LARS
LIBRARIES AUTOMATED RESOURCE SHARING (LARS) CONSORTIUM BYLAWS AND AGREEMENT
I. PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS
A. The name of the organization shall be the Libraries Automated Resource
Sharing Consortium hereafter referred to as LARS.
B. The purpose of LARS is to provide a shared, integrated library automation
system to libraries and agencies that may wish to participate for the purpose of improving
library service to patrons by:
1. Facilitating resource sharing among participating libraries and agencies.
2. Increasing the level of assistance available to member libraries and agencies
for planning, implementation and operation of information technology.
3. Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of interlibrary loan services and
processes.
C. LARS will provide core functions as determined by the Participants Council.
Individual participants may elect to purchase other additional “core” modules or
capabilities over time.
D. All libraries and agencies participating in LARS recognize that our goal is to
provide the best possible service to patrons through cooperation and sharing of resources.
All participants understand that LARS will be most effective when decisions are
approached in the spirit of cooperation, compromise and consensus. All participants
understand that joining LARS represents a commitment to the other participants that is
likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
II. GOVERNANCE
A. LARS shall operate on the basis of these BYLAWS AND AGREEMENT
which shall be adopted between participating libraries and agencies and the Manitowoc-
Calumet Library System.
B. The Board of Trustees of MCLS shall function as a fiscal agent only, on
behalf of LARS, and shall sign all contracts and agreements necessary for the operation
of LARS upon authorization of the Participants Council. The Participants Council will
verify to the MCLS Board, as fiscal agent, that funds having fiscal impact are available,
upon approvals from each participant’s governing authority, to expend in support of
LARS.
C. The Participants Council directs LARS. Each participating library or agency
shall appoint at least one person to serve as its representative on the Participants Council.
The appointed representative(s) may in turn designate another person to act on their
behalf at Participants Council meetings if the appointed representative is unable to attend.
The LARS System Administrator (IT/ILS Specialist for MCLS) is an ex officio member
of the Council but is non-voting unless designated to act on behalf of its agency.
E. MEETINGS. The Council shall schedule bimonthly meetings. The frequency
of regular meetings may be varied by decision of the Council.
1. Any LARS participant may submit items for inclusion on meeting agendas.
2. Items requiring action shall be placed on the agenda prior to the meeting.
3. The majority of participating libraries and agencies may call special
meetings upon request to the elected chair of the Participants Council.
F. OFFICERS. The Council shall annually elect from its own members a Chair
and Vice Chair whose duties shall be those normally performed by those offices. The
position of Secretary shall rotate amongst the members not serving as Chair or Vice
Chair. Each Secretary shall be responsible for the minutes of three consecutive meetings,
at which time the position shall rotate. The Secretary shall be responsible for
disseminating minutes in a timely fashion prior to the next Council meeting and for
supplying an electronic copy to the MCLS System Director.
G. QUORUM. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the libraries and agencies
participating.
H. CONSENSUS AND VOTING. The Council shall attempt to arrive at all
decisions by consensus. When consensus cannot be achieved, action will be taken by
vote. All actions (except action to expel a participant under Article VIII or to dissolve
LARS under Article XIII) shall require a two-thirds majority of LARS participants
present at a meeting.
1. Participating libraries and agencies agree to abide by the decisions of the
Council. Council voting follows the Rule of Thirteen, whereby of a 13 piece pie –
Manitowoc Public Library holds 6 shares
Lester Public Library holds 3 shares
Brillion Public Library holds 1 share
Chilton Public Library holds 1 share
Kiel Public Library holds 1 share
New Holstein Public Library holds 1 share
2. If decisions made by the Council require approval of the governing body of each
participant prior to becoming effective, adequate time shall be permitted to secure such
approvals, but generally no more than sixty (60) days. The decision made by the Council
shall be considered approved and in force once a majority of the governing bodies of
participants have given the necessary approval, at which time the decision is binding on
all LARS members.
III. PARTICIPATION
A. Any member library of MCLS may become a participant in LARS by
executing a copy of these Bylaws and Agreement with MCLS.
B. Any other library or agency may become a participant in LARS subject to the
approval of the other libraries and agencies participating at the time.
C. No LARS member shall sell, sublease or provide, with or without charge,
LARS services to a library or agency which is not a LARS member.
IV. ADDING NEW PARTICIPANTS
A. Libraries or agencies may be admitted from time to time. Admission of new
participants shall require an affirmative vote of the Participants Council per Article II;
section H and by the governing bodies of all participants.
B. Libraries or agencies wishing to join LARS will have initial and ongoing costs
determined by LARS.
V. PARTICIPANT OBLIGATIONS
A. Pay all initial and ongoing costs of LARS as specified under Finances in
article IX.
B. Abide by the policies and procedures of LARS established by the Participants
Council.
C. Comply with national standards for machine-readable cataloging and form of
entry when entering bibliographic data into the LARS database.
D. Share machine-readable bibliographic records with LARS. Agree to add and
delete bibliographic and item records from the LARS database and keep status and
collection codes up to date.
E. Share all circulating material in any format with all LARS participants without
restriction, and on the same basis as the materials are made available for circulation to
any registered borrower of any participating library.
F. Purchase circulating library materials at a level of expenditure no less than the
average of the three previous years. Each participant is responsible for providing popular
or high demand items. The ratio of reserves or holds to copies will be determined by the
LARS Participants Council.
