Transcript Days of Knowledge Organization

Marshall Breeding
Director for Innovative Technology and Research
Vanderbilt University Library
Nashville, TN USA
Oslo University College
DAYS OF KNOWLEDGE
ORGANIZATION
2 February 2008
The Future of the Library Catalog and the ILS
Issues and Questions addressed
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Audience: The main target group is librarians wanting an up-date on
their field of work
This year we plan to explore the (possible) future of the
catalogue/ILS.
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What sort of library systems do we foresee?
How can we make the front end systems work better for the end users?
Will/should the local OPACs disappear?
Should we rather put our efforts into developing good centralized
services with access to all library resources?
What needs to be done in terms of developing workable backend
systems?
• In Norway there are national plans to develop a centralized search
and lending service which will give end user access to a majority of
the local library catalogues. We hope our seminar will provide a
good starting point for discussing the future landscape.
Library Technology Guides

http://www.librarytechnology.org
Repository for library automation data
 Lib-web-cats tracks 38,000 libraries and the
automation systems used.

 Expanding
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to include more international scope
Announcements and developments made by
companies and organizations involved in
library automation technologies
Current ILS Products and Business
Environment
LJ Automation System Marketplace
Annual Industry report published in Library Journal:
2008: Opportunity out of turmoil
 2007: An industry redefined
 2006: Reshuffling the deck
 2005: Gradual evolution
 2004: Migration down, innovation up
 2003: The competition heats up
 2002: Capturing the migrating customer

Upheavals in the library automation
arena
Industry Consolidation
 Abrupt transitions for major library automation
products
 Increased industry control by external financial
investors
 Demise of the traditional OPAC
 Frustration with ILS products and vendors
 Open Source alternatives hit the mainstream
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Breeding, Marshall: Perceptions 2008 an international survey of library automation.
http://www.librarytechnology.org/perceptions2008.pl January 2009.
ILS Industry in Transition
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Consolidation through mergers and acquisitions
have resulted in a fewer number of players; larger
companies
Uncomfortable level of product narrowing
Increased ownership by external interests
Yet: Some companies and products continue on solid
ground
Breeding, Marshall “Automation system marketplace 2008: Opportunity Out of Turmoil”
Library Journal. April 1, 2008.
Product and Technology Trends
Innovation below expectations
 Conventional ILS less tenable
 Proliferation of products related to econtent management
 New genre of discovery-layer
interfaces
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Web 2.0 / Collaborative Computing
Currently implemented ad hoc
 Many libraries putting up blogs, wikis, and
fostering engagement in social networking sites
 Proliferation of silos with no integration or
interoperability with larger library Web
presence
 Next Gen: Build social and collaborative
features into core automation components
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The Mandate for Openness
Opportunities for Openness

Open Source Software
 Alternative
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Open Systems
 Software
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to traditionally licensed software
that doesn’t hold data hostage
Open Access to Data and Content
 OpenLibrary
VS WorldCat?
Open Source Alternatives
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Explosive interest in Open Source driven by
disillusionment with current vendors and nearevangelical promotion of this software licensing
model
Beginning to emerge as a practical option
TOC (Total Cost of Ownership) still roughly equal to
proprietary commercial model
Still a risky strategy for libraries – traditional
licensing also risky
Open Source ILS enters the mainstream
Earlier era of pioneering efforts to ILS
shifting into one where open source
alternatives fall in the mainstream
 Off-the-shelf, commercially supported
product available
 Still a minority player, but gaining ground
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Open Source Interest by Region
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North America: strong
 More
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purchasing by preference
Latin America: growing
 Searching
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for low-cost options
Asia: weak
Europe: Weak to moderate
 More
structured procurement processes
Open Source ILS options
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Koha
 Commercial
support:
 LibLime
– North America
 BibLibre -- France
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Evergreen
 Commercial
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support from Equinox Software
OPALS
 Commercial
support from Media Flex
Business case for Open Source ILS
Comparative total cost of ownership
 Evaluate features and functionality
 Evaluate technology platform and
conceptual models
 Are they next-generation systems or open
source version of legacy models?
