Library Automation Challenges
for the Next Generation
Marshall Breeding
Director for Innovative Technologies and Research
Vanderbilt University
Tuesday 26 August 2008
Tias building, room TZ 9)
http://staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breeding
http://www.librarytechnology.org/
Abstract
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As libraries shift toward collections of ever higher proportions of digital content,
automation systems must likewise take a new form. This lecture will review the current
state of library automation systems and the business climate among the companies that
provide them.
Recent rounds of industry consolidation resulted in an uncomfortable narrowing of
products from the traditional automation vendors. A harsh business climate contributed
to the rise of the open source movement which has introduced a new dynamic in the
marketplace. Open source library automation has now entered the mainstream, with
support options available from a new breed of companies. Traditional automation
vendors face new competition. Libraries themselves have also become involved through
initiatives to produce open source products, contributing new alternatives to the mix.
A new generation of library interfaces has begun to emerge that promise to put a
modern face on the library’s collections and services on the Web. Libraries also demand
better tools for managing electronic resources behind-the-scenes, fueling demand for
electronic management systems. In broader terms, the molds of the library automation
systems in place today were cast decades ago.
The presentation will explore the characteristics that a generation of library automation
systems built anew for today’s libraries moving forward would embrace.
Part I.
Broad Industry and
Product Trends
Upheavals
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Industry Consolidation
Abrupt transitions for major library
automation products
Increased industry control by external
financial investors
Demise of the traditional OPAC
Frustration with ILS products and vendors
Open Source alternatives hit the mainstream
Breeding, Marshall: Perceptions 2007 an international survey of library automation.
http://www.librarytechnology.org/perceptions2007.pl January 2008.
LJ Automation System
Marketplace
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Annual Industry report published in Library
Journal
2008:
2007:
2006:
2005:
2004:
2003:
2002:
Opportunity out of turmoil
An industry redefined
Reshuffling the deck
Gradual evolution
Migration down, innovation up
The competition heats up
Capturing the migrating customer
ILS Industry in Transition
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Consolidation through mergers and
acquisitions have resulted in a fewer
number of players; larger companies
Uncomfortable level of product
narrowing
Increased ownership by external
interests
Yet: Some companies and products
continue on solid ground
Breeding, Marshall “Automation system marketplace 2008: Opportunity Out of Turmoil”
Library Journal. April 1, 2008.
Library Automation M&A
History
Product and Technology
Trends
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Innovation below expectations
Conventional ILS less tenable
Proliferation of products related to econtent management
New genre of discovery-layer
interfaces
Web 2.0 / Collaborative
Computing
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Currently implemented ad hoc
Many libraries putting up blogs, wikis, and
fostering engagement in social networking
sites
Proliferation of silos with no integration or
interoperability with larger library Web
presence
Next Gen: Build social and collaborative
features into core automation components
Part II. A Mandate for
Openness
Opportunities for
Openness
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Open Source
– Alternative to traditionally licensed software
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Open Systems
– Software that doesn’t hold data hostage
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Open Content
–
–
–
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Open access platforms for scholarly content
Institutional Repositories
Bibliographic Services (OpenLibrary)
Open content communities for tags, cover art,
reviews (LibraryThing)
– OpenURL / ERMS Knowledgebases? (JAKE)
Open Source Alternatives
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Explosive interest in Open Source
driven by disillusionment with current
vendors and near-evangelical
promotion of this software licensing
model
Beginning to emerge as a practical
option
TOC (Total Cost of Ownership) still
roughly equal to proprietary
A result of industry
turmoil
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Disruptions and business decisions to
narrow options have fueled the open
source movement
Benefit to libraries in having additional
options
Traditionally licensed and open source
ILS alternatives will coexist in the ILS
arena
Open Source ILS enters the
mainstream
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Earlier era of pioneering efforts to ILS
shifting into one where open source
alternatives fall in the mainstream
Off-the-shelf, commercially supported
product available
Still a minority player, but gaining
ground
Open Source ILS options
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Koha
– Commercial support from LibLime
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Evergreen
– Commercial support from Equinox
Software
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OPALS
– Commercial support from Media Flex
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NewGenLib
– Open Source ILS for the developing world
Business case for Open
Source ILS
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Comparative total cost of ownership
Evaluate features and functionality
Evaluate technology platform and
conceptual models
Are they next-generation systems or
open source version of legacy models?
