Style created by: Lisa Barker and Kate Kelly Selecting an ILMS for a future you can’t imagine Joanna Richardson and Peta Hopkins

Signs You Have a Bad Computer: The manual contains only one sentence: "Good Luck!" The only chip inside is a Dorito.

Historical Context  Detailed functionality  Hardware dependence  Proprietary systems  Unix/Ethernet  “Unbundling” software

Expectations  Effective use of internet  Maximise customer access to full range of resources in which libraries already have significant financial investment

Great Expectations  Tools which document and support new levels of service to customers  Development of statistical measures for electronic services

Interoperability  NISO Circulation Interchange Protocol Circulation Interlibrary Loan Other related applications  Flexible ecosystem information network (Logan 2002)  Increased efficiencies + enhanced user experience

Open Source  One of the newer trends is the adoption of open source integrated library systems  They offer promise and potential but are not yet viable for the average library LearningAccess ILS Avanti’s MicroLCS

Business Models  Medium and long-term strategic objectives of the library and its parent body play a major role.  There is a need to determine those factors which will define the most effective business model for the organisation.

Standalone Systems  Upgrade existing system to vendor’s next-generation product [frequent]  Upgrade and complement with 3 rd party products  Replace with new fully functional system  Replace and complement with 3 rd party products

Partnership/Associate  Library joins existing host site  Separate databases on same server  Shared files  Host library handles support issues  Branch library: branding issues  Vendor and library develop joint project(s)

Application Service Provider Company leases software, accessible via the internet, to remote sites  Less reliance on local IT support  Reduces time to implementation  Gives greater predictability to IT costs  Reduces IT staff needs  But outsourcing of library services can be a very sensitive issue.

Consortium Any local, state-wide, regional or interstate cooperative association of libraries  Shared systems support  Cooperative opportunities, eg cataloguing  Reliance on external hardware and support  Reliance on external infrastructure for data  Requirement to fit with consortium priorities  Necessity to balance with own strategic direction

Selection Methodologies  Target selected vendors  Align process with organisation’s strategic objectives  Adapt for new technologies, standards and functionality  Re-think vendor demos and the RFP process

Scenarios  Shorter RFPs that focus more on digitisation and portals and less on traditional core functionality  Use of “scenarios” to show rather than prescribe functionality – more efficient?  Checklists/worksheets to record observations and ratings for comparison

Bond Experience  Use of Balanced Scorecard framework  RFI: systems and technical operations  Vendor communication: network access  CD-ROMs: screen shots  SWOT analysis and ROI

The Future  Industries (IT, service and entertainment) provide clues to innovation / direction  System support current business practices  Architecture capable of evolving to meet new functional requirements  Vendor with demonstrated ability to respond to changing technology

RUN_OUT_OF_TIME ERROR NOT QUITE A FATAL ERROR, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN QUITE NASTY 0x KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE ERROR REMOVE OFFENDING PAGE, RESTACK, CONTACT KFC Credaro, A.B.(2002). Library Blue Screens of Death. Warrior Librarian Weekly [online]

ALIA 2004 Biennial Conference September 2004 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre Queensland AUSTRALIA Platinum Sponsor