RSA Independence Project

This page will be updated with new documents or information when available.
Last updated: 14 May 2024

Total Count of IGA’s Returned as of the date listed above: 114
IGA’s Returned from Publics: 80, Schools: 29, Academics: 3, Specials: 2
Count of current members confirmed withdrawing from RSA: 3 schools

Total required to approve governance change is 72. RSA has now met the requirement for converting to an Illinois Intergovernmental Instrumentality (III) on 1 July 2024.
Total number of current RSA NFP Members (through 30 June 2024): 142

Click to see the list of members who have returned signed IGA’s.

Why is RSA Pursuing Full Independence from RAILS?

RSA was fully integrated into the Alliance Library System in the early 2000’s. At the time of the system merger in 2011, RSA was still fully staffed by Alliance staff members. Just prior to the library system merger, the last Alliance Board approved the spin-off of RSA into a Not For Profit organization to protect the automation consortium’s assets and operations. The staff supporting RSA operations transitioned into the RAILS organization in July 2011. At that time, RAILS employed the staff of four automation consortia. RSA is now the last remaining consortia staffed with RAILS employees.

On 1 October 2019, RAILS formally requested that the RSA Board of Directors should “…begin planning for the funding and employment of its own staff, following a model similar to the efforts undertaken by PrairieCat and SWAN to discontinue the use of RAILS for hiring, payroll, benefits administrations, and other employment-related services.” On 12 November 2020 RAILS updated the request in the LLSAP Support Grant award letter adding a timeline to complete the process between July 2024 to July 2026.

The RSA Board of Directors examined all possible methods of moving staff out of RAILS. Options explored included disbanding RSA entirely, merging with other consortia inside and outside of RAILS, partnering with other consortia for staffing services, contracting with RSA member libraries, and even moving existing RSA support staff into SirsiDynix Corp. as part of our overall contract with them. In the end, the Board selected the best option of converting our governance structure from a 501c3 Not for Profit to an Illinois Intergovernmental Instrumentality (III) to match how all other automation consortia in RAILS are organized. Having the same governance type as the other RAILS consortia will help position RSA for better staff retention and ongoing alignment with models and LLSAP funding and support from RAILS. After RSA has finished this process, we will still receive the LLSAP support grant as we do now. The difference is that the money will come directly to RSA rather than paying RAILS for staffing costs.

Overall Independence Project Milestones

The independence timeline is broken out into three key milestones based on RSA’s fiscal year start date of 1 July. Those milestone dates are:

1 July 2024 – RSA governance conversion from a 501c3 to a III – Most Important for Member Libraries!
1 July 2025 – First day of RSA directly employing staff
1 July 2026 – All remaining RAILS provided IT and support services converted to RSA sourced and operated services

For more detail on these milestones, please review the Key Dates in RSA’s Independence Project document shared with members at the 9 Aug Users Group meeting.

Milestone 1: RSA Governance Conversion – Completion Date 1 July 2024

If all goes to plan, the RSA NFP will transition to the new organization at midnight on 1 July 2024. The new RSA will drop the NFP portion of the name and convert to an Illinois Intergovernmental Instrumentality, assuming all the assets and contracts of the former RSA NFP.

A letter focused primarily on this milestone was sent in letter form to each RSA member library on 26 September. You can review the letter here.

The tentative timeline for completion of this phase of the project is as follows:

July – September 2023 (click to expand section)

Early Draft of Intergovernmental Agreement
Early Draft of Bylaws
Initial Drafts of RSA Fee Structure for FY25 – FY29
Develop Independence Communications Plan

October – December 2023 (click to expand section)

9 November Users Group – Review and discuss the following documents:
- Draft Intergovernmental Agreement between members to convert RSA’s governance
- Draft New RSA Bylaws
- Draft RSA Membership Regions map
- Draft RSA Board of Directors Makeup
- Draft Governance Decision-Making Breakout
- Continue to make revisions to all Drafts post Users Group
Continued development of RSA Fee Structure for FY25 – FY29
RSA Board implement and tweaks the Independence Communications Plan
RSA Board Representative and RSA Management conduct in-person Independence Q&A events in each of the 5 proposed RSA regions. Events happened on November 14, 15, 16, 20, 21.

January – February 2024 (click to expand section)

