PaLA2010 Annual Cultivating Technical Services

Dirk Lewandowski gave a presentation on how to rank library materials in an online public access catalog (OPAC). He discussed the importance of relevance ranking to improve search results. Some key factors for ranking include text matching, popularity, freshness, and locality. Results lists should include a mixture of item types from different collections to satisfy user needs. Relevance ranking is complex and requires considering multiple factors and data sources. The core function of an OPAC remains search, but other features can enhance the user experience.

Data mining OCLC for translations. Creating authority records for VIAF. Remodelling the bibliorgraphic structure to make the best mutli-lingual displays from all available data in a work set.

Feb 19, 2014: NISO Virtual Conference: The Semantic Web Coming of Age: Technologies and Implementations Deck includes presentations from: Ramanathan V. Guha, Google Fellow; Founder of Schema.org; Pierre-Paul Lemyre, Director of Business Development, Lexum; Bob Du Charme, Director of Digital Media Solutions, TopQuadrant

This document discusses how libraries can leverage data from their collections to support new research and discovery. It outlines several initiatives that treat library collections as data, including the Library of Congress labs and a project exploring computationally-driven research. The document also discusses OCLC's work analyzing institutional repository data through its Repository Analytics and Metrics Portal (RAMP) and making data more interoperable through support of the IIIF standard for sharing images and metadata.

The document summarizes a study conducted by Becky Skeen, Liz Woolcott, and Andrea Payant at Utah State University on assessing communication patterns within their cataloging and metadata services department. They used interaction logs filled out by staff weekly and an anonymous survey distributed to other library departments. The study found lower than expected interaction with other technical services units and higher interaction with special collections. It also contradicted stereotypes of catalogers being withdrawn by finding most interactions were social. The data analysis tools used included Excel, Qualtrics, Tableau and OpenRefine. Conducting this assessment on a regular basis and expanding the research was recommended to provide more useful insights into communication over time.

The traditional ILS as we know it will only die out because it will evolve. It will not disappear. More now than ever do libraries need automation and resource management. The thing is, our collections are becoming more and more heavily electronic, we need a system that will handle digital content in an efficient manner. The current ILS does not. Current ILSs are built around the traditional library practice of print collections and services designed around these collections, but the last ten to fifteen years have seen great shifts in both library collections and services. Print and physical materials are no longer the dominant resources. Actually, in many libraries, especially in academic and research libraries, the building of electronic and digital collections have taken a larger role in library collection development. As libraries have moved increasingly to accommodate digital collections, they’ve found the ILS products unable to be reconfigured well enough to smoothly and efficiently handle the integration of all the workflows that are different, yet, necessary, for both print and digital. The current ILS serves the purpose for an academic library but instead of one system with seamless interaction we have one system with add on components to do some of the now necessary functions like electronic resource management and the discovery layer. there are three trends that will lead to the change in the traditional ILS: “1. Increased digital collections; 2. Changed expectations regarding interfaces; 3. Shifted attitudes toward data and software.” There are four distinguishing characteristics of the next-generation ILS we believe are critical. They are comprehensive library resources management; a system based on service-oriented architecture; the ability to meet the challenge of new library workflow; and a next-generation discovery layer. Up until recently, libraries developed collections to serve the communities that they were located in. And that's going to shift because the collections that they create will define the communities they serve, which is the exact opposite of the way it used to be in the physical world. In the electronic world it will be completely opposite. (VINOD CHACHRA, VTLS) Our collections are now booming with digital content and a very inept way to serve it. The traditional ILS wasn’t created to handle digital content. The new ILS, will serve as a library service platform where digital content will be a the forethought instead of an afterthought. Breeding writes that “the next generation of library automation systems needs to be designed to match the workflows of today’s libraries, which manage both digital and print resources.” There are four distinguishing characteristics of the next-generation ILS we believe are critical. They are comprehensive library resources management; a system based on service-oriented architecture; the ability to meet the challenge of new library w

Leveraging Wikipedia as a Hub for Data Integration: the Remixing Archival Metadata Project (RAMP) Timothy A. Thompson, Metadata Librarian (Spanish/Portuguese Specialty), Princeton University Library

NISO Two Day Virtual Conference: Using the Web as an E-Content Distribution Platform: Challenges and Opportunities Oct 21-22, 2014 
 R. David Lankes, Dean’s Scholar for the New Librarianship at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies; Director of the Information Institute of Syracuse

The document discusses Scholars Portal, a consortium of Ontario university libraries that provides access to digital scholarly resources and services. It aims to create a single point of access for integrated searching, as well as long-term archiving of content. Services described include article searching, access to ejournals and databases, interlibrary loans, and a digital repository. Future plans include expanding content and developing a shared infrastructure to ensure sustainability. The goal is to transform research, teaching and learning through a centralized portal for high-quality scholarly materials.

