EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES MEET THE CHALLENGE OF TRANSFORMED LIBRARIES

Marshall BreedingIndependent Consult, Author, Founder and Publisher, Library Technology Guideshttp://www.librarytechnology.org/http://twitter.com/mbreeding

Feb 21, 2013 Academic Library Directors Symposium

Summary

Major trends are in play that contribute to major transformations underway in libraries.  In the broader publishing and information arena, the explosion of interest in e-books represents another wave in the shift toward electronic content that in previous times saw the near complete transition of journal articles to electronic form.  Web-based and cloud computing stands to bring fundamental changes in the ways that libraries use technology in support of their internal operations and in providing access to their collections and services.  In this keynote presentation, Breeding will help library decision makers explore how to harness these trends and technologies to meet the strategic missions. 

Role of Academic Libraries in Motion

Transitions complete Print > electronic journals

Transitions Underway E-books Open access publishing Metadata management

Uncertain trends New models of collaboration Defining new roles with the academic institution

Observation: technology infrastructure created in earlier times unlikely to help libraries today succeed

Reshaped collections

Journal content: mostly delivered electronically Monographs: transition to e-books underway

E-books now largely delivered through database aggregations Ebrary, E-books on EBSCOhost, etc.

Academic libraries not yet that involved with downloadable e-book lending services (OverDrive 3M Cloud Library, etc)

Legacy print collections will remain indefinitely Digital collections

Locally digitized materials

Fulfillment activities

Print circulation slowing Interlibrary loan activity rising Increased pressure for resource sharing Traditional models of service blurring together

Circulation Interlibrary Loan Course Reserves Consortial borrowing

Avoid placing the burden on the patron to determine the appropriate service

Allocation of resources

Collection funds devoted mostly to e-content

If true: How does allocation of efforts for personnel

compare to collection expenditures? Does the technology and automation

infrastructure provide the flexibility needed for proportional resource allocation?

Additional academic library roles Deeper involvement in research process Ready reference > in-depth research

support Embedded librarian initiatives Library involvement in research data

NSF data management plans (example) What technology infrastructure do

academic libraries need to support these new activities?

Cumulative effect

Library collections more complex than ever

Library services move diverse Managing electronic and digital content

harder than managing print What technology infrastructure needed

to support libraries in this new phase of complexity?

Technology in transition

New era of cloud computing Client/server architecture becoming

obsolete Any new development:

Web-based applications Designed for delivery through software as a

service Mobile first strategies for end-user

applications

Fundamental technology shift Mainframe computing Client/Server Cloud Computing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrick/61952845/

http://soacloudcomputing.blogspot.com/2008/10/cloud-computing.html

http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-10-2001/jw-1019-jxta.html

Computer infrastructure transitions Campus mainframes Distributed / Departmental computing

Library ILS E-mail

Enterprise computing Consolidated university services Campus wide e-mail File storage Server management

Cloud-based services Outsourced student e-mail Selected business services

Cloud Computing

Major trend in broader IT sector Few organizations have core competence in

large-scale computer infrastructure management Essentially outsourcing of server housing and

management Usually based on a consumption-based business

model Most new software products delivered through

some flavor of cloud computing Many flavors to suit business needs: public,

private, hybrid

Infrastructure-as-a-service

Provisioning of computing and storage equipment

Servers, storage Virtual server provisioning

Examples: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) Rackspace Cloud www.rackspacecloud.com/

) EMC2 Atmos (www.atmosonline.com/)

Software as a Service

Multi Tennant SaaS is the modern approach One copy of the code base serves multiple

sites Software functionality delivered entirely

through Web interfaces No workstation clients

Upgrades and fixes deployed universally Usually in small increments

Data as a service

SaaS provides opportunity for highly shared data models

Shared knowledge bases for OpenURL linking and electronic resource management

Indexes of article-level content to support discovery services

Shared bibliographic data General opportunity to move away from library-by-

library metadata management to globally shared workflows

Library automation increasingly driven by knowledge bases

Library Automation in the Cloud Almost all library automation vendors

offer some form of “cloud-based” services Server management moves from library

to Vendor Subscription-based business model Comprehensive annual subscription

payment Offsets local server purchase and

maintenance Offsets some local technology support

Leveraging the Cloud

Moving legacy systems to hosted services provides savings to individual institutions while preserving existing workflow and functionality

