Considering a New Information Topology

1. Considering a New Information Topology Diane C. Mirvis Associate Vice President Information Technology & CIO dmirvis@bridgeport.edu NISO Forum: Library Resource Management Systems October 9, 2009 • Boston, MA

2. Why is this discussion important? • Fundamental rethinking of how work gets done by scholars, students, staff • Impacts entire organizational structure, roles • Workflow and knowledge management become pivotal concepts • Drives technology and Library purchasing • For Librarians, spotlights value of information in all forms

3. Traditional computing environments

4. Model driven by • Silo thinking among constituencies • Proprietary technology • Niche vendors • Mix of content aggregators, publishers with licensing agreements selling to organizational consumers. Little opportunity to view information resources holistically. • Lack of skilled technical staff for integration

5. Where in the organization is information? And who owns it? Everywhere and Everybody (Including in the Library)

6. At the University of Bridgeport……… We are stepping back together to reconsider our enterprise information needs, and rethink how we use information as students, faculty, staff and alumni The University is examining how workflow and content can be more effectively managed One surprise for Librarians – the many “stealth” database providers

7. UB Administrative systems • Datatel Student Information System • Datatel Enterprise Portal • Datatel e-Business Solution (CRM) • Visionary Clinical Information System (CIS) • Campus Security • 3rd Party Vendors • Cloud Applications • Campus Digital Signage • Web site

8. UB Academic systems • Blackboard Course Management System (CMS) • E- Portfolio Products • Datatel Retention Alert • Cloud Communities of Interest • Assessment Tools • Wimba Synchronous Learning

9. UB Library systems • Ex Libris Voyager Integrated Library System • Ex Libris Primo Discovery • Ex Libris MetaLib • Ex Libris SFX • Institutional Repository

10. Current topology challenged • We are working to optimize workflow • Vendors extending beyond traditional niches • Technology product overlaps, interoperability proffered • Purchasing decisions more centralized • Content and technology vendors often one in same • Open Source initiatives • Role Blurring among Information Seekers • Scholarship, marketing, retention, fiscal tracking, etc. • Standards adherence • Organizational & cultural issues • Cost • Staffing • Evidence Based Management

11. KEY Drivers for UB organizational change • Launch of Library Primo platform • On budget, on time, filled multiple information needs across organization • First portal-like experience, Web 2.0 • Exposed interoperability, redundancy issues across traditional Library database providers • Raised bar for Blackboard CMS • Escalating technology costs • Institutional competitiveness • Decision to implement Enterprise Portal and CRM

12. Decision to implement both enterprise Portal and CRM within 1 year • Initiated enterprise Data Dictionary Project 10.1.09 • Datatel planning methodology just starting • Vision, Governance, Needs Assessment, Design, Content flow, Applications for Portal and CRM • Stakeholder team assembled across organization • Staff, Faculty, Librarians, Students, Alumni • Project Analysts Assigned • New Content Manager hired • Forces decisions on workflow, roles, technology • How do we deliver information resources in any format when and where needed?

13. New process model starting to emerge

14. Where Will Library Systems Fit? Portal, CRM, CIS raise new issues beyond integration with CMS Linking systems, embedding content delivery, web parts - all options Multiple content management systems Library Discovery system rich, well liked Synching up roles across delivery platforms Layering of repository systems a concern

15. Logical model information resource cluster • Faculty Information Cube on Retention Blackboard Content ERP Data Workflow External Database Articles Consultant Reports Workflow CRM Data Assessment Data

16. Tough to reinvent … • Convergence weighs heavily in investment decisions. New purchasing approval policies established. • Questions swirl around information content – stewardship, repositories, harvesting, ingesting, embedding, purchased and free database content • Do we link in layers of different systems, or deconstruct site architecture based on workflow? • Librarians busy visioning what next gen digital platform will look like in Portal • How feasible is it to think convergence can be achieved given technical, organizational and legal barriers? • Will vendors and open source communities see convergence as opportunity or threat?

17. Our Institutional Repository parable • Library, IT and academic departments all were investigating options independently • Multiple vendors and open source communities • Overlapping functionality of products • Revenue potential for faculty • University decided to build a no cost pilot using Primo until larger Topology was determined

18. Institutional Repository Pilot

19. Others exploring same issues • Check out publications and contact colleagues in: • Operations Research • Information Technology • Knowledge Management • Library Science

20. Thank You dmirvis@bridgeport.edu