WMS, the business case

TiU, LIS, MvdB, 23-05-2013

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Why?

1 Better service• Be where our users are.• Be part of the global information world: Google, WorldCat, Wikipedia.

2 Reduce risk• LBS3: hardware outdated, instable, no support.• LBS3: system outdated, learning curve, support ended.

3 Improve library workflows• Better integration, optimal workflows.• Economy of scale.

4 IT-strategy• Simplify the digital library landscape.• Stop developing and using homegrown systems.• Outsourcing, cutting costs.

• GetIt! (CQ2)• iPort• Place locator• Loan server• ARNO (UKB)• ...

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why cloud services?

• scalable• elastic• anytime, anywhere• any device (iPad …)• pay per usage• economy of scale &

skills

cloud computing for libraries

• technology improvements

• integrated services• no upgrades• community power• online collaboration,

easy sharing• findability

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cloud services: risk & dangers

• standard services• inflexibel• legal & privacy issues• poor integration with

existing systems on campus and other cloud solutions

• fixed subscription price (e.g. per fte)

cloud computing for libraries

• vendor lock-in• reliability (+ or -)• security

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architectural & technical requirements

• clear architecture, separated services, e.g.:– identity management– authentication & authorisation– payment services

• well defined interfaces• open standards• secure channels• network access & bandwith

cloud computing for libraries

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requirements for libraries• separation between front end and back end• separation of services

– user account management– financial (licensing, fees, fines)

• standardise (MARC21, RDA, …)• know your functional requirements (MoSCoW)• collaborate closely with IT

cloud computing for libraries

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Tilburg University Library & cloud computing

Education• Google Apps for Education

cloud computing for libraries

Research• research data sets in Dataverse

– back from Harvard to Utrecht (SURFsara)– the beginning of a community cloud (SURF)?

Library • discovery: WorldCat Local (OCLC)• back-office: Worldshare Management Services (OCLC)

A new ILS for TiU

A new ILS for TiU - 1

A new ILS for TiU - 2

A new ILS for TiU - 3

A new ILS for TiU - 4

A new ILS for TiU - 5

A new ILS for TiU - 6

A new ILS for TiU - 7

A new ILS for TiU - 8

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TiU and WMS: Where are we now?

Front end: WorldCat Local, operational since August 2012

Back end: Worldshare Management Services: operational since March 2013

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Have we met the (cloud computing) requirements for libraries?

• separation between front end

and back end

• separation of services

o user account management

o financial (licensing, fees, fines)

• open standards

• requirements (MoSCoW)

• collaborate closely with IT

still issues

not yet, but will be done (partly)

not yet (SAP)

yes (MARC21), no (MODS, OpenURL)

gaps!

local IT not an issue, supplier IT can be

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Have we gained generic cloud computing advantages?

scalable

anytime, anywhere

any device

discoverability

automatic upgrades

no more homegrown systems

less IT cost (maintenance)

secure

integrated services

+/-

elastic

reliable?

economy of scale & skills

technology improvements

community power

online collaboration, easy sharing

…

pay per usage

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Have we avoided cloud computing pitfalls?

• too ‘vanilla’

• inflexible

• legal & privacy issues

• vendor lock-in

definitively, but changing

partly, even for TiU (‘launching customer’)

more or less solved

probably

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Business Case

Succes Omission

Replacement of LS3 system. Only partial simplification of library systems landscape. 

Implementation of WCL (including WCKBase). No full replacement of TiU end-user discovery.

Implementation of WMS. No integral management of print and electronic matter.

Lower learning curve. No optimized workflows.

Cost.  

No future costs for mandatory upgrades and migrations.  

Outsourcing of system and applications management. More work for library staff (temporarily).

Growing functionality for TiU’s customers.  

Growing functionality for library staff.  

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Why go on?

An example from an OCLC press release 22 January, 2013:

More publishers to add e-book metadata to WorldCatDUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 18 January 2013—OCLC has signed new agreements with leading publishers around the world to add more e-book metadata to WorldCat, the most comprehensive online database of resources available through libraries worldwide.

OCLC Shared Print Management Program to help libraries collaborate and manage collections using WorldCatDUBLIN, Ohio, USA, 22 January 2013—The new OCLC Shared Print Management Program is designed to help libraries register shared print collections holdings in WorldCat so that they can collaborate closely to more efficiently manage and share these collections.

common information infrastructure

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cloud computing for libraries

Google (Scholar)WorldCat

Web of ScienceScopus

PubMed

DISCOVERYCONTENT

Amazon, BolData

MyExperimentResearchgate

MendeleyBlogs

search/findread/publish

use/contribute

collaborate/share

buy

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Final observation

WMS today is a fairly straight forward cloud based ILS. It has good functionality

and is comparatively user friendly but it is not yet very well suited for complex

academic libraries. That will change and you can thank TiU for that .