Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History

Interview with Kate Nevins, November 12, 2016

Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries
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00:00:04 - Path to librarianship and early career

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Partial Transcript: This is an interview with Kate Nevins, Executive Director of SOLINET from 1991 to 2009 and Chief Executive Off, Officer of LYRASIS from 2009 to 2015.

Segment Synopsis: Kate Nevins is introduced. She talks about becoming interested in librarianship as a profession during her undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley. She talks about her career path from public libraries to academic libraries, and then to OCLC.

Keywords: Academic libraries; Access; Attitudes; Bookmobiles; Career changes; Changes; College freshman; Dorm libraries; Frank Grisham; Interlibrary loan (ILL); Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC); Opportunities; Public libraries; Reactions; Training; University of California, Berkeley; University of Wisconsin; Virgin Islands

Subjects: Consortia.; Librarians.; Libraries.

00:05:36 - Relationship between SOLINET and OCLC

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Partial Transcript: Um, we're, we're doing this, uh, interview, uh, today as, as you know on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of, of ASERL.

Segment Synopsis: Nevins talks about the relationship between the regional organization SOLINET and the wider organization OCLC, which she says at first was one of cooperation.

Keywords: Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); Databases; Funding; Regional networks; Relationships; Replication; Services; Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET, now part of LYRASIS);   Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC)

Subjects: Consortia.; Libraries.; Library cooperation.; Library finance.

00:09:14 - Challenges she faced as director of SOLINET

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Partial Transcript: So you mentioned that, um, you went to SOLINET, um, in 1991 and took over from, from Frank Grisham.

Segment Synopsis: Nevins discusses becoming director of SOLINET during the early 1990s and the challenges she faced, including budget cuts, and licensing issues, among others.

Keywords: Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); Bill Potter; Challenges; Changes; Collaboration; Directors; Electronic databases; Funding; Licensing; Members; Needs; Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC); Preservation; Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET, now part of LYRASIS);   Training

Subjects: Consortia.; Libraries.; Library cooperation.; Library finance.; Library resources.

00:13:13 - Changes in the relationship between SOLINET and OCLC

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Partial Transcript: So back to your question about the OCLC relationship.

Segment Synopsis: Nevins discusses when and why the relationship between SOLINET and OCLC changed from one of cooperation to one of competition. She talks about their philosophical differences, and the decisions made by both groups to no longer partner with one another. She briefly mentions how the creation of LYRASIS changed relationships as well.

Keywords: Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); Benefits; Competition; Databases; Decisions; Distributors; First Search; Losses; Mergers; Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC); Partnerships; Philosophical differences; Regional identity; Regional networks; Relationships; Services; Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET, now part of LYRASIS);  LYRASIS

Subjects: Consortia.; Libraries.; Library cooperation.; Library resources.

00:21:49 - ASERL group dynamics

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Partial Transcript: Talking about those conversations that you had with ASERL membership, I'd be interested in hearing, um, what was a, a typical ASERL meeting like?

Segment Synopsis: Nevins describes a typical ASERL meeting during the early days of the organization. She talks about when the organization began to change, beginning with hiring full-time staff. She talks about the relationships among the members of ASERL, and the support they provided one another. She talks about how the economic climate affected the focus of groups like ASERL.

Keywords: Administration; Agendas; Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); Changes; Collaboration; Collegiality; Diversification; Economic climate; Generalization; Golf; Group dynamics; John Berger; Joint initiatives; Joint programs; LYRASIS; Library staff; Logistics; Meetings; Membership dues; Mergers; Organizational structure; Regionalism; Relationships; Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET, now part of LYRASIS); Staff; Support;   Retirement

Subjects: Consortia.; Libraries.; Library cooperation.; Library finance.; Library resources.

