Earth’s Largest Library

1. Earth’s Largest Library Colorado Library Association College/University & TSAD Spring Workshop May 25, 2000

2. Presenters:

3. Gail M. Dow Director of Technical Access Services Denver Public Library 1) Bibliographic and Catalog Access Issues

4. Julie E. Wessling Assistant Director for Public Services Colorado State University Libraries 2) Distribution Issues

5. 3) Automation Issues Veronica F. Smith Automation Coordinator Westminster Public Library and Front Range Community College Library

7. Amazon.com A new model for Libraries: Pros and Cons for Technical Services Gail Dow

8. Earth’s Largest Library Concept Proponent: Steve Coffman Director, FYI County of Los Angeles Public Library Steve Coffman

9. Coffman’s Library Idea Merges “what we own” with “what we can obtain for you” in a single source database Enhances access by including both standard search strategies and new approaches Promotes new delivery models Advocates development of a single integrated library system (ILS) Stresses convenience for the user

10. Bibliographic Issues: Pros • “Union catalog” concept already a familiar library model upon which we can build • Vastly extends customer access to the totality of bibliographic sources • 24/7/365 -- at user’s convenience, globally • Accommodates browsability in a variety of standard and new ways • Potential for readers’ advisory service • User-friendly, fault-tolerant

11. Browsability…standard ways • author • title • keyword • subject • series • call number

12. cover art/dust jackets jacket blurbs/reviews customer comments awards/best seller lists grade levels author biographies, interviews, or articles value ratings/recommendations readers’ advisory links to similar items, by author, subject, genre Browsability….enhanced

13. Bibliographic Issues: Cons • Retrievability of bibliographic items: • search strategies • set size • unstructured browsing • Retrievability of physical item • availability • timeframes • location scoping

14. Other factors (cons): • Confidentiality, privacy issues • Length of enhanced records • Manageability: record “ownership” and maintenance, quality control

15. Distribution Issues Julie Wessling

16. ELL: Distribution Issues • Is ILL well enough? • ELL and ILL: More than one letter apart L L

17. User Convenience - Selection 24 Hours 2-3 Days On-shelf 2 Weeks Forever 1 Week • Availability • Purchase option 5 ILL clicks = 1 well purchased book

18. User Convenience - Ordering • 24/7 online ordering • Automatic transfer • move automatically between systems • ISO compliant • “leap tall buildings in a single bound”

19. User Convenience - Delivery • Send direct to user • E-books, not P-books • Railroad car model

20. $$$ - Costs • Amazon • What are the real costs? • Profitable? • Libraries • Real costs • Watering down the costs

21. $$$ - Cost of ILL • ARL Cost Study • CSU FastFlood Model

22. $$$ - Cost of ILL $27.83 $9.48 $14.71 $5.66 $18.35 $4.75 $9.05 $3.32 $1.43

23. Cost of ILL User fees Score card

24. How big is too big? • Library mission

25. How big is too big? • Optimal cooperation

26. Automation Issues Veronica Smith

27. Current systems and ELL • PAC and circulation only from ELL • What about specialized modules? • Serials, Reserve Book Room, etc • Acquisitions • Collection Agencies

28. Database size • Are we asking for trouble? • Creating the database (Migrating library records) • Searching capabilities

29. Accessibility • How much can you expect from a server? • Setup • Availability • Redundancy • Maintenance and Support

30. Local LANs in Libraries • Services other than the catalog • File and print • Email • Hardware and Software upgrades • Products other than the catalog • CD-Rom databases • Internet databases • Support staff

31. Issues for small and rural libraries • Cost -- Can they afford ELL? • Internet connectivity (equipment and charges) • Computer hardware and software • Speed or Bandwidth • Is access really a possibility?

32. Patron Identification • Registering patrons • Identifying patrons • Checking out materials

33. Patron Privacy • Privacy of checkout information • PIN numbers • Data encryption • For circulation transactions • For patrons’ personal information

34. Item Identification and Security • Barcodes, barcodes, barcodes • Duplication • Types • Keeping items secure • Security tags • Security systems

35. Statistics and Reports • Creating anew from ELL • Will you get the same reports you get now? • Keeping what you already have • Will you lose the data that is in your current system? • Inventory • Procedures & specialized hardware/software • Sorting your items out (RR car theory)

36. Other related issues • Abandoning your current system • Weeding your collection • Training for staff and patrons • Marketing your new product to staff and patrons alike • Web accessible databases...are we slowly getting there?

37. What can we do now? • Make it easier to request material • Support multiple delivery options • Delivery directly to the user • Simplify processing routines • Nurture partnerships/consortia -- heroic policies

38. More that we can do • Train all staff about ILL resources • Communicate with others & share information • Enhance current records • Pay attention to new/upcoming technologies • Move to web versions of catalogs and/or web front ends

39. Even more • Standardize inter-operability of records/data for maximum compatibility • Support and contribute to local and regional union catalog efforts (Prospector, ACLIN) • Think expansively, and flexibly -- and for the greater good, not the perpetuation of “the way we do it” or “have always done it”

40. What do you think?

41. Bibliography/Resources • Virtual ACLIN (http://www.aclin.org) • Prospector (http://prospector.coalliance.org) • Building Earth’s Largest Library (http://www.incolsa.net/HTML/teleconf/coff.htm

42. This presentation available on the web at: (http://gromit.westminster.lib.co.us/automation) Gail Dow (gdow@denver.lib.co.us) Julie Wessling (jwessling@manta.library.colostate.edu) Veronica Smith (vsmith@westminster.lib.co.us) Other resources