Print Disability Collection update

For over 20 years, Public Library Services has provided a Print Disability (PD) central collection for customers that are print disabled, funded through a levy applied to the libraries’ materials grants.

In March 2010, a Digital Content Working Party was established. It recommended that we maintain the physical PD collection in the short term but reduce funding to the physical collection as we look to a digital solution.  To this end the committee recommended that a Digital Content levy of 3%  be introduced to provide a statewide digital content solution, as a phased approach to transition PD customers into the digital world.

Much of the Print Disability collection material purchased for the PD central collection has migrated as part of individual LMS library collections. It is now available to be borrowed by customers from both LMS and non LMS libraries (via ILL) around the state. Centralised PD stock that has migrated to the LMS remains with LMS libraries and is shared either through customer holds placed on Enterprise or sent to requesting libraries via Global Item Maintenance.

It was acknowledged that the central purchase of CD and MP3 materials was still necessary and was supported with the 2013-14 PD levy ($55,800).  However this is the final year of the PD central collection levy.

The LMS project continues to facilitate increased sharing of the very large physical audiobook stock which is now held across South Australian libraries, and will reduce the need for centralised purchase, whilst the uptake of digital content continues to grow.Libraries still using the central PD collection have been contacted by PLS to ascertain their PD requirements and new material will be distributed to libraries that have requested new items.

At the PLSA Executive meeting in July 2013, the Executive endorsed a transition plan for the Print Disability Collection, which will cease to operate as from 1 July 2014.

A copy of the Digital Content Working Party findings is available on the intranet here.

Please contact Teresa Brook Manager, Public Library Programs if you have any questions.

Teresa Brook
Manager Public Library Programs
Public Library Services

Morgan Library launches

Last week 25th October was the day that Morgan Library (part of the Mid Murray Library Service) joined the One Card network.

You can see the new Enterprise page here. The official launch event was held on the weekend on Saturday the 26th.

Morgan Library Manager Lisa Walker has kindly provided the following words and photos below.

Morgan Library had their go live launch to celebrate becoming a full library and joining the “One Card” library network on Saturday 26th October 2013.

Thankfully my fear of poor attendance for the day was unnecessary and we had a wonderful turnout. By 9.30am we had a full library and we ushered everyone back outside to start proceedings.

Mayor Dave Burgess gave a brief history of the library and the Mid Murray Council CEO Russell Peate thanked the people who helped make the library what it is today.

At 10am the Mayor cut the ribbon declaring the library open, then led the crowd into the library.  The original Morgan Librarian (1986 – 1999) Joan Hobbs and I cut the cake, surrounded by current and previous staff members. Waikerie Library Manager Michael Cox also came to help us to celebrate.

Skye and Crystal were full speed ahead on the circulation desk; updating borrower records, assisting with check outs and issuing new library cards whilst Wendy and I demonstrated how to access the online catalogue on our new public access touch pads.

We had a very successful day, including kids activities, OPAL, Fun4Youth van, light refreshments and a great excuse for borrowers to socialise, browse and find out some of the great things available through their local library.

It is a great system and support team - even the 105 holds that were waiting to be processed in the “on shelf items” wizard did not daunt us!


Congratulations again Morgan and welcome aboard!


Jo Freeman
A/Associate Director
Public Library Services



The local community gather around the library

 

Morgan Library Manager Lisa Walker
welcomes customers to the launch

Morgan Library customers keen
 to find out about the new service

 

The new online catalogue on public access touch pads



The Morgan Library team

The original Morgan Librarian (1986 – 1999) Joan Hobbs and Lisa Walker
cut the cake together, surrounded by current and previous staff members

Delicious One Card cake reproducing Morgan's library card design

Loxton Waikerie Go Live!

After months of planning, training and preparation, Loxton Waikerie Libraries joined the One Card project yesterday. 

See their fantastic new Enterprise page here.

