This Midwestern public library system serves a rapidly growing commercial and residential community through one main administration site and nine separate library branches. To enhance the efficiency of the administrative staff and support patron services in all ten locations, they needed to update their entire IT infrastructure, including hardware and software.

Over time, the libraries had not updated their IT infrastructure to accommodate the increase in user demand. This resulted in system instability, loss of data, and frequent downtime, which impacted employee productivity and patron services. To compensate for poor system performance, library personnel had to manually track all pertinent information and later re-key it when the system was restored. The re-work procedure was becoming costly and non-productive. Patrons were frustrated with having to wait extra time to check out materials when the systems were down. The libraries, as an enterprise, needed a game plan to upgrade to current technology standards. They also needed a strategic plan that would be the basis for ongoing residential and community initiatives.

PC On Call was contacted to develop and implement a technology solution that supported administrative, residential, and community library services. Their plan described and prioritized the needed upgrades. It also provided an implementation recommendation to minimize patron and administration downtime. To validate the solution, PC On Call conducted an On Call Checkup (OCCU) that assessed, documented, and diagramed the current IT infrastructure for each location. After consulting with library leadership, PC On Call developed a custom, phased plan and implemented it as follows:

• Upgraded infrastructure by installing T-1 lines between all sites for faster speed and greater bandwidth

• Consolidated servers to streamline processes and improve functionality, data access, and availability for library patrons and staff

• Performed a Windows 2000® migration to upgrade software performance

• Consulted with all software vendors to ensure proper licensing and upgrades

• Built servers to test all changes before conducting a seamless, full cutover
   

Through careful planning and execution, PC On Call enabled this library enterprise to accomplish their objectives and realize the following benefits:

• Increased patron service and satisfaction

• Improved patron and administrative productivity and reduced downtime

• Eliminated rework costs for library staff

• Increased system speed and reliability by 100 percent

• Centralized WAN/LAN/Server administration and management

• Improved system scalability and prepared them for future growth and service expansion