breeding – nasig june 6, 2008 next generation library automation its impact on the serials...
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Breeding – NASIG June 6, 2008
Next Generation Library Automation
Its Impact on the Serials Community
Marshall BreedingMarshall BreedingDirector for Innovative Technologies and ResearchDirector for Innovative Technologies and ResearchVanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt University
http://staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breedinghttp://www.librarytechnology.org/
NASIG ConferenceJune 6, 2008
Breeding – NASIG June 6, 2008
Abstract
In the upcoming years, we anticipate major changes in the realm of library automation. The upheavals have begun, with many different movements challenging the models of library automation that have prevailed for decades. The monolithic integrated library system continues to diminish in importance as libraries move toward a transition to a loosely coupled suite of applications. While the ILS continues to play a role-though ever smaller-libraries are making investments in a new generation of automation products, especially next generation interfaces more comprehensive in scope and better equipped to handle full-text electronic content. Electronic resource management systems struggle as a genre of automation products designed to handle the specialized task of helping libraries make sense of their explosively growing collections of subscribed electronic content. Sparked by recent industry events, libraries demand openness at a higher level than ever before, expressed through a tsunami of activity in the adoption of open source library automation software and in demands for open access to library data to enable better local control and integration with third party products. Specialists in serials need to be aware of, and provide input into, the emerging visions of library automation.
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Part I. The Upheavals
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Upheavals
Industry Consolidation Abrupt termination of major library
automation products Increased industry control by external
financial investors Demise of the traditional OPAC Frustration with ILS products and vendors Open Source alternatives hit the mainstream
Breeding, Marshall: Perceptions 2007 an international survey of library automation. http://www.librarytechnology.org/perceptions2007.pl January 2008.
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ILS Industry in Transition
Consolidation through mergers and acquisitions have resulted in a fewer number of players; larger companies
Uncomfortable level of product narrowing Increased ownership by external interests Yet: Some companies and products continue
on solid ground
Breeding, Marshall “Automation system marketplace 2008: Opportunity Out of Turmoil” Library Journal. April 1, 2008.
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Product and Technology Trends
Innovation below expectations Conventional ILS less tenable Proliferation of products related to e-content
management New genre of discovery-layer interfaces
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Web 2.0 / Collaborative Computing
Currently implemented ad hoc Many libraries putting up blogs, wikis, and fostering
engagement in social networking sites Proliferation of silos with no integration or
interoperability with larger library Web presence Next Gen: Build social and collaborative features into
core automation components
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Part II. Open Source ILS Movement
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Demand for Openness
Open Source– Alternative to traditionally licensed software
Open Systems– Software that doesn’t hold data hostage
Open Content– Open access platforms for scholarly content– Institutional Repositories– Bibliographic Services– OpenURL / ERMS Knowledgebases?
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Open Source Software
An Emerging Trend in the Global ILS Arena
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Open Source Alternatives
Explosive interest in Open Source driven by disillusionment with current vendors
Beginning to emerge as a practical option TOC (Total Cost of Ownership) still roughly
equal to proprietary commercial model Still a risky strategy for libraries
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An industry in turmoil
Disruptions and business decisions to narrow options have fueled the open source movement
Benefit to libraries in having additional options
Traditionally licensed and open source ILS alternatives will coexist in the ILS arena
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Open Source ILS enters the mainstream
Earlier era of pioneering efforts to ILS shifting into one where open source alternatives fall in the mainstream
Off-the-shelf, commercially supported product available
Still a minority player, but gaining ground
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Open Source ILS options
Koha– Commercial support from LibLime
Evergreen– Commercial support from Equinox Software
OPALS– Commercial support from Media Flex
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Business case for Open Source ILS
Comparative total cost of ownership Evaluate features and functionality Evaluate technology platform and conceptual
models Are they next-generation systems or open
source version of legacy models?
“Making a Business Case for Open Source ILS.” Marshall Breeding, Computers in Libraries March 2008http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=13134
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Observations on Open Source ILS
Current Open Source ILS products lack Serials and Acquisitions Modules
Initial wave of Open Source ILS commitments happened in the public library arena. Recent activity among academic libraries:
– WALDO Consortium (Voyager > Koha)– University of Prince Edward Island (Unicorn > Evergreen)
Do the current open source ILS products provide a new model of automation, or an open source version of what we already have?
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More Open Systems
Pressure for traditionally licensed products to become more open
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) let libraries access and manipulate their data outside of delivered software
Some progress on API to support discovery layer interfaces, but no comprehensive framework yet.
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Implications of Open Source ILS
Some libraries moving from traditionally licensed products to open source products with commercial support plans
Disruption of ILS industry– new pressures on incumbent vendors to deliver
more innovation and to satisfy concerns for openness
New competition / More options
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Opportunity out of the Upheavals
More options– Commercial + Open Source
More vendors– New open source support companies provide new
competition More library involvement
– Libraries re-energized to make significant contributions to the body of library automation software
Traditionally licensed and open source automation systems will co-exist. We have an interest in the success of both alternatives.
