers based on the type of search that it is given regardless of who makes the request. If I look up Penthouse in the school library card catalog, I probably will not find the magazine, but if my search is for someting about the architecture of a penhouse and that is what I am looking for I probably can find information in a book on architecture. It is simply an manner of looking in a different way. I have yet to find a subject yet that I can not have 1000+ pages of relevant information on in minutes while using the Bess filter, and since they added a search engine that will look only at approved sites, I can do it even faster than before. I would also suggest that you look to others in addition to Librarians for information - Administrators, Teachers, Parents, Students, and indeed other less vocal librarians. I believe that you will find that the vast majority is having little difficulty with this. We are not sitting on our laurels, but constatntly looking to make sure we still have the best product for our student safety. We will continue to review new products as they are available. We are not tied to Bess, unless it continues to be the best product.
deleteduser 10/31/98 0 properties
Topic Response to Opening Board
The democrat in me ( note small "d") says of course!
deleteduser 10/29/98 0 properties
Topic Good Ole Bess
If we're going to survey to gather data - how about surveying the librarians? They really did seem concerned about our perceived lack of concern for their issues, particularly around high school searches. Steve, your man from Canandaigua was pretty vocal - you might want to check with him. They were NOT just into a power game of who controls what - they really did want to address the issues and felt as though the Task force created last year was prematurely aborted without having done the whole job.
deleteduser 10/27/98 0 properties
Topic Bess cont
I had a conversation with Jeff Ginsberg on the use of Bess that he has discussed with Librarians that suggests the issue is training and not the Bess product (in some cases). For example, if you do a Internet search on "Sexual Harassment" Bess will block the request. However if you enter "Harassment", Bess will return a number of sites with information on Sexual Harassment.
deleteduser 10/26/98 0 properties
Topic Bess 3
What about the idea of reopening that "Task Force" they discussed? I'm not sure it is our initial responsibility to devise a solution. I am pretty sure that the quality appraoch would suggest that we revisit the customers' requirements, though. If we involve representatives from the libraries of both BOCES (as they indicated we did last year) we will at least have their buy-in to any solution or lack thereof. I think we need to honor the "committment" made to them last year to have an ongoing discussion with them involved.
deleteduser 10/26/98 0 properties
Topic Review of Last Meeting
Thanks everyone for a productive session last Thursday morning. Hope to find some of us - re: all of us - using this format for ideas, concerns, etc.. Looking forward to being the folks who really do walk the walk...
deleteduser 10/19/98 0 properties
Topic Query about Use
As the EduTech Guru-guidance group, shouldn't we be modeling use of this collection a tad more than we appear to be? I'm just curious about how we are actually applying the tools we have to work better with one another. Looking forward to receiving our agendas, directions, etc, via the network we've created ( hint, hint).
deleteduser 09/23/98 0 properties