NEW LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PROJECT

Introduction SLS, the company that supplies the Central and Departmental library management system, LIBERTAS, was taken over by another company, Innovative Interfaces Inc in 1997. LIBERTAS has been in use in the College since 1989 but is now no longer being developed, its support is becoming limited and it is already out of date in terms of its facilities .The medical libraries at Charing Cross and Hammersmith campuses are using a different system, Unicorn. The same system is operational at Wye College, Kent. The Library is looking for a replacement system which will give its users up to date facilities and which will provide a single system, covering all libraries. The Library management system is crucial to the operation of the library and to the provision of services to users. It provides the Library catalogue; runs the library s s processes such as acquisitions, serials control, the issuing of items, and interlibrary loans; and provides management information. The new generation of systems facilitates the development of the electronic library through the use of a World Wide Web interface to the catalogue allowing online links to electronic documents and journals; and the system design is more open offering better integration with other information systems. It is intended to move to the new system in the summer of 1999. As the amount of money we need for a new system is over the limit specified by the European Union the Library has gone out to European Union tender, using the limited tender process.

Library Systems Market There are a limited number of integrated library automation systems that are suitable for a large multi-site academic library such as Imperial College. In the European market nine library systems were identified which were thought likely to meet the needs of the College . Short demonstrations of these were arranged. The nine systems are listed below with their Web site addresses: System Name Company Name Url

Endeavor Information Systems Inc. http://www.endinfosys.com/ Innopac Innovative Interfaces http://www.iii.com/ Unicorn Sirsi http://www.sirsi.com/ Aleph 500 Ex Libris http://www.aleph.co.il/ Geac Advance Geac http://www.library.geac.com/index.htm/ TALIS BLCMP http://www.blcmp.org.uk/

Dynix Horizon Libero Galaxy 2000

Ameritech Fenwood DS

http://www.als.ameritech.com/index.htm/ http://www.fenwood.co.uk/libero/ http://www.ds.co.uk/

The Library is looking for a system with good functionality, technical strength, and a good record of development, which has a number of academic customers and can cope with multiple sites and the demands of a large university. Compatibility with other College software systems is also important.The company supplying the system must have a stable financial background, a good reputation for customer support, and a commitment to the European market. It is likely that to survive in the market place today the company must have an international customer base.

Other Universities All the universities currently running LIBERTAS are seeking a new system. Former LIBERTAS sites that have already chosen a system are : University of London LSE Kings College University of West of England Leicester Cranfield St Andrews Westminster Innopac Unicorn Aleph 500 Unicorn Unicorn Unicorn Innopac Aleph 500

The SLS Strategy Group ,an association of chief librarians whose libraries ran LIBERTAS, did explore whether universities could act together in procuring new systems However their proposal was not accepted as universities wanted the freedom to thoroughly explore the market place for their own particular needs and considered that they could negotiate better deals separately. Costs The cost of replacement of the existing system includes not just the new software but also the conversion of existing data from LIBERTAS, Unicorn and some standalone databases; training, installation and project management ; a new server ; provision for disaster recovery ; the replacement of the current 103 terminals with PCs so that users and Library staff can access the World Wide Web based catalogue and use the Windows interfaces; and the completion of the Cat 5 wiring of the Library to facilitate the use of the Web and multi-media images.

Procurement Process The process of looking for a new system began last November. A Project Team composed of Library IT staff was formed to do the initial work . Its membership is : Janet Evans Mark Fisher Chris Awre Judith Stone IT Manager (Chair) Systems Librarian , LIBERTAS Systems Librarian , Charing Cross Campus Senior Asst. Librarian .Systems and Collection Management, Hammersmith Campus

A New Library System Steering Committee was established in April to oversee the specification, tender and selection of the replacement Library Systems. It consists of members of the Library staff with representatives from the Centre for Computing Services ,Administration, academic staff and the Science Museum Library. Its members are: Janet Evans Richard Halls Adrian Clark Pauline Dingley Rachel Farley Arthur Spirling Mark Fisher Chris Awre Judith Stone Professor Frank Leppington Lindsay Curtis IT Manager - Library Sub-Librarian Reader Services , Departmental Librarian, Maths Dept Head of the Science Museum Library Administrative Computing Controller (Project Manager Project 99) Deputy Director , Centre for Computing Services Systems Librarian, LIBERTAS Systems Librarian, Charing Cross Campus Senior Assistant Librarian, Systems and Collection Management. Hammersmith Campus Mathematics Department Deputy Librarian

The Project Group researched the market and arranged initial demonstrations of selected systems . A draft specification for the new system was draw up after consultation with Library specialists and members of the Steering Committee The Project Group deals with the day to day running of the project whilst the Steering Committee concentrates on the more strategic issues. A notice of tender was placed in the European Union Official Journal in June and a pre-qualification questionnaire issued to the 15 respondents. Seven questionnaires were returned in July and from this three companies were shortlisted and invited to

tender. The tenders were opened on the 22nd September, and the process of evaluation began. Visits are being arranged to institutions already using the selected systems Suppliers of the short listed systems will be giving detailed demonstrations of their systems and giving library staff an opportunity to test them in November. A day will be arranged for the companies to give presentations and demonstrate the user interfaces to College members. There will be also consultation with the various relevant College Committees and Groups. Shortlisted Systems The following systems have been shortlisted: 1. Company : Ex Libris 2. Company : Endeavor Information Systems 3. Company : SIRSI Ltd Product: Aleph 500 Product :Voyager Product : Unicorn

Outline Timetable Specification completed Advertisement in EU journal Pre-qualification Questionnaires issued Invitations to tender Tender documents returned Systems demonstrations Contract signed : Implementation starts New System goes live June 1998 June 1998 July 1998 August 1998 September 1998 November 1998 January 1999 April/May 1999 August 1999

Janet Evans 30/9/98