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Part III. Moving toward new generation of library automation
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Rethinking the ILS
Fundamental assumption: Print + Digital = Hybrid libraries Traditional ILS model not adequate for hybrid libraries Libraries currently moving toward surrounding core ILS with
additional modules to handle electronic content New discovery layer interfaces replacing or supplementing ILS
OPACS Working toward a new model of library automation
– Monolithic legacy architectures replaced by fabric of SOA applications
– Comprehensive Resource Management
“It's Time to Break the Mold of the Original ILS” Computers in Libraries Nov/Dec 2007
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ILS: a legacy concept
ILS = Integrated Library System (Cataloging + Circulation + OPAC + Serials + Acquisitions)
Focused on print and physical inventory Electronic content at the Journal Title or collection
level Emerged in the 1960’s – 1970’s Functionality has evolved and expanded, but basic
concepts and modules remain intact Note: Some companies work toward evolving the ILS to
competently handle both print and digital content (e.g. Innovative Interfaces)
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ILS: ever diminishing role
Many libraries putting much less emphasis on ILS Just an inventory system for physical materials Investments in electronic content increasing Management of e-content handled outside of the ILS Yet: libraries need comprehensive business
automation more than ever. Mandate for more efficient operations. Do more with less.
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Dis-integration of Library Automation Functionality
ILS -- Print and Physical inventory OpenURL Link resolver Federated Search Electronic Resource Management Module
– More about this later
Discovery layer interface
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Is non-integrated automation sustainable?
Major burden on library personnel Serial procurement / installation / configuration /
maintenance cycles take many years to result in a comprehensive environment
Inefficient data models Disjointed interfaces for library users Very long cycle to gain comprehensive automation
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Electronic Resource Management Systems
Automation Module specifically designed to manage a library’s subscriptions to electronic content
Managed approach for all aspects of electronic subscription content
– Product coverage, license terms, cost, payment and procurement data, vendor data, use data
COUNTER compliant use statistics SUSHI for automated gathering of use statistics
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Electronic Resource Management Systems
Promising but troubled genre of software designed to manage e-content
Extending ILS acquisitions to handle license terms and other aspects of electronic subscriptions
Very slow adoption by libraries Complex integration issues Products launched in 2002-2004 Increased adoption expected in next 2 years
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Profile-based e-content management
Reliance on a knowledgebase that describes the contents of all available publisher packages and aggregated content offerings
Ability to identify individual titles and articles available to library users based on a profile of the library’s current subscriptions
OpenURL link resolvers and ERM products both depend on the knowledgebase
Synchronization of ILS through MARC update services Efficacy of these products depends as much on the accuracy
and currency of the knowledgebase than the quality of the software
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ERM Deployments
Product Innovative ERM
Verde 360 Resource
Manager
TDNet Open ERAM
Company Innovative
Interfaces
Ex Libris SerialsSolutions
TDNet
Introduced June 2002
June 2004
October 2005
Number Sold 275 169 227 Not disclosed
Number inProduction
Use
235 25 174 Not disclosed
“Helping you buy: Electronic Resource Management Systems”Computers in Libraries: July 2008 issue
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E-Journal Knowledge bases
Commercial Serials Solutions
– (KnowledgeWorks) Ex Libris
– (SFX Global Knowledgebase)
TD Net Openly Informatics /
OCLC
Community JAKE: jointly
administered knowledge environment was an collaborative project
Now defunct. Displaced by commercial ventures.
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New genre of discovery layer interfaces
Traditional ILS OPAC inadequate for today’s Web-savvy library users
Scope too narrow Complex, non-intuitive interface Yet: Necessary for some types of research Working toward a single point of entry for all
the content and services offered by the library
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Common Next-Gen Interface features
Decoupled interface Advanced search engines Relevancy ranked results Faceted Navigation Graphically enriched displays Real-time interaction with ILS Advanced user services and information
delivery features
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Current Products
Primo (Ex Libris) Encore (Innovative Interfaces) Aquabrowser (Bowker / Serials Solutions) WorldCat Local (OCLC) Visualizer (VTLS) eXtensive Catalog (University of Rochester) VUFind (open source / Villanova University) Scriblio (open source)
http://www.librarytechnology.org/discovery.pl
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Deep search
Entering post-metadata search era Increasing opportunities to search the full contents
– Google Library Print, Google Publisher, Open Content Alliance, Microsoft Live Book Search, etc.
