The Implementation of an ILS at the Library of Congress Presentation by Erik Delfino Assistant Implementation Coordinator ILS Program Office Library of Congress Computers in Libraries, March 2000

Scope of the Project l Convert 17 million+ records »12m bib, 5m authority, 100k patrons/vendors/orders l Create 20 million holding/item records l Train 3300 staff l Replace 2000 workstations l Complete initial work in 18 months

Major Milestones l RFP (July - Sept. 1997) »800+ requirements l Vendor selection (May 15, 1998) »Endeavor Information Systems, Inc. l System in Production »Cataloging Day 1 - August 16, 1999 »All Modules Online - October 1, 1999

Timeline Preliminary Implementation Planning Initial Implementation Initial Implementation Complete Implement Secondary Priorities Conduct Business Process Improvement Proposal Evaluation Data Cleanup Projects Contract Award Training “Fine-tune” the System Shelflist Conversion Serials Conversion

Lessons Learned l What Worked Well l “Culture shock” l What We Would Do Differently

Lessons Learned: What Worked Well l Management Issues »Top Management Support –LC Management l Staffing l Funding l Contracting l Automation support –Congressional Oversight committees

Lessons Learned: What Worked Well l Management Issues (cont’d) »Contracting –Market review –Request for Proposal (800+ requirements) –Onsite Capability Demonstrations –Technical Evaluation Teams –Selecting a Proven System

Lessons Learned: What Worked Well l Other issues »Communication (with staff and public) –Orientations & briefings –Listserv –Web sites –Newsletters –External stakeholders (Utilities, NACO, etc.) –ILS Staff Help Desk

Lessons Learned: What Worked Well l Staffing »Full-time core staff (ILS Program Office; 15) »Staff module experts »Staff input and involvement (teams, policy & steering groups, trainers) »Team Structure –Functional, policy, technical –80 teams, 500+ staff

Lessons Learned: What Worked Well l Training & Support »Initial implementation –Train-the-trainer model (100) –3300 staff members trained »Ongoing –Onsite experts for local support (150) –ILS Help Desk –“Skillbuilders” and other followup classes

Lessons Learned: “Culture shock” l Dealing with integration of systems & data »Local vs. organizational decisions/processes l Learning to live with a commercial product »Not the only kids on the block »Can’t have a completely customized system l Revisiting our multiple roles »“Local library” vs. “national library”

Lessons Learned: What we’d do differently l Better prepare staff for “shakedown” period following startup »System tuning »Contingency plans »“Fire drills”

Lessons Learned: What we’d do differently l Better communication –to and from staff –among teams l More “integration” training

What’s Next l Acceptance testing l NLS/BPH database l Begin BPI process »Workflow review l New software releases »v2000 in fall l Display of CJK vernacular l Authorities in the OPAC (late 2000)

Questions & Contacts l Public LC ILS Web site » l LC Online Catalog » l LC ILS Program Office l ILS RFP »ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/ils/RFP97-12.WP5