Thinking the Unthinkable: A Library Without a Public Catalog
Abstract
Two years ago Utrecht University Library (UUL) in the Netherlands decided to focus on delivery instead of discovery. Based on international studies, users statistics, and surveys, UUL concluded that library discovery tools have become less relevant because users find their research and teaching material increasingly outside the framework of the library. This conclusion had major implications for both UUL and its users. In 2012 UUL decided to shut down the discovery system Omega, custom‐made for finding electronic material owned by its library, and—more important—not to implement another library discovery service. After nine months of preparation, on September 1, 2013, Omega closed. Recently UUL decided to close its own public library catalog too. Instead, the library advises users to find their material via alternative general or subject specific discovery tools.
This paper hopes to encourage libraries to rethink and evaluate their efforts on discovery and delivery. The principle idea while doing this should be that it does not matter where users find their material. What matters is that they can use the relevant material they find.
Thinking the Unthinkable: A Library Without a Public Catalog
Two years ago Utrecht University Library (UUL) in the Netherlands decided to focus on delivery instead of discovery. Based on international studies, users statistics, and surveys, UUL concluded that library discovery tools have become less relevant because users find their research and teaching material increasingly outside the framework of the library. This conclusion had major implications for both UUL and its users. In 2012 UUL decided to shut down the discovery system Omega, custom‐made for finding electronic material owned by its library, and—more important—not to implement another library discovery service. After nine months of preparation, on September 1, 2013, Omega closed. Recently UUL decided to close its own public library catalog too. Instead, the library advises users to find their material via alternative general or subject specific discovery tools.
This paper hopes to encourage libraries to rethink and evaluate their efforts on discovery and delivery. The principle idea while doing this should be that it does not matter where users find their material. What matters is that they can use the relevant material they find.