Stephen Strohl – Associate Director, Member Services
Rose Nelson – Assistant Director, CO Alliance of Research Libraries
From Mountains to Plains: the Rewards and Challenges of INN-Reach
Sharing Across States
• Nonprofit 501(c)(3) library consortium based in Columbia, MO.
• Our primary purpose is to promote resource sharing across Missouri and
beyond.
• We manage Sierra systems for 64 libraries in Missouri, primarily academic
and an INN-Reach system.
• Our union catalog has more than 27 million items with over 10 million
unique items serving over a million users in the state.
• We have one out-of-state member in Oklahoma Tulsa City-County Library.
• Altoona Public (Iowa) will be joining us in Q4, 2015.
• Nonprofit 501(c)(3) library consortium based in Denver, CO with 14
member libraries.
• Our primary purpose is to promote resource sharing across Colorado and
beyond.
• Primary initiatives: Prospector Union Catalog (INN-Reach), E-Resource
Licensing, Gold Rush ERMS & the Library Catalog Comparison Tool.
• The Prospector union catalog has 44 libraries (half academic and half
public) more than 34 million items with over 19 million unique items. 58%
of materials are uniquely held.
• One out-of-state member, University of Wyoming.
INN-Reach – What Is It, Exactly?
Real-time Resource Sharing System
• Extension of the library catalog
• Physical materials and electronic resources
• Design based on the circulation model
Components
• Physical union catalog
• Discovery application
• Requesting and circulation system
• Statistics module
INN-Reach – Distinctive Competencies
Physical union catalog
• Highly configurable de-duping, overlay algorithms
• Real-time and automated updates from all members
• As a result, more accurate search results, very high “first to fill” rates
(over 90%)
High-levels of integration
• Seamless patron and staff experience
• An extension of local catalog and circulation
• As a result, very inexpensive to operate
INN-Reach Environment
Sierra
Millennium
Sierra
INN-Reach
Catalog
DCB
(Alliance)
Sierra
Sierra
Peer-To-Peer Environment
MOBIUS
Prospector
Peer-To-Peer Requesting
• Both systems maintain their own union catalog.
• Local branding and identity remain (very important).
• All patrons can request equally from either union catalog.
• A link from each union catalog allows patrons to move to the other system
transferring searches.
• Patrons can use their local library card to authenticate in the other system.
• Staff receive and process requests from both systems in the same way.
• MOBIUS has PUA / The Alliance does not.
Why INN-Reach & Peer-To-Peer?
• Working with trusted regional partners.
• Familiar patron-initiated requesting.
• Low cost borrowing in recent study at Colorado State University
($0.45/item) .
• Includes all materials that libraries want to share no matter what the source
of cataloging records (OCLC, SkyRiver, vendor supplied, etc…).
• Can include catalogs of any brand not just the Innovative products (Sierra,
Millennium, Polaris, VTLS).
• Can be the umbrella tying a heterogeneous region together.
• Forthcoming API will allow easier and less expensive non-Innovative
integration.
Software Implementation – Easy As…
You know, it’s just called Peer-2-Peer software…
Implementation = Acceptance
• Politics—Buy-in and approval from our member libraries
• Alliance and MOBIUS Directors and ILS Coordinators meet to discuss
basic policy & procedures between the consortiums
Our relationship—contract? Membership dues?
Implementation = Acceptance
Your Formula for Success MUST Include:
1. Well Established and Different Systems +
2. Well Established and Different Models of Doing Things +
3. Well Established and Different Courier Models +
4. Well Established and Different Ways in Which We All Handle Materials
= Lots of Fun!
Implementation Blues…
Why Can’t You Be Just More Like ME?
(Or Me Like You?)
• We agree to accept each other and each of our “unique” policies…
• 2 renewals vs. 1? Really?
• Do we collect money or not? (It is nothing personal I assure you, but we
really want our money!)
• What about non-bibliographic material?
• How does stuff get there?
• How do we get it back?
• Do we form a committee?
• Really, we need to form many committees, right?!?
Peer-To-Peer Sychronicity
• Synchronized settings that are reflected everywhere…PTYPES, ITYPES,
Loan Rules, etc…
• Shared codes of all types on each INN-Reach server
• Now please do this on 40+ servers for nearly 200 libraries…all the while not
taking either system down to do it!
• MOBIUS manages 11 clusters plus INN-Reach – nearly everyone in
Missouri with a few notable exceptions…
• The Colorado Alliance manages their INN-Reach system – everyone else is
locally managed…
• It is a delicate dance.
Time For the Details…
• Circulation Issues—length of checkout, renewals, timing of notices, billing
& lost book issues, blocks, number of items allowed for checkout,
collections available.
• Design of pass-thru buttons on each other’s union catalogs (for now).
• Joint publicity materials for our libraries.
• Discussion lists, ongoing communication between our libraries.
• FAQ’s, policies, procedures for our libraries.
Implementation – Package & Delivery
• If only…
What’s A Few (Minor) Differences Among Friends?
• Different couriers in three states for Colorado and Missouri
• What’s The Matter With Kansas?
• 5 day per week service or less?
• Gas prices – a variable
• Go Greyhound? Are you kidding me? How would that work?
• The drop-off point is where? In what state?
• Tracking would be nice, but we don’t wanna pay for it, of course.
• Communication before or after the fact?
• MOBIUS – RFP for Courier
– Transition from 1st Choice to STAT Courier in July, 2015.
One of the great issues of our time…
We’re Not Done Yet…
Seriously, who knew book bands 
could be so controversial?
Obligatory photo of cute kittens to offset controversial
green book band…
Implementation – It’s ALL About Results!
• From August, 2014 – February, 2015:
– Prospector Borrows - 2,821- MOBIUS Lends
– Prospector Lends – 3,014 – MOBIUS Borrows
Implementation – Lessons, you know…
• Keep it Simple (but not too simple).
• Better understand staff workflow at different sized libraries.
• Expect to compromise and prepare your libraries for the
inevitable.
• Communicate frequently during your implementation phase
• Don’t rush—remember those staff who need extra time to
adapt.
• Put a personal “face” to the partnership for your members.
• And remember….it’s all about the courier & workflow!
Implementation – Lessons, you know…
• Compromise is essential.
• Involve the circulation staff at your libraries as much as
possible.
• Establish regular conference calls with the couriers and
consortium offices.
• Test, test, test before going live.
• Visit your courier’s sorting facilities to be clear about how
shipments will be moved and handled.
• Find a city that all couriers already go to exchange materials,
so you reduce costs.
• Negotiate a fair price based upon number of stops and weight
(and yes, since you are dealing with multiple couriers, so you
can create a pricing war).
This is Only the Beginning…
Outreach, Everywhere!
• Testing a courier connection with Illinois-over 1800 stops.
• In Negotiation with Kansas Library Express – 300+ stops.
• Outreach to all contiguous states - we are still talking with Tennessee,
Nebraska, Kentucky.
Ultimate goal is to drive down the cost of traditional ILL
Prospector – Future Outlook
Consolidation within state
• API will make connecting with different systems more seamless and
affordable
• Regional pockets that make sense—e.g. Douglas county, Colorado Springs,
Adams county, Weld County
• Opportunity to partner with State Library as they sunset VDX
Potential out of state partners
• New Mexico-already have courier in place
• Kansas State University-may be a consideration down the road
CO Alliance is exploring new pricing model
Questions?
Thank You!
Stephen Strohl – Associate Director, Member Services
Rose Nelson – Assistant Director, CO Alliance of Research Libraries