The Implementation of an ILS at the Library of Congress

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

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

3. Major Milestones • RFP 97-12 (July - Sept. 1997) • 800+ requirements • Vendor selection (May 15, 1998) • Endeavor Information Systems, Inc. • System in Production • Cataloging Day 1 - August 16, 1999 • All Modules Online - October 1, 1999

4. Timeline 1997 1998 1999 2000 Proposal Evaluation Contract Award Preliminary Implementation Planning Initial Implementation Training Initial Implementation Complete Implement Secondary Priorities “Fine-tune” the System Conduct Business Process Improvement Data Cleanup Projects Shelflist Conversion Serials Conversion

5. Lessons Learned • What Worked Well • “Culture shock” • What We Would Do Differently

6. Lessons Learned:What Worked Well • Management Issues • Top Management Support • LC Management • Staffing • Funding • Contracting • Automation support • Congressional Oversight committees

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

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

9. Lessons Learned:What Worked Well • 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

11. Lessons Learned:What Worked Well • 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

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

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

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

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

16. Questions & Contacts • Public LC ILS Web site • http://lcweb.loc.gov/ils • LC Online Catalog • http://catalog.loc.gov • LC ILS Program Office • ils@loc.gov • ILS RFP • ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/ils/RFP97-12.WP5