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Successful E-Resource Acquisitions: Looking beyond selecting, ordering, paying and receiving to discovery and access

Denise Branch

Head, Continuing Resources

Virginia Commonwealth University

Charleston Conference

November 6, 2014

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A Little VCU History

• One of Virginia’s largest research institutions

• Located in Richmond, VA• 2 campuses – Monroe Park & Medical

College of Virginia• 223 degrees and certificate programs

within 13 schools and one college• VCU Health System supports the

university’s health care education, research and patient care mission

• Enrolls over 31,000 students• Operates programs in Qatar and Northern

Virginia• Home of the VCU Rams basketball team

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Getting acquainted with VCU Libraries

• Holdings exceeding 2.5 million volumes• 61,000 serials• 600,000 e-books• 51 professionals and 90 support staff• Centralized processing of materials• Annual budget exceeds $17.5 million• Aleph - ILS 2003-2012• SFX - URL Link Resolver 2004-2012• Alma – library management system 2012 -• Primo - Discovery system 2011 -• Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) Consortium• New addition to library – expected to open in Fall 2015

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Construction of the new addition to the library has begun…

• Mid-May brought major visible changes to Cabell Library, a foretaste of the construction work ahead. The atrium, part of the original 1970s building, came down; construction fencing went up; new hardscapes were laid; and the retaining wall of the loading dock beside the building was removed.

Tradition…• Traditional technical services• Focus on acquisitions• MARC records, OCLC, OPACs• Staff skillful in print

acquisitions• Efficient workflows• Users encountered best

service

acquire organize deliver document

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Technical services at the pinnacle of change

• Moving from owners of content to access• Traditional role dissipating

• discovery• access

acquisitions

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Catalysts for change…

• Erosion of e-resources

• Budding technology

• Tech-savvy users

Technology

UsersE-resources

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Erosion of e-resources

• Large influx of e-resources

• Vast numbers of e-resources being acquired by libraries

• Complex resource

• Struggle to manage

• No new hires

• Staff inundated with unfamiliar tasks

• Linear workflows for print didn’t work

• Spent time determining how to acquire

• Prompted to develop new workflows

• Challenges still arise

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Time has passed…

• Over 10 years since influx of e-resources• Efficient workflows been developed• Standardization of acquisitions process• Staff comfortable with acquisitions

process• New technologies successfully

implemented• Staff have developed skills• Collaboration needed

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Today’s challenges…

• Different than a few years ago• Concern for acquisitions replaced with

awareness of discovery & access• Sophisticated technologies in use• Re-envisioning responsibilities and

workflows• Users seeking results• Can tech services facilitate discovery?• Opportunities

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Background of VCU Tech Services…

• Traditional – centralized

• Tech Services Division called Collections, Technical Services and Information Systems (CTSIS)

• 5 departments

• Acquisitions, Cataloging, Collection Management, Library Information Systems and Preservation

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Transformation…

• Evolving over the past 10 years

• Successfully using technology

• Reorganized

• Developed functional positions

• Discovery & access focal points

• Users expect simplicity

• Provide one-stop service

• Where does user start his search?

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Can libraries make it better?

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Library Technology…Aleph

• Aleph 2003-2012 (OPAC)• All resources managed here• Discovery interface• Orders added• URLs maintained• Multiple records• Holdings also maintained in OCLC & Docline• No integration between systems• Disconnects in processes• Lacking efficiencies

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Library technology…SFX

• SFX 2004-2012 (Open URL link resolver)

• Lots of activating going on

• Connecting users to full-text

• No integration between Aleph & SFX

• Access could be activated without order in Aleph

• Workflows improved

• Access improved

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Library technology…Primo

• Primo – 2011 (Discovery system)

• Allows users to find information

• Integrates licensed, local and open access

• Single search box

• Brings attention to unique collections

• Changes way of arranging, retrieving and presenting holdings

• Users are presented with results sorted by relevance they have selected (date, popularity, author, title)

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Library Technology…Primo Central Index

• Primo Central Index 2011-• Part of Primo Discovery & Delivery

solution• Aggregates scholarly resources• Integrates into library’s information

environment• Facilitates discoverability and access• Works with Primo’s single search box to

allow searching across all of library’s content

• Library can define scope & results display

• Connects users to unique local collections

• Users can access resources of interest

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Library Technology…Alma

• Alma 2012 - (cloud-based library management system)• Good return on investment• Good match for library• Early Adopter 2011• Streamlined workflows• Community Zone / Library Zone• Activation in Alma provides

discoverability in Primo

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Library Technology…bX

• bX 2012-(recommender service)• usage-based • Performs data mining and

analysis of usage data• Exposes usage patterns• Tells users what subjects are

most relevant in their field

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Reimagining of technical services…• Functional responsibilities

added for metadata and digitization

• 2006 - Digital Collections Systems Librarian

Digitizing special collections, archives, open access

raising awareness of unique resources

Scholar’s Compass

• 2007 - Metadata Catalog Librarian

Providing metadata for digitized collections

Harvesting of electronic ETDs

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• Reimagining to technical services…cont’d

• Scholar’s Compass – Institutional repository• Open access• Real-time readership• Top 10 downloads• Paper of the day• Location of reader

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Reorganization of Technical Services…

• Go Live! with 2 new powerful systems (Primo & Alma)

• Head of Acquisitions retiring, April 2013

• Study, collaborative work & planning for reorg

• Division name changed to Information Management Processing (IMP)

• Acquisitions Department split:Serials Unit joined the newly named Metadata and Discovery Department

(formerly Cataloging)Order Unit & Firm Order and Accounting Unit join the newly name

Collection Analysis & Investment Department (formerly Collection Management)

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Reasons for reorganization…

• New technologies and tools • Change in leadership • Collections are changing• Older organizational model • Aspiration to elevate position

among research libraries• Historical workflows less

compelling

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A MAD journey begins (Metadata and Discovery)…

• Positioning to provide support for discovery and access• Learning new technologies (Alma,

Primo, WCKB, WCDS)• Learning new tasks• Buddy system between Continuing

Resources and Cataloging• Learning new concepts

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Future…

• Organization models have been in place for years

• Similar names and patterns found in most libraries

• Different patterns arising• Trying to find perfect model• Need to keep abreast of change• Rapid data export from systems• Altmetrics• Plum Analytics• Align workflows and services to

change• Staff play important role

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Conclusion…

• Focus is changing to discovery and access

• No value if can’t be discovered

• Services and technology can improve discovery and access

• Must keep moving forward with change

• Set goals to define success

• Change is challenge, but also an opportunity

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The End…

Thank you!

Denise Branchdmbranch@vcu.edu