September 2013

The University System of Georgia Libraries are researching their move to a Next Generation Library System. Phase I: Discovery Tools and Phase II: Library Management Systems together represent one of the goals/objectives in the RACL and USG Information Technology Services’ Strategic Plans. Over the next few months there will be a series of online sessions to discuss these systems, along with their benefits and opportunities for helping USG Libraries manage their increasingly electronic environments. The Next Gen Planning Teams began work in September 2013 to develop specifications for a system to replace the current ILS, Voyager, which is an aging ILS product nearing the end of its life cycle. It took the USG Libraries over 2 years to make a decision to move to Voyager and then 3 years to implement Voyager for all USG institutions. Within the next 2-3 years the USG Libraries need to be prepared to define their direction and their plan for funding, etc. “We will blink, and it will be here.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEXT GENERATION INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM

1. User search & discovery functions (catalog / public interface) are de-coupled from the back-office functions.
   
   
   
   1. An OPAC is not included as part of the ILS
   
   
   2. The ILS may interface more directly and effectively with a public catalog or discovery tool offered by the same vendor, but it can interface with other catalogs and discovery tools as desired.
   
   
   3. Focused on enabling you to make as much of your resources discoverable as possible
   
   


2. Accepts multiple metadata types (not just MARC).


3. Web-based.
   
   
   
   1. Uses web clients, no local / windows clients
   
   
   2. Uses a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), which claims to enable more comprehensive and effective management of all resources and collections with more flexible workflows and the ability to interoperate more easily with other systems?
   
   
   3. Viewed as a transition from a “library system” to a “library services platform”
   
   
   4. No software clients to be updated on staff workstations
   
   


4. Integrates electronic resources into its standard back-office processes.
   
   
   
   1. Manage all library materials regardless of format or location
   
   
   2. Provide needed processes for E-books as well as physical books
   
   


5. Analyzes data and trends (manages use statistics) across a variety of locations, users, and material types.
   
   
   
   1. More activity is recorded for analysis
   
   
   2. Data can be collected from other systems for a more complete picture.
   
   


6. Provides opportunities for more efficient workflows.
   
   
   
   1. Enable staff to work more efficiently regardless of the format of material being processed.
   
   
   2. Requires staff to think about workflows in new ways
   
   
   3. Benefits from promoting change to out-of-date practices and workflows
   
   


7. System (software and data) resides “in the cloud”.
   
   
   
   1. Hosted by the developing organization or their data center provider
   
   
   2. It’s not just hosted; it is a single software entity that is shared by many separate and distinct libraries (such “multi-tenant” systems claim to offer economies of scale and improved opportunities to share data.)
   
   
   3. Most “next generation” library systems are only made availabe “in the cloud”.
   
   
   4. Some concerns – (1) clear identification of support responsibilities, (2) data security, (3) data privacy, (4) awareness of software changes and upgrades, and (5) future migration of your data
   
   
   5. Some efficiencies (cost savings) – (1) reduces our hardware costs, (2) reduces our data center support costs, and (3) simplifies software version changes and upgrades for the vendor and customer
   
   

RELATED INFORMATION AND LINKS

Articles

The Next Generation Integrated Library System: A Promise Fulfilled, by Y. Wang and T. Dawes.

Future of Library Systems: Library Services Platforms, by Carl Grant. Information Standards Quarterly (NISO)

'Next Generation’ Library Systems. Higher Education Library Technology (Wiki)

A Cloudy Forecast for Libraries, by Marshall Breeding. Information Today

Consortium Makes Radical Shift Away From ILS, by Michael Kelley. The Digital Shift (Library Journal Academic Newswire)

Thirteen Ways of looking at Libraries, Discovery, and the Catalog: Scale, Workflow, Attention (EDUCAUSE Review Online, Dec 10, 2012) by Lorcan Dempsey

“The Systems Librarian: Library Technology Forecast for 2014 and Beyond,” Computers in Libraries 33, no. 10 (2013) by Marshall Breeding


Model Library System RFPs

Request for Proposal (RFP) - ALA wikis

The RFP Writer’s Guide to Standards for Library Systems, by Cynthia Hodgson.

Unified library resource management specification – LibTechRFP (Wiki)


Recent Library System RFPs

RFP for an Integrated Library System – Texas A&M University, Dec. 12, 2012.

RFP763-13-84922-JT Integrated Library System & Discovery Tool – University of North Texas System, 2013.

Orbis Cascade Alliance - RFP for a Shared Library Management Service – Taskforce website and PDF RFP.


Vendor Websites

ExLibris Discover Alma website (customer stories, presentations, demo videos).

Innovative Interfaces Inc. Sierra

Kuali Foundation - Open Library Evnironment(OLE)

OCLC WorldShare Management Services

Serials Solutions Intota

SirsiDynix BLUEcloud Suite

VTLS, Inc. Open Skies