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“Making a Business Case for Open Source ILS.” Marshall Breeding,
Computers in Libraries March 2008
http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=13134
Observations on Open Source ILS
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Current Open Source ILS products similar in modular organization and
functionality to existing systems. Evolving to achieve the same level of
features and capacity present in established commercial systems.
Initial wave of Open Source ILS commitments happened mostly in the public
library arena. Recent activity among academic libraries:
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WALDO Consortium (Voyager > Koha)
University of Prince Edward Island (Unicorn > Evergreen)
Open Source ILS does not result in higher satisfaction
 Perceptions 2008: An international survey of library automation
http://www.librarytechnology.org/perceptions2008.pl
Do the current open source ILS products provide a new model of
automation, or an open source version of what we already have?
Impact of Open Source ILS
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Some libraries moving from traditionally licensed
products to open source products with commercial
support plans
Disruption of ILS industry
 new
pressures on incumbent vendors to deliver more
innovation and to satisfy concerns for openness
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New competition / More options
More Open Systems
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Pressure for traditionally licensed products to become more
open
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) let libraries
access and manipulate their data outside of delivered
software
A comprehensive set of APIs potentially give libraries more
flexibility and control in accessing data and services and in
extending functionality than having access to the source
code.
Customer access to APIs does not involve as much risk to
breaking core system functions, avoids issues of version
management and code forking associated with open source
models.
A Continuum of Openness
Closed Systems
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation
Acquisitions
No
programmable
Access to the
system.
Captive to the
user
Interfaces
supplied by the
developer
Standard RDBM Systems
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation
Acquisitions
Database
administrators can
access data stores
involved with the
system:
Read-only?
Read/write?
Developer shares
database schema
Open Source Model
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation
Acquisitions
All aspects of the
system available
to inspection and
modification.
Open API Model
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation
Acquisitions
Published APIs
Core application
closed.
Third party
developers code
against the
published APIs or
RDBMS tables.
Open Source / Open API Model
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation
Acquisitions
Published APIs
Core application
closed.
Third party
developers code
against the
published APIs or
RDBMS tables.
Depth of Openness
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Evaluate level of access to a products data stores and
functional elements:
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Open source vs Traditional licenses
Some traditional vendors have well established API
implementations
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SirsiDynix Unicorn (API available to authorized customer sites that take
training program)
Ex Libris: consistent deployment of APIs in major products, recent
strategic initiative: “Open Platform Program”
Innovative Interfaces: Patron API; Encore Web services
Next-generation Library Interfaces
Crowded Landscape of Information
Providers on the Web
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Lots of non-library Web destinations deliver content
to library patrons
Google Scholar
 Amazon.com
 Wikipedia
 Ask.com
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Do Library Web sites and catalogs meet the
information needs of our users?
Do they attract their interest?
The Competition
The best Library OPAC?
Better?
Demand for compelling library interfaces
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Urgent need for libraries to offer interfaces their
users will like to use
Move into the current millennium
Powerful search capabilities in tune with how the
Web works today
Meet user expectations set by other Web
destination
Inadequacy of ILS OPACs
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Online Catalog modules provided with an ILS
subject to broad criticism as failing to meet
expectations of growing segments of library
patrons.
Not great at delivering electronic content
Complex text-based interfaces
Relatively weak keyword search engines
Lack of good relevancy sorting
Narrow scope of content
Disjointed approach to information and
service delivery
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Silos Prevail
Books: Library OPAC (ILS module)
 Articles: Aggregated content products, e-journal
collections
 OpenURL linking services
 E-journal finding aids (Often managed by link resolver)
 Local digital collections
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ETDs, photos, rich media collections
Metasearch engines
All searched separately
Change underway
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Widespread dissatisfaction with most of the current
OPACs. Many efforts toward next-generation
catalogs and interfaces.
