Earlier this year a group of staff from libraries met to evaluate a number of "3rd party" products which will enhance the user experience in Enterprise. The group considered a number of options, and ended up recommending that the network purchase EZProxy and the ChiliFresh Reviews and Connections products. There was also a recommendation that we purchase Serials Solutions - subject to funding.
While the PLS Standing Committee endorsed the recommendations to purchase EZProxy and ChiliFresh they were also concerned about how to fund these products while also dealing with the $1M reduction in grants. On this basis the Committee worked to resolve the grant reductions issue and then turned its attention to these products.
The outcome of this process is that new quotes for the products have been obtained and a mechanism to fund the purchases of EZProxy and ChiliFresh has been approved by the Standing Committee.
PLS has purchased EZProxy, and will implement it for all libraries currently using the LMS, as well as including it in the implementation for the libraries that join the network from now on. This software will enable seamless, authenticated access to databases.
PLS is also working with ChiliFresh to get the software operating on the Enterprise Test system before it is rolled it out to the public "Production" system. We anticipate that we will be able to implement the ChiliFresh products before the end of the year.
I have received an email asking what "a mechanism to fund the purchases of EZProxy and ChiliFresh has been approved by the Standing Committee" means in reality. I wasn't going to bore people with the details - but as this is somthing that some people want to know about here it is.
ReplyDeleteEZProxy is a one-off purchase & PLS has funded this from within the LMS Project funds - esentially PLS budget funding.
ChiliFresh has been funded for 18 months from within project funds - until July 2014, when we expect to be winding up the LMS project. Once this period expires the PLS operating budget will be used to pay for the product. However, as the PLS budget has been cut by $200K p.a. exactly how this will occur will be the subject of further discussion when the budget for 2014/15 is being framed.