– High-quality metadata will improve search precision Commercial search providers already offer “search inside the
book” No comprehensive full text search for books quite yet Beginning to appear in library search environments
– U of Mich (http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/blt/archives/2008/05/search_full-tex.html ) Deep search highly improved by high-quality metadataSee: Systems Librarian, May 2008 “Beyond the current generation of next-generation interfaces: deeper search”
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Advancement of Federated Search
Shift from Distributed Query to Centralized Search Federated search based on distributed query:
– Shallow results– Limited scalability– Slow performance
Harvest metadata or full text for creating comprehensive consolidated indexes
– E.g. Google Scholar– Non-commercial efforts?– The Royal Library of using the Deep Search architecture to
present items found in the Digital Article Database Service repository of 65 million articles, housed in the Technical Information Center of Denmark.
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Architecture and Standards
Need to have an standard approach for connecting new generation interfaces with ILS and other repositories
Proprietary and ad hoc methods currently prevail Digital Library Federation
– ILS-Discovery Interface Grouphttp://www.librarytechnology.org/blog.pl?ThreadID=43
Initial foray into a broader set of protocols that open up other aspects of the ILS
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For more information
Next Generation Library Catalogs by Marshall Breeding
Library Technology Reports June/July 2007
ALA TechSource
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Moving toward a new Generation of Library Automation
Legacy ILS concepts not sustainable New automation environment based on
current library realities and modern technology platforms
Equal footing for digital and print Service oriented architecture
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Breaking down the modules
Traditional ILS– Cataloging– Circulation– Online Catalog– Acquisitions– Serials control– Reporting
Modern approach: SOA
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Service Oriented Architecture
http://www.sun.com/products/soa/benefits.jsp
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Legacy ILS + e-content modules
FederatedSearch
FederatedSearch
Circulation Acquisitions
Cataloging Serials
OpenURLLinking
OpenURLLinking
Electronic Resource
MgmtSystem
Electronic Resource
MgmtSystem
Staff Interfaces:
End User Interfaces:
Data Stores:
Functionalmodules:
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SOA model for business automation
Underlying data repositories– Local or Global
Reusable business services Composite business applications
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SOA for library workflow processes
Data Stores:
ReusableBusiness Services
CompositeApplications
Granulartasks:
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Web Services and the Service-Oriented Architecture
Library Technology Reports – May / June 2006
By Marshall Breeding ALA TechSource The report includes conceptual descriptions of the technology
as well as some technical information on how Web services are implemented. Library administrators or others that need to make decisions regarding library-related technology systems or issues will gain a perspective on the importance of this technology as well as how the implementation of Web services may relate to other library trends and initiatives.
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Current initiatives
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Comprehensive Resource Management
Broad conceptual approach that proposes a library automation environment that spans all types of content that comprise library collections.
Traditional ILS vendors: Under development but no public announcements
Open Source projects in early phases Projection: 2-3 years until we begin see library
automation systems that follow this approach. 5-7 years for wider adoption.
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Open Library Management System
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation – Research in Information Technology program– Solicited proposal / Lead institution
Duke University selected to lead project Core Participants: Kansas University, Lehigh University,
National Library of Australia, Library and Archives Canada, University of Pennsylvania, Marshall Breeding
Advisory Participants: University of Chicago, Wittier College, University of Maryland, Orbis Cascade Alliance, Rutgers University
Status: Proposal complete, pending consideration from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
http://www.mellon.org/grant_programs/programs/rit
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Part IV. Impact on the Serials Community
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Opportunities for Serials Specialists
Be aware of the current trends Be prepared for accelerated change cycles Help build systems based on modern business
process automation principles. What would your ideal serials system look like?
Provide input. Those outside the serials realm often fail to appreciate the complexities and nuances involved in your discipline.
Ensure that new systems provide better support than the legacy systems
Help drive current vendors toward better systems.
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Implication for Serials
Move beyond title-level management Users care less about the specific journals
and publishers Users expect article-level discovery Full text + metadata discovery platforms
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Delivering Serials content through new discovery layer interfaces
Initially through integrated federated search modules
Gradual shift toward OAI model Increased opportunities for full-text discovery Mixed-media discovery: books, serials, digital
objects (metadata + full text)
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Open Source Opportunities
Current Open Source ILS products are in early stage development of serials and acquisition
Opportunity to help invent new models of serials control
Open content approach to e-content knowledgebase?
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Serials workflows
Integrate workflows between print and digital? Minimize investments in metadata / content creation
for local systems only Maximize contributions to national / global level Opportunities for better automation through
interoperability between the business systems of subscription agents and the library’s electronic resource management infrastructure?
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Proportional allocation of resources
Print: traditional serials check-in– Claims, etc.
Electronic: ERMS maintenance
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Preparing for next generation library automation
Reassess workflows Separate streams for print and digital? Integrated processing of print and digital? Opportunities to take advantage of SOA-
based composite business applications Assemble a more ideal set of tools for
managing serials and periodicals
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Questions and Discussion