Purpose

Michigan Evergreen is a group of libraries using Evergreen, an open source integrated library system (ILS). The libraries share a server which is hosted and maintained by a third-party. Currently, our third-party provider is Equinox. The purpose of the group is to provide an easy-to-maintain, low-cost, open-source ILS solution for participating libraries.

Any library that does not provide payment prior to the renewal date is subject to loss of access to the MiEG system. Payments are never refunded in whole or in part. Payments are never pro-rated except for new libraries joining the group.

Governance

Meetings: Representatives from each MiEG library meet via conference call annually on the third Tuesday in June. The purpose of the annual meeting is to 1) make decisions regarding hosting, maintenance and support 2) elect a Chair for the coming year, and 3) to address any other issues for the benefit of the group. In addition to the annual meeting, the Chair may call other meetings as needed to discuss any issues that may arise between annual meetings. Whenever possible a thirty-day advance notice of meetings should be provided. All meetings will include the option to attend via telephone and/or Internet.

Quorum, Voting and Action: Representation from 50% or more of the participating libraries is required for a quorum. A quorum is required for a meeting. Each participating library has one vote on all matters impacting the group. A majority vote of the libraries present at a meeting is required for formal action.

Chairperson: Each year, at the annual meeting, one person is elected as “Chair” of the group. The Chair is responsible for scheduling the next annual meeting. The Chair acts as, or appoints someone to act as, the primary contact for the third-party service provider. The Chairperson is responsible for signing all contracts and official documents for the group.

Group Action: Any decision which results in incurring costs to be shared by the group requires formal action by the group.

Financial

Cost-Sharing: Each library pays a percentage of the total annual costs of hosting, maintenance and support and any other costs agreed to by formal action. Each library’s percentage of costs is equal to the percentage of items owned in the catalog. Each library is severally responsible for its portion of the shared costs. Any library that does not provide payment prior to the renewal date is subject to loss of access to the MiEG system. Payments are never refunded in whole or in part. Payments are never pro-rated except for new libraries joining the group.

Chairperson's Authority to Sign Contracts: The Chairperson is responsible for signing all contracts and official documents for the group.

Niles as Fiscal Agent: Niles District Library (NDL) acts as the fiscal agent for MiEG. All payments are made to NDL.

Financial Responsibility: Neither NDL nor the Chairperson individually, nor the library which the Chairperson represents has any financial responsibility beyond that described in the cost-sharing outlined above.

Cataloging Practices

All libraries should adhere to standard cataloging practices.

Joining the Group

New libraries joining MiEG are responsible for any one-time costs related to their own implementation and/or data transfer. Hosting, maintenance and support costs for the first, partial year will be determined by the service provider.

Terminating Participation

Libraries planning to leave MiEG must provide notice at least 240 days prior to the end of the current hosting, maintenance and support contract (see Appendix B). Individual libraries are responsible for any one-time costs related to termination and/or data transfer.