Library Hi Tech NewsOpening libraries to cloud computing: a Kenyan perspectiveJOTHAM MILIMO WASIKE

Article information:To cite this document:JOTHAM MILIMO WASIKE , (2015),"Opening libraries to cloud computing: a Kenyan perspective", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 32Iss 3 pp. 21 - 24Permanent link to this document:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-09-2014-0072

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Opening libraries to cloud computing: aKenyan perspective

Jotham Milimo Wasike

Introduction

The National Institute of Standardsand Technology defines cloud computingas a model for enabling ubiquitous,convenient, on-demand network accessto a shared pool of configurablecomputing resources (such as networks,servers, storage facilities, applications,and services) that can be rapidlyprovisioned and released with minimalmanagement effort or with serviceprovider interaction. It is suffice todefine cloud computing as an Internettechnological innovation that providesa platform for massive informationresource sharing, thus minimizingcarbon footprints and making librariesgreener (Goldner, 2010a, 2010b).Without knowing it, modern librariesare embracing new software and otherrelated hosting services to provideinnovative products and services forpreserving intellectual efforts (Leckieand Buschman, 2010). These servicesmay include Web application in socialcataloging. Many studies show thatlibraries worldwide suffer relatedproblems associated with inflexibility,inefficiency of digital data and highmanagement costs of informationcommunication technology (ICT)infrastructure. A major solution to thismenace is incorporating cloud computingin library services. The purpose of thispaper is to look specifically at how cloudcomputing can be used by libraries andwhat needs to be considered beforeembracing a cloud computing solution.

Framingham (2013) forecasts thatworldwide spending on publicinformation technology (IT) cloudservices will reach $47.4 billion in2013. The expenditure is expected torise to more than $107 billion in 2017.According to a new forecast from theInternational Data Corporation, overthe 2013-2017 forecast period, publicIT cloud services will have a compound

annual growth rate of 23.5 per cent, fivetimes that of the IT industry as a whole.Das (2013) argues that cloud computinghas five key principles:(1) shared resources (including

applications, processors, storageand databases);

(2) on-demand (users retrieve and usecloud information resources fromthe cloud);

(3) elasticity, flexibility and scalability(clouds are receptive to userneeds);

(4) networked access (wide accessibility);and

(5) metering use (involve payments andstorage efficiency).

For libraries to operate effectively undercomputer clouding, Tilburg University(2012) recommends separate servicesbetween front end and back end,efficient account management,financial (licensing, fees and fines)standardization of bibliographicformats, clear functionalities and closelink with ICT. However, cloudcomputing services differ based onrequirements.

Cloud models

There are three primary servicemodels. First, Software as a Service(SaaS), where libraries pay for accessand use application or service hostedclouds on any online device. Theprovider is responsible for data,software and hardware maintenance.This means that the user does notinstall, run or upgrade the applicationon his/her own computers, thus,simplifying maintenance and support.The applications include LibGuidesHotmail, Survey Monkey, GoogleApps, Serials Solutions and Skype.Second, Platform as a Service (PaaS)provides supply tools and an enablingenvironment to libraries to build, test,

install and embrace their own softwareand web-based applications in thecloud. However, operating systems andnetwork access are managed by a datacenter and not libraries. The models inthis category include 800APP and Salesforce. Third, Infrastructure as a Service(IaaS) also referred to as Hardware as aService (HaaS) that provides storageand computing services on many serverswith an on-demand and pay per useformula. The other storage devicesinclude Data Center, Bandwidth, PrivateLine Access, Servers and Server Room,Firewall and Storage space. In this case,library users have the provision ofupgrading, making patches and managingthe operating system. This modelencompasses Amazons Elastic ComputeCloud (EC2) and Rack space.

