Abstract

Multiple systems, disconnected workflows, and siloed information have plagued libraries for years. Librarians are tired of wrestling with inefficiencies and are seeking ways to unify their environment. Fortunately, they have discovered an effective tool to combat inefficiencies. Next generation library management systems are a new technology that brings many benefits. With these cloud-based systems a network of remote servers are hosted on the Internet that store, manage and process data rather than on a local server. They can transform the way services are delivered bringing streamlined workflows and enabling increased visibility and accessibility of all resources to the user community. In 2011, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries decided to look at cloud-based library management systems to replace the legacy system they had for ten years. They were looking for ways to simplify workflows, unify job functions, and improve staff success. After researching a number of systems and finding an attractive prospect, the VCU Libraries was invited to become an Alma “Early Adopter” and successfully implemented Ex Libris’s Alma. As an adopter of the cloud for four years, they are examining their decision. This paper will summarize the Libraries’s journey from “Go Live” in 2012 up until the four year anniversary on October 24, 2016 and share successes, challenges, and downright failures. Readers will learn if the cloud really brought simplified workflows, a connected environment, and staff success.

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Head in the Clouds: Will a Next-Generation Library Management System Bring Clear Vision?

Multiple systems, disconnected workflows, and siloed information have plagued libraries for years. Librarians are tired of wrestling with inefficiencies and are seeking ways to unify their environment. Fortunately, they have discovered an effective tool to combat inefficiencies. Next generation library management systems are a new technology that brings many benefits. With these cloud-based systems a network of remote servers are hosted on the Internet that store, manage and process data rather than on a local server. They can transform the way services are delivered bringing streamlined workflows and enabling increased visibility and accessibility of all resources to the user community. In 2011, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries decided to look at cloud-based library management systems to replace the legacy system they had for ten years. They were looking for ways to simplify workflows, unify job functions, and improve staff success. After researching a number of systems and finding an attractive prospect, the VCU Libraries was invited to become an Alma “Early Adopter” and successfully implemented Ex Libris’s Alma. As an adopter of the cloud for four years, they are examining their decision. This paper will summarize the Libraries’s journey from “Go Live” in 2012 up until the four year anniversary on October 24, 2016 and share successes, challenges, and downright failures. Readers will learn if the cloud really brought simplified workflows, a connected environment, and staff success.