Loxton Library Manager Karen Rubarth gave us a neat summary of the Loxton launch:  

The Loxton Public Library had their GO LIVE launch of the One Card system on October 24 and eased into the day with a very full library by 11am.

A morning tea and cake was held in the morning followed by a sausage sizzle for lunch. The enthusiasm of our patrons was enjoyed by staff as their excitement buoyed us through the long day to our 8pm closing.

The transition ran very smoothly thanks to Leeanne and the fantastic PLS team.

Here's some great photos from the Loxton launch:

Library staff members Karen Flavel, Karen Rubarth & Kylie Smith

 

Delicious looking One Card cake...bet this didn't last long!

 

 

Loxton volunteers cooking the sausage sizzle

 

Waikerie Library Manager Michael Cox provided some words on the Waikerie launch:

The Waikerie Library launch was very successful with over 70 people attending. Library manager Michael Cox did the honours by cutting the cake in the form of a book and spoke about the benefits that the new One LMS system would give borrowers in Waikerie, acknowledging the hard work that had been done by the staff both at Waikerie (Dianne Taylor and Katrina Webber) and Loxton (in particular Karen Rubarth) to get us ready for the adoption of the One LMS.

Then it was all hands on deck for the distribution of our new library cards reflecting  an iconic shot of Waikerie. Staff were kept busy all day and patrons were given an information pack containing material on the new system it’s benefits and how it works. It was a great opportunity to also promote our other regular services such as ebooks, databases and children’s services.

Once patrons had received their cards, there was a demonstration of our new Loxton Waikerie service catalogue and we gave borrowers a chance to learn how to use this resource.

It was great to see so many people from the community supporting us on what has been  a very important milestone.

 

Waikerie's One Card cake - in the form of a book!

 

Waikerie Library Manager Michael Cox making his speech

 

Waikerie customers looking forward to trying out the new system!

 

 

Waikerie library staff: Dianne Taylor and Katrina Webber

Cake cutting time!

 

COSA User Conference 2013 & SirsiDynix’s Adelaide Visit

COSA (Customers of SirsiDynix Australasia) is an independent user group for sites using one of SirsiDynix's integrated library systems (Symphony, Unicorn, Horizon and Dynix Classic). The group holds an annual conference, organised in conjunction with SirsiDynix, to allow the user community to exchange knowledge and ideas as well as facilitate networking and training opportunities.

The COSA User Conference was held in Melbourne, 8 – 11 October 2013 and attended by various staff from the Network including Jo Freeman, Lyal Mutton and James Kemperman (all PLS); Kathy Haese (Onkaparinga); Craig Basford and Jo Cooper (both Charles Sturt); Rob Lee and Aaron Bridge (both Marion); and Brendan Murphy (Mitcham). Here’s a summary of the conference highlights:

