The ILS and Beyond: Introduction and Future Directions

1. The ILS and Beyond: Introduction and Future Directions Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technology and Research Vanderbilt University Library Founder and Publisher, Library Technology Guides http://www.librarytechnology.org/ http://twitter.com/mbreeding January 14, 2011 DeVry

2. Abstract • The shape of library collections and the needs of their users present major challenges for the development of adequate technology support components. Marshall Breeding will present his view of the current state of the art of library management systems, the role of discovery products to improve end-user experiences.

3. Agenda • Agenda • What is an ILS • What are the advantages • Current trends in the marketplace • What to look for when selecting an ILS • Best of breed • Q&A • If time permits • How can an ILS reduce operating expenses • Can an ILS market a library’s services • Success stories (best demonstrated practices) • Benefits of an ILS to the patron

4. What is an ILS and why libraries need them

5. Definition • Integrated Library System (US) • Library Management System (UK / Australia) • Business automation for library operations • Service delivery for library patrons • Multiple modules that specialize in different sectors of library activity • Tied together through common databases

6. Policies $$$ Funds BIB Vendor Holding / Items CircTransact User Traditional ILS Model Public Interfaces: Staff Interfaces: Interfaces Circulation Cataloging Acquisitions Serials OnlineCatalog BusinessLogic DataStores

7. Cataloging Resource description MARC bibliographic records, holdings, items Circulation Manages tasks related to lending materials Loan policies, fines, notices, renewals, holds Acquisitions Procurement of new materials Vendor file, fund management, invoice processing Serials Manages periodicals and serials Procurement, check-in, routing ILS Modules

8. OPAC = online public access catalog Access to the collection and services for library patron Search and display of materials Patron services Login with barcode / PIN or Username/Password View current checkouts Place holds Pay fines OPACs being displaced by next-gen catalogs or discovery interfaces ILS front-end: online catalog

9. Emerged in the early 1970’s Companies or products included Geac, CLSI, DataPhase Cycles of technology: Mainframe > Client/Server > Web-based Library Development > Vendors > Open source / Library Development History of the ILS

10. History of Library Automation Industry

11. ILS companies/products • Ex Libris • Voyager • Aleph • SirsiDynix • Symphony • Horizon • The Library Corporation • Library.Solution • Polaris Library Systems • Polaris • Innovative Interfaces • Millennium • OCLC • Web-scale Management Services • VTLS • Virtua • Auto-Grapics • AGent Verso

12. ILS products: small library • Library World • Biblionix • Apollo • Mandarin • Follett • Destiny • Book Systems • Atriuum

13. Open Source ILS • Koha • Evergreen • OPALS

14. Advantages of the ILS

15. ILS enables operational efficiency • Automates routine tasks performed by library staff • Enables library personnel to focus on most value added activities • Manages and provides access to library collections in ways not possible with manual systems

16. ILS Strengths • The ILS was conceived primarily for managing print resources • Central application for managing patrons and providing self-service functions through a Web-based OPAC • Connects with self-check stations and other peripheral systems • Essential automation for any library with physical assets

17. The Shrinking ILS • The Library Management System no longer stands as the single library automation product that provides comprehensive support for all aspects of library operations. • Many libraries putting much less emphasis on LMS • Manages workflows related to physical materials • Investments in electronic content increasing • Management of e-content handled outside of the ILS

18. …shrinking ILS • Yet: libraries need comprehensive business automation more than ever. Mandate for more efficient operations. Do more with less. • Proliferation of automation products needed to handle all aspects of libraries can overwhelm many libraries • Libraries lack technical personnel and needed capital to purchase and manage multiple systems

19. Academic and Research libraries especially struggle with how to deal with managing increasing proportions of licensed electronic content ILS geared toward print materials New products aim to manage library resources spanning print and electronic; owned or licensed Examples: Ex Libris Alma, Kuali OLE Breaking out of the mold

20. Legacy ILS + e-content modules End User Interfaces: Federated Search OpenURL Linking Electronic Resource Mgmt System Circulation Acquisitions Functional modules: Cataloging Serials Data Stores: Staff Interfaces:

21. Policies LicenseTerms BIB Vendors Holding / Items CircTransact User Vendor E-JournalTitles $$$ Funds ILS / Electronic Resource Management Public Interfaces: Staff Interfaces: ` Application Programming Interfaces Circulation Cataloging Acquisitions Serials OnlineCatalog E-resourceProcurement LicenseManagement Protocols: CORE

22. $$$ Funds LicenseTerms BIB Policies Holding / Items CircTransact User Vendor ILS / Electronic Resource Management Staff Interfaces: Public Interfaces: Application Programming Interfaces Circulation Cataloging Acquisitions Licensemanager Serials + e-resources Online Catalog Print +Electronic

23. Industry Trends

24. Current state of the industry

25. Library Technology Guides www.librarytechnology.org

26. Dynamics of the ILS market http://www.librarytechnology.org/ils-turnover.pl

27. Library Journal Automation Marketplace • Published annually in April 1 issue • Based on data provided by each vendor • Focused primarily on North America • Context of global library automation market

28. LJ Automation Marketplace Annual Industry report published in Library Journal: • 2010: New Models, Core Systems • 2009: Investing in the Future • 2008: Opportunity out of turmoil • 2007: An industry redefined • 2006: Reshuffling the deck • 2005: Gradual evolution • 2004: Migration down, innovation up • 2003: The competition heats up • 2002: Capturing the migrating customer

29. New Models…  …no longer an industry where companies compete on the basis of the best or the most features in similar products but one where companies distinguish themselves through products and services that define different futures for their library customers.

