Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

Happy Birthday, Barcode

What do libraries want to achieve with their library systems?

Thomas Wall, University Librarian Boston College

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston, Oct. 8, 2009

Confession: I am not a systems guy

But I am a Public Services Guy

• Find it• Get it• Use it• Create it• “Talk” about it

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston, Oct. 8, 2009

What do libraries and their users want to achieve with their library systems?

Bob Gerrity, AUL for Info. Tech.Boston College

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston, Oct. 8, 2009

Toward Service-Oriented Librarianship at Boston College

Bob Gerrity and Kevin KiddBoston College

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

About Boston College

• Private, Jesuit university• 14,000 students• 900 faculty• 200 library staff• 2.6 million volumes• $8M acquisitions budget– 60% on e-resources

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

About Boston College

• Library Technology: The Usual Suspects– ILS (ALEPH)– Federated Search (MetaLib)– Link Resolver (SFX)– Next-Gen. Search (Primo)– ERM (home-grown)– IR (bepress, DigiTool)– ILL (Illiad)

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

More on the Usual Suspects

– Provide good functionality:• Help manage and link users to expanding e-resource

collections• Leverage cooperative/consortial relationships• Expose our digital collections• Inventory control for print collections

– But:• They require a lot of overhead and support• Don’t always play well together, or with other systems we

need to interact with (VLE, campus financials, etc.)• Lack holistic design• Still require users to come to us

• Fewer silos• Framework that supports unified management

of mixed collections (print, electronic, digital)• Reduced TCO• Service-Oriented Architecture• Reduced complexity– Only possible if we are willing to simplify and

streamline the way we do business

What we’re looking for in future library systems

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

• One stop shopping (discovery to delivery)• Flexible delivery options• Services delivered to mobile devices• Contextualized services – Take advantage of what we know about the user

based on his/her role or what we can deduce based on their behavior

What users are looking for in future library systems

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

How do we add value to current systems?

• Overlay services/add-ons/widgets• Recommenders (bX, bibtip)• Enrichment services

– Book covers, ToCs

• LibX• X-isbn

• Local development– Locate (Stack Map)

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

Huh?

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

How do we build a framework to build and sustain a suite of value-added services?

Library Resource Management Systems Forum, Boston

“How does the library best make services and resources available to users at the point in their research that makes the most sense?”