8 February Users Group Documentation Package
- Governance files index & all documents as a single PDF (Final Drafts)
  - If you need individual copies of the files contained in the Governance index file, use the links below
    - Intergovernmental Agreement Est RSA (Final Draft)
    - Bylaws (Final Draft)
    - Governance Decision-Making Breakout (Final Draft)
    - RSA Membership Regions (Final Draft)
    - Board of Directors Makeup (Final Draft)
    - Board of Directors Roles & Responsibilities
    - Board of Directors Ethics and Behavior
- RSA Fee Structure for FY26 – FY29 files index & all non-Excel documents as a single PDF (Final Drafts)
  - If you need individual copies of the files contained in the Fee Structure index file, use the links below. Expanded Excel data breakouts not included in the single PDF are linked in the next section below.
    - History of RSA Fees 2005 – 2025 (Final Draft)
    - Rebate from Reserves to RSA Members in FY25 – FY29 (Final Draft)
    - New FY26-FY29 Fee Model Methodology (Final Draft)
    - New fee model Publics – fee only (Final Draft)
    - New fee model Non-Publics – fee only (Final Draft)
    - Fee Structure and Member Ranking Spreadsheets Overview (Final Draft)
- Excel Files NOT INCLUDED in Fee Structure single PDF. These files have expanded data breakouts to help detail how the fees were determined per library.
  - New fee model Publics – 2024-02-01.xlsx (Final Draft)
  - New fee model Publics – full data – 2024-02-01.xlsx (Final Draft)
  - Rankings Publics – 2024-02-01.xlsx (Final Draft)
  - New fee model Non-Publics – 2024-02-01.xlsx (Final Draft)
  - New fee model Non-Publics – full data – 2024-02-01.xlsx (Final Draft)
  - Rankings Non-Publics – 2024-02-01.xlsx (Final Draft)
  - Online FY29 Fee Calculator for Public and Non-Public Libraries Click Here
- Communications Package for Directors and School Librarians files index & all documents as a single PDF (Final Drafts)
  - If you need individual copies of the files contained in the Comm Package index file, use the links below
    - Executive Overview of Current and Future RSA (Final Draft)
    - A Brief History of RSA (Final Draft)
    - What, Why, and When of the RSA Independence Project (Final Draft)
    - RAILS and RSA – What are the differences? (Final Draft)
    - RSA Functionality Overview (Final Draft)
    - Value of RSA Membership (Draft)
    - What to do if you think your library may withdraw from RSA (Final Draft)
February 2024
- Round 2 of in-person Membership Meetups discussing the independence project & fee structure. Events were held on February 12, 15, 19, 21, 23.
- Continue to implement the Independence Communications Plan
- By 29 February, RSA Board will finalize approval of all draft documents

1 March 2024 – Independence & FY29 Fee Structure Documents Collection – Final

The majority of the documents listed below were sent via delivery or US Mail to each RSA Member Library. These are the final versions of the documents and are all ‘official’ as of 1 March 2024.

Please start reviewing the documents and reach out with any questions
All we need from each member is the completed signature page (page 9) of the Intergovernmental Agreement. This requires two signatures, a person with legal authority to sign for the library and someone else to attest to the signing. If you sign the copy included in the delivered package, which is printed on lilac color paper, you are return it via the self-addressed, self-stamped envelope included with the lilac page.
Signing the IGA signifies acceptance of the governance conversion, Bylaws, and new fee structure

Overview and RAILS Memo – Final – 1 March 2024. Two documents combined into a single PDF.
- If you need individual copies of these files, use the links below
  - Todo – Overview File – 1 March 2024
  - Memo RAILS Support of RSA and the RSA Independence Project February 2024
Governance Package Index and Files – Final – 1 March 2024. All documents combined into a single PDF.
- If you need individual copies of these files, use the links below
Fee Structure Package Index and Files – Final – 1 March 2024. All documents and non-Excel files combined into a single PDF.
- If you need individual copies of these files, use the links below.
- Excel Files NOT INCLUDED in the combined Fee Structure package PDF or in the printed copies sent to your library via delievery or US Mail. These files have expanded data breakouts to help detail how the fees were determined per library. These are the documents listed in the Fee Structure and Member Rankings Spreadsheets Overview document.
- Online FY29 Fee Calculator for Public and Non-Public Libraries
Communications Package Index and Files – Final – 1 March 2024. All documents combined into a single PDF.
- If you need individual copies of these files, use the links below

March – June 2024

1 March – 8 May – RSA Management Staff and the RSA Board answer questions as they arise, resolving issues uncovered by member review process
Round of RSA Board and Management regional Q&A events (if needed)
9 May Users Group
- Final Users Group discussion of all documents, rationale behind the project and fee structure, and questions to Board and RSA staff
- Review progress of RSA membership document signings
10 May – 30 June
- Members work with their Boards or School Administrators to inform them of the new Intergovernmental Agreement, Bylaws, and fee structure. Sign and return documents to RSA. Schedule phone calls and meetings with RSA Board and Management staff as required by local situation.
- RSA Board Members and Staff begin contacting all members who have not yet signed the Intergovernmental Agreement to answer questions and provide support
- RSA Board and Management Staff schedule in-person visits, Zoom chat sessions, Zoom roundtables, and additional in-person regional discussion and Q&A group meetings, if required

Milestone 2: RSA Directly Employs RSA Support Staff – Completion Date 1 July 2025

RSA’s Board of Directors, working with outside parties, will design and procure all the staffing benefits, HR and payroll support, job descriptions, and more required to directly employ staff currently supporting RSA by 30 June 2025. Much of this work can’t be started until RSA has reorganized as an III organization.

Along with benefits and retirement programs, RSA also needs to procure HR and payroll support, additional administrative support, and more to replace everything currently provided by RAILS RSA hasn’t had to perform due to our partnership with RAILS.

Milestone 3: RSA ‘Fully Independent’ from RAILS – Completion Date 1 July 2026

RSA can’t transition off RAILS provided IT services until RSA staff are employed by RSA. Until that time, RSA staff are required to use RAILS provided services to ensure HR compliance and FOIA request coverage. During the mid-2025 to June 2026 timeframe, RSA will procure, set up, and maintain almost all the services currently provided by RAILS. Primarily, that involves anything IT or computer related. RSA will continue to contract with RAILS for Finance support and a small footprint in the RAILS East Peoria office.

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