Shared Systems

Shared LSP Collaborative Management

Role & Responsibilities of the Shared LSP Steering Committee

Overview

The SLSP Steering Committee is a standing committee that provides oversight for the Shared Library Services Platform (SLSP) and facilitates alignment to PASCAL’s strategic agenda. They also resolve conflicts and vet high-level recommendations from the SLSP Implementation & Management Team and SLSP Working Groups. The SLSP Steering Committee reports to the PASCAL Board.

Structure and Roles

• The SLSP Steering Committee has 7-8 members, which includes:
  • 5 members elected from the PASCAL membership who are representative of the diversity of the PASCAL member libraries.
  • The PASCAL SLSP Coordinator will serve ex officio.
  • A member of the PASCAL Board will serve ex officio.
  • The Immediate Past Chair will serve ex officio for one year (if their term on the SLSP Committee ends concurrently with their term as Chair).
• Members of the SLSP Steering Committee, with the exception of the ex officio members as defined above, may not serve on the PASCAL Board, SLSP Implementation & Management Team (IMT), or the SLSP Working Groups as regular members, but may serve as ex officio on IMT and/or Working Groups.
• Steering Committee members do not represent their institutions, even when also a Library Representative, but rather use their background and experience to inform the team's efforts to work for the good of the entire PASCAL membership.
• The work of the SLSP Steering Committee should be adjusted by their institution so that consortial work is not seen as “extra”, “volunteer”, or “as time allows”, but rather an important formal assignment.

Participation

• Members of the Steering Committee are elected by the PASCAL membership. Voting procedures are determined by the Board.
• PASCAL member library personnel can nominate themselves for the Steering Committee or be nominated by others. A nominee’s respective library dean/director will be consulted prior to the proposed member being added to the electoral ballot for the Steering Committee.
• Based on the nominations, the Program Steering Committee of the PASCAL Board will compile a slate of candidates for the electoral ballot with at least one candidate from each “community of interest” which are:

1. Research institutions

2. Four-year public institutions

3. Four-year independent institutions

4. Two-year public colleges

5. Special libraries

• Each PASCAL member library will complete one electoral ballot with votes being cast by the Library Representative. Each library will vote for the complete slate of candidates, not just candidates from their own community of interest.
• Each member and their library dean/director or appropriate University administrator will be asked to review the responsibilities and expectations for the Steering Committee outlined in this document and confirm their commitment to serve via email.
• In their first meeting of the year, the Steering Committee will discuss and mutually agree upon appointing a chair and chair-elect of the Steering Committee. The chair will serve in their position for one year.
• In the event that a chair-elect is not able to serve as a chair or a chair/chair-elect must step- down, the Steering Committee will discuss and mutually agree upon appointing a chair and/or chair-elect of the Steering Committee, as soon as possible.
• Members will serve a 2-year term. Members cannot serve more than two consecutive 2-year terms.
• Should a Committee member resign prior to completion of their term, nominations for replacement will be sought following the standard election guidelines. Nominations must reflect the community of interest represented by the resigning member. The newly elected member will serve out the duration of the resigning member’s term.

Expectations and Responsibilities

• Coordinate between the Implementation & Management Team (IMT), Working Groups, PASCAL SLSP staff, Library Representatives, and the PASCAL Board, as necessary.
• Ensure that the SLSP work of the collaborative management architecture is in alignment to PASCAL’s strategic agenda.
• Attend monthly virtual meetings and ensure that minutes of the meetings are distributed via appropriate communication channels.
• All members will serve as an ex officio liaison to a working group. Working group liaison assignments are made at the beginning of each term year, and may change from year to year.
• Ensure smooth implementation and management of the shared system and related products.
• Proactively research significant new functionality and SLSP third-party integrations. Provide recommendations to PASCAL staff and IMT as needed.
• Participate in Request for Proposal (RFP) and contract negotiation processes for the SLSP in compliance with state government regulations.
• Conduct regular assessments of the SLSP governance structure, memorandums of understanding, and related documentation in collaboration with SLSP staff and the IMT. Recommend changes as feasible.
• Participate in assessments of PASCAL SLSP support tiers and staffing needs; provide recommendations as needed. May participate in job searches for PASCAL SLSP staff.
• Discuss and make definitive decisions on issues received from the SLSP Coordinator, Library Representatives, and/or Working Group(s) that could not be resolved at the Implementation & Management Team level.
• Serve as the appeal board for conflicts when the SLSP Coordinator is unable to provide a satisfactory resolution.
• Coordinate with the PASCAL Board and Finance Committee to manage budgetary considerations related to the SLSP, including the purchase of new modules, functionality, services, and/or training as required.
• Ensure timely and effective communication through all channels.

Communication Methods

Steering Committee members participate in relevant SLSP communication channels such as email, listservs, webinars, surveys, workshops, etc. Communication is vital to the success of the Steering Committee, and the expectations for communication are outlined below:

• Communicate through email, listservs, Basecamp, and other communication methods targeted to the Steering Committee.
• Communicate any decisions made by the Steering Committee to the SLSP Coordinator, the Implementation & Management Team, the PASCAL Board, and/or the Library Representatives as appropriate.
• Provide updates as appropriate at PASCAL meetings.
• Ensure that minutes of the meetings are posted to the PASCAL website and distributed via appropriate communication channels.

Decision Making

The SLSP Steering Committee reviews real and potential conflicts communicated to them via the SLSP Coordinator, Implementation & Management Team, Working Group(s), Library Representatives, and/or staff at PASCAL member libraries. The Steering Committee will consider all options in reviewing the conflict and will actively work to resolve the conflict, so that progress can be made. Their decisions will be communicated to the relevant SLSP stakeholders.

Questions related to finance and governance of the SLSP are the purview of the PASCAL Board. However, the Steering Committee is the decision-making body of last resort for resolving conflicts related to the management of the SLSP.

The Steering Committee coordinates with the PASCAL Board and Finance Committee to contribute to budgetary decisions related to the SLSP, including the purchase of new modules, functionality, services, and/or training as required.

Chair and Chair Elect Responsibilities

Working in collaboration with the SLSP coordinator, the Chair creates the agenda for the monthly meetings, facilitates meetings, and ensures minutes are distributed through established communication channels.

The Chair of the Steering Committee is also expected to serve on the following committees in an ex officio role:

• SLSP Implementation and Management Team
• PASCAL Board of Directors
• PASCAL Executive Committee

The Chair Elect is responsible for taking meeting notes and sharing them with the SLSP coordinator and Committee Chair for vetting. The Chair Elect is also responsible for facilitating monthly meetings in the absence of the Chair.

Disclaimer

This document is subject to review and change. Revisions of the document will be distributed to PASCAL member libraries through established communication channels.

This document last updated May 3, 2024.