re-aligning library technology strategy: questioning the role of tradition in technology evaluations
TRANSCRIPT
Re-aligning Library Tech StrategyQuestioning the role of tradition in technology evaluations
Tony ZandersVice President, Global Customer DevelopmentEBSCO Information [email protected] #vala16 #s37
ILS products installed among academic
libraries worldwide
3396
1055
Last Gen Next Gen
100+ products
Ex Libris Alma
OCLC Worldshare Management Service
III Sierra
SerialsSolutions Intota
#vala16 #s37 Source: librarytechnology.org
TIME
COST
Software dev costs
Library annual budget
License/subscription costs
Economics of Library Software in LSP era
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What is the role of the library technology vendor?
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What is the role of the library in a technology vendor relationship?
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“We were told that the new library services platform would be responsive to our university libraries' peculiar and difficult configuration. This has not been exactly the case. We are often told that we should do things another way and not the way we want to do them.
Perceptions 2015: An International Survey of Library AutomationJanuary 31, 2016
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Who is actually designing the next generation of library systems?
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“We are also reminded regularly that even the changes the vendor agrees to make cause the vendor inconvenience, and that we should change our procedures to align with the technology…we don't like being told that we're not doing things right, from the vendor's point of view.
Perceptions 2015: An International Survey of Library AutomationJanuary 31, 2016
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Is the library community staying true to its roots?
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LibraryInterests
BusinessOpportunities
Legacy Product Design Workflow1982 – 2012
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CorporateInterests
LibraryPractice
Next Generation’s Product Design Workflow2012 – Present
TIME
COST
Software dev costs
License/subscription costs
Economics of Library Software in LSP era
1980 2020 #vala16 #s37
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1. Restricted hosting options2. Restricted procurement options (e.g. buy one, must buy other)3. Restricted business models (e.g. only subscription)
Examples of Corporate Overreach
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Does this affect ROI?
Implementation1x
Software License1x
Annual Support & Maintenance
∞
TIME
COST
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Does this affect ROI?
Implementation1x
Annual SaaS Subscription
∞
TIME
COST
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• Advise on hosting options
• Advise on procuring paired or decoupled systems
• Advise on license vs. subscription models
• Recommend one vendor over another
The goal of the paper is not to….
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• Libraries have choice
• Libraries have freedom and transparency to exercise that choice
But to advocate for a “next generation” where…
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• Libraries have choice
• Libraries have freedom and transparency to exercise that choice
• Libraries take front seat in defining “next generation”
• Vendors balance short-term profits with long-term viability of library industry
But to advocate for a “next generation” where…
