Abstract

Libraries now have the challenge of managing a wide variety of materials, from books and journals on paper to the existing range of electronic resources. Information is packaged in various forms, and libraries must sign on to big deals as well as acquire single titles, single articles, open access works, ebooks, etc. Integrated library systems (ILS) are improving little by little to help in these tasks; various brands and models are cited.

Abstract

  The digital environment and information and communication technologies open up new ways of providing library services, including the reference service, the principal aim of which is to address users’ queries and information needs. Putting the reference service in place in this new environment requires redesigning the policies, procedures and resources applied to it and therefore an analysis of the services and functions of the computing tools available must be undertaken. Integrated library management systems which involve multiple functionalities for delivering services, or which expand the capacity for their delivery, must also respond to the requirements for putting this type of service in place. This article sets out the results obtained in a study carried out on several examples of integrating new reference services into a library management system (Koha), which not only enables these services to be delivered but also expands the options for using the data for their improvement and development.

Abstract

With the increasing dominance of electronic content and digital collections in academic libraries, the capabilities lacking in the current slate of automation systems has increasingly become an obstacle to progress. A new generation of digital services platforms for libraries is emerging, designed to provide a more comprehensive approach to the management and access to all formats of library materials: print, electronic and digital. These new systems involve a modernization of technology, embracing service-oriented architectures, availability for APIs to facilitate interoperability with external systems, support for task workflows more aligned with current operational realities, and more tightly coupled discovery interfaces that deliver access to library collections and services in a more unified and comprehensive manner. These new products, emerging in this era of cloud computing, have been designed for deployment through software as a service and rely on highly shared data models.

Abstract

With the increasing dominance of electronic content and digital collections in academic libraries, the capabilities lacking in the current slate of automation systems has increasingly become an obstacle to progress. A new generation of digital services platforms for libraries is emerging, designed to provide a more comprehensive approach to the management and access to all formats of library materials: print, electronic and digital. These new systems involve a modernization of technology, embracing service-oriented architectures, availability for APIs to facilitate interoperability with external systems, support for task workflows more aligned with current operational realities, and more tightly coupled discovery interfaces that deliver access to library collections and services in a more unified and comprehensive manner. These new products, emerging in this era of cloud computing, have been designed for deployment through software as a service and rely on highly shared data models.