Building on Two Decades of Shared Services

SUNYLA Conference 2012June 7, 2012

Maureen ZajkowskiSUNY Office of Library and Information Services

“Systemness is the coordination of multiple components that when working together create a network of activity that is more powerful than any action of individual parts on their own.”

Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher2012 State of the University Address

Monday, January 9, 2012

Initial Library Automation Activities

1987: creation of the Library Automation Implementation Program (LAIP)– Joint partnership among SUNY libraries and

SUNY System Administration– 40 SUNY libraries using a common

software/hardware platform – Financial• Start up - university wide funds • Ongoing – university wide funds and campus

contributions

LAIP• Goals– Provide online public access catalogs

and integrated library software – Ensure that each SUNY and New York

State citizens have access to SUNY’s combined library resources

– Foundation for future development

LAIP• Hosting sites – 5 campuses across the state– 8 to 10 libraries per site– “Clusters”

• Database structures– Campus specific bib data in a shared database – Application enabled libraries to present their

campus catalogs individually– Managing local library policies and workflows

required collaboration

LAIP• Technical and Application Support– System Administration coordinated

implementation, training, local document development, 1st line support

– Peer support provided by “Cluster groups” made up of librarians and technical staff from host campus computing centers

LAIP• Governance structure– Library Automation Steering Group

(LASG) – financial and administrative oversight

– SUNY Library Support Center Advisory Board operational issues associated with shared server environments

LAIPHighlights• Campuses maintained local identities• Campuses maintained their own policies

within the parameters of shared servers• Development of community and sharing• Proven cost efficiencies in shared

environment• Concerns about not having full autonomy

over local campus data and activities

On Another Front1990s: Explosion of E-Resources • Full text – books, journals, newspapers, etc. • Benefits

– Move from print and desktop only access (CD-ROMS)– Online, real time access on campus and remotely– Power of aggregate purchasing

• SUNY-wide E-Resources Teams to evaluate and recommend purchases

• Goal to provide core collections of electronic content for all students and faculty anytime and from any place

• Funding models – University wide and campus contributions

Introducing SUNYConnect

1998: SUNY Council of Library Directors April 28, 1998 unanimous resolution– Endorse goal of one common library management system– Integrate the system migration with creation of a virtual

libraryGoals

– Union catalog– Universal borrowing capabilities– Shared operations and funding– Local autonomy of library data within a shared server

environment

SUNYConnect• System Selected

– Highly customizable• 59 SUNY campuses

– University Centers – maintain local hardware and application– Information Technology Exchange Center (ITEC) – host 55 SUNY

campuses• Database structure

– Each campus has completely separate databases– No longer concerns, as in LAIP, about restrictions on local

practices• Financial

– Continued model of combination of University wide funding and campus contributions

SUNYConnectTechnical and Application Support – Coordinated by System Administration Office of

Library and Information Services with ITEC– Provided ability for campuses to manage their

own configuration files and data– OLIS and ITEC worked to streamline processes

to better handle maintenance and updates– Managed Services

SUNYConnect• Governance structure– SUNYConnect Coordinating Committee

(SCCC) – policy and organizational considerations

– Ad-hoc SUNY-wide task forces created as needed as part of review with SCCC

Benefits of collaboration

• Development of expertise – ability to work on common problems and share solutions

• Camaraderie and friendship across SUNY• Sense of being part of a larger (SUNY)

community• Professional development opportunities• Cost-effective way to bring new services

and improve services

Importance of

• Governance structure to provide review and recommendations for policies and activities that impact multiple campuses

• Avenues for feedback from community

• Building infrastructures that are scalable and sustainable

Challenges

• Focus on services to students and faculty• Focus on common goals • Distinguish between desires and needs• Explore balance between what needs to

be done locally and what is more efficiently done centrally

• Develop strategic partnerships both within and across campuses

Changing Environments

–Staff retirements –Budget reductions• Impact on purchasing resources• Impact on developing new initiatives

–On going expectation for access to increasingly diverse online, full text resources

Next Phase SUNYConnect

2012: SUNY Council of Library Directors April Meeting – Endorsed goal of creating a shared catalog for libraries on the

shared servers

Value – Support initiatives– Facilitate the use of a SUNY-wide discovery layer

• Minimize number of data sources• Better management and access to e-resource content• Incorporate access to digital repositories• Provide unified portal to traditional and electronic collections across

libraries– Provide greater opportunities to enhance shared operations– Facilitate cooperative purchasing and sharing of resources– Position libraries for future developments

Collaboration

• SUNY Librarians Home Page @ ITEC– Confluence space “SUNY Libraries”– Confluence group name “sunylib”

• Shared Collections Taskforce - recent SCLD endorsements– SUNYOne Program– Last Copy Policy

• Shared Technical Services & IMS– Presentation to SCLD on benefits of shared catalog and

discovery tools• Digital Preservation

– Binghamton take the lead on investigating a u-wide solution• Innovative Library Services through Technology Certificate

Closing Thoughts

• Collaboration is rewarding– Ongoing interactions/communication with the community is critical

• New developments facilitate collaboration– No pre-conceived ideas– New technologies are opportunities for collaboration

• While planning is critical - You will never have all the information or answers that you want or think you will need

• Progress – one step at a time• Is doing nothing an option?

– Will current services maintain relevancy?– Your community will find improved services if you don’t provide

them

Questions?

 

Maureen ZajkowskiSUNYConnect Program Manager

maureen.zajkowski@suny.edu