Resource Development Policy

Introduction:

Through MyLibraryService.org, the Southeast Florida Library Information Network, Inc. (SEFLIN) seeks to provide convenient access to resources that support member libraries and meet the informational, educational and cultural needs of the people of Southeast Florida. This policy statement for the development of resources delivered through MyLibraryService.org provides context and guidelines for the evaluation and selection of those resources. It does not address procedural issues such as the allocation of funding and the location of a particular resource within the MyLibraryService.org Web site. This policy will help ensure:

• Consistency between the resources selected and the mission of SEFLIN
• Suitability of the resources for supporting the information needs of users
• Technical feasibility of delivering the resources
• Compliance with legal issues that may be present in the selection of resources

MyLibraryService.org is a developmental and evolving project whose purpose includes experimentation, innovation and demonstration of new methods for delivering library services. As such, the type and amount of resources selected for MyLibraryService.org will be governed by SEFLIN's annual goals and organizational initiatives as approved by the Board of Directors and by the availability of funding. SEFLIN will continue to explore new technologies and techniques for enhancing library services through MyLibraryService.org.

Mission:

SEFLIN affirms the value of libraries as key contributors to the community's social and economic well being and quality of life. The mission of SEFLIN is to work cooperatively with member libraries and the communities of Southeast Florida to support the joint use of technology and promote the sharing of library resources. SEFLIN's stated goals include: 1) assisting libraries in identifying and using emerging technologies, 2) supporting the cooperative organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources for Southeast Florida residents, and 3) transforming traditional library services into more user-friendly electronic, remotely accessible services.

MyLibraryService.org is an outgrowth of SEFLIN's organizational mission. Its mission is to support member libraries by more closely linking them to the communities they serve and by enhancing public access to their collections and services. The goals of MyLibraryService.org are to provide: 1) virtual library services to the people of Southeast Florida, 2) training and recruitment opportunities for the region's library staff, and 3) cooperative resource-sharing opportunities for SEFLIN member libraries.

MyLibraryService.org provides resources containing information about the Southeast Florida region and information of interest to the people of the region. Its focus is Southeast Florida and the information needs of Southeast Floridians.

MyLibraryService.org delivers: Information About Southeast Florida -- Information For Southeast Florida.

Resource Selection:

The central virtual library service of SEFLIN's MyLibraryService.org is its single-search interface accessing the OPACs of member libraries. The OPACs of SEFLIN member libraries are the foundation of the MyLibraryService.org resource collection. Through these, Southeast Florida library users can locate an extensive collection of materials carefully selected by libraries to meet their information needs.

In addition to accessing the OPACs of SEFLIN member libraries, other online resources will be accessed through the single-search interface of MyLibraryService.org. These Web-based resources will augment the OPACs of member libraries by delivering, where possible, full-text, full-image resources selected to enrich the region's physical library collections.

Every online resource considered by SEFLIN for inclusion in MyLibraryService.org will be evaluated using the criteria enumerated in this policy statement, regardless of its level of priority. Any resource deemed unacceptable after such consideration will not be offered by SEFLIN through MyLibraryService.org. Few resources will meet all criteria. Therefore, the benefits of a given resource will be weighed against its deficiencies.

Responsibility for Resource Selection:
Under the authority of the Board of Directors, responsibility for the selection of specific resources for inclusion in MyLibraryService.org will belong to SEFLIN. SEFLIN will follow the principles and criteria established in this policy statement and approved by the Board of Directors. SEFLIN will, at its discretion, consult with members, provide formats for members to recommend resources for consideration, and may delegate portions of this responsibility to subject-experts from member institutions. However, final decisions as to the appropriateness of individual resources for inclusion in MyLibraryService.org will be made by SEFLIN.

