1. Alma/Primo implementation
planning workshop
Friday 10th June 2016
Welcome and introductions
As you know I am project managing the Alma/Primo implementation which is due to KO in September - Focus on pre-implementation
Due to our set-up of multiple sites, 2 library management systems as well as other systems we use to manage and organise knowledge it’s important we come together now to plan and prepare for the implementation phase.
Today is about learning (about the project, from other customers) but also starting to think about practical tasks and how we can work together during the planning and implementation phase which will be crucial to the success of this project.

2. Aims of the workshop
Kickstart the planning phase for the upgrade to Alma/Primo in NHS Scotland.
Consider the implications and opportunities that this development presents for library services and for the end-user.
Explore opportunities to work together to ensure we are prepared for the implementation phase with Ex-Libris.
From the programme I sent out:
Kickstart the conversation around the planning phase – opportunity to think about, discuss and prioritise the activities we need to consider for this project.
As well as the impact on our own work it is important that we consider our users so would encourage you to also think about this during the course of today and beyond.
As mentioned the success of this project will be the participation of the library network and by the end of today I hope we will be in a better position to take this planning forward.

3. Source: https://pixabay.com/
Programme
Morning: Overview and preparation
Alma/Primo: starting to plan
Implementation experience
Data preparation
Afternoon: Assess and plan
Group discussion
Planning and next steps
Source:
Change to the draft programme due to VC – this morning will be presentations with opportunity for Q&A, general discussion. This afternoon we will have more formal discussion. Aim is to learn and share ideas/thoughts to support pre-implementation.
I am going to start off by discussing the planning phase and how we can begin to focus on what it is we need to do?
Then to put things in to a bit more context Judith from Strathclyde will describe some of her experiences of implementation based on some questions we proposed. During this session I would encourage you to ask or record some of your own questions? Highlight the ‘car park’ flipchart to record questions, comments that we can either not answer today/follow-up at a later date.
Before lunch Stephen/Zena are going to introduce some of the practical things we can do around data preparation and other things we might want to consider. After lunch we can start to think a bit more about how this will impact us all at a local level and also at a national level.

4. Group discussion Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
Collection of subscription resources
Multiple systems to manage knowledge resources
Improve user experience
Protected time to learn a new system
To support group discussions this afternoon we can use the SWOT analysis tool – this is a useful tool to support decision making and helps you to think about what you know (current state, e.g. Aleph, library services) but also to think about change (future state, e.g. Alma/Primo and how to improve services we offer). Strengths and Weaknesses usually relate to things internal to your team while Opportunities and Threats are more external so I think this is a useful exercise in relation to thinking about our local library service but also nationally. Bear in mind certain factors may be threats and opportunities.
Some examples to get you thinking. As the morning progresses and you hear the other presentations I would encourage you to jot down any thoughts for each of these sections. Focus on library services but also end-user.
I think it is important to be realistic in what we want to achieve from this implementation so although we may have a wishlist of what we would like to do it may be that not all of this is achievable.

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Planning the future
Source:
Be specific
What is the main objective?
What are the key deliverables?
Who is responsible for the key tasks?
What is the expected completion date?
Be organised
Prioritise tasks…
From “Top Tips for Managing Ambiguity”
Ex-Libris not on board until September and support will be limited until then
Fair to say we have our own uncertainties and questions about the implementation – still early days.
But we do need to plan (it’s a new system and there will be new ways of working) and where possible we need to start to make decisions.
One of the biggest challenges is the fact we have multiple libraries, variations in terms of capacity, capabilities and budget and so how do we approach this as 1 organisation (NHSS) but with multiple services. So it is also important we try and establish a shared vision going forward.
Challenge is how do we manage change when things are still uncertain or unclear?
Useful article from Goodpractice which discusses ‘being specific’ and ‘being organised’ and suggests you focus on the following questions.
Hopefully today we can begin to look at some of the specifics and begin to get organised.

6. What is the main objective?
Transition to Alma/Primo
Transition from our multiple systems, TKN, Alpeh/Shelcat, OLIB, MMS, FAST etc. to Alma/Primo.
Hopefully in advance of today you have reviewed some of the documentation.
Quick summary of the benefits this upgrade will offer us. Not a training session on Alma/Primo that will be later.
Alma/Primo

7. Alma/Primo: key features
Consolidates different systems in to a single system
All library management tasks in one system
Integrates print and electronic resources
Integrates local and national resources
Cloud based
Alma/Primo brings everything together to support all library operations to better enable us to support our users. Currently we use multiple systems so it should hopefully streamline and improve current workflows.
Alma provides 4 key functional areas: 1) Acquisitions – ordering, invoicing, etc; 2) Resource Management – cataloguing, e-resource activation; 3) Fulfilment – circulation, requesting, fulfil user request; 4) Admin – user management and general admin tasks.
Primo – new discovery search tool.
This upgrade will provide us with a more unified resource, bringing together local and national, print and electronic resources.
Cloud based system which means that Ex-Libris manage upgrades eliminating the need for local IT support.

8. Alma/Primo: Benefits for library services
Integrated print, electronic and digital resource management
The opportunity to develop more consistent, streamlined workflows
Opportunities for staff to develop skills and roles
Improved collaboration with other organisations who use Alma/Primo, including Higher Education and NHS Wales
Integration of print and electronic, local and national resources it will hopefully provide us with the opportunity to improve the way we manage and deliver our resources to the user from one central place.
Gives us the opportunity to review and improve current library management activities and develop skills and roles in using the new system. Still unclear what this will look like but hopefully today we can begin to explore these opportunities to work more collaboratively and collectively.
As well as working together in NHS Scotland there is a wider Alma community out there (e.g. mailing list) and so we can tap into this as well. Highlight support I have had from other libraries who have gone through the implementation.

