Open Library Environment: Working toward a next generation library automation framework OLE Project Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technology.

Open Library Environment: Working toward a next generation library automation framework OLE Project Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technology and Research Vanderbilt University Library Nashville, TN USA

Key Objectives Next generation library automation Provide technology support suited for current library workflows Community based Owned and governed by the institutions it serves Services oriented Flexible technology approach Business Process Modeling Rethink library workflows outside of patterns set by legacy software

Why OLE? Our current library business technologies cost too much and deliver too little. We need to rethink our services and workflows, and to use technology that enable innovation rather than locking us into the status quo.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation RIT Program in Research in Research Technology Kuali, Sakai, OpenCollections, Fluid Supports many projects that provide technology infrastructure for higher education Supporting OLE Project by funding $475,700 grant proposal http://rit.mellon.org Program officer: Chris Mackie

Duke University Lead institution for OLE Project planning phase Lynne OBrien serves as principal investigator Project support provided through Duke

Other participating institutions University of Kansas Lehigh University University of Pennsylvania National Library of Australia Library and Archives Canada Vanderbilt University Orbis Cascade Alliance Rutgers University University of Florida University of Chicago Columbia University University of Maryland

OLE Team @ Duke

OLE Team @ University of Kansas

OLE Project: Phase I Planning and Design Phase Develop Vision + Blueprint Work with consultants with expertise in SOA and BPM Instill community ownership of OLE Recruit partners for Phase II

OLE Project: Phase II Build project to begin in 2009 ~ 5.2 million project split between build partners and Mellon Community source reference implementation Create software based on OLE blueprint from current project Build partners will have a high level of investment in OLE and will commit to implementation Recruitment of build partners underway. Will develop proposal to Mellon.

External consultants SOA Systems, Inc. Founded by Thomas Erl http://www.soasystems.com/ Web Age Solutions http://www.webagesolutions.com/ Kyle Gabhart

OLE Phase I Project Activities Kick-off Meeting at Duke Nov 6-7 2008 Project scope, SOA training Regular online meetings Meeting at Rutgers University Training in business process modeling More SOA Regional workshops Business Process Modeling for library workflows Jan meeting at Lehigh Jan 20 - 22 March meeting at University of Kansas March 16 20 Meeting at Duke May 28 - 29 Final report submitted July 26

Regional Workshops Conduct business process modeling (BPM) exercises Define library workflows which must be supported in OLE Small group work to develop descriptions of library workflows Workshop output will shape project design

OLE Principles Flexibility Community Ownership Service Oriented Architecture Enterprise level integration Efficiency Sustainability

Preparing for next generation library automation Reassess workflows Separate streams for print and digital? Integrated processing of print and digital? Opportunities to take advantage of SOA-based composite business applications Assemble a more ideal set of tools for managing serials and periodicals

Project Assumptions OLE will provide services that will help academic and research institutions accomplish their core missions by improving the librarys ability to deliver its content and services throughout the institutions activities. OLE provides a transformative opportunity to the institution through its support for a more collaborative approach to research, teaching, and learning. OLE will enable libraries to be more of a component within the enterprise infrastructure, raising the relevance of libraries to the organizations mission. Libraries are core to the research institution. Adopting a model of community-source software development and a technology infrastructure based on service orientation is, in itself, a strategic innovation for libraries and universities.

Project Assumptions (continued) Business workflows at peer libraries are more similar than they are different Libraries need to be able to leverage a dynamic information environment to support the research and educational mission of their institution Digital formats will dominate our business processes Collaborative and consortial activity is increasingly as important to libraries as work in local institutions. Library business processes will increasingly involve interactions with external service providers and consumers

Understanding library workflows Libraries have changed from managing primarily print to primarily digital collections Workflows largely defined by legacy software systems Need to review library workflows through business process modeling to understand how work would be accomplished within a format-neutral framework

Business Process Modeling

Why OLE now? Current ILS products are inadequate Growing need for library systems to interact with other enterprise systems Vendor consolidation constrains choice Libraries need to control their own destinies

Community source software Open source license Initial development within a closed community All the advantages and risks of open source software Costs and risks moderated through a defined group of invested institutions