Movement 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 backend library automation system.
Eventual redesign of the ILS to be better suited for
current library collections of digital and print content
New Generation Discovery
Interfaces:
Scope and Concepts
More than the “library catalog”
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More comprehensive information discovery
environments
It’s no longer enough to provide a catalog limited to
print resources
Digital resources cannot be an afterthought
Systems designed for e-content only are also
problematic
Forcing users to use different interfaces depending on
type of content becoming less tenable
Libraries working toward consolidated user
environments that give equal footing to digital and
print resources
Comprehensive Discovery Service
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Current distributed query model of federated search
model not adequate
Expanded scope of search through harvested content
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Consolidated search services based on metadata and data
gathered in advance (like OAI-PMH)
Problems of scale diminished
Problems of cooperation persist
Federated search currently operates as a plug-in
component of next-gen interfaces.
Web 2.0 Flavorings
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Strategic infrastructure + Web 2.0
A more social and collaborative approach
Web Tools and technology that foster collaboration
Integrated blogs, wiki, tagging, social bookmarking,
user rating, user reviews
Avoid Web 2.0 information silos
The Ideal Scope for Next Gen Library
Interfaces
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Attempt to collapse silos or draw appropriately
from each silo
Unified user experience
A single point of entry into all the content and
services offered by the library
Print + Electronic
Local + Remote
Locally created Content
User contributed content?
Interface Features / User Experience
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Simple point of entry
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Optional advanced search
Relevancy ranked results
Facets for narrowing and navigation
Query enhancement – spell check, etc
Suggested related results / recommendation service
Enriched visual and textual content
Single Sign-on
Relevancy Ranking
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Based on advanced search engines specifically
designed for relevancy
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Endeca, Lucene, FAST, BrainWare, etc
Web users expect relevancy ordered results
The “good stuff” should be listed first
 Users tend not to delve deep into a result list
 Good relevancy requires a sophisticated approach,
including objective matching criteria supplemented by
popularity and relatedness factors.
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New Paradigm for search and navigation
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Let users drill down through the result set
incrementally narrowing the field
Faceted Browsing
Drill-down vs up-front Boolean or “Advanced Search”
 gives the users clues about the number of hits in each sub
topic
 Ability to explore collections without a priori knowledge
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Visual search tools
Navigational Bread crumbs
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Select / deselect facets
Query / Result Enhancement
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“Did you mean?” and other features to avoid “No
results found”
Validated spell check / query suggestions
Automatic inclusion of authorized and related terms
More like this – recommendation service
Make the query and the response to it better than
the query provided
Deep search
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Entering post-metadata search era
Increasing opportunities to search the full contents
 Google Library Print, Google Publisher, Open Content
Alliance, etc.
 High-quality metadata will improve search precision
Commercial search providers already offer “search inside
the book” and searching across the full text of large book
collections
Not currently available through library search
environments
Deep search highly improved by high-quality metadata
See: Systems Librarian, May 2008 “Beyond the current generation of next-generation interfaces: deeper
search”
Beyond Discovery to Fulfillment /
Delivery
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Fulfillment oriented
Search -> select -> view
Delivery/Fulfillment much harder than discovery
Back-end complexity should be as seamless as
possible to the user
Offer services for digital and print content
New Generation Library Interfaces
Current Commercial and Open Source Products
Discovery Interface Products
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Ex Libris Primo
Innovative Interfaces: Encore
Serials Solutions: Summon (under development)
Medialab Solutions: AquaBrowser
VUFind (open source)
BiblioCommons
eXtensible Catalog (under development)
Next generation ILS
Rethinking the ILS
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Fundamental assumption: Print + Digital = Hybrid libraries
Traditional ILS model not adequate for hybrid libraries
Libraries currently moving toward surrounding core ILS with
additional modules to handle electronic content
New discovery layer interfaces replacing or supplementing ILS
OPACS
Working toward a new model of library automation
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Monolithic legacy architectures replaced by fabric of SOA applications
Comprehensive Resource Management
“It's Time to Break the Mold of the Original ILS” Computers in Libraries Nov/Dec 2007
ILS: a legacy concept?
