Partnering Today to Manage Tomorrow’s Libraries

Mission of the VALE OLS ProjectThe mission of the VALE OLS Project is to advance the teaching, learning and research activities of New Jersey’s higher education community by implementing a shared open-source library management system which expands access to scholarly materials, both print and digital, and which promotes resource sharing among participants. The VALE OLS project is committed to providing end-users with transformative access to information resources through the development of creative and innovative systems that are flexible, cost-effective and sustainable while meeting industry standards.

Help Us Choose a New Name!

What’s in a name? Well, in our case, it’s too many letters! We are looking for a name to replace “The VALE Open Library System Project” and we need YOUR help!

The name should be: Relevant, reflective of who we

are – i.e. Academic libraries in NJ, supporting public, private, community, 4-year, and research institutions

Memorable, rhythmic, an effective acronym

Illustrative of the potential that the VALE OLS Project has to transform the way that New Jersey academic libraries operate

Appealing, showing excitement, attention-grabbing

The new name should not: Include or refer to the name

“OLE,” since we are not yet part of the Kuali OLE community

Be dreary, dull, or stodgy Be an acronym involving the

word “CAT,” since this system will be much more than a catalog

Please let us know your ideas while you’re here at NJLA. If inspiration doesn’t strike until after you return home, please visit the project page on the VALE site (valenj.org) to submit your suggestions.

Ongoing Tasks Develop a communications/

marketing plan Complete selection of a

discovery tool Determine technical

requirements Determine common circulation

criteria

Upcoming Tasks Develop criteria for data clean-

up (specifically holdings) Develop protocols for data

migration Develop funding plan for

startup phase Develop a business model for

operating phase

Partnering Today to Manage Tomorrow’s Libraries

What are the project objectives,

or guiding principles, of the VALE OLS project?

Voluntary Participation: Every VALE institution will have opportunities to explore VALE-OLS and decide for itself whether it wishes to join. No VALE member will be obligated to participate.

Effective communication: Abundant communication between and among VALE OLS users, developers and administrators will ensure openness, transparency and accountability in all planning and decision-making activities.

A sustainable business model: The VALE OLS Project will be supported by a business plan that minimizes costs and maximizes member participation.

Further, the VALE OLS project commits to the following development principles:

Participation Fees: The initial cost of membership shall be equal to or less than any VALE member institution’s commitment to its current ILS in the year that it joins VALE OLS. The annual cost of membership (as determined by the Steering Committee) will reflect the actual cost of running the system, including both operational and development costs.

Flexibility: The VALE OLS project will be designed to maximize flexibility in functionality. It will have the advanced features and capabilities required by research institutions. At the same time, it will scale equally well to smaller institutions, requiring only simple implementation and support.

Minimal Data Risk: Institutions will be able to test the VALE OLS system with their own data before committing to join, thus ensuring confidence in the outcome of their migration planning.

Identity management: The VALE OLS project will include identity management controls, thus providing institutions with the ability to individualize access to resources based upon the identities and roles of their users.

Customizable Discovery Tool: A discovery tool (catalog search interface) will be selected from the available open-source, non-proprietary options. Individual VALE OLS participants will be able to customize the interface with their own institutional identities.

Data cleanup and policy standardization: Although there may be some economies of scale and collaboration, each participating member will be responsible for ensuring that its records and files meet all required data and policy standards.

Test Environment: A VALE OLS test environment will be created for demonstration and promotion purposes as well as for training and certification activities prior to implementation.

In its efforts to achieve this goal, the VALE OLS project commits to the following process principles:In its efforts to achieve this goal, the VALE OLS project commits to the following process principles:

In its efforts to achieve its mission, the VALE OLS project commits to the following process objectives:

Shared Governance: A Steering Committee comprised of representatives from participating VALE members that reports to the VALE Executive Committee ensures broad input, effective decision-making and strong accountability.