With cloud technologies, vastresources can be connected throughprivate or public networks. Librariescan opt for public, private, hybridclouds or community clouds. Publiccloud service is available to the generalpublic by a service provider who hoststhe cloud infrastructure. The libraryusers have no visibility or control overwhere the infrastructure is situated. Inthis case, library users share the sameinfrastructure pool with limitedconfiguration, security protections andavailability variances. Examples ofpublic cloud providers are AmazonAWS, Microsoft and Google, whooperate the infrastructure and offeraccess over the Internet. On the otherhand, private cloud infrastructures canbe dedicated to a particular library, asit allows libraries to host coldapplications, while addressing datasecurity and control concerns. The datathat are hosted there are eitherinternally or externally operated by athird party. There are four variations ofprivate clouds:(1) On-premise private clouds that are

hosted within a librarys own facility

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and best used for applications thatrequire complete control andconfigurability of infrastructure andsecurity.

(2) Externally hosted private clouds thatare exclusively used by one library,but are managed by a third party witha cloud infrastructure. The majoradvantage of this cloud over public isthe minimum risk associated withsharing of physical resources.

(3) A community cloud is a multi-userservice model that is shared amongseveral libraries and is governed,managed and protected jointly by allparticipating libraries with a view ofmeeting their ultimate goals. Thiscloud can also be hosted by athird-party provider on behalf of thelibraries. It is built and operates for aspecific clientele with special needs.

(4) Hybrid clouds are a composition oftwo or more clouds (private,community or public) that remainunique entities, bound together andoffering the advantages of multiplemodels.

However, this type of model needs bothon-premise resources and off-site serverinfrastructure. Figure 1 summarizes theessential characteristics, service modelsand deployment models for cloudcomputing.

Library cloud computing

Cloud computing in libraries reducestechnological costs, increases capacity

reliability and performance, whilelimiting computer user maintenance.Special, historical and rare documentscan be scanned and stored in onlinedatabase through local area network(LAN) networks for easy access anduse. Backed-up files are maintained andreprographically created for users.However, this may, in the long, runstrain data integrity and jam thenetwork (Figure 2).

Motivating factors for libraries toembrace clouds

Most library computer systems arebuilt on pre-web technology. Pre-webtechnology systems are harder andmore costly to integrate compared toclouds. While local library systemsserve as critical entities for automation,they represent a tremendous duplicationof effort. In the process, libraries storeand maintain much of the same datahundreds and thousands of times.Individual libraries are also strainedfinancially by building and maintaining adatabase, buying equipment, installingand updating the software. For otherlibraries running independent systems,collaboration between libraries has madeit cumbersome to provide libraryservices. Libraries get stuck in perpetualupgrade mode, which involves lots oftesting and retesting and customizationthat is time consuming. Additionally,with library data scattered acrossdistributed systems, the librarys Webpresence is weakened. Information

seekers also work in common webenvironments and distributed systemsmake it difficult to get the library intotheir workflow. This is even made morecomplex with many libraries estimated toonly utilize 10 per cent capacity of theirsystems.

Library cloud benefits

Library cloud benefits include:

The cause effect of librariessharing hardware and other relatedservices rather than housing softwareand hardware for single informationcenters lead to lowering the totalcosts of managing librarycollections. It also enhances boththe library users experience andstaff workflows through intuitiveinterfaces.

Cost-saving. It is expensive toinstall and maintain an ICTinfrastructure. Clouds enablelibraries to save on softwareoverhead costs, thus allowinglibraries to concentrate on othertasks leading to a high returnvalue (Reese, 2009). Bezos(2014) of Amazon further arguesthat when a library moves theirmajor services to a cloud, they getmore than 70 per cent of theirtime and money to improve andgrow their library services. Thisimproves the quality of libraryservice.

Take advantage of current andrapidly emerging technology to fullyparticipate in the Webs informationlandscape.

Increased visibility and accessibilityof collections in real-time throughsharing of resources, regardless ofdistance. On the other hand, fileversioning helps to retain versions ofold files even if they are deleted.

Duplications of efforts in collectionmanagement are minimized andnetworked services sharing isoptimized through streamlinedworkflows that eventually satisfyinformation users.

