Welsh Higher Education Electronic Library (WHEEL)
A new steering group has convened to look at further development of collaborative purchase of e-resources in Wales:
Link to the full report here:
http://blogs.cf.ac.uk/sharedlms/resource/JISC-Shared-LMS-Report.pdf
In July 2012 WHELF successfully obtained funding from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) to explore the potential for a shared Library Management System across all higher education institutions and the NHS libraries in Wales.
The Library Systems Shared Services Feasibility Study (Wales) would provide a practical vision and roadmap for a shared model; exploring opportunities for integration and collaboration across the WHELF community.
The project was part of the JISC Library Systems Programme; which is exploring the significant changes in the Library systems market; including the development of ‘next-generation’, unified library systems which are seeking to bridge the gap between print and electronic resources, and the emergence of open source and community systems in the library market.
Given the complexity of the programme across all WHELF institutions, and the limited timescale associated with the project, the group concentrated on the most prevalent and practical issues for a shared all Wales HE library management system in broad terms:
· A set of high-level agreed consortium requirements for a shared LMS.
· A proposed governance model for the consortium.
· High level recommendations on integration requirements for local systems; map communications standards which are applicable to the project against standards in use by suppliers.
· A business case for a Wales-wide consortium LMS, including cost matrices for the different approaches presented.
· Recommendations on the most cost-effective approach for software, hosting and ongoing management of the LMS.
Approach
The project took the approach of engaging with all project partners to understand their requirements and strategic goals for the development of their LMS. The project manager visited each partner site and conducted interviews with key staff – including Systems Librarians and IT staff, senior managers and other library staff.
The project has also engaged with LMS suppliers (including open source ‘vendors’) to understand their likely range and scale of costs for the provision of next generation systems, either hosted by the supplier or hosted at an institutional on behalf of the consortium.
Project outcome and next steps
In February 2013 the final report of the project including recommendations was presented to WHELF at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
The report was accepted in its entirety and WHELF have agreed that they want to pursue the option of developing a shared LMS inline with the reports recommendations.
Moving forward a Task and Finish group is being set up to agree the outline timescales and decision-making process for the tender process. It will also firm up on likely overall costs and governance approach.
Recommendations taken forward
The Project has recommended that setting up an All-Wales Consortium with formal governance is the best option for provision of a shared service. This in practice will require the consortium to formally agree which processes, working practices and configurations will be adhered to by all members as a whole. A cloud solution hosted by a vendor (or open source vendor) is the preferred option, because this will provide the most cost-effective resilient solution. A clear vision statement on the vision for shared LMS services in Wales will be required in order to ensure clarity of purpose and to provide a compelling statement of intent for senior stakeholders and staff to achieve buy-in to the strategic direction proposed.
The diversity of the institutions is recognised and acknowledged. Additionally institutions are at various stages of their LMS lifecycle. Therefore it is understood that the timing of any tender process undertaken by WHELF may not fit with other strategic priorities of individual institutions. It will be essential to identify this prior to the commencement of any tender exercise, as misleading suppliers as to the size of the contract could lead to compensation claims.
Given the immaturity of the current next generation market it is recommended that the tender exercise commences in Jan 2014 at the earliest. This provides both time for the market to continue to develop and also the preparation of a single set of requirements and tender documentation between now and this date. This time will also be required for obtaining institutional buy-in and developing governance structures.
A phased approach to implementation. It is anticipated that the first implementations will be no sooner than Summer 2014.
A task and finish group should be convened to quickly put together a high level plan, costs and cost allocation (i.e. funding) for the establishment of a project team for delivery of the tender and governance stages.
On Friday 5th October, more than thirty library staff from across Scotland met together to discuss Library Management Systems. Facilitated by Stephanie Taylor and Sheila Cannell, this one-day event asked the question, “Would a shared library management system improve services in Scotland?”
