Library management systems
Usability
replicate the functionality that they see They want to be able to take one bit from
is a key
elsewhere. For example, when they search one company but modules from another
the catalogue they want to be able to see company. It has to be simple to pick and
requirement reviews of the items they are interested in choose between suppliers.
for users, says
before they borrow them. As well as looking to secure new customers
And if they find that the item they want we are looking to existing customers to
Elisabeth
is not there or is out on loan they want to provide added value and differentiate
Robson, OLIB
be able to link to places like Amazon to be
product manager for OCLC
able to buy it. We increasingly have to look
at what is going on in the wider information
‘We have to take
world and partner with them. It is not just
interoperability seriously.
The catalogue has become a way to pull ‘me too’ copying of Google and Amazon
together disparate resources, including though. Customers want to be
commercial resources and web links. Library We also offer a hosted service. This saves
able to take one bit from
management systems also allow circulation, libraries time and money. We host the
including check in/check out and enable software and server and they access it via
one company but modules
libraries to purchase materials and track their browser.
where they are. There are a number of challenges. It is a
from another company’
One of the biggest user requirements is mature market. Pretty much everyone who
usability. It has to be straightforward and needs a LMS has got one. People also change ourselves from the competition.
has to do some of the searching for the user. LMS less frequently than they used to. Libraries still need to do the same
It’s amazing how important the look and Libraries are looking to their existing supplier things that they have done for years.
feel of the interface is. Users want simple for added value. The core functionality is not going to
interfaces with simple search boxes that do Increasingly, LMSs are becoming disappear but it will be enhanced by
a lot behind the scenes – much like they are interoperable and we have to take changes in technology. We have to ensure
used to with Google. interoperability seriously. Customers are that new versions still do the old things as
Librarians also say that users want to looking for best value as well as added value. well as the new.
Thomas
party and it would an empty shell that you investment. We believe we can start to add
Snyder, who
had to populate yourself with your own more and more ILS needs.
content. Within SwetsWise we already Most large institutions have already
until recently
had our Licence Bank module, which gives invested in ERM systems and there has
was chief
details of publishers’ licence terms. With to be a particularly compelling reason for
the addition of eSource Manager, users them to change. However, many smaller
commercial can adapt any field to manage their own institutions have not yet invested in ERMs
officer of
licence conditions. They can also add their because they are prohibitively expensive
own codes and financial information. And and have functionality that they don’t
Swets, talks about why this
the acquisition module in SwetsWise also need. For us this is the first step into a new
subscription agent is moving
integrates seamlessly with our ERM. domain. The big question for us is how do
into the realm of library
We believe that what we propose meets we take this to the next level.
our user needs better than standalone We also plan to start measuring usage
management tools packages for a large part of the library of products. This will help librarians to be
management community. Traditional better organised and informed. At present
Until now the structures of libraries have ERM systems are a major financial and IT usage data is not something that a LMS
had clear borders but these borders have does but that SwetsWise will do.
now been transcended. We recently
launched eSource Manager, an electronic
‘We also plan to start
This is currently done by ScholarlyStats,
which Swets bought earlier this
resource management (ERM) system
measuring usage of
year. Publishers provide usage data
within SwetsWise and we have had a very but it is complicated to pull it all
positive reaction from customers. It is products. This will help together. One user might access a paper in,
pre-populated and is a natural extension
librarians to be better
for example, Elsevier’s ScienceDirect
to our current portfolio. Convergence is but other users might access it via a
taking place. Normally an ERM system
organised and informed’
database or platform such as CABI or
would be a standalone module from a third Ovid.
www.researchinformation.info Research Information December 2008/January 2009 23
RIdec08 pp20-25 LMS.indd 23 17/11/08 17:03:55
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