ISSUE 34 | WINTER 2014
Re-inventing the library Oxford Brookes University Student-centred transformation
Digital technology in HE
What do today’s students expect?
The key to excellent customer service Don’t miss Capita’s new white paper
WELCOME TO PANLIBUS
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The winter issue 2014
What do HE students expect?
A warm welcome to the winter 2014 issue. In this edition, we’re looking at reinventing the library. And where better to start than Oxford Brookes University? This year, they tackled the daunting task of moving their library mid-semester – with spectacular results. Find out more about this flexible, student-centred space on page 4.
16 -17 Mobile working
4-5 Oxford Brookes University: putting students at the heart of its new library Stuart Hunt shares the library’s exciting, student-centred transformation. 6 Library Communication Framework How the LCF can benefit your library. 8-9 Capita’s new white paper How to deliver exceptional customer service. 10-11 What do HE students expect? David White looks at students’ expectations of digital technology. 13 Edge Hill University: another Capita success story Helping Edge Hill University library provide a more flexible, personalised user experience.
19 Why move to VDI? lorensbergs explores the benefits and highlights the pitfalls. 20-21 Partner news Shaping the future together: the latest from Capita’s Partners. 22 Events, webinars and training Be inspired by our latest events.
We focus on students again on page 10, where we explore their expectations of digital technology as they enter Higher Education, in a thought-provoking piece from David White of the University of the Arts London. Anthony Whitford, Capita’s Head of Product Development, strikes a chord with his hopes for the Library Communication Framework (LCF). “Wow, it just worked!” is what we’d all like to say when we change systems! Find out how the LCF plans to achieve that on page 6. Hearing a lot about virtual desktop infrastructure these days? Turn to page 19 for practical tips from lorensbergs on making the move. Plus take a closer look at the challenges and rewards of mobile working on page 16. And lastly, if you’re keen to make valuable improvements to your library – and who isn’t? - don’t miss our latest white paper on page 8, packed with everything you need to know about delivering stand-out customer service. We do hope you enjoy this issue, full of news, views and inspiration. And if there’s anything you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you.
Victoria Wilson Editor, Panlibus Magazine panlibus-editor@capita.co.uk
Sarah Miller Co-editor, Panlibus Magazine
15 Nielsen LibScan data We take a look at the trends in academic reading. 16-17 Mobile working Advice on the advantages and challenges of mobile working and the benefits it’s brought to Lambeth Council and Aberdeen Council libraries.
Panlibus Magazine is a Capita production
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The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors for which Capita accepts no responsibility. Readers should take appropriate advice before acting on any issue raised. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. ©Capita. All rights reserved. Capita and the Capita logo are trademarks of Capita or its licensors in the United Kingdom and/or other countries. Other companies and products mentioned may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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Oxford Brookes University
Putting students at the heart of a new library: The John Henry Brookes Building at Oxford Brookes University Stuart Hunt, Head of Resource Development and Delivery, Directorate of Learning Resources
Moving a library mid-semester might seem counter-intuitive when you are trying to support the student experience, but this is exactly what Oxford Brookes University did, and to great effect. Find out from Stuart Hunt, Head of Resource Development and Delivery in the Directory of Learning Resources, how this difficult project was a resounding success. In February 2014, Oxford Brookes University opened the John Henry Brookes Building (JHBB). This £130M building contains the new Headington Library, the largest of the university’s libraries. Learning Resources took the bold step and moved into the JHBB mid-semester, closing the old library on a dark Friday evening in February, moving the stock on a 24-hour cycle, and opening the new library to the university on the following Wednesday morning. During this short period, the entire stock and all staff moved in. The overriding aim of this move was to get the students into the new space as quickly, and painlessly, as possible. That way, they could get to enjoy a brand new library at the earliest possible opportunity with minimal disruption.
Students are the beating heart of the new library The new library combines a mix of learning environments, from silent and group study to social learning spaces. Whilst these facilities existed in the old library, the new library has increased both their quantity and their quality. From the Forum, a social learning space in the centre of the building, the student is surrounded by the library. They are at the heart of the space. And this is the intention; to put the student at the centre of the library and to foreground the immersive nature of the learning environment.
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The library flows seamlessly from the Forum with entrances spread over three floors. There are no physical barriers or turnstyles to prevent the easy movement in and out of the library. Thus, there is no clear demarcation between the inside and the outside of the library. A student may choose to use the library as a shortcut on their way from the Forum café to the lecture theatre.
structure, having undergone a period of restructuring. This new structure aims to better align with the teaching, learning, and research needs of the university. Increased emphasis has been placed on the front-facing services, with a new flexible Help Zone that incorporates quick and in-depth enquiry support along with a mini-theatre for the delivery of scheduled and on-the-fly demonstrations to students.
