On Site/Remote Technical Support

PALS will continue to offer On-Site/Remote Technical support in FY2010 in much the same manner as we did in FY2009. Although the service is available to academic, school, special, and large public libraries, it is targeted primarily at smaller public libraries that do not have technology staff and is offered on a cost reimbursement basis. The service relies primarily on the work of an employee in the Coal Valley area and secondarily on the work of an employee in the Rockford area. For this reason, it is offered in the following geographic area: : Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, Whiteside, Lee, Rock Island, Henry, Bureau, LaSalle, Putnam, and Mercer counties in Illinois and Clinton, Scott, and Muscatine counties in Iowa.

So, what is PALS offering to do on a cost recovery basis?

Through this program, libraries may obtain On-Site/Remote tech support from Kacy Kelly, Network Lead Associate, Coal Valley or Jeff Mahan, Technology Services Manager, Rockford. (If your library is not located in one of these counties, but you might be interested in this service in the future, please contact Jeff Mahan, jeffm@palsnet.info . Your input will help us evaluate the service possiblilities going forward.)

In addition, PALS has helped more than a dozen public libraries install public wireless access in the last three years. Installation of public wireless usually takes approximately one-half day. We will continue to provide this service in all areas of the System on a reimbursement basis on the same terms described below. (For more information, please contact Jeff Mahan, Jeffm@palsnet.info .)

What services are still “free”?

1)      Fully participating and union listing libraries that contract with PALS for PrairieCat services, should rest assured that their fees include On-Site/Remote support for Sirsi related connectivity issues and other support included in PALS’ maintenance contract with Sirsi-Dynix.

2)      Technology services telephone and email consulting with any member of the technology services staff will continue to be “free”.

3)      Technology services employees are also available for building project planning and technology audits on a time available, no charge basis.

4)      While the services listed in this bullet do not generally require On-Site/Remote visits, we also want to point out that for FY2010 PALS will continue to not charge for website and email hosting and the remote authentication project for FirstSearch databases.  

What service can be provided by PALS On-Site/Remote Tech Support?

For FY2010, libraries located in the geographic area of this trial can purchase general on-site support for:

• New PC installs, PC Upgrades (memory, wireless cards, etc.),
• software installs (Office, DriveShield, Public Web Browser, etc.),
• Wireless Installs, cabling,
• Support of Legacy Gates Grant computers,
• Troubleshooting of hardware and software issues, etc.

This service has been primarily used by small to medium sized libraries that do not have their own technical support staff or libraries that want a second opinion or additional pair of hands.

Can  I talk to someone whose library has used this service?

Yes. Four library directors have agreed to answer questions from other member libraries.

From The Coal Valley Neighborhood

• Cynthia Coe, Library Director, East Moline Public Library

Email: coec@empl.lib.il.us                            Phone: 309-755-9614

• Jeff Stafford, Library Director, Robert R. Jones Public Library District, Coal Valley

Email: jstaf@coalval.lib.il.us                         Phone: 309-799-3047

From The Rockford Neighborhood

• Carol Schrey, Library Director, Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District, Hampshire

Email: cschrey@ellajohnsonlibrary.org Phone: 847-683-4490

• Nancy Radke, Library Director, Clinton Township Public Library, Waterman

Email: ctplibrary@mchsi.com Phone: 815-264-3339

If I participated in this program in FY2009 (current fiscal year) and I have not used up all the time I have on deposit, will it roll over into FY2010?

Yes, any time you have purchased or purchase before June 30, 2009, will be available for use in FY2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010). However, no more than 20% of the time that a library has pre-purchased before June 30, 2009 may roll-over to FY2010 (including deposit time established in FY2008 or FY2009).

Anything else of note?

Yes, last year we billed for ½ of actual travel time. In FY2010 we will bill for all travel time. Kacy and Jeff will continue to plan trips so as to stop as several libraries on each trip and thereby minimize travel time, whenever possible.

So, how do I sign up for the On-Site Tech Support program?

1)     Libraries may purchase time by deposit account or on an hourly as needed basis. Pre-purchased time needs to be purchased before July 1, 2009. As needed hours may be purchased as used. Libraries pre-purchasing hours should know that only 20% of the amount initially purchased may be carried into FY 2011 which starts July 1, 2010.

Applicable hourly rates are tiered by budget size:

Pre-purchased by July 1, 2009

Income less than $250,000                                                          $40 per hour

Income more than $250,000 but less than $1,000,000      $60 per hour

Income more than $1,000,000                                                   $80 per hour

Hourly, as needed, rates (not purchased prior to July 1, 2009)

Income less than $250,000                                                           $50 per hour

Income more than $250,000 but less than $1,000,000        $70 per hour

Income more than $1,000,000                                                     $90 per hour

“Income” for public libraries is defined as that reported on line 9.17 IPLAR (Illinois Public Library Annual Report), “Total of All Receipts”. (Total of all receipts is basically all government and non-government income.)

2)      To pre-purchase hours, please complete a deposit form and send it with your actual pre-purchase deposit to our lock box at: Prairie Area Library System, PO Box 449, Orion, IL 61273-0449

Libraries pre-purchasing time should be aware that this offer is made in good faith, but may be modified during the year by unforeseen, significant circumstances. It  builds on expectations that appear  likely as this is written in early April. We expect that PALS general fund Area and Per Capita income (money from our basic grant administered by the Illinois State Library) will continue at the FY2009 level and that revenue from participating libraries will continue at the rates comparable to FY2009.

3)      For more information on the this program, you may contact

Jeff Mahan, job title, at Jeffm@palsnet.info or call (815)229-4468 or

Kacy Kelly, job title, at Kacyk@palsnet.info or call (815) 229-4251