ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL:
PLANNING FOR A CONSORTIAL
NEXT GENERATION ILS
Ann E. Miller
Head, Collection Services
University of Oregon
Chair, Collaborative Technical Services Team
Orbis Cascade Alliance
Central Oregon Comm. College
Central Washington University
Chemeketa Community College
Clark College
Concordia University
Eastern Oregon University
Eastern Washington University
George Fox University
Lane Community College
Lewis & Clark College
Linfield College
Mt. Hood Community College
Oregon State University
Oregon Health & Science Univ.
Oregon Institute of Technology
Oregon State University
Pacific University
Portland Community College
Portland State University
Reed College
Saint Martin’s University
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle University
Southern Oregon University
The Evergreen State College
University of Idaho
University of Oregon
University of Portland
University of Puget Sound
University of Washington
Walla Walla College
Warner Pacific College
Washington State University
Western Oregon University
Western Washington
University
Whitman College
Willamette University
OBLIGATORY
STATISTICS
• 37 universities, colleges, and
community colleges in Oregon,
Washington, and Idaho
• 258,000 students
• 9.2 million titles representing 28.7
million items
• Group purchases of electronic
resources at a value of $8 million
annually.
• seeks to develop the combined
collections of member institutions
as one collection
“THE STORY
SO FAR…”
• Creation of the Orbis Cascade Alliance Strategic
Agenda 2008-2009
– Identification of shared technical services as
a strategic agenda item
• R2 Report “The Extended Library Enterprise:
Collaborative Technical Services and Shared
Staffing”
– A starting point for collaborative technical
services discussions
– Could see possibilities, but also problematic
areas
• Initial collaborative projects suggest a need for a
shared ILS
“THE STORY
SO FAR… THE
CONTINUING
SAGA”
• Shared ILS Groups formed to review the
possibility each year from 2009-2011
• Shared ILS RFP in 2011-2012
• Chose Ex Libris Alma/Primo in Spring 2012
• 4 Cohorts between Jan. 2013-Dec. 2014
– First going live in June
– Six months each
• Shared ILS Implementation Team &
Collaborative Technical Services Team
working together on planning and training
BUILDING
SYNCHRONICITY
• Collection Development and
Management Committee
• Shared ILS Committee(s)
• Collaborative Technical Services
Team
• Each working towards same
goals from different
perspectives
– EBL/DDA project
– Collaborative collecting
– Streamlining and facilitating
efficiencies
BOARDING THE
COLLABORATION
TRAIN
• Start with strong existing
collaborative ties
– Summit borrowing
– E-resource purchasing
• Strong relationships foster trust
and mutual goals
• Projects some of which succeed
and some fail
COMMUNICATING
THE VISION
• Patrons
– Reorienting vision of library from
ownership to access
– Provide for exceptions when
necessary
• Staff
– Stress value of individual
contributions not at question
– Ensure that communication of the
vision is consistent
• Administrators
– Ensure that realistic outcomes
conveyed
– Don’t sell as a single solution to
challenges
BALANCING
ACT
• Local needs/Consortial needs
• Local or Consortial level work
• Thinking outside the box, but practically
so
• Decisions for the consortial long term or
local short term
VISION FOR
THE FUTURE
• Expand the resources and services
available to Alliance users
• Do “things” once for the benefit of all
– E-resource management
– MARCIVE
– YBP Approval plans
• Consortial collection analysis
– Collection development
– Retention decisions
• Solidify trusting relationships
WHAT TO
EXPECT WHEN
YOU’RE
EXPECTING (TO
COLLABORATE)
• Some initial resistance and concern
• Time to build relationships
• Projects always take a bit longer than
anticipated
• To serve on lots of committees
• To support staff in involvement
• Learn to know new people and learn
from them
Collaboration is a beautiful thing.
THANK-YOU!