Ubiquitous Wi-Fi enables the library to be a pervasive presence throughout the building. Resources are available wherever and whenever they are required. Self-issue machines are spread across the space, both within the heart of the library and at entrance and exit points, allowing students to self-issue books at the places most convenient to them.
Staffing to meet the need
Just as the student moves around the library, so the library moves around the student. The flexible spaces allow the facilities to match the demands and rhythms of the academic year. Doors can be closed during revision-intensive times to protect silent working environments, group study spaces support BYOD and the building is open 24/7 during semester times. Putting the student at the centre is reflected in the changes to the staffing within Learning Resources (LR). With the start of the new academic year, LR implemented a new staffing
Panlibus Magazine | Winter 2014 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
Any new building will impose changes on the way that library staff work, and the JHBB is no exception. A full staff restructure gave the opportunity to think about what we want to be doing and how we want to do it. It has been important for LR to not just pick up the ways of working in the old library and impose them upon the new, but to rethink how processes and services need to change. LR has already had experience of process reviews and has continued to apply these techniques to how work is undertaken in the JHBB.
We cannot expect the student to approach the library with an understanding of how we operate in order to ask a question, or to understand how to ask a question.
Oxford Brookes University
In restructuring the staff, it would be easy to think from the inside, and consider the service from the perspective of the librarian and the library as an institution. The bigger challenge was to think from the outside; to consider the library, its services, facilities and its content, from the student perspective. The breaking down of boundaries in the physical library is mirrored by the breaking down of our own boundaries. The restructure gave the opportunity for new and revised posts to be created and staff were able to move into these new roles. Staff progression was possible in some areas, such as those which directly support the teaching, learning and research of the university. The key driver moving forward is the delivery of the right content in the right place at the right time to the right user, irrespective of the format. Traditional back-of-house services such as Acquisitions have been redefined as Content Services in order to accommodate the changed and changing nature of the resources the library acquires, subscribes to, or licenses. Specialists in technology-enhanced learning within the Directorate have been brought into the library to present a coherent and unified
service for students. Central to this thinking is to harmonise around the delivery of content. Academic liaison teams have been restructured to better align with the faculty and department structure with a strong focus on digital and information literacy. Front-of-house departments have been reconfigured to align with the services that they need to support. And, as an award-wining building, it boasts some impressive views and vertiginous heights. Stand in the Forum and the library wraps around you, emphasising that, even while drinking a cup of coffee, the student is within the heart of a learning space. Working in the group-study spaces on the Platform, the panorama of the building opens up before the student. And they can see how long the queue is at the all-important cafĂŠ. The university places a strong emphasis on the student experience and LR always keeps this in mind when working on new developments and services.
Happily, there’s no end in sight The task of redefining the library and its
services to meet the need is not complete. Indeed, it will never be completely finished. As new demands emerge, the challenge becomes one of anticipating, meeting, and delivering on the different needs of the university community. And since we have been in the JHBB the library has not stood still. We have reacted and responded to our students; like being flexible in the zoning of spaces to adjust to needs and the rhythms of the academic year. And we know that we can learn more from how the space is used, by observing and responding to the needs of our community. Of course, as a multi-site service it is always difficult to spread the benefits of the new library to all our libraries, but we are trying hard. We do not only introduce service developments in the JHBB but across all our libraries with the aim of supporting all our students wherever they are studying. Our new library cannot be viewed as the end of the matter but, rather, as the starting point for a change in how content, services, and facilities are delivered across Learning Resources at Oxford Brookes. The new building, new staffing structure and new technologies have helped us put our library on the starting, and not the finishing, line.
