automation and integrated library systems

489: Social and Professional Aspects

!

Automation and Integrated Library

Systems !

Julie Goldman April 2013

The Past

• no WWW

• no personal computers

• no cell phones

• no information at our fingertips

Changes

• 1960s: MARC standards & OCLC

• 1970s - 1980s: automation & ILS vendors

• 1990s: Internet & OPACs

Explosion of Information

• emphasis on more than just the library collection

• changed the role of the library and what it makes available

• place to find information without entering the library or talking to a librarian

• defining the library becomes important to defining the role and function of the Integrated Library System

What is a Library?

• organization of intellectual content for the purpose of research through acquisition and dissemination

Automation

Automation

• fixed process developed and carried out by a machine to eliminate tedious processes formally carried out by humans

• automating all the manual functions of the library

Need for Automation

• increase operational efficiencies of library staff

• improve speed, quality, efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of services

• better access to other networks, systems, Internet

• facilitate wider access to information for users

• wider dissemination of information products and services

Relational Database

• organized body of related information

• multiple dimensions in the data

• break up data into multiple tables

• single schema define tables and attributes

• structured objects with attribute-value pairs

RDBMS

• data independence: abstract view of data

• efficient data access: store & retrieve data efficiently

• reduce application development time

• centralized data administration

• data integrity and security

RDBMS

Patron tablePatron ID*Last nameFirst nameForm

Loan tablePatron IDBook IDDate issuedDate due

Book tableBook ID*TitleAuthorPublisher

* primary key field

Integrated Library System

• integrate internal & external activities of the library

• relational database & graphical user interfaces

• modules for staff: orders, patron records, ect

• OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) for patrons

ILS Purpose

• automation

• acquire information

• store and organize information

• disseminate information

• track all library activities

ILS

ILS

Modules• WWW & OPAC: interchange information

• database/server: external or at the library

• cataloging, circulation, reserves, serials, acquisitions

• link resolver: link to electronic resources

• federated search: search multiple databases

• staff interface: add resources & manage resources in the library electronically

ILS RDBMS

OPAC

• displays electronic bibliographic catalog of the library holdings with an interface for both the user and administrator

• access point and search capabilities

• command and control

• records, search logs

• online, anywhere, 24/7 access

Challenges• new formats and domains

• competition

• fewer ILS vendors

• OCLC: hub for information

• economics and cost

• design and functionality

vs.

Innovative vs. Polaris

ILS Contracts

• Innovative Interfaces led with 238 contracts including 32 for Millennium

• Polaris led in new-name sales more than doubling its 2010 total with 53

Innovative Interfaces

• Java Script

• platform-independent

• multi-tier client-server architecture

• handling & transmitting data

• has been called a closed system

Multi-tier Architecture

Millennium

Encore

• overlays the OPAC

• displays search results similar to social media (SOPAC)

• access to data in Millennium through web services

Polaris

• Asynchronous Javascript and XML (AJAX)

• HTML & CSS

• multi-dimensional data

• table-based visualizations

• requires a recent Web browser

Polaris

Polaris

E-book Integration

Mobility

• mobile-friendly online catalog

• library resources into one convenient interface

• libraries relevant in digital world

Open Source

Technology

Future

• completely database driven websites

• open content to external searches

• one interface for all types of content

• inward integration

• increasing ability to share data