Endeavor Migration Update
The Washington State libraries using the INLEX software knew that migration to a new database was inevitable once DRA purchased the INLEX company. Migration plans started in earnest in the Spring of 1997 when vendors were invited to show the INLEX libraries their software. The formal RFP process began in the Fall of the 1997/98 school year. Jerry Woodard of CIS assisted the libraries in this process. A team of Directors, Librarians, Exempt Staff and Classified Staff worked on writing the RFP and reviewing the proposals. Eight companies submitted proposals, with four of the companies being selected as finalists. A team comprised of Deb Gilchrist (Pierce), Tom Pollard (Highline), Jennifer Dysart (Green River), and Dale Burke (Edmonds) visited finalist sites in order to see the software in action and to ask users how they felt about both the software and the company. At the end of the process Endeavor's Voyager Database was selected.
Once the vendor was selected, Jerry Woodard negotiated a state-wide contract. This meant that even though the 17 INLEX libraries started the process, any of the state's 33 Community and Technical Colleges could purchase the product. After considerable discussion the following 20 schools decided to purchase:
Bellingham Tech. (1)
Bellevue (1)
Centralia (2)
Edmonds (1)
Everett (2)
Grays Harbor (2)
Highline (1)
Olympic (2)
Peninsula (1)
Pierce (1)
Shoreline (2)
Renton Tech. (2)
Whatcom (1)
Yakima (1)
North Seattle
Seattle Central
South Seattle
Spokane
Spokane Falls
Green River
These 20 schools are broken into the four groups, or clusters, you see above. The 14 schools in the first group decided to coordinate their efforts and have named their cluster ORCA. The 14 ORCA schools will run 14 independent databases on a trio of servers housed at CIS in Kirkland. The schools in the right column have decided to mount their databases on separate servers housed on their own campuses.
The ORCA group is migrating in two waves. The number in parentheses, following the schools name above, indicates which of the migration waves the school belongs to. ORCA's Wave one participants hope to have their systems available for students by January 4, 1999. ORCA's Wave two participants hope to have their systems available by the beginning of the Spring Quarter 1999. All non-ORCA schools hope to have their systems available shortly after January 4, 1999.
There is Endeavor consortium of all 20 libraries similar to the WACCALUG consortium that existed for the INLEX libraries. This ÒgrandÓ consortium is negotiating issues shared by all 20 sites. Working with CIS to write the software for exchange of patron data and working with WLN regarding the Authority Records are two areas of consortium concern. The ÒgrandÓ consortium will probably become involved in other on-going issues as these 20 libraries progress from implementation of the system to full production.
Submitted by Dale Burke (Edmonds Community College)
ORCA Project Manager
