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ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel
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Choice in Discovery: Bundled or à
la carte?
History and market context
Marshall Breeding
Independent Consultant, Author, and
Founder and Publisher, Library Technology Guides
http://librarytechnology.org/
http://twitter.com/mbreeding
April 4, 2016
ER&L 2016 
History of increased integration
¨ The history of library automation
has seen a consistent pattern of
ever increasing consolidation of
library technology systems.
First-generation Library automation
¨  Early phase of library automation began with
separate modules for each major area of activity in
the library.
•  CLSI: Libs100 Circulation
•  Gaylord System 100
•  OCLC: SC350 Serials Control; ACQ350 Acquisitions
•  The Library Corporation: BiblioFile Cataloging
•  Innovative: Black Box > INNOVACQ> INNOPAC >
Millennium > Sierra
•  The result was the Integrated Library System providing comprehensive
management and discovery for library (print) resources
OpenURL linking
¨ OpenURL link resolvers introduced to
provide context-sensitive linking.
¨ Replaces hard-coded links which were
impossible to maintain at the scale of
massive volumes of content represented
in library subscriptions.
¨ Based on knowledgebase of e-resource
holdings. Offered as a separate
product.
Electronic Resource Management
Modules
¨ Electronic resource management
originally addressed via separate
modules:
¤ Ex Libris Verde
¤ Endeavor: Meridian ERM
¤ Serials Solutions: 360 Resource Manager
¤ Innovative: Electronic Resource
Management
ERM Characteristics
¨  ERM products generally provided resource
management capability based on the
knowledge base original developed for
OpenURL link resolvers.
¨  DLF created the ERMi specification that
defined the data elements which should be
supported by and ERM product
¨  Not an especially successful genre of library
automation. Products had a reputation
Next-Generation Library Catalogs
¨ Movement to provide better patron
interfaces than the online catalog
module included with an ILS
¤ Endeca ProFind -- NCSU
¤ AquaBrowser Library
¤ VuFind
¤ BiblioCommons (later phase)
¤ Blacklight (later phase)
Re-integration of the catalog
¨ Subsequent phase where many
libraries reverted to the online
catalog or discover service from
their ILS vendor.
Integrated Library System – Discovery
Interface
¨  The process of synchronizing an catalog or discovery layer
with the ILS requires multiple points of technical integration:
¤  Harvest records from ILS for re-indexing in discovery layer
¤  Patron profile and authentication: recreate a patron account
feature in the discovery layer that replicates and extends the
functionality available in the online catalog.
¤  Real-time availability: API or NCIP transaction for each item
displayed in the discovery layer. Definitive status maintained in
circulation tables
¨  ILS-DI workgroup of the Digital Library Federation defined
levels of interoperability to accomplish integration between
integrated library systems and discovery layers.
Index-based Discovery (Web-scale
discovery)
¨  A new approach to discovery for academic and
research libraries where the service includes a central
index that represents the (supposed) totality of
content of interest to academic libraries. Profiled so
that patrons see only the results from resources
included in their library’s subscriptions, open access
materials, etc.
¨  Index-based discovery services also make use of the
knowledge base associated with the link resolver to
manage links presented through the interface. Many
also use proprietary smart linking mechansims to
provide more reliable links.
Commercial Index-based Discovery
Services:
¨ ProQuest Summon
¨ Ex Libris Primo
¨ EBSCO Discovery Service
¨ OCLC: WorldCat Local /
WorldCat Discovery Service
Current phase: Library Services
Platforms
¨  Move away from fragmented resource
management model
¨  The concept of the library services platform has
been well accepted in academic libraries:
¤  Support for workflows in managing library collection items
that span all formats, especially print and electronic.
¤  Reliance on knowledgebases populated with e-resource
coverage data, expanded for print and other formats.
Extends the model of management for electronic resources
¤  Delivered though web-native multi-tenant platforms.
¤  Shared knowledgebases and other resources across all
implementers of the product
Bundled product offerings
¨  Library Services Platforms were created by
organizations which also offered index-based
discovery services:
¤ Ex Libris: Alma + Primo
¤ OCLC: WorldShare Management Service +
WorldCat Local
¤ ProQuest: Intota + Summon
¨  Vendors leverage existing discovery customers
for new library services platform sales.
¨  Vendors with both products offer business
incentives for libraries to acquire both products.
Advantages to bundled packages:
¨ The bundling of discovery with resource
management provides advantages for
libraries:
¨ Built-in integration between discovery
and back office functionality
¨ Leverage of common knowledgebases
¨ Fully supported by vendor with no
intervention by third parties
Disadvantages to bundled packages
¨  Drivers for patron-facing services quite different
than resource management platforms operated by
library staff
¨  Libraries may prefer discovery services other than
the one associated with their ILS provider
¨  Some libraries want to provide fully customized
patron experience based on open source interfaces
¨  Best match to library collection coverage may or
may not be the bundled option
Un-bundling obstacles
¨  Technically separable, but integrations with other discovery services are
outside of normal support. Bundled package comes with full integration
between front-end discovery and resource management.