• PLS met with the SirsiDynix SaaS (“Software as a Service”) team and toured the Melbourne data centre with the head of SirsiDynix global support Scott Wheelhouse. We received a better understanding of the logical setup of the SA Consortium’s environments across the physical hardware and where possible limitations may be. SirsiDynix and PLS are continuing to work together in this area to ensure it continues to meet our business requirements
• The new BLUECloud Analytics product will be out in early 2014 and it sounds and looks very good. It is based on the Web Reporter technology, as opposed to the Directors Station technology, and will use live data which won’t affect the performance of the LMS, as it will be using MS Cubes and will just synchronise the small delta changes after the one off initial synchronisation has been done. It will provide micro detail, versatility, SQL query, and highly customisable and deliverable reporting, and will be able to pull in data from any source to report on it
• BLUECloud Analytics will incorporate usage data from all SirsiDynix products too, e.g. Facebook Social library app, BookMyne, Enterprise, etc. will all be able to be reported on. We spent some one on one time with Nathan Guinn, the head of SirsiDynix Analytics, to understand the ins and outs of this product and how it can help our business requirements and current challenges. This product will be rolled out in tiers, tier 1 replacing Directors Station functionality, tier 2 replacing Web Reporter functionality and tier 3 incorporating the new data elements
• The new platform for the SirsiDynix BLUECloud products looks very promising. It is all built on Web Services and Service Oriented Architecture and delivered via the global Amazon Web Services highly scalable and redundant infrastructure; and for our data this will be housed in the APAC (Asia Pacific) region
• eResource Central looks like it will add minimal value to our existing setup in its first release, however from v1.2/1.3 more vendor ‘My Account’ information will be incorporated, making the user experience much more seamless. Currently the customer is still bounced out to the 3rd party vendor system to do the transaction. But in time this product looks like it will be great. The NZ consortium Kotui is trialling this at present and we are in touch with them to see how this progresses and so how it might work with our consortium
• Universal Admin looks like it will be a great help at the PLS consortium admin level so cannot wait for this one. Currently many details are required to be recreated from the LMS into all other products. Universal admin, in time, should alleviate a lot of this and so save some admin time
• Enterprise/Portfolio has its v5 release scheduled for early 2014 and the SA Consortium will be moving to this one next. This will fix some of the lingering hit list sort issues which still remain from v4.3. This release will coincide with the Symphony SP4 release
• Meeting with the Swift and Kotui consortia at the conference and discussing specific challenges for large consortia was very valuable. We have a good working relationship with these consortia and this benefits us all.  Kathy Haese found discussions with Kotui and Swift particularly interesting as they don’t share the customer database, and Kotui doesn’t even share item types which from a systems perspective brings huge challenges to maintaining the system. It really cemented to her that the SA Consortium’s approach in configuring default rules was innovative and will serve us well in the long term
• The one on one time with each of the product heads over from SirsiDynix Utah was very valuable and helped to further strengthen our working relationships with them which in turn helps us to achieve some of our business requirements
• We also saw the demo from SirsiDynix of their new Cash receipt module in WorkFlows Symphony SP4, which will track and manage taking cash over the counter at libraries. This will also update the users’ Symphony account with any bill payment they make over the counter

SirsiDynix’s Adelaide Visit

SirsiDynix staff who attend the COSA Conference always take the opportunity to meet some of their Australian customers in their libraries in the days following the conference.
Ranny Lacanienta Director of Product Strategy for SirsiDynix visited Adelaide. He was able to spend some time with PLS and also attended an LMS Systems Group meeting, at which he presented Sirsi’s forthcoming product, Mobile Circ.  His presentation was very well received.
Ranny also visited Onkaparinga Libraries and participated in a helpful discussion around the database and the non-matching of duplicate records such as DVDs and the associated costs from a library perspective such as printing of transit slips as well as the cost of transporting items.
These visits provided a great opportunity for Network staff to hear more information about Sirsi’s product plans and an opportunity for Ranny to hear feedback from ‘at the coalface’ customers to factor into Sirsi’s future product planning.

And given the hospitality that Sirsi Dynix have shown to Kathy H on her visits the least she could do was host Ranny to a round of golf while he was here.

  

James Kemperman
ICT Systems Administrator
Public Library Services

Kathy Haese
LMS System Administrator
Public Library Services



Ranny hitting the Flagstaff Hill Golf Course following a busy day of customer visits

Ranny at the beach for dinner with Geoff and Kathy. Living in Utah, Ranny doesn't get to the beach often!

LMS Stage 2 rolls along (P2 replacement project)

Geoff wrote a couple of posts about this project late last year - see 15 November and 19 December.  While much of the PLS attention and energy over the past couple of years has been focussed on the roll out of the state-wide LMS, as we move into the final year of implementation the momentum is starting to pick up for our stage 2 project.

A quick recap to save you from re-reading last year’s posts.