Cooperative intelligence andimproved service levels enabled bythe large-scale aggregation of datausage.

Cloud computing can help librariescollaborate with each other in a

Figure 1. Cloud computing characteristics, service models and deployment models

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facile manner. Every library has itsown electronic data resources. If allthe electronic data resources areput together in a single place,which may be accessed by a groupof libraries, the whole electronicdatabase will become huge.

Make libraries become greener bysharing computing power, thusreducing carbon footprints. Manystudies have established that manysystems only use 10 per cent oftheir systems capacity.

The vision is to use cloudcomputing in delivering libraryresources, services and expertise atthe point of need, within userworkflows, and in a manner thatusers want and understand.

Cloud computing frees librariesfrom managing technology sothey can focus on collectionbuilding, improved services andinnovation.

The cloud computing model furtherencourages libraries and their users toparticipate in a network as individualsor consortia by allowing reuse andsocializing around information. It canalso create a powerful, unified webpresence for libraries and give users alocal, group and global reach. Cloudservices also present opportunities forlibraries to innovate and improve. Withincreasing access to Big Data, Cloudservices are building unique servicesand discovery engines that librarypatrons will love. Table I has interactivefeatures offered by cloud services thatwill lead to increased engagement and a

better user experience for informationpatrons and librarians.

Considerations for use of clouds

Libraries can choose from a widerange of service providers with varyingpricing, depending on needs complexityand the amount of capacity required.Below are factors to consider before youmake the move:

Security: The security of the data isof critical importance. Once thelibrary moves to the cloud, whatassurances can be made by thecloud service vendor that theinformation stored is safe?

Support: The response time for anyfailure or loss of data in the cloud.Considering different time zones,is the library able to get supportresponse at real-time?

Scalability: Cloud computing isbased on pay per use. There is aneed to consider the change ofrequirements in the future and whatwould be the financial implications.

Continuity and reliability of libraryservices: In a situation where theentire cloud goes down, what are thebackup and disaster recovery plansof the cloud service vendor.

Reliability: Service level agreementswith the vendor specifying themargin of failure is crucial. Forexample, do they have policies andlegal structures in place to guidethem? Do they appear to be a firmthat will still be around in 30 years?i.e. are they reliable and easilyaccessible?

Figure 2. Application of cloud computing in a library

Table I.Type of clouds and their descriptionsType of cloud Description

Google Apps A cloud-based productivity suite from Google that includes tools foremail, calendars and documents

Office 365 Users read and edit office documents in a browser on PCs, Macsand tablets. Store and share documents using Sky Drive

Dropbox A file hosting service that offers libraries cloud storage, filesynchronization, personal cloud and client software

LibLime Koha An open-source integrated library system that can move the entiresystem to the cloud. It offers web-based patron services, communityoutreach and catalog management

OverDrive Lends eBooks, audio books, music and video to users from a hosted,digital library. Borrowers get access to titles from top publishers onalmost any device and libraries get resources to support and promotee-reading

Flickr A great place to host historical images that are in the public domain.One of the most famous implementations of this comes from TheLibrary of Congress which hosts nearly 20,000 photos categorizedinto sets for browsing by interest

LibGuides An easy to use Content Management System used by many librariesworldwide to curate and share knowledge

Google Hangouts A messaging app from Google that enables librarians to send andreceive messages, photos and videos and even start free video callswith library patrons

Skype Started as a way to make free Internet calls, but is evolved into afull-featured cloud communication tool with instant messaging, filesharing, group video and screen casting

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IT knowledge: In a studyconducted by Mitchell (2011) itwas established that expertise wasa motivating factor to install ornot to install an ICTinfrastructure. He argued thatexpertise and capacity in a librarycan be a daunting task toquantify. The skills needed forcloud computing includeconfiguration, server skills,software engineering andmanagement of cloudinfrastructure. Limoncelli andHogan (2001) further state that ITstaff capacity planning formanagement and end-usersupport is essential.