New systems designed for software-as-a-service may enable libraries to reimagine workflows and functionality

Shared data and metadata models have the potential to achieve new levels of operational efficiencies and more powerful discovery and automation scenarios that improve the position of libraries overall

Transition away from local computing

Local computing increasingly less appropriate for libraries

Managing low-level technical infrastructure not a core area of expertise for libraries

Security requirements increasingly challenging

Opportunity to redirect library technologists to high-value activities May meet cultural resistance

Open Systems

Achieving openness has risen as the key driver behind library technology strategies

Libraries need to do more with their data Ability to improve customer experience and

operational efficiencies Demand for Interoperability Open source – full access to internal

program of the application Open API’s – expose programmatic

interfaces to data and functionality

Mobile Computing

Social Computing

Web 2.0 as a separate activity largely a distraction

Important to have social orientation built directly into the software and services that comprise library infrastructure

Avoid jettisoning patrons out of the library’s Web presence

Find ways to effectively connect with users, connect users to each other, and especially to connect users to library content and services

Academic Libraries as part of the Campus Enterprise

Academic libraries tend to be well integrated organizationally

Increasingly important for the library to integrate into the technical fabric of its parent institution

Interoperate with other business applications Financial / ERP systems Student records management Learning Management Systems Authentication services

Move beyond batch data exchange to real-time interoperability

Web services and APIs

A new world for Metadata Management

Traditional Cataloging vs Metadata support for new collection realities

How to maintain quality as priorities shift Original and Copy Cataloging based on

one-record-at-a-time workflows Increased need to manage metadata in

bulk E-content packages E-book collections

Cataloging rules and standards FRBR: hierarchies and groupings RDA: Next generation of AACR2, but with

an eye toward the semantic web Tiny step

Library of Congress Initiative for Bibliographic Transition See: bibframe.org Replacement for MARC as the carrier for

bibliographic data A much more radical change

Metadata Management Workflows Less emphasis on record-by-record

processing Knowledge-base approach

Given model for e-resource management Comprehensive knowledge base of what

content is associated with content packages Matched against profile of library subscriptions

Useful for e-book collections Applicable to individual monograph

acquisitions?

Automation priorities

Current ILS model focuses on technical services

Discovery interfaces and catalog address patron self-service

General absence of customer relationship management How can new generations of technology

infrastructure provide tools to facilitate research support, reference, and other public services

Need to generate performance metrics for these critical library services

Data-driven management

Business systems generate high volume of use data

Traditional ILS products have not been strong in generating actionable use data

Increased emphasis on mining use data and providing analytical tools to support operational decisions Collection development Personnel allocation Service definition Resource allocation Provide evidence to defend budget proposals

Cooperation and Resource sharing

Efforts on many fronts to cooperate and consolidate

Many regional consortia merging (Example: suburban Chicago systems)

State-wide or national implementations Software-as-a-service or “cloud” based

implementations Many libraries share computing

infrastructure and data resources

Strategic Cooperation

Shared infrastructure in support of strategic collaborative relationships

Opportunities to share infrastructure Examples:

2CUL Orbis Cascade Alliance

Opportunities to reconsider automation implementation strategies One library = 1 ILS? Ability to share infrastructure across organizational

boundaries?

Technology Support for Academic Libraries

Greater concern with electronic scholarly articles

Management: Need for consolidated approach that balances print, digital, and electronic workflows

Access: discovery interfaces that maximize the value of investments in subscriptions to scholarly articles and research materials

Appropriate Automation Infrastructure

Automation infrastructure must be in step with current realities

Allow administrators to allocate personnel easily among collection management priorities

Adequate data and analytics for administrative decision support

Discovery solutions that fully expose library collections

Library users expect more engaging socially aware interfaces for Web and mobile

Disjointed approach to information and service delivery

Library Web sites offer a menu of unconnected silos: Books: Library OPAC (ILS online catalog module) Articles: Aggregated content products, e-journal

collections OpenURL linking services E-journal finding aids (Often managed by link resolver) Subject guides Local digital collections

ETDs, photos, rich media collections Metasearch engines Discovery Services – often just another choice among

many All searched separately

Online Catalog

Books, Journals, and Media at the Title Level

Not in scope: Articles Book Chapters Digital objects Web site content Etc.