¨  Pricing incentives to encourage libraries to use both resource
management and discovery. Discovery often included in the price,
making it financially difficult for a library to purchase a separate
discovery service.
¨  Both resource management and discovery services rely on
knowledgebases. Efficiency is gained when they are able to use the
same knowledge base. No need to keep knowledge bases
synchronized
¨  Automatic integration and synchronization between patron profile data
as managed in the resource management system with account
functionality in the discovery service.
Current market dynamics
¨  The model of bundled systems currently prevails in new selections by
academic libraries.
¨  Ex Libris Alma paired with Primo and OCLC WorldShare Management
Services paired with WorldCat Discovery Service currently dominate.
¤  Alma / Primo: 626 total selections by end of 2015
¤  WorldShare Management Services: 386 selections
¤  Sierra: 582 selections – Most upgrades from Millennium
¨  Ex Libris is positioned to achieve strong dominance among academic
and research libraries for both resource management and discovery.
New implementations of Alma displace other discovery services.
¨  Acquisition by ProQuest results in Summon as an additional interface
option for Alma. Both will rely on a consolidated central index. Choice,
but within Ex Libris product family.
Photo by nhuisman - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/27954776@N04	 Created with Haiku Deck
Choice	(and	Quality)	
in	discovery	evalua5on
Relevance/Value	ranking	
Metadata	
User	Experience	
UI/Configura5on	
Interoperability	
Quality	
evalua5ng	discovery
Analy5cs	
Databases	
Learning	
IRs	
Discovery	
ILS	
Discovery	
in	the	enterprise
Old	Fashioned
All	in	one	systems	
Discovery	
Circula5on	
Acquisi5ons	/	Serials		
Cataloging	
Repor5ng	
Old	Fashioned
MODERN	
Extensible	
TRADITIONAL	
FUNCTIONS	
NEW	
FUNCTIONS	
NEW	
FUNCTIONS
Good	Enough?
Photo by Biker Jun - Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/69223375@N00	 Created with Haiku Deck
ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel
ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel
ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel
Photo by niallkennedy - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License https://www.flickr.com/photos/35034351734@N01	 Created with Haiku Deck
Photo by sean dreilinger - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/43927576@N00	 Created with Haiku Deck
ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel
ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel
OSS	&	Libraries
Van	der	Linden,	F.,	Lundell,	B.,	&	MarQin,	P.	(2009).	Commodifica5on	of	
industrial	soWware:	A	case	for	open	source.	SoWware,	IEEE,	26(4),	77-83.
ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel

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ER&L The Role of Choice in the Future of Discovery Evaluations Panel

  • 2. Photo by BinaryApe - Creative Commons Attribution License https://www.flickr.com/photos/93001633@N00 Created with Haiku Deck
  • 3. Choice in Discovery: Bundled or à la carte? History and market context Marshall Breeding Independent Consultant, Author, and Founder and Publisher, Library Technology Guides http://librarytechnology.org/ http://twitter.com/mbreeding April 4, 2016 ER&L 2016 
  • 4. History of increased integration ¨ The history of library automation has seen a consistent pattern of ever increasing consolidation of library technology systems.
  • 5. First-generation Library automation ¨  Early phase of library automation began with separate modules for each major area of activity in the library. •  CLSI: Libs100 Circulation •  Gaylord System 100 •  OCLC: SC350 Serials Control; ACQ350 Acquisitions •  The Library Corporation: BiblioFile Cataloging •  Innovative: Black Box > INNOVACQ> INNOPAC > Millennium > Sierra •  The result was the Integrated Library System providing comprehensive management and discovery for library (print) resources
  • 6. OpenURL linking ¨ OpenURL link resolvers introduced to provide context-sensitive linking. ¨ Replaces hard-coded links which were impossible to maintain at the scale of massive volumes of content represented in library subscriptions. ¨ Based on knowledgebase of e-resource holdings. Offered as a separate product.
  • 7. Electronic Resource Management Modules ¨ Electronic resource management originally addressed via separate modules: ¤ Ex Libris Verde ¤ Endeavor: Meridian ERM ¤ Serials Solutions: 360 Resource Manager ¤ Innovative: Electronic Resource Management
  • 8. ERM Characteristics ¨  ERM products generally provided resource management capability based on the knowledge base original developed for OpenURL link resolvers. ¨  DLF created the ERMi specification that defined the data elements which should be supported by and ERM product ¨  Not an especially successful genre of library automation. Products had a reputation
  • 9. Next-Generation Library Catalogs ¨ Movement to provide better patron interfaces than the online catalog module included with an ILS ¤ Endeca ProFind -- NCSU ¤ AquaBrowser Library ¤ VuFind ¤ BiblioCommons (later phase) ¤ Blacklight (later phase)
  • 10. Re-integration of the catalog ¨ Subsequent phase where many libraries reverted to the online catalog or discover service from their ILS vendor.
