breeding – nasig june 6, 2008 next generation library automation its impact on the serials...

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


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.


Part I. The Upheavals


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.


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.


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


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


Part II. Open Source ILS Movement


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?


Open Source Software

An Emerging Trend in the Global ILS Arena


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


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


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


Open Source ILS options

Koha– Commercial support from LibLime

Evergreen– Commercial support from Equinox Software

OPALS– Commercial support from Media Flex


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


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?


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.


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


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.


Part III. Moving toward new generation of library automation


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


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)


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.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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.


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


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


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


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”


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.


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


For more information

Next Generation Library Catalogs by Marshall Breeding

Library Technology Reports June/July 2007

ALA TechSource


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


Breaking down the modules

Traditional ILS– Cataloging– Circulation– Online Catalog– Acquisitions– Serials control– Reporting

Modern approach: SOA


Service Oriented Architecture

http://www.sun.com/products/soa/benefits.jsp


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:


SOA model for business automation

Underlying data repositories– Local or Global

Reusable business services Composite business applications


SOA for library workflow processes

Data Stores:

ReusableBusiness Services

CompositeApplications

Granulartasks:


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.


Current initiatives


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.


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


Part IV. Impact on the Serials Community


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.


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


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)


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?


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?


Proportional allocation of resources

Print: traditional serials check-in– Claims, etc.

Electronic: ERMS maintenance


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


Questions and Discussion

breeding – nasig june 6, 2008 next generation library automation its impact on the serials...

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