The write-up of the event has now been published: http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/benefitsofsharing/the-lms-day/
These discussions in Scotland are very relevant to WHELF …. our own shared LMS project is well underway and will report in the spring: http://blogs.cf.ac.uk/sharedlms/
WHELF has been successful in its bid to JISC for a pathfinder project to investigate a broad range of potential new models and approaches to library systems and services.
Shared LMS: Business Case Evaluation
Building on the work of the earlier ‘WHELF: Sharing a Library Management System’ feasibility report the project will explore potential benefits and pain points inherent in a move from distributed to centralised hosting and infrastructure models for a suite of library systems software, while building a possible overall business case for such a move by the HEIs within the WHELF consortium.
The project will be led by Cardiff University on behalf of WHELF.
There will be close links with the project being funded in Scotland:
The Benefits of Sharing (How would a Shared Library Management System improve services in Scotland?)
This project will contribute towards a new vision for library systems by investigating the following question: “How would a shared library management system improve services in Scotland?”
http://infteam.jiscinvolve.org/wp/2012/05/30/the-future-of-library-systems-new-projects/
A successful bid by WHELF to CyMAL: Museums Archives Libraries Wales has funded a feasibility study into shared library management systems. This is seen as a potential area to drive further collaboration and forms a key part of the WHELF Action Plan 2011-13. Our strategic vision for the “Sharing Library Services Programme” is to enable access to the collective resources and services of a virtual academic library for Wales.
Our ambition is that the Programme will have direct impacts on individual learners and/or citizens, learning institutions and Wales as a vibrant knowledge economy;
Above Campus IT Services for Scottish Universities and Colleges – A Shared Road Map for Local Benefit and Collective Opportunity.
http://www.heids.ac.uk/reports/
July 2011
This study has established the feasibility of a collaborative approach by Scottish higher and further education institutions to a phased adoption of Above Campus IT Services. A range of possibilities associated with such services and their potential benefits has been identified and a framework is proposed for the SFC or institutions to take action and allocate appropriate investments and resources. Seven priority opportunities, some for early wins others with a focus on longer term gains, have been identified, situated in a coherent Road Map and proposals are made for progressing these.
9th March 2011
The changing face of library catalogues: new OPAC developments
Aberystwyth University
To focus on implementation and user perspective.
Presentations will include: Encore (Bangor University), Primo (Aberystwyth University), Meta Lib (Glamorgan University), VuFind (Swansea University) and WorldCat Local at Trinity St David University.
4th May 2011
Reaching out to our users – enhancing library communication using technology
UC&R Wales AGM at Cardiff University.
To include Virtual Librarian project (chat reference service) from Cardiff University; QuestionPoint from the National Library of Wales; Text Tools from Trinity St David University and Aberystwyth University – remote assistance for students from the library.
More details will be available soon.
For further information, contact: Elizabeth Kensler Rheolwr Gwasanaethau Cwsmeriaid / Customer Services Manager Adran Gwasanaethau’r Llyfrgell / Library Services Division Gwasanaethau Gwybodaeth / Information Services Prifysgol Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth SY23 3DZ Tel : 01970 621848 Email: eak@aber.ac.uk
Posted in events, workforce development
Tagged catalogues, events, shared services, UC&R, workforce development
The HEFCE funded SCONUL report on ‘Shared Services’ is available to download on the Higher Education Library Technology (HELibTech) website.
A meeting is being held in London on 19th May to explore the study’s findings and proposals.
For more information and also a short article on Shared Services in general go to the HELibTech ‘Shared Services’ page: http://helibtech.com/Shared+Services You are welcome to edit the page and to join in the discussion started by SCONUL.
HELibTech contains a wealth of information about library technology. (See LGLibTech http://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/ for information on Local Government Library Technology-public libraries ).
‘Shared Services’ is one of the ‘Specific Themes’ listed on the HELibTech home page http://helibtech.com/ Other themes are Open Source and RFID. You are welcome to add others.
Posted in collaboration, technology
Tagged collaboration, shared services, technology