  • 11. Integrated Library System – Discovery Interface ¨  The process of synchronizing an catalog or discovery layer with the ILS requires multiple points of technical integration: ¤  Harvest records from ILS for re-indexing in discovery layer ¤  Patron profile and authentication: recreate a patron account feature in the discovery layer that replicates and extends the functionality available in the online catalog. ¤  Real-time availability: API or NCIP transaction for each item displayed in the discovery layer. Definitive status maintained in circulation tables ¨  ILS-DI workgroup of the Digital Library Federation defined levels of interoperability to accomplish integration between integrated library systems and discovery layers.
  • 12. Index-based Discovery (Web-scale discovery) ¨  A new approach to discovery for academic and research libraries where the service includes a central index that represents the (supposed) totality of content of interest to academic libraries. Profiled so that patrons see only the results from resources included in their library’s subscriptions, open access materials, etc. ¨  Index-based discovery services also make use of the knowledge base associated with the link resolver to manage links presented through the interface. Many also use proprietary smart linking mechansims to provide more reliable links.
  • 13. Commercial Index-based Discovery Services: ¨ ProQuest Summon ¨ Ex Libris Primo ¨ EBSCO Discovery Service ¨ OCLC: WorldCat Local / WorldCat Discovery Service
  • 14. Current phase: Library Services Platforms ¨  Move away from fragmented resource management model ¨  The concept of the library services platform has been well accepted in academic libraries: ¤  Support for workflows in managing library collection items that span all formats, especially print and electronic. ¤  Reliance on knowledgebases populated with e-resource coverage data, expanded for print and other formats. Extends the model of management for electronic resources ¤  Delivered though web-native multi-tenant platforms. ¤  Shared knowledgebases and other resources across all implementers of the product
  • 15. Bundled product offerings ¨  Library Services Platforms were created by organizations which also offered index-based discovery services: ¤ Ex Libris: Alma + Primo ¤ OCLC: WorldShare Management Service + WorldCat Local ¤ ProQuest: Intota + Summon ¨  Vendors leverage existing discovery customers for new library services platform sales. ¨  Vendors with both products offer business incentives for libraries to acquire both products.
  • 16. Advantages to bundled packages: ¨ The bundling of discovery with resource management provides advantages for libraries: ¨ Built-in integration between discovery and back office functionality ¨ Leverage of common knowledgebases ¨ Fully supported by vendor with no intervention by third parties
  • 17. Disadvantages to bundled packages ¨  Drivers for patron-facing services quite different than resource management platforms operated by library staff ¨  Libraries may prefer discovery services other than the one associated with their ILS provider ¨  Some libraries want to provide fully customized patron experience based on open source interfaces ¨  Best match to library collection coverage may or may not be the bundled option
  • 18. Un-bundling obstacles ¨  Technically separable, but integrations with other discovery services are outside of normal support. Bundled package comes with full integration between front-end discovery and resource management. ¨  Pricing incentives to encourage libraries to use both resource management and discovery. Discovery often included in the price, making it financially difficult for a library to purchase a separate discovery service. ¨  Both resource management and discovery services rely on knowledgebases. Efficiency is gained when they are able to use the same knowledge base. No need to keep knowledge bases synchronized ¨  Automatic integration and synchronization between patron profile data as managed in the resource management system with account functionality in the discovery service.
  • 19. Current market dynamics ¨  The model of bundled systems currently prevails in new selections by academic libraries. ¨  Ex Libris Alma paired with Primo and OCLC WorldShare Management Services paired with WorldCat Discovery Service currently dominate. ¤  Alma / Primo: 626 total selections by end of 2015 ¤  WorldShare Management Services: 386 selections ¤  Sierra: 582 selections – Most upgrades from Millennium ¨  Ex Libris is positioned to achieve strong dominance among academic and research libraries for both resource management and discovery. New implementations of Alma displace other discovery services. ¨  Acquisition by ProQuest results in Summon as an additional interface option for Alma. Both will rely on a consolidated central index. Choice, but within Ex Libris product family.
  • 20. Photo by nhuisman - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/27954776@N04 Created with Haiku Deck
  • 28. Photo by Biker Jun - Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/69223375@N00 Created with Haiku Deck
  • 32. Photo by niallkennedy - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License https://www.flickr.com/photos/35034351734@N01 Created with Haiku Deck
  • 33. Photo by sean dreilinger - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License https://www.flickr.com/photos/43927576@N00 Created with Haiku Deck