Penn State University Libraries - Overview of Web Scale Library Management Systems

Cloud Services:
Moving Beyond SirsiDynix ILS to Web-Scale Library Management Systems

• Assessment: need better data analysis tools for decision making. Need to prove library contribution to organization's mission.
• System maintenance: costly and time consuming. Ongoing hardware and software costs. IT expertise tending to ILS.
• Workflows: split between electronic and print. Silos for print, digital, electronic materials resulting in duplicate data and duplicate workflows. Split among jobbers. Metadata from multiple vendors. No tool to track requests. No interoperability.
  

• Reduces overall costs. Eliminates the need to locally host multiple servers and equipment. Eliminates constant hardware and software upgrades. System changes do not require local rewrites.
• Enables library staff to focus on serving users, and enables library IT staff to redirect focus to innovating at the local level.
• If done right, simplifies processes
• Better support. Eliminates the need for institutional IT support for the system.
• Data as a Service (DaaS). Depending on the architecture of the cloud computing solution, if data is part of the hosted offering and it’s enabled for sharing, data becomes a service rather than a function replicated library by library.
• Better analytics. Greater ability to utilize analytic tools with shared data, analyze user trends and potential click streams.
  

• Security of data
• Loss of software configuration options which enable library to meet unique, local needs.
• Branding. End users do not know where the information appearing on the screens is originating.
• Loss of control. Library must maintain sufficient control to support “value-add” of their local collections and services.
  

OCLC WMS (WorldShare Management Services)

• Open and extensible platform built on an extended view of WorldCat. Designed from the ground up. Core infrastructure underlying all OCLC applications. Shareable applications gallery. Some built by OCLC; others by customers. Libraries can build applications to meet local needs, while benefiting from the innovation of the broader global library community.
• Status: 150 committed academic, public and special libraries; of those, 40 are in full production
• Current features
• Acquisitions for physical and electronic collections
• Circulation and patron management
• Discovery via WorldCat Local
• Cataloging tools for data creation and enrichment
• Service Configuration manger
• OCLC Worlsdshare License manager
• OCLC WorldShare platform (data, tools, and services that developers can use to create and share custom applications)

Serials Solutions Intota

• Shared data model utilizing KnowledgeWorks knowledgebase. Authority control to be done by Serials Solutions via Knowledgebase eliminating need for local authority control management. Designed for Summon, but will allow for use with other discovery systems. Supports multiple formats (MARC, Dublin Core, MODS, etc.). Shared customer union database; local holdings to be attached programmatically based on profile. 360 ERM, Counter, some parts of Core, MARC Update will be rolled into Intota. Knowledgebase, 360 Core and Summon will not be a part of Intota, but will work well with it.
• Status: in design and development
• Phase 1. Data Management – 2012
• Data Management (Resource Manager, Cataloging)
• Overlap analysis
• Acquisitions (print & electronic)
• Phase 2. Selection – 2012/2013
• Selection
• External system integration
• Phase 3. Fulfillment – 2013 (Fulfillment = Circulation.)
• Full circulation
• Network authority control
• Data harvesting by campus warehousing services

Ex Libris ALMA

• Unified resource management. Built from the ground up and does not re-use earlier modules.
• Two zones:
• Shared community zone (global authorities, community catalog, central knowledgebase
• Local library zone (local repository of bib and auth records, inventory, holdings, items, activated electronic and digital resources)
• Status: General release in 2012. 60 installations

Open-source ILS/library management systems (some are offered as Software as a Service, i.e., hosted)

• Kuali OLE
• Evergreen (support provided through Equinox)
• Koha (support provided through LibLime and ByWater)
• eXtensible catalog
• Innovative Interfaces Sierra Library Services Platform (SaaS or locally installed)
  

• Assess costs expended in supporting local SirsiDynix platform - servers, sys admin support, software, development support, maintenance, etc.
• Explore options with others in PSUL (Rebecca Macintosh, Ann Snowman, Bob Alan, and Dace Freivalds to meet in mid-April as informal ‘web scale’ study group to investigate the web scale library management system landscape and discuss how to move forward.)
• Educate Libraries faculty and staff about options for moving beyond SirsiDynix ILS
• Benchmark with peers in CIC and ARL.
• Define functional and system requirements. Determine PSUL library system needs that are not being met currently that must be met in a new system. Break into components (selection, acquisition, cataloging, discovery, fulfillment inventory, circulation) and determine requirements for each across all resource types (print, electronic, digital).
• Assess pros and cons of web scale vs open source library management systems, and determine appropriate direction for PSUL (web-scale or open source).