1 / 16

Challenges & Opportunities of Alma for the Alexandria Library Network Rachel Birri Blezon

This presentation discusses the challenges and opportunities faced by the Alexandria Library Network in implementing Alma, a library resource management system. The presentation covers topics such as the background of the project, goals of the BiG Portal, the solution chosen (Alma/Primo), the lifecycle of the project, challenges faced, internal challenges, opportunities for improvement, and lessons learned.

gimenez
Download Presentation

Challenges & Opportunities of Alma for the Alexandria Library Network Rachel Birri Blezon

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Challenges& Opportunitiesof Alma forthe Alexandria Library Network Rachel Birri Blezon IGeLU, Oxford, 15/09/2014

  2. Overview • Library Am Guisanplatz (BiG) andAlexandria Library Network • Project «BiG Portal» • 10 months after Go Live…Challenges & Opportunities • Questions

  3. Library Am Guisanplatz (BiG) • Founded in 1848 as Federal Military Library (FML) • 27.10.2007: newname «Library Am Guisanplatz» • Since2009: Leadinglibraryofthe Alexandria Network • Collections: • Centre of excellence for specialised military literature • Civilianfields : history, politics, environment, law, civilprotection, financesandeconomics etc. • 573‘000 books, 5‘960 journals, articles, EOD • Users: • Federal Administration + Army • Public library

  4. Bern: • Bibliothek am Guisanplatz BiG • EBG • BAG • BAR • SECO • Swisstopo • IGE • NDB • SWTR • FAO • Zurich: • MILAK • Pro Senectute • Winterthur: • Sammlung Oskar Reinhart • Emmen LU: • RUAG Aerospace • Seewen SO: • Museum für Musikautomaten • Grenchen SO: • BWO • Ligornetto TI: • Museo Vela • Neuenburg: • BFS • Pully VD: • CHPM • Genf: • ZAS

  5. Alexandria Library Network • 20 libraries (incl. BiG) • Internal govermentallibraries • Libraries outside the Swiss Federal Administration • Somepubliclibraries • Collectionsofthe Network (incl. BiG) • 833‘000 books, 16‘046 journals, articles

  6. BiG Portal - Background • Strategic IT planning(SIP BiG) in 2011 • Review the IT ofthe BiG • Many (>20) MS Access databases • ComplexadministrationoftheoldsoftwareVirtua • «juniorpartner» ofthe Swiss National Library • 20 libraries different IT servicesinvolvede.g. installnewreleases • Little autonomyofaction • Goal-orientedapproach, focus on implementation • Stepintothefuture

  7. BiG Portal - Goals • Integral system, 1 database: • Metadata(catalog etc.) • Digital objects (e-books, scans etc.) • E-resources(access, management etc.) • Central managementofuserdata • Core process (acquisition, fulfillment etc.) • Noserver/clientarchitecture • Access via browser • nolocalinstallation • Solution for BiG, Alexandria Network andotherinterested administrative unitsofthegovernment

  8. BiG Portal – Solution Alma/Primo • Choice: Alma + Primo • Unified Resource Management • Workflow orientedmanagement • Management of digital objects • Forthefuture: e-resources • …and all thepossibilities • Contractssigned end of 2012 • EAP DACH(Germany, Austria, Switzerland)

  9. BiG Portal – Lifecycleoftheproject • Initiation, preparation: January – June 2013 • NoaccesstoSandbox • Little interactionwithExLibris • Visitof an Alma Expert in Bern • Visitofthe Library ofthe Free University ofBolzano • Data cleaning

  10. BiG Portal – Lifecycleoftheproject • Implementation +migration: June – November 2013 • Kick off  Access toSandbox • A lotofinteractionwithExLibris  • Forms, Forms, Forms… • WebEx, WebEx, WebEx… • Project calls, Functional Workshop,… • 27.11.2013: Go Live • Postmigration: Today! • Somemajorissuestobesolved

  11. 10 months after Go Live - Challenges Before/duringimplementation • Training conceptofExLibris • Solution forserialsrouting: BiGSeRo • Language (English) • Problems forstaff • Concequencesforcustomers (Primo, Letters…) • In German since September Release! Today • Management ofdigital objects • GND (thesaurus) + localauthorities • Browser relatedproblems • Interoperability Alma <-> Primo

  12. 10 months after Go Live - Challenges Internal challenges • Change Management • Rethinktheworkflows • Monthlyreleases • Participationofthedifferent services / functionalexperts • Someproblemsare «housemade» • Communication • Project team, BiG, Alexandria Network EAP DACH • Started in October 2013 • Language relatedproblems BiG is «alone»

  13. 10 months after Go Live - Opportunities A lotofpossibilities! • Rethink internal workflows, configureexistingfunctionalities • Fulfillment: personal delivery, email-policy, lendingpolicy • Work orders • Automateworkflows: acquisition, indexing • «Start fromzero» • Serials management + routing • Cataloguing • E-resources • Analytics • Primo: newcatalogue / discoverytool, newpossibilities

  14. Lessonslearned • It’s all in themind! • Includethe IT fromthebeginning • Priorities, keepa cool head • Rethink internal workflows, adaptto Alma • User-adapted, but honest communication • Training conceptofExLibrissuboptimal

  15. Questions?

  16. Contact Rachel Birri Blezon, BSc. Deputy Chief of the Alexandria Library Network Coordination, Systems Librarian Federal Department ofDefence, CivilProtectionand Sport (DDPS) General Secretariat DDPS Library Am Guisanplatz BiG Papiermühlestrasse 21A; 3003 Bern, Switzerland +41 58 463 45 83 (phone) +41 58 464 50 93 (fax) Mailto:Rahel.BirriBlezon@gs-vbs.admin.ch www.guisanplatz.ch (Homepage) www.alexandria.ch (Library catalog)

More Related