Applying for E-rate discounts requires your library to have a three-year technology plan approved by the Kansas State Library.

Your technology plan should be approved by the State Library before form 470 is submitted to the Schools and Libraries Division.

Technology plans must meet five criteria.

• Establish clear goals and realistic strategies for using telecommunications to improve library services

• Ensure staff know how to use these new technologies

• Assess hardware, software, and services needed to improve library services

• Provide sufficient budget to acquire and maintain hardware,software, and training to implement strategy

• Evaluate the implementation of goals

Note: These are paraphased versions of the criteria. The official versions may be found at http://skyways.lib.ks.us/KSL/libtech/erate/techplans.html#criteria


Read these tips before submitting a technology plan for your library
Most technology plans submitted to the Kansas State Library are approved as written. Of the few plans libraries are asked to resubmit, many are returned for one or more of these reasons. Review these pitfalls before you submit your plan and improve your chances of timely approval!

Now the steps for writing the plan.

Step 1

The librarian, staff, and board should brainstorm how technology can improve service in your library.

Consider the following points and options:

Your technology plan can, and probably should, include more goals than e-rate will pay for.

• E-rate will pay for phone bills, additional phone lines, internet accounts, hardware and software for connecting computers to Internet.

• E-rate will not pay for computers (other than file servers for connecting several computers to Internet).

Your technology plan should include, if necessary:

• purchasing computers and software

• purchasing furniture

• wiring your building

• maintenance

• training staff and patrons

• writing technical policies

Consider how all the factors mentioned in point #1 above would come together in a technology plan for improving library service. Step 2 gives three examples.

Step 2

Write technology plan.

A technology plan template is available.
This form asks for information required by e-rate.
The enclosed form provides space for two goals.
You may have more or fewer goals.

Following are three examples of technology plans.

• Example 1: asks for discounts for current telephone lines, bills, and current Internet account

• Example 2: asks for discounts for additional phone line, bills, and current Internet account.

• Example 3: asks for discounts in upgrading to a fast Internet connection.

Each example provides information required for the template.

• Goals

• Steps for implementing goal

• Budget recommendations

• Method for evaluating implementation of goal

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Example 1

Paying for current phone lines, bills, and current Internet account.

Even if you only want e-rate to pay for your current Internet accounts and phone bills, inexpensive goals, like training and writing technology policies, can be added to your technology plan.

Consider the following services your library can offer.

• E-mailing kids in college or just in other parts of the country.

• Doing genealogy on-line:i.e., e-mailing others working on same names and looking at genealogy Web sites.

• Checking stock quotes, financial and investment news.

For these services, the technology plan would be:
(Compare the example below with the template. You will see where the information below fits into the plan form.)

Goal #1 - Establish one public access to Internet computer in the library by June 2001.

Steps:

1. Apply for e-rate discounts for current phone lines and Internet accounts. Due January 2001

2. Write policies for public access to Internet. March 2001

3. Policies approved by board. April 2001

4. Move current computer from behind librarian's desk to place where patrons can use it. May 2001

5. Advertise the availability of public access to Internet in library. June 2001

6. Survey patrons about their use, satisfaction, and desires for additional Internet service, etc. September 2001

7. Analyze survey results and plan for next year. October 2001

Budget required - Whatever your budget is for current phone lines and Internet account

Amount budgeted - same as above

Evaluation - survey

Goal #2 - Provide ten evening tutorials on e-mail between June and September 2001.

Steps:

1. Arrange for local expert or system consultant to give sessios

2. Advertise workshops in newspaper and flyers

3. Prepare evaluations of sessions

4. Hold Sessions

5. Analyze evaluations

Budget required - money for current phone line and Internet account

Amount budgeted - same as above

Evaluation - survey

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Example 2:

Paying for additional phone line, bills, and additional account in addition to current phone lines, bills, and current Internet account.

If you want separate phone lines for Internet and telephone, and separate Internet accounts for librarian and patron follow this example.

Consider the following services your library can offer

• E-mailing kids in college or just in other parts of the country

• Doing genealogy on-line: i.e., e-mailing others working on same names and looking at genealogy Web sites.

• Checking stock quotes, financial and investment news.

• Faster interlibrary loan through e-mail.

For these services, the technology plan would be:
(Compare the example below with the template. You will see where the information below fits into the plan form.)

Goal #1 - Establish one public access to Internet computer separate from the librarian's computer by June 2001.

Steps:

1. Apply for e-rate discounts for current phone lines and Internet accounts. Due January 2001

2. Write policies for public access to Internet. March 2001

3. Policies approved by board. April 2001

4. Purchase additional Internet computer. May 2001

5. Purchase computer furniture for additional computer. May 2001

6. Install additional wiring for patron computer. May 2001

7. Install additional phone line for Internet computer. May 2001

8. Purchase additional Internet account for Internet computer. May 2001

9. Advertise the availability of public access to Internet in library. June 2001

10. Survey patrons about their use, satisfaction, and desires for additional Internet service, etc. September 2001

11. Analyze survey results and plan for next year. October 2001

Budget required - money for two phone lines and two Internet accounts plus computer, furniture and wiring.

Amount budgeted - same as above

Evaluation - survey

Goal #2 - Provide ten evening tutorials on e-mail between June and September 2001.

Steps:

1. Arrange for local expert or system consultant to give sessions

2. Advertise workshops in newspaper and flyers

3. Prepare evaluations of sessions

4. Hold sessions

5. Analyze evaluations

Budget required - whatever your budget is for current phone lines and Internet account

Amount budgeted - same as above

Evaluation - survey

Goal #3 - By February 2001, librarian begins sending and receiving interlibrary loan requests via KICNET.

Steps:

• Contact Kansas State Library about KICNET license. January 2001

• Update KILD record to show our library sends and receives ILL requests via KICNET. January 2001

• Request training in use of KICNET from system. January 2001

• Note any problems in process. On going

Budget required - no budget required

Amount budgeted - no budget required

Evaluation - log of problems. ILL statistics (KICNET and manual)

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Example 3:

Upgrading to a fast Internet connection

Fast Internet connection can mean either an ISDN phone line or a wireless Internet connection. The computer is always connected in Internet.

A wireless connection means that your Internet provider uses an antenna to beam your Internet connection to your library. Your library will need an antenna to receive and send messages with your Internet provider's antenna. This requires fairly large up front cost. But, afterward, you only pay for Internet accounts. You do not pay for phone lines.

For more information, ask your system's Technology Consultant.

Consider the following:

• Library computers networked (i.e., linked together) to provide Internet access to all computers

• Internet connection is fast and reliable

• Large up front cost paid by e-rate. Afterward, library only pays for Internet account(s).

The technology plan would be:
(Compare the example below with the template. You will see where the information below fits into the plan form.)

Goal #1 - Establish a wireless connection to Internet by June 2001.

Steps:

1. Contact Internet provider to see if wireless connection is possible, December 2000.

2. If yes, apply for e-rate discounts on antenna, pole to attach antenna to, networking computer, and network cards and network software and discounts for current phone lines and Internet accounts. Due February 12, 2001

3. Purchase antenna, pole to attach antenna to, networking computer, and network cards and network software. May 2001

4. Install antenna and networking computer for wireless Internet connection. June 2001

5. Log problems with system. On-going

Budget required - money for your percentage of wireless connection

Amount budgeted - better be same as above

Evaluation - log of problems

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--Adapted from training materials created by Chris Rippel,Central Kansas Library System. Used by Permission.

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Please address any questions or comments to : jeffh@kslib.info