00:31:02 - Creation of LYRASIS

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Partial Transcript: So speaking of taking risks, you know, moving back to the creation of--

Segment Synopsis: Nevins discusses the process of the merger of PALINET and SOLINET into LYRASIS. She talks about the importance of communication during the process, the administrative aspects of the merger, the decisions made regarding the leadership of the organization, and their goals. She talks about how the merger of NELINET into the group affected the organization.

Keywords: Administration; Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); Budget; Changes; Chief executive officers; Communication; Costs; Decisions; Discussions; Equals; Feedback; Finances; Goals; Jury duty; Leadership; Members; Mergers; New England Library Network (NELINET, now part of LYRASIS); Open source services; Organizational structure; PALINET (now part of LYRASIS); Partnerships; President; Regional networks; Regional organizations; Services; Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET, now part of LYRASIS); Staff; Stay bonuses; Success; Transitions;   Commitment

Subjects: Consortia.; Libraries.; Library cooperation.; Library finance.; Library resources.

00:42:27 - LYRASIS projects

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Partial Transcript: Talking about some of the projects then that you were able to accomplish--

Segment Synopsis: Nevins talks about some of the projects that LYRASIS has been involved with, including ArchivesSpace and CollectionSpace, and discusses why they chose to work on open source software programs. She talks about the training that LYRASIS provides its members.

Keywords: Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); Collaboration; Cooperation; Emerging technologies; Needs; Open source programs; Open source software; Philosophy; Projects; Proprietary software; Services; Sustainability; Training;   Transitions

Subjects: Consortia.; Libraries.; Library cooperation.; Library resources.; Technological innovations

00:46:04 - Strengths of ASERL / ASERL initiatives

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Partial Transcript: You know you have, um, a, a unique perspective mo--among all of the people who have been interviewed thus far for this project because, uh, you did not serve as an ASERL--

Segment Synopsis: Nevins discusses what she sees as ASERL's strengths as an organization and the benefits it provides its members. She talks about some of the initiatives created by ASERL, including KUDZU, and providing webinars and opportunities for discussion for their members.

Keywords: Acronyms; Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); David Ferriero; Discussions; Initiatives; KUDZU (ASERL Consortium); Library directors; Licensing; Naming; Networking; Newly-appointed deans; Perspectives; Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET, now part of LYRASIS); Support; Webinars;   Commitment

Subjects: Consortia.; Libraries.; Library administrators.; Library employees

00:49:57 - Proving the value of libraries and library organizations

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Partial Transcript: This is sort of a, a, a general 20,000 foot question, I'm not sure if there's, there's an answer to it.

Segment Synopsis: Nevins talks about the value of consortia and other library organizations. She gives advice on how libraries can prove their value and maintain their funding by showing that their services align with the goals of the groups they serve.

Keywords: Advice; Articulation; Benefits; Collaboration; Consortium; Consultants; Funding; Goals; Interlibrary loan (ILL); Library services; Sharing; Support; Synergy; Working together

Subjects: Consortia.; Librarians.; Library cooperation.; Library finance.; Library science.

00:56:31 - Career accomplishments

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Partial Transcript: Well, um, you've, you've obviously had a, a long and varied career as you say.

Segment Synopsis: Nevins discusses what she believes are her greatest accomplishments. She talks about the changes at SOLINET, the merger to form LYRASIS, the creation of the HBCU Library Alliance, and the recovery work done by SOLINET after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL); Bill Potter; Broadening; Changes; Cooperative licensing; Founding; Gates Foundation; Grants; HBCU Library Alliance; Historically Black Colleges and Universities Library Alliance; Hurricane Katrina; Hurricane Rita; Initiatives; LYRASIS; Networking; OCLC-centric; Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC); Recovery; Regional networks; Regional organizations; Southeastern Library Network, Inc. (SOLINET, now part of LYRASIS); Temporary libraries; Trailers; Transitions;   Support

Subjects: Consortia.; Hurricane Katrina, 2005.; Hurricane damage.; Hurricanes.; Librarians.; Libraries.; Library cooperation.
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