“Making a Business Case for Open Source ILS.” Marshall Breeding,
Computers in Libraries March 2008
http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=13134
Software Development
Models
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How do companies approach software
development:
– Ongoing maintenance work on existing
products (enhancement requests, bug
fixes)
– R&D toward future products (capital
investment)
– Sponsored Development: contracted
custom development paid for by
individual sites, code shared with current
Observations on Open
Source ILS
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Current Open Source ILS products similar in modular
organization and functionality to existing systems. Evolving to
achieve the same level of features and capacity present in
established commercial systems.
Initial wave of Open Source ILS commitments happened in
the public library arena. Recent activity among academic
libraries:
– WALDO Consortium (Voyager > Koha)
– University of Prince Edward Island (Unicorn > Evergreen)
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Do the current open source ILS products provide a new model
of automation, or an open source version of what we already
have?
JISC – SCONUL study did not show strong interest in open
source ILS in the UK.
Impact of Open Source
ILS
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Library automation industry cannot be
complacent
Some libraries moving from
traditionally licensed products to open
source products with commercial
support plans
Disruption of ILS industry
– new pressures on incumbent vendors to
deliver more innovation and to satisfy
More Open Systems
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Pressure for traditionally licensed
products to become more open
APIs (Application Programming
Interfaces) let libraries access and
manipulate their data outside of
delivered software
A comprehensive set of APIs
potentially give libraries more flexibility
and control in accessing data and
A Continuum of
Openness
Closed Systems
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation Acquisitions
No
programmable
Access to the
system.
Captive to the
user
Interfaces
supplied by the
developer
Standard RDBM Systems
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation Acquisitions
Database
administrators
can access data
stores involved
with the system:
Read-only?
Read/write?
Developer
shares database
schema
Open Source Model
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation Acquisitions
All aspects of
the system
available to
inspection and
modification.
Open API Model
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation Acquisitions
Published APIs
Core
application
closed.
Third party
developers
code against
the published
APIs or
RDBMS tables.
Open Source / Open API
Model
End User
Interfaces:
Programmer
access:
Functional
modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Cataloging Circulation Acquisitions
Published APIs
Core
application
closed.
Third party
developers
code against
the published
APIs or
RDBMS tables.
Depth of Openness
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Evaluate level of access to a products data
stores and functional elements:
– Open source vs Traditional licenses
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Some traditional vendors have well
established API implementations
– SirsiDynix Unicorn (API available to authorized
customer sites that take training program)
– Ex Libris: consistent deployment of APIs in major
products, recent strategic initiative: “Open
Platform Program”
– Innovative Interfaces: Patron API
Universal open APIs?
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Some progress on API to support discovery layer interfaces,
but no comprehensive framework yet.
Many industry protocols work like APIs:
– Z39.50, SRU/W, NCIP, OAI-PMH, OpenURL, etd
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It would be ideal if there were an open set of APIs that were
implemented by all automation system products.
– Third party components and add-ons would then work across all
products.
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DLF ILS-Discovery Interface protocol. Targets interoperability
between ILS and new genre of interfaces
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AKA: Berkeley Accords
Opportunity out of the
Upheavals
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More options
– Commercial + Open Source
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More vendors
– New open source support companies provide
new competition
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More library involvement
– Libraries re-energized to make significant
contributions to the body of library automation
software
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Traditionally licensed and open source
automation systems will co-exist. We have
an interest in the success of both
alternatives.
Part III. Moving toward
new generation of
library automation
Rethinking the ILS
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Fundamental assumption: Print + Digital = Hybrid
libraries
Traditional ILS model not adequate for hybrid
libraries
Libraries currently moving toward surrounding core
ILS with additional modules to handle electronic
content
New discovery layer interfaces replacing or
supplementing ILS OPACS
Working toward a new model of library automation
– Monolithic legacy architectures replaced by fabric of SOA
applications
– Comprehensive Resource Management
“It's Time to Break the Mold of the Original ILS” Computers in Libraries Nov/Dec 2007
ILS: a legacy concept?
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ILS = Integrated Library System
(Cataloging + Circulation + OPAC + Serials +
Acquisitions)
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Focused on print and physical inventory
Electronic content at the Journal Title or
collection level
Emerged in the 1960’s – 1970’s
Functionality has evolved and expanded, but
basic concepts and modules remain intact
Note: Some companies work toward evolving the
ILS to competently handle both print and digital
content (e.g. Innovative Interfaces)
ILS: ever diminishing role
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Many libraries putting much less emphasis
on ILS
Just an inventory system for physical
materials
Investments in electronic content increasing
Management of e-content handled outside
of the ILS
Yet: libraries need comprehensive business
automation more than ever. Mandate for
more efficient operations. Do more with
Dis-integration of Library
Automation Functionality
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ILS -- Print and Physical inventory
OpenURL Link resolver
Federated Search
Electronic Resource Management
Module
Discovery layer interface
Is non-integrated
automation sustainable?