Resource Types:
SEFLIN aspires to provide the best resources available that are consistent with the mission and goals of MyLibraryService.org. The selection of resources for MyLibraryService.org will be confined to those that can be accessed through the World Wide Web. The following categories of Web-accessible resources will be considered for selection:

• Publicly Available Resources: Free, open-access resources and services
• Licensed Resources: Subscription and fee-based resources
• Custom-Developed Resources: Services created by SEFLIN and/or SEFLIN member libraries

Specific types of resources that will be included in MyLibraryService.org are:

• Library OPAC systems
• Online bibliographic databases
• Digital and electronically-accessible books
• Graphic image collections
• Video, sound recording, and multimedia collections
• Web search engines

SEFLIN will consider the acquisition of other types of electronic resources as they are developed, in light of their relevance and contribution to the mission of MyLibraryService.org.

Language:
SEFLIN recognizes the diversity of the Southeast Florida population and will include foreign-language resources in MyLibraryService.org. The need for a wider selection of non-English language resources may be addressed more fully through future SEFLIN projects and services, developed in due course.

Subject Coverage:
The subjects covered by online resources selected for MyLibraryService.org may include the following categories:

• Education
• Floridiana
• Government
• Health
• Jobs & Careers
• News & Media
• Reference
• Travel & Tourism

Content Criteria:

• Resources selected will support the focus of MyLibraryService.org: They will contain information about Southeast Florida, or they will contain information of value to the people of Southeast Florida.
• Only resources that allow substantially free access to the information they contain will be selected. Resources that charge the user a fee for viewing the complete text of their contents will not be selected. This includes resources that offer the full-text of articles or books for sale as a result of searches, as well as resources requiring the user to pay a subscription.
• Resources that provide the full-text or full-images are preferred before those providing only bibliographic citations, abstracts, or 'thumbnail' images.
• Duplication of the content delivered by various resources should be avoided.
• The information contained within the resource should be accurate, reliable, and either produced by or supported by recognized authorities on the subject.
• Resources that have been favorably reviewed in acceptable review sources, or selected for inclusion in other recognized Web-based library services with defined standards for selection, will be included.
• Resources will contain information that is timely and current, as appropriate to the type of information and subject coverage of the material.
• The information contained within the resources should be factual and balanced in respect to the spectrum of opinion that could exist about the subject area covered. Resources that are primarily designed to advertise or support one particular point of view will be excluded.
• Resources containing primarily technical or esoteric information, not generally accessible except by subject-experts, will be excluded.

Scope Criteria:

• The resource should be appropriate for the intended audience of MyLibraryService.org and consistent with its focus of providing information about Southeast Florida and/or information of high interest to the people of Southeast Florida.
• The resources selected should contain items that are appropriate for a spectrum of users, including primary and secondary school students through adult users.
• The more comprehensive resources, in their respective subject-areas, are preferred before the narrower, less comprehensive resources.

Technical Criteria:

• The contents of the resource must be searchable through an acceptable Web-based search engine.
• The resource must be accessible with standard equipment and software, compatible with popular Web browsers, and not requiring passwords or special software to access its contents.
• The speed and efficiency of searching the resource must be considered. Web sites that are slow to respond and display search results will not be included.
• Resources must be compatible with the searching technology utilized by MyLibraryService.org.
• Resources must be stable and reliable, not subject to frequent down time, and be reasonably expected to continue in service for the foreseeable future.

Resource Request Process:
SEFLIN members may recommend resources for inclusion in MyLibraryService.org. An online form for submitting recommendations will be provided by SEFLIN on the MyLibraryService.org Web site. Recommendations are welcomed and are evaluated by the same standards applied to all potential resources. All recommendations will be reviewed by SEFLIN and a response will be provided to the person recommending the resource within one month of receiving the request form.

Deselection:
The resources accessed through MyLibraryService.org will be subject to annual review in order to assess their continuing value. It shall be the prerogative of SEFLIN to remove any electronic resources or links determined to be no longer of value. Hyper links to resources will be checked monthly and non-functioning links will be removed.