Availability: The cloud serviceshould be available 24/7 andaccessible in real-time. In thesecases, vendors are able to upgradeelectronic database that maymotivate libraries to use SaaSinstead of a locally implementedmethod (Mitchell, 2011). Do theservices provide cloud computing?They should provide!

However, Prince (2011) cautions thatclouds like other systems haveweaknesses that include loss of datacontrol to vendors. Data insecurity andthe possibility of the vendor goingaway means that data may becompletely lost. Libraries also lack theauthority to maintain and update theirinformation, thus interfering withmaximizing the user access and use.

For libraries to be continuallyrelevant, they need to embrace cloudtechnology. By taking advantage ofthese technical advancements, librarieswill make information more accessiblethan at any other time in history, thus

meeting their obligations as informationproviders.

REFERENCES

Bezos, J. (2014), available at: www.slideshare.net/goodfriday/amazon-web-services-building-a-webscale-computingarchitecture (accessed 4 July 2014).Das, D.C. (2013), Impact of cloudcomputing in library services (PPT),available at: www.kiit.ac.in/centrallibrary/pdf/pdf_presentation/Impact_of_Cloud_Computing_on_Library_Services.pdf (accessed7 July 2014).Framingham, M. (2013), IDC forecastsworldwide public it cloud services spendingto reach nearly $108 billion by 2017 asfocus shifts from savings to innovation(a press release), available at: www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerIdprUS24298013 (accessed 7 July 2014).Goldner, M. (2010a), Libraries and cloudcomputing, Proceedings of the 2011 SLAAnnual Conference & INFO-EXP.Goldner, M.R. (2010b), Winds of change:libraries and cloud computing,BIBLIOTHEK Forschung und Praxis,Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 270-275.Leckie, G.J. and Buschman, J.E. (2010),Information technology in librarianship:new critical approaches, Journal ofHospital Librarianship, No. 2.Limoncelli, T.A. and Hogan, C.J. (2001),Practice of System & NetworkAdministration, AdisonWesleyProfessional, Upper Saddle River, NJ,No. 2.Mitchell, E. (2011), Using cloud servicesfor library IT infrastructure, available at:http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/2510/comment-page-1 (accessed 8 July 2014).Prince, D. (2011), Cyber security andcloud computing, a paper presented at theCyber Security Conference, LancasterHouse Hotel, 19, September).

Reese, G. (2009), Cloud applicationarchitectures: building applications andinfrastructure in the cloud, OReillyMedia.Sanchati, R. and Kulkarni, R. (2011),Cloud computing in digital and universitylibraries, Global Journal of ComputerScience and Technology, Vol. 11 No. 12.Tilburg University (2012), Cloud computingfor libraries, available at: www.oclc.org/news/releases/2013/201310.en.html (accessed10 July 2014).

FURTHER READING

National Institute of Standards andTechnology, US Department of Commerce(2014), The NIST definition of cloudcomputing (Draft), available at: http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts/800-145/Draft-SP-800-145_cloud-definition.pdf (accessed7 July 2014).NIST (2009), NIST.gov computersecurity division computer securityresource center, available at: http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloud-computing/index.html (accessed 7 July 2014).OCLC (2011), Cloud computing forlibraries, INFORUM 2011, Brussels.

ABOUT THE AUTHORJotham Milimo Wasike has over 15years of professional experience inlibrary management. He is currently theDeputy University Librarian at theCatholic University of Eastern Africaand is a PhD finalist in Library andInformation Science, Moi University,Kenya. He has written extensively onemerging library technologies anddigital rights management.

Jotham Milimo Wasike(jothamwasike@gmail.com) is basedat the Catholic University of EasternAfrica, Nairobi, Kenya.

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Opening libraries to cloud computing: a Kenyan perspectiveIntroductionCloud modelsLibrary cloud computingMotivating factors for libraries to embrace cloudsLibrary cloud benefitsConsiderations for use of cloudsReferences