 

• LMS Stage 2 project is to replace the software we currently use to select and purchase library materials (P2)
• P2 is ageing, inflexible and costly to operate so there is real incentive to move forward to an ‘off the shelf’ commercial solution
• A workshop was held in October 2012 with network selectors and acquisitions staff to discuss issues relating to selection and procurement of library materials
• When procuring a state-wide LMS it was decided that we would try to maximise the functionality of the LMS Acquisitions module to achieve greater integration between our systems
• We need to preserve the fundamental process we currently undertake using P2 which involves decentralised selection and receipt of items with centralised ordering and payment
• Replacing our procurement system provides an opportunity to explore new approaches that will improve options for selection, increase efficiency and deliver better collection management outcomes
• The Symphony Acquisitions module has some of what we need but further development work is required to meet our consortium requirements
• A collaborative software development project is being pursued with SirsiDynix to develop a commercial product that will be available for all SirsiDynix customers

 

 

With an overall vision and timeframe in mind, PLS has spent much of 2013 talking to SirsiDynix about options for partnering and also working our way through the various government procurement processes and approvals that are required to start a software development project of this kind.  While time consuming, this early work is critical to ensuring that the partnership works for both parties and will deliver the required outcomes.

In August the PLS project team began working with SirsiDynix to scope functionality requirements via online document sharing and early morning phone meetings.  The time difference between Salt Lake City and Adelaide is about 15 hours so flexible work hours are a must for this project. Scoping functionality requirements has to be done as a collaborative effort as it needs to take into account the consortium needs of the SA public libraries but also the requirements of other SirsiDynix customers.  While our academic and specialist library colleagues share many of our procurement needs, they also do some things quite differently so the solution needs to be flexible and highly configurable.

At the request of SirsiDynix, in late September PLS sent two of our team (Kathy Haese and myself) to SirsiDynix headquarters in Utah to spend an intensive week exploring and documenting product concepts, key deliverables and system functionality requirements. 

The benefits of all being in the room together for 5 straight days can’t be underestimated.  We got a lot done – talking over the top of each other, drawing extensively on the whiteboard, explaining exactly how we need things to work etc.  The project advanced significantly in that time, which was really exciting.  And before you know it, just as our body clocks adjusted to Utah time & after 5 days in the office with a very brief look around Salt Lake City & surrounds we were boarding a plane for a 26 hour haul back to Adelaide.

Doing this kind of work collaboratively can be challenging as we all had our own ideas of how the system might work but it was essential to make sure our needs were fully understood and aligned with the SirsiDynix development framework. We now have a shared vision and terminology which will be important as we move forward.  Spending this time in the early planning and scoping stage of the project also ensures that we don’t waste time and energy in a product only to realise major deficiencies along the track.

The next step for this project is to finish the scoping documentation so that a partnership agreement can be finalised between the Libraries Board and SirsiDynix.  Once an agreement is in place, PLS will continue to work with the SirsiDynix team during the development process to ensure the network’s functionality requirements are met.  The PLS project team will also be engaging with subject matter experts across our network, as well as our library suppliers.

We have been talking about the decommissioning of P2 for a long time now, and it still feels like it’s a long way off, but it’s slowly becoming a reality.  Watch this space.

Some photos of the trip to Utah below.


Jo Freeman
A/Associate Director
Public Library Services

 

SirsiDynix headquarters in Lehi - about 46 kilometres south of Salt Lake City

SirsiDynix headquarters – one of many new buildings

 

 

Taken from the car park at the Thanksgiving Point train station with the SirsiDynix building on the left



The SirsiDynix APAC support team with Kathy Haese – note the Australian flags.  We delivered TimTams!

 

The FrontRunner commuter train provides efficient public transport from Salt Lake City to Lehi, travelling at 127km per hour

 



View from the train

 

 

And on our last day, with a dramatic change in the weather, a little bit of snow

 

Berri Barmera goes live

Today Berri Barmera Library Service joined the One Card network.

You can view their brand new Enterprise page here.

Library Manager Peter Ison and Librarian Merridy Rady prepared some words about their special launch:

Berri Barmera Library Services have hit the ‘GO LIVE’ button today!