The universe of linked data is rapidly expanding and our community is finding innovative ways to link and apply data. This session will cover several initiatives and projects using linked data to improve discovery and reuse of information. Speakers: Richard Wallis, Technology Evangelist, OCLC; Tom Johnson, Digital Applications Librarian, Oregon State University

Learning the Lingo: Building Foundations for Successful Partnerships and Collaborations upon which Successful Systems Integrations can be Built Carl Grant, Associate Dean, Knowledge Services & Chief Technology Officer, University of Oklahoma

This presentation was delivered by Rebekah Cummings of the University of Utah during a NISO Virtual Conference on the topic of data curation, held on Wednesday, August 31, 2016

ReadersFirst: A Movement to Improve eBook Access for Public Library Users Jim Loter, Director of Information Technology, Seattle Public Library

The document discusses the future of the integrated library system (ILS). It predicts that if the ILS remains constrained by its current design, it has no future. However, if the ILS is freed from these constraints to evolve and integrate outside data sources, it may survive. Currently, ILSs are good for books but not other content like journals or digital materials. The document advocates for setting library data free by presenting it in multiple ways and sharing it flexibly. It also calls for more modern and customizable user interfaces and improved search capabilities. The real competition for ILS vendors are content management systems that can manage a library's entire web presence. The future may see ILSs evolving into CMSs or libraries adopting other systems

Led by Duke University, the OLE Project intends to build a design document for an open source library management system which will be based on the software design philosophy of service oriented architecture (SOA). SOA is becoming a dominant trend in technology as early adopters have shown that it provides the benefit of an agile system, one that is flexible in response to information demands. Lehigh’s Doreen Herold and Tim McGeary will present the status of the OLE Project, its process, its goals, and how other PALINET members can participate.

Presentation on the Harvard Library Analytics Toolkit given on October 5, 2012 at the 2012 LITA National Forum in Columbus, Ohio.

This document describes workflows developed by Utah State University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to streamline metadata creation between special collections and digital initiatives departments. The workflows allow for converting finding aid information into Dublin Core for uploading item records to a digital repository, and batch linking digitized content to finding aids. The processes are designed to be taught easily and performed by various staff levels to automate metadata work and make it more flexible.

Presented at ALAO, October 29, 2010. Program Description: Separated by principle or physically from the public side of the library can prove challenging for Technical Services departments in communication and interaction between the department and the rest of the library staff and patrons. How can Technical Services departments overcome these disconnects? This presentation will survey the different online efforts by several TS departments to facilitate communication with other library departments and beyond, including Miami University’s Technical Services LibGuides page.

Design for marketing technical businesses is complicated, because the product is complicated, but the consumers are ill-suited to evaluate it. Simplicity and good design are essential to successfully marketing technical products and services.

The document discusses the importance of metrics in technical services departments in libraries. It begins by outlining different types of metrics that can be used to measure individual, departmental, library, and university performance. These include quantitative metrics like number of records processed, as well as qualitative metrics like accuracy rates. The document then discusses how metrics can be used for training, performance evaluations, benchmarking, planning, and assessing how well the library is meeting its mission and supporting the university's goals. Overall, the document advocates for the implementation of comprehensive metrics programs in technical services to facilitate accountability, continuous improvement, and effective communication of the department's value and contributions.

The document discusses key performance indicators (KPIs) for technical support engineers. It provides examples of KPIs, performance appraisal methods, and steps to create KPIs for this position. Mistakes to avoid in developing technical support engineer KPIs are also outlined, such as creating too many KPIs or not linking them to overall strategies. The document recommends visiting an external website for additional KPI samples and materials.

This document contains information about performance evaluation forms and methods for evaluating technical support engineers. It includes a sample performance evaluation form with sections for reviewing job performance factors, employee strengths and accomplishments, performance areas needing improvement, and signatures. It also provides examples of performance review phrases for evaluating various skills and examples of the top 12 methods for performance appraisal, such as management by objectives, critical incident method, behaviorally anchored rating scales, and 360 degree feedback. The document aims to provide useful resources for conducting thorough performance evaluations of technical support engineers.

When I face a business challenge I'm trying to see the root of the problem. Having a quick-fix solution is fine, but what if a quick-fix solution is not possible unless fundamental issues are resolved. I see this often with KPIs. People ask to help with KPIs for this or for that, but the problem that they actually experience is a fundamental one - they have a vague strategy that is hard to follow. Recently I had a conversation with Pablo, one of our Spain-based customers. His company is a leading national manufacturer and his question was about a KPI to help with the poor performance of their business. Our dialog was really insightful for both of us. Pablo sorted out things about strategy and KPIs; I was able to trace verbally the problem of a bad KPI back to its root - a poorly formulated strategy. The result is not an article, but a dialog between me and Pablo. Together we completed a journey from a pointless KPI request to ideas about formulating a better strategy: http://www.bscdesigner.com/a-journey-from-a-bad-kpi-to-an-excellent-strategy.htm

The library migrated from their previous integrated library system to OCLC's WorldShare Management Services over a 6 month period. They moved their search, circulation, and catalog infrastructure to the new cloud-based system. The migration process involved preparing data for transfer and working through various technical issues. The library has made changes to workflows for acquisitions, technical services, and electronic resources management as a result of the new system. They have also provided feedback to OCLC on ways the system and services could be improved.