Dismantling Integrated Library Systems
Mar 7th, 2005 by Karen
Dismantling Integrated Library Systems
Andrew Pace has a fabulous article over at Library Journal discussing integrated library systems and their limitations and the need to dismantle them. This is something that I have been dealing with for the better part of four years. As it is my job to coordinate the library’s electronic presence, the integrated library system and it’s lack of integration with other library systems has been a great trial.
One of the biggest problems is that users really don’t have one place to go to search or to view all of their library information. This creates confusion and frustration. Because of this I’ve been working to try to bridge the gap between disparate systems. It hasn’t been easy. However, I think that progress is being made. Both at my library and by vendors. One important step forward in my mind is the integration of XML servers into integrated library systems. Granted this took place because vendors were discovering just how difficult it was to make these different systems play nice themselves. They wanted to make their products talk to one another and in some instances developed the XML servers to do this. Regardless, of why this came into being. XML servers are turning into (for SUNY Cortland) a beacon in the dark.
Yet as Pace points out though XML is just one piece of the puzzle. He sees that “XML, web services, OpenURL, OAI-PMH, and the rapid development and approval of new standards are the true hope for the ILS”. I wholeheartedly agree with this assertion. These technologies are changing the face of library systems today. The possibilities are very exciting. However, by the same token, libraries that lack staff with this expertise will face serious problems in the near future. As one colleague of mine recently asserted, “library systems isn’t the ILS anymore”.
