Ex Libris Primo @Vanderbilt University

1. Ex Libris Primo @Vanderbilt University Partnership Engagement and Current Status Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technology and Research Vanderbilt University Library http://staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breeding

2. VU Libraries Strategic Direction • Recently conducted a strategic planning process • Serving Library patrons of utmost importance • Some reorganization of committee structure and decision making process

3. LibQual+ • Participation in LibQual+ indicated the library’s service quality to be excellent in most areas • Some indicators and many comments that our online catalog and Web site needed improvement

4. Current Environment • SirsiDynix Unicorn • iLink catalog • Highly customized • SFX – • Initial beta test participant • Purchased product later

5. Problems with the Status Quo • A look and feel that may not meet the expectations of the current generation of Web-savvy users. • Our current environment requires users to interact with many different interfaces, and search many different resources. • Overly complex for some users • Not always intuitive • Users have to go to different places to find different kinds of information on a given topic: Acorn for books, “Articles and Databases” page for articles.

6. What is Primo? • Not just a replacement for the OPAC. A research environment with a broader scope, more current search-and-retrieval technologies, with an interface more in step with other Web destinations. Incorporates “Web 2.0” concepts. • A new information discovery and delivery tool created by Ex Libris. • An environment for the discovery of information resources provided by the library. • Provides a mechanism for providing access options for the materials and services within different types of collections including electronic, digital, and print materials. (GetIt!) • Works toward an environment that gives equal footing to print and digital resources

7. Library Trends • Primo is consistent with the trend among libraries to break out of the current mold of library catalogs and offer new interfaces better suited to the expectations of library users. • Decoupling of the front-end interface from the back-end library automation system. • Widespread dissatisfaction with most of the current OPACs. Many efforts toward next-generation catalogs and interfaces.

8. Possible paths • Re-work customizations of iLink • Wait for next generation catalog for Unicorn • Endeca • Beyond our resources

9. Dissatisfaction with MetaSearch offerings • Recent experience with MetaLib • Too slow • Too Complex • Presentation and ranking based on shallow result sets • Fundamental flaw in “distributed query” federated search

10. Opportunity? • The vision of Primo addressed many of the concerns that we had with our current environment and with the inherent problems in the current product offerings • Break down the silos between • Print and Digital • Local and Remote • Consolidated search and information delivery environment • More like the interfaces library users see everywhere else on the Web.

11. Shift in direction • New strategic initiatives already underway when Primo opportunity emerged • Digital library initiative • Priorities already set on things that were urgent to accomplish • Was Primo more important than these?

12. Primo partnership process • The decision making process conducted through a newly formed structures that emerged from the strategic planning process • Decision to become a development partner with Ex Libris for Primo had to be a library-wide process, not based on the opinion of any single individual. • Competition very high for resources (staff) • Need for broad-based library buy-in, acceptance of decision. • Need to take a bold step to improve our Web environment

13. Partnership commitment • As a new product, the decision to devote significant library resources involves a higher level of risk than purchasing an existing product. • Engagement means full commitment – strong mutual interest to make the product work.

14. Development focus • MARCXML pipe • Export Unicorn data • Enhanced with Authority data • Mapping rules • Dublin Core • Initial test involves data from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive • Review and input on FRBR implementation • Opportunity to give input on interface

15. Relationship to Acorn (Unicorn ILS) • The native version of Unicorn iLink (WebCat) will continue to be available. • Data from Unicorn is replicated in Primo and kept up-to-date. All data retained and maintained in Unicorn. • Unicorn continues to be the mechanism for presenting library services related to the physical collection: holds, renewals, annex requests, faculty book delivery. • An additional item display in Unicorn/iLink (WebCat) will be created specifically for Primo that is more consistent with the look and feel of Primo. • Acorn is but one content component of Primo.

16. Project execution at VU • Oversight by the Digital Library Steering Committee • Multiple project teams to carry out project components • Unicorn Pipe Development Team (extraction of Bib and Auth data) • TV News Extraction (Marshall) • Normalization and Mapping team • GetIt team (Delivery component)

17. VU – Ex Libris partnership • Multiple visits to VU by Ex Libris Staff • Weekly conference calls • Detailed Project plan • Ongoing dialog – give and take

18. Milestones • Feb 2006 -- Initial conversations with Oren • Mar 2006 – First on-site demo of Primo at VU • Apr 2006 – Decision to partner with Ex Libris for Primo • May 15 2006 – Kick-off meeting w/ Ex Libris • Oct 31 2006 – Project plan complete • Dec 2006 – Hardware delivered and installed • Jan 1007 – Full data extracts • Feb 2007 – Version 1.0 of software installed • Jun 2007 – Primo available to all VU staff for review and testing

19. Primo Partnership and Implementation Resources • Significant involvement by 40+ library staff • Multiple committees and workgroups • Digital Library Steering Committee • Unicorn MARCXML Pipe • Dublin Core / TVNEWS Pipe • Normalization Team • GetIt team • Authentication • MetaLib • 2 Testing Teams • Multiple on-site visits by Ex Libris staff • Weekly calls to Israel

20. Current status • Version 1.0 software installed • Staging server / Production Server • Unicorn and TV News data loaded • Service Patches installed • Last remaining problems close to resolution • Staff rollout within a week • Public review shortly thereafter • Production: soft deployment in Fall 2007

21. Initial impressions • Continues to show great promise • Positive reaction to seeing VU’s own data in Primo • Able to see implications of the work and decisions made throughout the process • Results display • Record presentation • De-duping / FRBR • Project continues to be on track • Results commensurate with the investment

22. Testing and Evaluation • Development partnership working toward public review and production implementation • Internal beta where staff evaluate VU implementation of Primo – any day now • Public beta for library users – a week or so later • Production use of Primo as primary library interface in the Fall

23. Future Expectations for Primo at VU • Incorporate additional local content • TV News is just the first digital collection that could benefit from greater exposure • Subscription content. Get beyond the limitations of the current metasearch model. • Integration of Primo with Blackboard courseware system