Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The library card catalog has gone through many evolutions, with the current one being the web-based library services platform (LSP). This new system is cloud-based with an advanced set of features from searching to managing electronic/digital collections. The integration of print and e-collections has become a demand from patrons. Although the decision to migrate library data from a current integrated library system to a library services platform can be daunting, it may be necessary to remain relevant to your library patrons. The Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) processes are time-consuming yet necessary steps to help ensure a proper choice that will fit your metadata, patron needs, and budget. DALNET (Detroit Area Library Network) completed a system migration in under a calendar year. Because its consortium runs 16 separate library catalogs, as well as using the same integrated library system (ILS) for 20 years, this process was all-encompassing. The presentation includes timeline structure and includes everything from the RFI stage to adjustments after the go-live date, including lessons learned, tasks that went well and some that could have been improved, the importance of communication, and, most pivotal, helping their membership manage change.