30. Core Systems… Although ILS sales no longer completely define the library automation market, new sales and ongoing support of these flagship products continue as the largest and most reliable revenue stream.

31. Key Context: Libraries in Transition • Shift from Print > Electronic • Increasing emphasis on subscribed content, especially articles and databases • Strong emphasis on digitizing local collections • Demands for enterprise integration and interoperability

32. Key Context: Library Users in Transition • New generations of library users: • Millennial generation • Self sufficient – reluctant to seek assistance • Perceive themselves as competent to use information tools without help • Web savvy / Digital natives • PervasiveWeb 2.0 concepts / • Inherently collaborative work styles

33. Key Context: Technologies in transition • XML / Web services / Service-oriented Architecture • Beyond Web 2.0 • Integration of social computing into core infrastructure • Local computing shifting to cloud platforms • SaaS / private cloud / public cloud • Full spectrum of devices • full-scale / net book / tablet / mobile • Mobile the current focus, but is only one example of device and interface cycles

34. Dynamics of the Library Automation Scene • Evolutionary ILS • Revolutionary ILS • Open source and Proprietary alternatives http://www.uoguelph.ca/theportico/science/people/

35. 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, workflows, and modules remain intact • Note: Some companies work toward evolving the ILS to competently handle both print and digital content (e.g. Innovative Interfaces)

36. Evolutionary path • Gradual enhancement of long-standing ILS platforms • Wrap legacy code in APIs and Web services • SirsiDynix • Unicorn (+Horizon functionality) > Symphony • Innovative • INNOVAQ > INNOPAC > Millennium > Encore • Civica • Urica > Spydus(Urica Integrated Systems, Amalgamated Wireless Australia, McDonnell Douglas Information Systems, Sanderson)

37. Competing Models of Library Automation • Traditional Proprietary Commercial ILS • Millennium, Symphony, Polaris • Traditional Open Source ILS • Evergreen, Koha • Clean slate automation framework (SOA, enterprise-ready) • Ex Libris URM, OLE Project • Cloud-based automation system • WorldCat Local (+circ, acq, license management)

38. Rethinking library automation • Fundamental assumption: Print + Digital = Hybrid libraries • Traditional ILS model alone 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

39. Open Source ILS

40. Characteristics • Source code made available when distributed • Coordinated development community • Commercial development / support firms • Individual programmers at customer sites • Services-based business model • Conversion, installation configuration • Hosting • Ongoing support

41. Major players • Evergreen: public library consortia • Koha: mid-sized academic and public • OPALS: K-12 schools, other small libraries • ABCD: libraries and documentation centers in developing countries

42. Evergreen • Originally developed by Georgia Public Library System for PINES consortium (262 small public libraries) • Service-oriented, consortial design • Feature set suited for public library consortia • Missing many features for Academics: serials, acquisitions, reserve, etc

43. Implementations • Georgia PINES • British Columbia Sitka consortium • Sage Library System (Oregon) • South Central Library System (MN with support from MnPALS) • King County Library System • Bibliomation (Connecticut) • Not seen yet outside North America

44. Koha • Open source ILS • Originally developed in New Zealand • Used by many libraries in the United States with commercial support • Gaining hold in Latin America • Spanish translation available; some local/regional development • Popular forward migration path from CDS/ISIS • Workshops and training available • MARC21-based system with adequate features

45. Koha Worldwide

46. Open source drivers • Disruption of products forced through mergers and acquisitions • Frustration with ability to shape the direction of development with vendors of proprietary products • Interest in taking stronger hold of the strategic technologies that impact service delivery and operations • Willingness to support equal or higher cost to regain control • Some libraries expect long-term financial savings

47. Open Source Companies • US: PTFS/LibLime, ByWater Solutions, Equinox, MediaFlex • Australia/NZ: Katipo, CALYX information essentials, Strategic Data, Catalyst • Building support • Concept of open source • Promotion of specific products • Struggling to meet expectations • Satisfaction lower than many companies offering proprietary products • Some companies offering proprietary products score much lower than open source

48. Alma: new automation platform from Ex Libris • Recently branded from development name Unified Resource Management • Automation platform for managing library resources across formats • Highly shared data models • Designed for multitenant SaaS • Expected delivery of production product in Early 2012

49. Alma -- continued • Development partners and Early Adopters engaged • Target market: national, larger research, academic • Forward migration path for Voyager and Aleph • Relies on Primo discovery layer • Market impact: 2013 and beyond

50. OCLC Web-scaleManagement Service • "the first Web-scale, cooperative library management service” • New highly scaleable platform for WorldCat • Cataloging • Interlibrary loan • Discovery (WorldCat Local) • Circulation • Acquisitions • License Management • Early deployments underway now – UTC, Pepperdine, etc In Challenge to ILS Industry, OCLC Extends WorldCat Local To Launch New Library System Marshall Breeding, Library Journal 4/23/2009http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6653619.html