ex libris primo @vanderbilt university partnership engagement and current status marshall breeding...
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Ex Libris Primo @Vanderbilt University
Partnership Engagement and Current Status
Marshall BreedingDirector for Innovative Technology and ResearchVanderbilt University Libraryhttp://staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breeding
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
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
Current Environment
SirsiDynix Unicorn– iLink catalog– Highly customized
SFX – – Initial beta test participant– Purchased product later
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.
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
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.
Possible paths
Re-work customizations of iLink Wait for next generation catalog for Unicorn Endeca
– Beyond our resources
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
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.
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?
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
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.
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
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.
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)
VU – Ex Libris partnership
Multiple visits to VU by Ex Libris Staff Weekly conference calls Detailed Project plan Ongoing dialog – give and take
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
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
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
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
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
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