Staff have moved into the Symphony swing of things and are celebrating the change over after a long preparation.

With the Berri Library & Information Centre being a three way joint use facility, it has been a rather complex project however we are confident of the enormous benefits it will provide to our customers.

Staff at all sites have worked enthusiastically to meet our deadlines and are all looking forward to celebrating with our community as we introduce them to the One Card system. An official launch is planned for Friday 25th October.

If we get more photos of the launch event on the 25th, we'll post them here...so keep your eye on this post.

Congratulations to everyone at Berri Barmera for their hard work and welcome aboard the One Card network!

L Platers all having fun!

 

The Berri Barmera team proudly announce their new service to the community

 

New City of Adelaide Library

Yesterday I caught up with Anne Rundle - City of Adelaide Library manager - and she showed me a bunch of photos of the developing fit out of the new City Library in Rundle Mall.  Things are looking great & I can't wait to see the finished product.  The library is due to open in February.

But it is not just the library's physical space which will be great to see, but also the council's plans for the library to leverage a whole range of partnerships to create a truly vibrant city centre library.  I won't say too much about these plans as they're still a work in progress, but I would say, "watch this space" in terms of the ambitious and interesting approach that the library will take.  As part of her plans Anne is interested in a mutually beneficial relationship with the State Library & so in my current acting role I will looking at opportunities for this to occur.

If you want to know a bit more about the library & see a few photos etc you may want to visit the City of Adelaide site here. There are 3 newsletters up on the site (with a 4th soon to appear) along with a message from the Lord Mayor and other information about the library and its focus.

The latest email gives us a taste of what is in store with references to their community partnerships as well as spaces and services such as:

A digital Hub and Innovation Lab

Quiet zones

A Media Lab & public computers

2 Studios

Meeting rooms 

An event space

An outdoor reading room

A history hub

A gallery space

I'd urge you to visit the council's site & keep an eye on the site for further information.  I am sure that many of us will be trekking into the Mall come February to see the real thing.  As we get closer to the event I will ask Anne to do a guest blog post explaining the philosophy which led to the way the library works. However she may want to save that for a presentation to us at some stage.

One of the outcomes of this development is that the City of Adelaide will be closing its library branch inside the State Library on North Terrace.  This provides a wonderful opportunity for the State Library to develop a new space on its ground floor.  I have been deeply involved in the development of this space & am excited about what it will mean for the Library.  I will post about this at a later stage when we're a bit closer to opening up this space.

Campbelltown Library is a Winner!!

Congratulations to Campbelltown Library for being awarded first prize in the National Geographic display competition.  Thanks to the work of Helen Greer, a very clever staff member, Campbelltown has won an annual subscription for the National Geographic Virtual Library.

 

The competition was held in celebration of National Geographic's 125th anniversary and invited entrants to create a display using a variety of materials including old copies of National Geographic magazines.  The Campbelltown entry (below on the left) is a collage of the first edition of the magazine and is quite remarkable.

 

 
The photo below shows the incredible amount of detail in Helen's work.

The competition was open to libraries across Australia and New Zealand so achieving first prize is an incredible result.

Congratulations to Campbelltown and the extremely talented Helen Greer.

 

Great YouTube videos about 2 of our local libraries

The Local Government Association (SA) has been making a series of really interesting short videos about a range of aspects of the work of councils.  These videos are up on You Tube & also available for councils to embed into their own websites etc.

Amongst the 40 videos made to date there are two which do a great job of showcasing libraries.  One video, just released on 3 October shows the work of the Northern Areas council mobile library – which also visits communities outside their council boundaries.  This video also makes a passing reference to “getting books in from anywhere across the state” by one customer.

The other video released in June showcases Unley’s Active Aging program, with a particular focus on the library’s role in providing tutoring for seniors in how to use computers and iPads.  There is also a great statement about how important libraries are in the community.

Libraries may want to think of other interesting aspects of their services & perhaps suggest to the LGA that you have a possible storyline for another video.