Disclaimer of Liability and Endorsement:

Within MyLibraryService.org there are links and pointers to Web sites owned and operated by parties other than SEFLIN, Inc. These sites are not under the control of SEFLIN and SEFLIN does not assume any responsibility or liability for any information, communications or materials available at such linked sites, or at any link contained in a linked site. The information, views, and opinions expressed in linked Web sites do not necessarily reflect those of SEFLIN and SEFLIN does not vouch for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such information. SEFLIN's inclusion of linked Web sites does not imply any endorsement of the material on linked Web sites or any association with their operators.

LSTA Disclaimer:

The contents of this Web site were developed under a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, through the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services and you should not assume endorsement by the State of Florida or the U.S. Federal Government.

Privacy:

SEFLIN collects information on the use of its servers and resources through MyLibraryService.org. SEFLIN reserves the right to analyze user data in order to improve the site's functionality and services. The type of user information collected through MyLibraryService.org includes the:

· Name of the domain from which users access the Internet
· Date and time users access the MyLibraryService.org site
· Pages users peruse and files accessed on the MyLibraryService.org site
· Internet address of the Web site from which users linked to MyLibraryService.org

The purpose for collecting user information includes:

· Assessing the value of resources and services
· Developing enhancements to the site
· Measuring the number of visitors to the site
· Identifying problem areas on the site
· Analyzing system performance
· Evaluating site usage

Users may voluntarily choose to submit personally identifying information through MyLibraryService.org. Generally, this includes name, email address, postal address, and answers to survey questions. Any personally identifying information submitted will be used by SEFLIN for internal purposes only. When information about the usage of MyLibraryService.org is provided to third parties, it is in the form of grouped statistics combined with information from other users and is not personally identifiable. SEFLIN does not give, share, sell or transfer any personal information to third parties.

If the user chooses to provide personally identifying information in the form of an email, SEFLIN may forward the email to another institution or organization that is better able to respond to certain user requests. Otherwise, no personal information relating to any individual MyLibraryService.org user will be disclosed to third parties without the express consent of the user. This policy does not extend to information submitted to sites that are linked to MyLibraryService.org. SEFLIN has no control over the practices of Web sites owned and operated by others.

'Cookies' may be sent through MyLibraryService.org to support user services including the personalization of information delivery. A 'cookie' is information stored on the user's computer for the purpose of customizing the user's Web service in some way. SEFLIN will not send 'cookies' in order to personally identify users or for commercial purposes. Some sites that are linked to MyLibraryService.org may send 'cookies'. SEFLIN has no control over the purpose and use of cookies sent from sites that are owned and operated by others. Users may set their Web browser software to disable the receipt of 'cookies'.

Security:

For purposes of site security and to ensure that MyLibraryService.org remains available to all users, the computer system employs software programs to monitor network traffic, to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, deny service, otherwise cause damage, or access non-public information. Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Infrastructure Protection Act of 1993. Information regarding possible violations of law may be provided to law enforcement officials.

Intellectual Freedom:

SEFLIN is an organization founded by libraries in Southeast Florida that adhere to the American Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Bill of Rights. Access to information on a range of opinions and viewpoints is considered important to an informed and free democratic society. SEFLIN member libraries support these standards of intellectual freedom through MyLibraryService.org.

Copyright Statement:

© Copyright 2001 by SEFLIN, Inc. (Southeast Florida Library Information Network). All rights reserved. International copyright and trademark laws protect all materials on this site, including the site layout, design, text, images and graphic content. This Web site is for personal and noncommercial use. Its contents may not be modified, copied, distributed, transmitted, displayed, reproduced, published, or sold without the written permission of SEFLIN.

Policy Review and Revision:

This Resource Development Policy will be regularly reviewed in order to assure that its provisions continue to reflect the current requirements of SEFLIN's vision, mission, and annual plans. Reviews will be initiated by SEFLIN and revisions will be submitted to the SEFLIN Board of Directors for approval.

Approval:

This policy set forth herein shall be effective as of ________________, 2001, until otherwise amended, in writing, by the Board of Directors of SEFLIN, Inc.

Approved the ____ day of _______, 2001, by the Board of Directors of SEFLIN, Inc.