1. System Analysis and Library Automation
Session 12
LBSC 690
Information Technology 1

2. Agenda Questions System analysis Library automation Digital libraries
What do libraries do?
How can computers be used?
What management issues arise?
Digital libraries 2

3. Solving Large Problems
System analysis
How can we know what an organization needs?
User-centered design
How can we discern and satisfy user needs?
Implementation
How should we build it?
Management
How will the organization use our technology? 3

4. Systems Analysis Understand the task Understand the environment
Strengths and weaknesses of existing approaches
Understand the environment
External factors such as structure of the industry
Identify the information flows
e.g., Serials use impacts cancellation policy
Design a solution 4

5. Library Activities What do libraries do?
Which can benefit from automation? 5

6. Core Workflow Acquisition Cataloging Search Circulation
Books, serials, nonprint media, electronic sources
Cataloging
Search
Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)
Reference service
Circulation 6

7. Other Core Activities Overdue notices Interlibrary loan Statistics
Door count, circulation, interlibrary loan
Collection policy
Weeding
Preservation

8. Specialized Services Reserve Recall Special collections
Unique provisions for access
Document delivery

9. Support Activities Financial Schedule Personnel records Fines Budget
Facilities
Personnel records

10. Analyzing Information Flows
Where does information originate?
Might come from multiple sources
Feedback loops may have no identifiable source
Which parts should be automated?
Some things are easier to do without computers
Which automated parts should be integrated?
What other systems are involved?
And what information do they contain? 7

11. An Integrated Library System
Availability
Availability
Serials
Supplier
Acquisition
Book
Supplier
Orders
Orders
Title, Author, etc
Existing Catalog Records
Cataloging
New and Revised Records
Catalog Records
Query
Query
Library
Consortium
OPAC
Patron
Search Results
Search Results
Availability
Hold
Circulation
Overdue Notices
Barcode and
Due Date
Order
Interlibrary
Loan
Order
Availability

12. Implementation Requirements
Availability
Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
Mean Time To Repair (MTTR)
Capacity
Number of users for each application
Response time
Flexibility
Upgrade path 9

13. System Architecture Batch processing Timesharing Client-server
Save it up and do it all at once
Useful for recall notices, management reports, ...
Timesharing
Everyone uses the same machine
Simple but expensive design, limited upgrade path
Client-server
Mobile software agents 10

14. Client-Server Systems
Divided workload improves efficiency
Between client and server and across servers
Flexible upgrade paths
More machines, different division of work
Good availability
Put the same data on several servers 11

15. Client-Server Data Replication
Primary
Directory
Server
Client
Directory Request
Alternate
Directory
Server
Client
Directory Request
Directory response
Data
A-M
Client
Data request
Client
Data
N-Z
Data request
Client
Data response
Data
A-Z
Client

16. Mobile Software Agents
Mobile: can move around the network
To compute as close to the data as possible
Requires trust and a “reference architecture”
Defining characteristics of an “agent”
Autonomous
Purposeful
Reactive 12

17. Management Issues Retrospective conversion Management information
Even converting electronic information is expensive
Management information
Peak capacity evaluation, audit trails, etc.
Sometimes costs more to collect than it is worth!
Staff training
End user training
Privacy 13

18. What is a “Digital Library?”
A library with digital devices?
OPACs, CDROMs, online search services, ...
A library with digital content?
Programs, data files, digitized media, ...
Digital content organized like a library?
Collection policy, cataloging, access, preservation

19. Advantages of Digital Objects
Perfect reproduction
Copies are as good as the original
Inexpensive and rapid distribution
Anywhere on the planet
Compact storage
Measured in rooms, not buildings
Easily searched
With combinations of retrieval and browsing

20. Problems with Digital Objects
Display technology is often inadequate
Many tasks are easier on paper than on a screen
Some traditional cues are missing
Shiny new book, dog eared pages, …
Acquisition and cataloging costs may be inverted
For information that is “born digital”
Conversion of existing objects can be expensive
Particularly if full-text searching is desired
Long-term access is not assured
Media longevity, hardware and software dependence

21. Access to Digital Materials
End user searching
Retrieval and browsing
Expert human intermediation
Reference service, information brokering
Emergent behavior
Recommender systems

22. Digital Library Design Exercise
Form eight groups of 3 people (project teams?)
Choose one digital collection
Two groups for each collection, from the next page
Conduct systems analysis
Information flows, selective automation, integration
Choose an implementation
Timesharing, client-server, autonomous agents
Compare your design with another group

23. Example Collections Grey literature in a discipline
Preprints, technical reports, experiment datasets, …
Government documents
Reports, databases, declassified documents, …
Internet broadcasting
News, documentaries, public affairs, …
Theses and dissertations
Bachelors, masters, doctoral

24. The Research Agenda Create the technology Digitize the content
NSF Digital Library Initiative I
Digitize the content
NDL, NAIL, BLS, performing arts library, ...
Develop the process
NSF Digital Library Initiative II
Build the systems
Industry

25. Summary Systems analysis Implementation Management Digital libraries
Required for complex multi-person tasks
Implementation
Client-server systems are the present trend
Management
Operation can cost more than acquisition
Digital libraries
At present, mostly focused on digital collections 14