Scope of SearchSearch:

Search Results

ILS Data

Web-scale Index-based Discovery

Search:

Digital Collections

Web Site ContentInstitution

al Repositori

es

…E-Journals

Reference Sources

Search Results

Pre-built harvesting and indexing

Conso

lidate

d In

dex

ILS Data

Aggregated Content packages

(2009- present)

Integrating e-Books into Library Automation Infrastructure

Current approach involves mostly outsourced arrangements

Collections licensed wholesale from single provider

Hand-off to DRM and delivery systems of providers

Loading of MARC records into local catalog with linking mechanisms

No ability to see availability status of e-books from the library’s online catalog or discovery interface

Proliferation of library automation components

ILS for management of (mostly) print Duplicative financial systems between library and campus Electronic Resource Management (non-integrated with

ILS) OpenURL Link Resolver w/ knowledge base for access to

full-text electronic articles Digital Collections Management platforms (CONTENTdm,

DigiTool, etc.) Institutional Repositories (DSpace, Fedora, etc.) Discovery-layer services for broader access to library

collections No effective integration services / interoperability among

disconnected systems, non-aligned metadata schemes

Comprehensive Resource Management

No longer sensible to use different software platforms for managing different types of library materials

ILS + ERM + OpenURL Resolver + Digital Asset management, etc. very inefficient model

Flexible platform capable of managing multiple type of library materials, multiple metadata formats, with appropriate workflows

Libraries need a new model of library automation

Not an Integrated Library System or Library Management System

The ILS was designed to help libraries manage print collections

Generally did not evolve to manage electronic collections

Other library automation products evolved: Electronic Resource Management Systems –

OpenURL Link Resolvers – Digital Library Management Systems -- Institutional Repositories

Library Services Platform

Library-specific software. Designed to help libraries automate their internal operations, manage collections, fulfill requests, and deliver services

Services Service oriented architecture Exposes Web services and other API’s Facilitates the services libraries offer to their users

Platform General infrastructure for library automation Consistent with the concept of Platform as a Service Library programmers address the APIs of the platform to

extend functionality, create connections with other systems, dynamically interact with data

Library Services Platform Characteristics

Highly Shared data models Knowledgebase architecture Some may take hybrid approach to accommodate

local data stores Delivered through software as a service

Multi-tenant Unified workflows across formats and media Flexible metadata management

MARC – Dublin Core – VRA – MODS – ONIX New structures not yet invented

Open APIs for extensibility and interoperability

Con

solid

ate

d in

dex

Unified Presentation LayerSearch:

Digital Coll

ProQuest

EBSCO…

JSTOR

Other Resource

s

New Library Management Model

`

API Layer

Library Services Platform

LearningManageme

nt

LearningManageme

nt

Enterprise ResourcePlanning

Enterprise ResourcePlanning

StockManagement

StockManagement

Self-Check /

Automated Return

Self-Check /

Automated Return

Authentication

Service

Authentication

Service

Smart Cad /

Payment systems

Smart Cad /

Payment systems

Discovery

Service

How to Harness new technology to meet the needs of Transformed academic libraries?

Challenge:

Reassess expectations of Technology

Many previous assumptions no longer apply

Technology platforms scale infinitely No technical limits on how libraries share

technical infrastructure Cloud technologies enable new ways of

sharing metadata Build flexible systems not hardwired to

any given set of workflows

Reassess workflow and organizational options

ILS model shaped library organizations New Library Services Platforms may

enable new ways to organize how resource management and service delivery are performed

New technologies more able to support strategic priorities and initiatives

Reassess the role of library technologists

Cloud-based services allow libraries to re-focus technology personnel

Less emphasis on routine infrastructure Technologists can focus on higher-level

services

Reassess how to shape software to local needs

Shift from customization and enhancements to open APIs Less encumbered by vendor priorities More empowered to create local value-

added services From monolithic closed system to

flexible platform Opportunities to build more unified

virtual services for patrons

Time to engage

Transition to new technology models just underway

More transformative development than in previous phases of library automation

Opportunities to partner and collaborate Vendors want to create systems with long-

term value Question previously held assumptions

regarding the shape of technology infrastructure and services

Provide leadership in defining expectations

Questions and discussion