Ex Libris University Partnership Engagement and Current Status Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technology and Research Vanderbilt University Library

VU Libraries Strategic Direction Recently conducted a strategic planning process Serving Library patrons of utmost importance Some reorganization of committee structure and decision making process

LibQual+ Participation in LibQual+ indicated the library’s service quality to be excellent in most areas Some indicators and many comments that our online catalog and Web site needed improvement

Current Environment SirsiDynix Unicorn – iLink catalog – Highly customized SFX – – Initial beta test participant – Purchased product later

Problems with the Status Quo A look and feel that may not meet the expectations of the current generation of Web-savvy users. Our current environment requires users to interact with many different interfaces, and search many different resources. Overly complex for some users Not always intuitive Users have to go to different places to find different kinds of information on a given topic: Acorn for books, “Articles and Databases” page for articles.

What is Primo? Not just a replacement for the OPAC. A research environment with a broader scope, more current search-and-retrieval technologies, with an interface more in step with other Web destinations. Incorporates “Web 2.0” concepts. A new information discovery and delivery tool created by Ex Libris. An environment for the discovery of information resources provided by the library. Provides a mechanism for providing access options for the materials and services within different types of collections including electronic, digital, and print materials. (GetIt!) Works toward an environment that gives equal footing to print and digital resources

Library Trends Primo is consistent with the trend among libraries to break out of the current mold of library catalogs and offer new interfaces better suited to the expectations of library users. Decoupling of the front-end interface from the back-end library automation system. Widespread dissatisfaction with most of the current OPACs. Many efforts toward next-generation catalogs and interfaces.

Possible paths Re-work customizations of iLink Wait for next generation catalog for Unicorn Endeca – Beyond our resources

Dissatisfaction with MetaSearch offerings Recent experience with MetaLib Too slow Too Complex Presentation and ranking based on shallow result sets Fundamental flaw in “distributed query” federated search

Opportunity? The vision of Primo addressed many of the concerns that we had with our current environment and with the inherent problems in the current product offerings Break down the silos between – Print and Digital – Local and Remote Consolidated search and information delivery environment More like the interfaces library users see everywhere else on the Web.

Shift in direction New strategic initiatives already underway when Primo opportunity emerged Digital library initiative Priorities already set on things that were urgent to accomplish Was Primo more important than these?

Primo partnership process The decision making process conducted through a newly formed structures that emerged from the strategic planning process Decision to become a development partner with Ex Libris for Primo had to be a library-wide process, not based on the opinion of any single individual. Competition very high for resources (staff) Need for broad-based library buy-in, acceptance of decision. Need to take a bold step to improve our Web environment

Partnership commitment As a new product, the decision to devote significant library resources involves a higher level of risk than purchasing an existing product. Engagement means full commitment – strong mutual interest to make the product work.

Development focus MARCXML pipe – Export Unicorn data – Enhanced with Authority data – Mapping rules Dublin Core – Initial test involves data from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive Review and input on FRBR implementation Opportunity to give input on interface

Relationship to Acorn (Unicorn ILS) The native version of Unicorn iLink (WebCat) will continue to be available. Data from Unicorn is replicated in Primo and kept up-to-date. All data retained and maintained in Unicorn. Unicorn continues to be the mechanism for presenting library services related to the physical collection: holds, renewals, annex requests, faculty book delivery. An additional item display in Unicorn/iLink (WebCat) will be created specifically for Primo that is more consistent with the look and feel of Primo. Acorn is but one content component of Primo.

Project execution at VU Oversight by the Digital Library Steering Committee Multiple project teams to carry out project components – Unicorn Pipe Development Team (extraction of Bib and Auth data) – TV News Extraction (Marshall) – Normalization and Mapping team – GetIt team (Delivery component)

VU – Ex Libris partnership Multiple visits to VU by Ex Libris Staff Weekly conference calls Detailed Project plan Ongoing dialog – give and take

Milestones Feb Initial conversations with Oren Mar 2006 – First on-site demo of Primo at VU Apr 2006 – Decision to partner with Ex Libris for Primo May – Kick-off meeting w/ Ex Libris Oct – Project plan complete Dec 2006 – Hardware delivered and installed Jan 1007 – Full data extracts Feb 2007 – Version 1.0 of software installed Jun 2007 – Primo available to all VU staff for review and testing

Primo Partnership and Implementation Resources Significant involvement by 40+ library staff Multiple committees and workgroups – Digital Library Steering Committee – Unicorn MARCXML Pipe – Dublin Core / TVNEWS Pipe – Normalization Team – GetIt team – Authentication – MetaLib – 2 Testing Teams Multiple on-site visits by Ex Libris staff Weekly calls to Israel

Current status Version 1.0 software installed Staging server / Production Server Unicorn and TV News data loaded Service Patches installed Last remaining problems close to resolution Staff rollout within a week Public review shortly thereafter Production: soft deployment in Fall 2007

Initial impressions Continues to show great promise Positive reaction to seeing VU’s own data in Primo Able to see implications of the work and decisions made throughout the process – Results display – Record presentation – De-duping / FRBR Project continues to be on track Results commensurate with the investment

Testing and Evaluation Development partnership working toward public review and production implementation – Internal beta where staff evaluate VU implementation of Primo – any day now – Public beta for library users – a week or so later – Production use of Primo as primary library interface in the Fall

Future Expectations for Primo at VU Incorporate additional local content – TV News is just the first digital collection that could benefit from greater exposure – Subscription content. Get beyond the limitations of the current metasearch model. Integration of Primo with Blackboard courseware system