1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to higher education; appropriating money to 
  1.3             the higher education services office to develop and 
  1.4             establish a library information network. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [MINNESOTA LIBRARY INFORMATION NETWORK.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] The higher education services 
  1.8   office, in cooperation with the library planning task force, 
  1.9   shall develop and establish a library information network that 
  1.10  enables public, academic, school, and government libraries to be 
  1.11  linked so that they will appear to the user as a single 
  1.12  resource.  The network shall be known as the Minnesota library 
  1.13  information network (MnLINK). 
  1.14     Subd. 2.  [TECHNICAL COMPONENTS.] MnLINK shall initially 
  1.15  include two technical components: 
  1.16     (1) an integrated library system capable of replacing the 
  1.17  systems at the University of Minnesota and MnSCU PALS, which 
  1.18  shall be open to other private college libraries, public 
  1.19  libraries, regional public library systems, multicounty, 
  1.20  multitype library systems, state government libraries, school 
  1.21  media centers, and other nonprofit libraries that choose to 
  1.22  participate; and 
  1.23     (2) a common services gateway enabling libraries in 
  1.24  existing local and regional automated systems to link with the 
  1.25  integrated system and with each other. 
  2.1      Subd. 3.  [MEMBERSHIP.] Any public; academic; state 
  2.2   government; elementary, middle, or secondary school; or other 
  2.3   library from a not-for-profit institution that meets the 
  2.4   requirements for participation may join MnLINK.  Local hardware, 
  2.5   software, equipment, and staff will be the responsibility of 
  2.6   each participant.  Ongoing maintenance of the integrated library 
  2.7   system after the initial year of operation will be borne by the 
  2.8   participants. 
  2.9      Subd. 4.  [DUTIES.] During the 1998-1999 biennium, the 
  2.10  library planning task force shall: 
  2.11     (1) establish policies and set standards for MnLINK; 
  2.12     (2) plan for the continued development of MnLINK; 
  2.13     (3) oversee fiscal operations and approve the MnLINK budget 
  2.14  and fee structure for participants; 
  2.15     (4) develop criteria for participation, including local 
  2.16  requirements for member libraries; and 
  2.17     (5) develop a plan and recommendations for a permanent 
  2.18  organizational structure and report its recommendation to the 
  2.19  legislature by January 15, 1999. 
  2.20     Subd. 5.  [STAFF.] The higher education services office 
  2.21  shall hire a project manager and necessary support staff for the 
  2.22  1998-1999 biennium.  Staff needed for training and user support, 
  2.23  technical support, installation, and operation of MnLINK shall 
  2.24  be obtained through contracts with MnSCU PALS, the University of 
  2.25  Minnesota, and other entities, as appropriate, with proven 
  2.26  experience and expertise in running a large library automation 
  2.27  system. 
  2.28     Subd. 6.  [REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.] The higher education 
  2.29  services office and the library planning task force shall 
  2.30  develop a final request for proposals as necessary to implement 
  2.31  the provisions of this section and a vendor or vendors shall be 
  2.32  selected in accordance with state requirements. 
  2.33     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.34     $....... is appropriated to the higher education services 
  2.35  office.  Of this amount, $....... may be used by the higher 
  2.36  education services office for project management.  The remainder 
  3.1   may be used to contract with vendors for hardware, software, 
  3.2   initial maintenance and operation, record conversion, and, for 
  3.3   the first year of operation, to provide the services noted in 
  3.4   subdivision 5.  Any unexpended funds on June 30, 1999, shall not 
  3.5   revert to the general fund but may be carried over to be used 
  3.6   for the purposes listed in this section. 
  3.7      Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.8      Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day following final 
  3.9   enactment.