9. Alma/Primo: Benefits for users
Improved user interface for discovery
Unified access to print and electronic resources.
Minimises time delay between content availability and discovery.
Analytics to support user needs.
For the user like us 1 place to go (1 login as well although we need to explore the options around this).
Access to a wider range of resources (through Community Zone as well as our own collection) and access to new and up-to-date content more quickly than from current systems (e.g. Aleph & FAST)
With one integrated system we also have the potential to assess user activity and support user needs – e.g. make purchasing decisions that are more user-centred (again something to explore in the future).

10. What is the main objective?
Transition to Alma/Primo
Review and improve current library management activities
Improve the user experience in finding information including print and e-resources
Revisit the objective:
Supports all library management activities to enable us to better support our users. Connect resources to activities to support users. Starter for 10 – main objective is to move to Alma/Primo effectively, linked to this - use upgrade to Alma as an opportunity to review and improve on ways of working, ultimately we want to improve the user experience and get our resources and services used and improve and better illustrate the impact we have.

11. What are the key deliverables?
From Ex-Libris “Getting Started”
Organisational planning
Current Workflows Review
Data Preparation
From our own perspective
As above
Learning
Identify the people
Maximise the benefits for our users
Today is about beginning to prepare for the implementation for Ex-Libris
What Ex-Libris advise (from Rapid Implementation)
Organisational planning – today is about beginning that conversation, by end of today we should have some actions.
Current Workflows Review – perhaps not for today but something we need to think about as a multi-site organisation
Data preparation – Stephen is going to begin that conversation today.
From our own perspective
As above – agree that these are key things we need to look at over the next couple of months
We need to begin to understand the system (highlight guides, videos to support that especially during implementation phase but also before) chat with other customers
Need to have a team in place, representation nationally - success depends on us all being involved. Need to define who this should be (some here today) and in what areas they can support.
Reiterate user-centred approach. Also need to think about redesign of TKN and related services to support Primo and we will be consulting with you on this as part of this project.

12. Who is responsible for the key tasks?
Success depends on us all being involved and engaged.
Source:

13. What is the expected completion date?
1st half of September 2016
Project start
1st half of November 2016
Test load
14th-26th March 2017
Cutover
27th March 2017
Go live
Key dates: 1) September – implementation starts 2) 27th March go live. Up until then it’s about pre-planning
Other key highlights
Test load – migration, loading our data from current LMS into Alma Cutover – transition from current LMS to Alma Training will be available during this period, certified for admin, systems staff, train the trainer for project team. This image just outlines the activities during the implementation phase – highlight Getting Ready and Rapid Implementation Guides. Illustrate that it is quite and intensive period.
Want to be ready as best we can.
From “Ex Libris Alma Rapid Implementation Methodology”

14. Be organised Prioritise tasks…
Planning the future
Be organised Prioritise tasks…
Source:
Go back to Managing Ambiguity now that we have looked at some of the specifics it’s time to prioritise the tasks in preparation for September Any questions?

15. Questions?
Can you tell us about your project team and how you prepared for this project in advance of working with Ex-Libris?
What impact do you think the move to Alma will have on current workflows and the role of library staff?
Did you have any challenges with configuration and data migration?
How was your experience of working with Ex-Libris and the training that is provided during the implementation phase?
We have an idea of how we want to take this forward and who should be involved but there are still some unknowns until we start the project and a lot of questions? To help with this I have asked Judith from Strathclyde to come along to describe some her experiences to give a bit more insight. To help with today we have put together a few questions to frame the discussion.

16. Afternoon session: group discussion
Split into groups of 3
Take 10 minutes to discuss each of the sections of the SWOT. (40 minutes).
Focus on 2 areas: 1) Current library management activities 2) User experience
Think about Strengths and Weaknesses in terms of people and resources and Opportunities and Threats in terms of change and external influences.
Feedback
Hopefully you will have jotted down some ideas from this morning’s session Thinking back to the earlier slide about our main objectives (library and user) 40 minutes and 20 for feedback, 1 or 2 key things from your discussion.
May want to repeat this exercise or something similar with your teams
Will write up and share after today to help with that.

17. Afternoon session: group discussion
Strengths
Human resources
Activities you are good at Specialist knowledge Unique services
Collection of subscription resources
Weaknesses
Resources that are lacking, including staff Skills we lack
Multiple systems to manage knowledge resources
Opportunities
Changing expectations Changes to ways of working
Improve user experience
Threats
Organisational objectives
Technology
Protected time to learn a new system
To help with the different sections and also reminder of examples.

18. Organisational planning
How should we run this project?
Who should be involved?
How should we communicate?
Actions to take forward?
Next steps…
Recap practical tasks from Stephen on data and workflows
Important to continue with the discussion and planning - suggest getting some webex dates in the diary to discuss key areas.
From your end identify a colleague(s) to attend. Who do you need to speak to about this project? Line manager? Management buy-in for availability, objectives, etc. Can we support this conversation?
Crucial we are all involved in some capacity.
Discuss Annette’s working group – could possibly act as project board.
Communication – Shelcat CBT – upload materials.

19. References
Ex Libris Alma Rapid Implementation Methodology x_Libris_Alma_Rapid_Implementation_Methodology.pdf Getting Ready for Alma and Primo implementation etting_Ready_for_Alma_and_Primo_Implementation.pdf
Useful reading moving forward. Will add and build on.

20. Questions?
Thank you
Final Questions and thank you.