Library management systems
Library management
systems embrace change
Integration, usability and
good discovery tools are
some of the requirements of
modern library management
systems, as their providers
tell Siân Harris
‘We are at a major point of change in
the wider information economy within
which library systems form part of a
larger whole,’ observed Ken Chad of Ken
Chad Consulting. He was writing in a
briefing paper about the study in library
management systems (LMS) carried out
in April 2008 on behalf of JISC and
SCONUL.
This study examined the systems used
in higher-education libraries across the
UK and came up with some significant
observations and recommendations.
It noted that the LMS market in UK
higher education is already mature
and that four main vendors (ExLibris,
Innovative, SirsiDynix and Talis) have
almost 90 per cent of the market. This
market maturity means, according to the
study authors, that the benefits to libraries
of changing LMS provider are limited.
The products are not sufficiently different
to warrant the costly process of changing
one’s supplier, the study argued.
This doesn’t mean that institutions
have to keep their LMS exactly as it systems such as an institutional portal or ID) based self-service systems or vertical
is though. The study recommended the finance or student record systems. This search products. Working with other
that they push their vendors for better can be achieved with service oriented libraries and sharing provision can also
value for money when they review their architectures, using technologies such as help to share the costs, said the study.
contracts. They should also look at ways web services. With these recommendations in the
to simplify and streamline how they use And leaving the core LMS with the minds of customers and suppliers, we
their LMS. same vendor does not mean that the asked some of the providers of such
One way to increase the value of the whole process has to stay the same. library tools what they see as the biggest
core LMS, said the study, is to make it more Libraries can add modules and features to requirements from libraries and how they
interoperable with other institutional the system such as RFID (radio frequency are trying to meet them.
20 Research Information December 2008/January 2009 www.researchinformation.info
RIdec08 pp20-25 LMS.indd 20 17/11/08 17:03:50
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