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Major burden on library personnel
Serial procurement / installation /
configuration / maintenance cycles take
many years to result in a comprehensive
environment
Inefficient data models
Disjointed interfaces for library users
Very long cycle to gain comprehensive
automation
New genre of discovery
layer interfaces
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Traditional ILS OPAC inadequate for
today’s Web-savvy library users
Scope too narrow
Complex, non-intuitive interface
Yet: Necessary for some types of
research
Working toward a single point of entry
for all the content and services offered
by the library
Common Next-Gen
Interface features
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Decoupled interface
Advanced search engines
Relevancy ranked results
Faceted Navigation
Graphically enriched displays
Real-time interaction with ILS
Advanced user services and
information delivery features
Current Products
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Aquabrowser (Medialab, Bowker / Serials Solutions)
Primo (Ex Libris)
Encore (Innovative Interfaces)
WorldCat Local (OCLC)
BiblioCommons
Visualizer (VTLS)
eXtensive Catalog (University of Rochester)
VUFind (open source / Villanova University)
Scriblio (open source)
http://www.librarytechnology.org/discovery.pl
Deep search
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Entering post-metadata search era
Increasing opportunities to search the full contents
– Google Library Print, Google Publisher, Open Content
Alliance, Microsoft Live Book Search, etc.
– High-quality metadata will improve search precision
Commercial search providers already offer “search inside
the book”
No comprehensive full text search for books quite yet
Beginning to appear in library search environments
– U of Mich (http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/blt/archives/2008/05/search_full-tex.html )
Deep search highly improved by high-quality metadata
See: Systems Librarian, May 2008 “Beyond the current generation of next-generation
interfaces: deeper search”
Architecture and
Standards
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Need to have an standard approach for
connecting new generation interfaces with
ILS and other repositories
Proprietary and ad hoc methods currently
prevail
Digital Library Federation
– ILS-Discovery Interface Group
http://www.librarytechnology.org/blog.pl?ThreadID=43
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Initial foray into a broader set of protocols
that open up other aspects of the ILS
Moving toward a new
Generation of Library
Automation
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Are Legacy ILS concepts sustainable?
New automation environment based
on current library realities and modern
technology platforms
Equal footing for digital and print
Service oriented architecture
Breaking down the
modules
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Traditional ILS
– Cataloging
– Circulation
– Online Catalog
– Acquisitions
– Serials control
– Reporting
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Modern approach: SOA
Service Oriented
Architecture
http://www.sun.com/products/soa/benefits.jsp
Legacy ILS + e-content
modules
End User
Interfaces:
Circulation
Functional
modules:
Federated
Search
Cataloging
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Acquisitions
Serials
OpenURL
Linking
Electronic
Resource
Mgmt
System
SOA model for business
automation
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Underlying data repositories
– Local or Global
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Reusable business services
Composite business applications
SOA for library workflow
processes
Composite
Applications
Granular
tasks:
Data Stores:
Reusable
Business
Services
Comprehensive Resource
Management
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Broad conceptual approach that proposes a
library automation environment that spans
all types of content that comprise library
collections.
Traditional ILS vendors: Under development
but no public announcements
Open Source projects in early phases
Projection: 2-3 years until we begin see
library automation systems that follow this
approach. 5-7 years for wider adoption.
Open Library
Environment (OLE)
project
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Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
– Research in Information Technology program
– Solicited proposal / Lead institution
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Duke University selected to lead project
Core Participants: Kansas University, Lehigh University,
National Library of Australia, Library and Archives Canada,
University of Pennsylvania, Marshall Breeding
Advisory Participants: University of Chicago, Wittier College,
University of Maryland, ORBIS Cascade Alliance, Rutgers
University
Status: Proposal complete, pending formal approval from the
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
http://oleproject.org
Preparing for next
generation library
automation
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Reassess workflows
Separate streams for print and digital?
Integrated processing of print and
digital?
Opportunities to take advantage of
SOA-based composite business
applications
Assemble a more ideal set of tools for
managing serials and periodicals
Practical implications
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Determine the level of openness your library
requires
Off-the-shelf, traditionally licensed systems
preferred in many libraries
Identify issues:
– Vendor vulnerability
– Flexibility to reprogram
– Special reporting needs
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Cost of operation
Software-as-a-service
Research and Development toward nextgeneration automation systems
Questions and
Discussion