Library solutions provider Ex Libris Group, Israel, has announced the formation of an advisory group to provide input on the requirements of small libraries in the development of the Unified Resource Management (URM) framework. The advisory group will play a significant role in the Ex Libris initiative to redesign library services and build the future management system for administrative library operations-selection, acquisition, cataloging, management, and fulfillment-for the full spectrum of library materials, regardless of format or location.
The Small Library Advisory Group is part of an extensive programme of collaboration that Ex Libris is pursuing during the development of URM. In addition to this new advisory board, the company has been engaged in extensive design collaboration with four URM development partners - Purdue University Library, Boston College, Princeton University Library, and the Catholic University of Leuven. Teams from the partner institutions have already held numerous solution and design review meetings, which took place in the US and Belgium.
In parallel, Ex Libris is reviewing URM requirements and workflows with a series of focus groups and regional discussion groups consisting of over 80 customers representing institutions worldwide. The focus groups have explored metadata management, consortium support, selection and acquisition, and fulfillment/patron management. Ex Libris is currently preparing additional forums for collaborating with the libraries of other customer institutions.
The Small Library Advisory Group will focus on the needs of smaller libraries worldwide. While these libraries often require functionality comparable to libraries serving research institutions, libraries of major universities, and national libraries, the smaller staff size and fewer technical resources often necessitate simplified workflows and solutions. And since URM will be available as a cloud service, in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) deployment, smaller institutions with limited IT resources stand to benefit.
Get customisable STM news alerts in your Mobile. Visit http://www.scopeknowledge.com/scoope.jar via your mobile browser to download the SCOOPE application
