ALS & ILS Roots: Bibliography & Business Records:
•1789 Paris: Constituent Assembly orders that “appropriated” books be recorded on the backs of playing cards due to paper shortage during French Revolution
•1876 US: Handwritten bib cards become norm after Dewey Decimal System became popular
•1901: Library of Congress sells pre-printed cards
•Library business tracked by hand, before typewriters became prevalent
•1960's: Introduction of computers in libraries brings MARC & development of Online Public Access Catalogs
•Rest of library business computerized w/ Automated Library Systems
Automated Library Systems: “Modernization Phase”
•1960's: Originally basic databases to store & access catalog
•1970's: Some online database searching, but extremely expensive & difficult to do; Specific librarians trained to run; charged patrons
•1980's:
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CDRoms introduced w/ database information, so more accessibility; OPACS offer patron access– but still difficult to use; end to buying cards & maintaining card catalog
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Capable of tracking fines & usage
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Crude acquisition programs
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Vendors: Sirsi, Dynix, NOTIS (Northwestern Online Total Integration System)
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Problems: Mainframes enormous & expensive; Librarians lost hands-on control to computers
Integrated Library Systems: “Innovation Phase”
•Computer systems now being created to handle:
- Acquisitions & serials management/licensing
- Reference
- Circulation
- OPAC
- Library website
•Downsized from ALS’ mainframes & mini-computers to smaller servers & software loaded on PC’s
•Proprietary Vendors: SirsiDynix, Ex Libris, Innovative Interfaces (major consolidation in early 2000’s)
•Problems:
- Increased need for more hardware, servers & disk space as added functions to ILS
- Cost to replace aging hardware (in particular, servers)
- Forced software upgrades by vendors
- Contract/support fees & licensing issues
- Lack of hardware options due to vendor requirements
Cloud Computing: "Transformation Phase”
•Financial:
- Access program through web portal, so don’t need to replace old servers, hardware, or software
- Vendor handles patches, IT, etc.
- Can pay by usage or monthly contract
- Better use of librarian’s time
•Reduced fear of data loss from aging servers
•Libraries can control/tailor programs
•Frees librarians’ time to do other projects
•Vendors: SirsiDynix, 3M, Innovative Interfaces, Amazon, OCLC’s Web-scale Management System
•DuraSpace (Open Source product of 501c3 organization) offers ability to use one web-based dashboard to manage data on three different clouds
Open Source Software
•Avoid vendor lock-ins
•Access & ownership of data w/o restriction
•Peer reviewed & rapidly evolving
•Libraries tailor programs to fit needs = CONTROL back in librarians' hands
•Easy-to-use Circulation features & navigation
•Librarians can manage book clubs & outreach
•Better programming to manage vendor contracts, invoices, pricing, etc.
•Ability for librarians to manage holds, change import batches, replace old records, etc.
•Patron interfaces and management more user-friendly
•Programs: LibLime’s Koha*, Georgia Pines’ Evergreen
•Koha, Evergreen & Voyager cost comparison data
•Problems:
- Expensive to set up if must buy hardware
- Must pay IT person to code (unless purchase maintenance plan)
*http://www.liblime.com/liblime-services
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