Proprietary Software Closed source program code considered trade secret and managed with a company or organization Use of software controlled through licenses sold for up-front and ongoing payments Software usually tied to a single vendor. Business transitions often lead to the demise of library automation products

Community Source and OLE Have sustainability over the course of project development Invest in the community of practice for long-term support and development Fosters innovation and shared knowledge Coordinates institutional goals rather than individual goals of the community of practice Mitigates risk among peer institutions rather than a single entity or vendor

Open source software requires Governance Mellon will fund the creation of an community source reference implementation of the OLE design Governance involves: Ownership of intellectual property Project strategy Administrative support Legal support

Governance strategy Governance will be Library Driven Vendors will be involved in contract programming, support, hosting, etc Existing organization for non-profit status, legal support, user community The OLE Project will join the Kuali Foundation Take advantage of existing SOA components created for other Kuali components

Governance OLE Project Governance through Kuali Foundation Kuali Library

Kuali Foundation Kuali Financial Business management system Kuali Student Student management system Kuali Coeus Research administration system Kuali Rice Middleware for SOA service bus integration

OLE Project Technology Strategy

ILS: a legacy concept? ILS = Integrated Library System (Cataloging + Circulation + OPAC + Serials + Acquisitions) Focused on print and physical inventory Electronic content at the Journal Title or collection level Emerged in the 1960s 1970s Functionality has evolved and expanded, but basic concepts and modules remain intact Note: Some companies work toward evolving the ILS to competently handle both print and digital content (e.g. Innovative Interfaces)

ILS: ever diminishing role Many libraries putting much less emphasis on ILS Just an inventory system for physical materials Investments in electronic content increasing Management of e-content handled outside of the ILS Yet: libraries need comprehensive business automation more than ever. Mandate for more efficient operations. Do more with less.

Dis-integration of Library Automation Functionality ILS -- Print and Physical inventory OpenURL Link resolver Federated Search Electronic Resource Management Module Discovery layer interface

Is non-integrated automation sustainable? Major burden on library personnel Serial procurement / installation / configuration / maintenance cycles take many years to result in a comprehensive environment Inefficient data models Disjointed interfaces for library users Very long cycle to gain comprehensive automation

Breaking down the modules Traditional ILS Cataloging Circulation Online Catalog Acquisitions Serials control Reporting Modern approach: SOA

OLE Scope More than an ILS; less than an ILS New automation framework, managing resources agnostic to format Support needed traditional functionality Do not replicate other institutional components Financial and business systems Authentication Integrate with existing institutional systems Integrate with existing discovery systems OLE will not build its own discovery interface but will make use of existing products such as eXtensible Catalog, VuFind, etc.

Enterprise Level Interactions Library business systems need to be better integrated and interoperable with campus business and learning systems. Libraries must interact with and leverage other key campus systems, including financial, HR, student information, identity management, course management, and content repository systems

SOA = Service Oriented Architecture Design approach Independent software pieces Pieces can be interchanged or repurposed more easily Pieces can be combined to create new services or systems Business experts and IT experts work together SOA Process Create high-level map of how the business should work Deconstruct workflows Define reusable services Recombine services into a system that meets our requirements What Is SOA

Service Oriented Architecture http://www.sun.com/products/soa/benefits.jsp

Legacy ILS + e-content modules Federated Search Circulation Acquisitions Cataloging Serials OpenURL Linking Electronic Resource Mgmt System Staff Interfaces: End User Interfaces: Data Stores: Functional modules:

SOA model for business automation Underlying data repositories Local or Global Reusable business services Composite business applications

OLE Reference Model

OLE Target Libraries Research Academic National Other library types may not have enterprise infrastructure in place Yet, the OLE design should be applicable to a wide range of library settings Those without institutional authentication, financial, and other enterprise components may develop lightweight plug- ins within OLE.

Status and Next Steps Final Report complete Scope, reference model, inventory of processes and workflows While initial conceptual framework has been drafted, details will be fleshed out by the build team. Recruit partners for Build Phase Write Build Proposal Early versions in 18 months

Questions and Discussion

Open Library Environment: Working toward a next generation library automation framework OLE Project Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technology.

Documents

university of kansas

duke slide

project design slide

build project

project scope

project split

rutgers university training

legacy software slide