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OCLC PICA’s new whitepaper says library systems should Synthesise, Specialise, Mobilise
Added: (Thu Jan 04 2007)
“Libraries today represent a holistic information environment and library systems which are at the forefront of technology and in tune with librarian and end-user requirements should make the management and delivery of this effective and efficient,” says OCLC PICA’s strategy and marketing director, Robin Murray. The European library cooperative’s latest whitepaper, Synthesise, Specialise, Mobilise, challenges the view of the integrated library system’s core business and service model which for many could still be described as ‘Acquire – Catalog – Circulate’. Murray states that the business and service model for libraries needs to evolve to encompass synthesising, specialising and mobilising web-based services.
He adds, “To maximise the value of our library services, the industry needs to be far more externally focused than it has traditionally been. The services we are synthesising will increasingly be coming from ‘foreign’ parties and our services will need to be mobilised into domains outside of the traditional library sphere such as Microsoft Office tools, e-learning systems and profession-specific software applications. The industry needs to foster links with these adjacent domains at all levels if we are to realise the value inherent in our services.”
Murray emphasises that today’s libraries need to synthesise ‘atomic’ web services into one user-centred environment. The paper defines atomic web services as those traditionally used by the library such as content and metadata, as well as more diverse and generic web services such as authentication, taxonomies and spell-checkers. He adds, “To allow users easier access to this ever-changing sea of web services, library systems need to be more open and externally focused by offering a ‘plug-and-play’ environment to allow libraries to create holistic patron-focused services.”
The key value proposition of the local or specialist library derives from its physical presence, integration of local or specialist services and the detailed knowledge of the user population it serves. In a flattened world where information services can be delivered from anywhere on the computer network, libraries must maintain their usefulness and relevance by leveraging these unique strengths to provide a specialised service for their patrons. Unique strengths include the ability to tailor the service to specific user groups and to integrate local systems and services from the library or community (whether specialist medical users, or ethic groups local to a public library).
Throughout this evolution:
- Libraries have to be alert and responsive to changes and be ready to take advantage of the economies and service enhancements generated.
- Network service providers have to be continually looking for opportunities to provide new ‘synthesisable services’.
- Library systems have to be sufficiently flexible to support the changing nature of service provision.
The concept of mobilisation – where the library finds the user at their point of need - is a key factor in driving up library use and value. Murray adds, “Potential library users can now be on the web; using their suite of Microsoft Office applications; students using their e-Learning environments; doctors using their clinical management systems; researchers with their electronic lab books – and the library needs to see these applications as potential points of entry for the library. The ability to tightly integrate rich, user-centred library services into workplace applications promises to unlock the latent value in information services and to ensure that libraries are valued for many years to come.”
To receive a copy of the whitepaper, contact: info@oclcpica.org
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Notes to editors:
About OCLC PICA
As the European library cooperative, OCLC PICA offers a broad range of leading edge, high-tech solutions for professionals and end users of academic and public libraries, information centres from the government and health sector, museums, archives and other cultural institutions. Thousands of patrons daily rely on OCLC PICA systems and services for efficient cataloguing, library management, retrieval, resource sharing, portals and preservation. OCLC PICA participates in a large number of important standardisation platforms to make sure its users’ interests are best represented. OCLC PICA staff consists of IT professionals, formally trained librarians and other specialists.
OCLC PICA B.V. has two share holders: OCLC Inc. and Stichting Pica. OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. (est. 1967) is a not-for-profit organisation and offers its services to 54,000 libraries worldwide. Stichting Pica (est. 1969) is a foundation that promotes and encourages the scientific and public information service in the Netherlands. From its head office in Leiden and regional offices in Oberhaching, Sheffield, Birmingham, Paris and Footscray, and the FDI USA office in Kansas City, OCLC PICA provides solutions developed in Leiden, Oberhaching and Sheffield. It also represents the OCLC services in Europe, Turkey, Israel and Southern Africa. More information about OCLC PICA can be found at www.oclcpica.org.
For further information, contact:
Emily Haynes
Marketing Executive
OCLC PICA
Tel: +44 (0)114 281 6040
e.haynes@oclcpica.org