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ILS = Integrated Library System
(Cataloging + Circulation + OPAC + Serials + Acquisitions)
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Focused on print and physical inventory
Electronic content at the Journal Title or collection
level
Emerged in the 1960’s – 1970’s
Functionality has evolved and expanded, but basic
concepts and modules remain intact
Note: Some companies work toward evolving the ILS to
competently handle both print and digital content (e.g.
Innovative Interfaces)
ILS: ever diminishing role
Many libraries putting much less emphasis on
ILS
 Just an inventory system for physical materials
 Investments in electronic content increasing
 Management of e-content handled outside of
the ILS
 Yet: libraries need comprehensive business
automation more than ever. Mandate for more
efficient operations. Do more with less.
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Dis-integration of Library Automation Functionality
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ILS -- Print and Physical inventory
OpenURL Link resolver
Federated Search
Electronic Resource Management Module
Discovery layer interface
Is non-integrated automation sustainable?
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Major burden on library personnel
Serial procurement / installation / configuration / maintenance
cycles take many years to result in a comprehensive
environment
Inefficient data models
Disjointed interfaces for library users
Very long cycle to gain comprehensive automation
Moving toward a new Generation of Library
Automation
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Are Legacy ILS concepts sustainable?
New automation environment based on current
library realities and modern technology platforms
Equal footing for digital and print
Service oriented architecture
Breaking down the modules
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Traditional ILS
 Cataloging
 Circulation
 Online
Catalog
 Acquisitions
 Serials control
 Reporting
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Modern approach: SOA
Service Oriented Architecture
http://www.sun.com/products/soa/benefits.jsp
Legacy ILS + e-content modules
End User
Interfaces:
Circulation
Functional
modules:
Federated
Search
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging
Acquisitions
Serials
OpenURL
Linking
Electronic
Resource
Mgmt
System
SOA model for business automation
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Underlying data repositories
Local
or Global
Reusable business services
 Composite business applications
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SOA for library workflow processes
Composite
Applications
Granular
tasks:
Data Stores:
Reusable
Business
Services
Comprehensive Resource Management
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Broad conceptual approach that proposes a library
automation environment that spans all types of
content that comprise library collections.
Traditional ILS vendors: Under development but no
public announcements
Open Source projects in early phases
Projection: 2-3 years until we begin see library
automation systems that follow this approach. 5-7
years for wider adoption.
ILS Reinvention projects
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OLE Project
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Funded by the Research in Information Technology program of the
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
1-year project to produce the requirements for a new approach to
library automation
Will embrace the service-oriented architecture
Business process modeling based on library workflows unconstrained
from existing legacy software
Possible follow-on project to build and open source reference
implementation
Ex Libris URM
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Mentioned publically but not formally announced
Working toward new platform that better integrates print and electronic
content
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Probably will be based on some existing products
Large-scale resource sharing
Observations
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Trend toward ever larger implementations of
library systems
Problems with scale-ability less of a concern than
ever before
Many possible approaches
 Distributed
 Centralized
Distributed systems
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Interconnected ILS systems
Union catalogs
 Virtual
– Z39.50, NCIP, ISO ILL
 Physical: harvested and synched
 NCIP
or Z39.50 for real-time holdings
 Resource sharing or consortial borrowing component
Large-scale centralized environments
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Large-scale resource databases that provide
discovery, local library automation, and crossinstitutional borrowing
COBISS – Slovenia and other Balkan countries
 Serves
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Increasing interest in state-wide systems in the US
 Based
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national, university, and public libraries
on Open source and proprietary software
WorldCat: Global discovery system (and more)
Conclusion: many opportunities
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Open source vs proprietary software
New models of library automation that better
integrate physical and electronic content
New discovery interfaces to improve end-user
experiences
Large-scale systems that enable broad based
resource sharing
Questions and Discussion