G. Comply with the legal requirements regarding the privacy of library records.
H. Purchase, install and maintain all peripheral devices, computers, etc. necessary
to participate in LARS and assume responsibility for providing all internal cabling,
power, space, telecommunications devices and telecommunications lines, etc. necessary
to connect participant hardware and devices to LARS.
I. Actively participate in the governance and operation of LARS.
J. Train its own staff to use the automated system, after initial instruction
provided by the vendor of the automated system. Staff from any LARS library may
provide initial instruction to staff members of a library or agency joining LARS
subsequent to the initial purchase of an automated system at a rate and cost to be
determined by the Participants Council; or the new library or agency may elect to receive
and pay for training directly from the vendor of the automated system. Training on use
of the automated system for a new member agency will equal training that LARS
participants would provide to new staff at their respective institutions.
K. Appoint one staff member who is designated to serve as the point of contact
with the LARS System Administrator on all matters pertaining to the administration and
operation of LARS.
L. Perform retrieval of items requested by patrons of participating LARS libraries
or agencies at least once every day that the participating library or agency is open to the
public or is conducting business typical of a normal business day.
VI. MANITOWOC-CALUMET LIBRARY SYSTEM (MCLS) OBLIGATIONS
A. MCLS Board acts as fiscal agent per Article II, Section B.
B. MCLS provides an IT/ILS Specialist who maintains ILS system and central
hardware to the satisfaction of the LARS Participant Council.
C. Provide delivery of LARS materials to participants on a timely basis.
D. Provide adequate insurance for central site hardware and/or software.
E. Maintain accounts for LARS Participants contributing to the ILS upgrade.
Present current accounts at bi-monthly meetings
VII. TERMINATION OF PARTICIPATION
A. Any participant in LARS may elect to terminate participation.
B. Participation may be terminated, effective December 31st of the year, by
giving written notice of intent to terminate prior to April 1st of the same year.
C. Any library or agency which has terminated its participation in LARS shall
have no claim to any of the assets of LARS or of any other participating library or
agency.
D. Any library or agency which has terminated its participation in LARS shall
retain ownership of its local hardware and software.
E. Any library which has terminated its participation in LARS shall pay to MCLS
as appropriate, the cost of extracting a copy of the library’s records from the database and
purging the library’s data from the database.
VIII. EXPULSION OF A PARTICIPANT
A participating library or agency may be expelled from LARS:
. For failure to pay costs of LARS participation.
. For repeated failure to comply with the policy, procedural and other decisions
made by the Participants Council.
A. Any participating library or agency which may potentially be expelled from
LARS shall be afforded a hearing by the Participants Council.
IX. FINANCES
A. The fiscal year for LARS shall be January 1st-December 31st. Each participant
agrees to pay its proportionate share of the costs to purchase, maintain, operate and
administer the central site hardware, software and peripheral devices of the automated
system, and any other miscellaneous costs or charges. Each participant also agrees to pay
the cost to purchase and maintain any accounts, licenses, interfaces, etc. that are specific
to that participant. All costs shall be paid on an annual, lump sum basis and must be paid
within sixty (60) days of the receipt of invoice.
B. Proportionate share of these costs follows the Rule of Thirteen, whereby of a
13 piece pie:
Manitowoc Public Library holds 6 shares
Lester Public Library holds 3 shares
Brillion Public Library holds 1 share
Chilton Public Library holds 1 share
Kiel Public Library holds 1 share
New Holstein Public Library holds 1 share
These shares will be recalculated as necessary using public data.
X. CENTRAL SITE HARDWARE AND/OR SOFTWARE
A. MCLS shall hold title to all central site hardware and licensure to all software.
Participating libraries and agencies shall reimburse MCLS for hardware and software
access as specified in Article IX Finances. Upon payment of these costs each participant
will be considered to have ownership of the central site hardware and licensure to
software proportionate to the amount paid divided by the total initial cost of the
automated system.
B. Upgrade or replacement of central site hardware and/or software is inevitable.
Participants may expect that major upgrades or replacement will take place every three to
five years. Costs of upgrades or replacement are not built into any of the costs in the
formulas provided in Article IX, above. Each participant is responsible for ensuring that
it has the funds necessary to pay its share of any upgrades or replacement. It is
recommended that participants place into reserve accounts funds sufficient to equal at
least its initial costs to become a participant in LARS every four (4) years and MCLS
shall be Fiscal Agent of these accounts
C. Decisions on the necessity for and timing of scheduled upgrades or
replacement of central site hardware and/or software, or the replacement of the central
site hardware and software with an automated system supplied by a new vendor, shall
require an affirmative vote of the Participants Council per Article II, section H.
XI. MODIFICATION OF BYLAWS AND AGREEMENT
A. Modification of these Bylaws and Agreement shall require an affirmative vote
of the Participants Council per Article II, section H. Modifications shall also require an
affirmative vote of the governing body of each participant and MCLS Board.
XII. DURATION
A. LARS will continue until the participants vote to dissolve it. A vote for
dissolution shall require at least a three fourths (3/4) vote of all members of the
Participants Council.
MANITOWOC-CALUMET LIBRARY SYSTEM PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
Cheryl Kjelstrup, President President