FIND OUT MORE Visit: www.brookes.ac.uk/library/ Email: shunt@brookes.ac.uk
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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Library Communication Framework
So, just what is this LCF thing anyway? Anthony Whitford, Head of Product Development, Capita
In this information rich world within which we live, I expect that not a single one of you has ever uttered, “I have just changed my [insert your system of choice here] and all my other systems just worked with the new one. There were no issues.” But why not? During the history of libraries throughout the world, there have been many rich and varied attempts at integrating different library systems. These have come in various forms, from cataloguing content within the library using paper-based systems so that people can use card catalogues in a common manner, through to the automated electronic data exchanges we see in modern libraries. Libraries have always benefited from attempts to standardise their day-to-day practices, as this fosters good knowledge exchange, and in today’s world, frees the library from the shackles of specific software relationships, enabling libraries to choose the most appropriate solution for their needs. Within the Information Age, data formats and representations are how these attempts at integration show themselves. So where does the LCF fit in exactly? The BIC Library Communication Framework (LCF) is an attempt to produce two things: 1. A standard vocabulary to talk about the entities involved in the library, describing things like people, institutions and objects 2. A representational model on how these entities can interact, allowing transactions to be performed and audited. The initial designs for LCF were based around concepts from 3M’s Standard Interchange Protocol (SIP2) and the NISO Circulation Interchange Protocol (NCIP). These different standards touched a centre point where some generalisation could be drawn to
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describe the library model, and this is where the LCF was born, building terminology that allowed us to navigate between different protocols. Since then LCF has evolved, and has had one important question asked of it: “What’s the benefit to my library?” Without a pragmatic plan for implementation, any industry standard is only really words on a page. Integration standards without actual implementations do not in themselves give any benefit to any library or other institution. Much like the invention of the telephone, there’s no point unless there is another telephone at the end of the line with which to exchange information. This is where we are with LCF today, and this is the next step for LCF. The BIC
LCF benefits from this by immediately adopting all current internet standard protocols, such as the secure transport layer that underpins HTTPS. For the library this means using LCF is secure out of the box, using internet standard and proven encryption technologies, whereas older technologies such as SIP2 remain using plain text with the additional cost of applying encryption through the use of VPNs and tunnelling. This difference reduces the cost and complexity of using LCF to link with system vendors who operate from data centres both internal and external to your own. This is where the answer to the question of benefit to you really begins; reducing the
The BIC Library Communication Framework (LCF) is an attempt to produce two things: 1. A standard vocabulary to talk about the entities involved in the library, describing things like people, institutions and objects 2. A representational model on how these entities can interact, allowing transactions to be performed and audited. LCF Panel agrees that while the LCF is not a protocol, it does need one. Today the work progressing on LCF is around implementation and demonstrating effective use of the standard. Agreement has been voiced by library management system (LMS) vendors and self-service vendors alike, with both parties committing to the intent to deliver implementations of LCF and seek compliance with the standard. Working together under the auspices of BIC, Capita is working with the LCF Panel to build the first protocol implementation of LCF based on a modern RESTful web service model, the same model in common use with the internet that we all use. Allowing RESTful techniques to underpin the LCF implementation ensures LCF will be simple to use with a very low technical barrier to entry. Anything that can communicate over HTTP and understand XML can understand a RESTful LCF implementation.
Panlibus Magazine | Winter 2014 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
cost of systems integration while improving the security of your data, through the use of modern internet technology. The LCF standard will continue to grow, providing not only circulation activities but at-shelf stock management features which have been absent from previous standards. I feel that this is where the LCF will really benefit libraries, allowing you to have real-time, up-to-date information in your hand, wherever you are. Most of all, I hope that with the LCF becoming adopted by vendors as an industry standard, we will soon hear one of you uttering, “Wow, it just worked! No issues.”
FIND OUT MORE Visit: www.bic.org.uk/114/LCF/ Twitter: @bic_lcf
Capita white paper
Capita is pleased to announce the launch of our latest white paper:
Borrowing from Tomorrow’s Library Today What every public library service needs to know about the delivery of excellent customer service Executive summary Customer expectations are high in libraries – they want to be able to borrow books around the clock, browse for both digital and physical titles from one website and have access to the library building at times that suit them. The raison d’être for any public library is the customer – helping them find the information they want, the book they need, the access to the internet or other services they cannot access elsewhere, or a calm, purposeful area in which to study. In this white paper, we look at how technology can help libraries to deliver these services to their customers while still tackling increasing
budget pressures. We show how libraries are modernising their services for the better – by using staff time more effectively, by communicating with customers in different ways, by taking services out of the building and into shopping centres, by embracing e-books and by attracting new readers while still keeping returning ones interested. Sections include: • The liberated library, covering cloud use for staff, self-service terminals, user-focused design, online payments, patron-driven acquisition and ‘big data’ • The anywhere library • The bookless library • The un-staffed library
What libraries will increasingly be valued for by the public, and which is unique, is providing local physical spaces; for people to meet, read, share digital skills or equipment, make, create and learn, helped by each other and by library staff. Extract from Society of Chief Librarians’ report, Digital Leadership Skills: Overview, July 2014
Get your own copy today You can download your FREE copy of Capita’s latest libraries-focused white paper by visiting www.capita-software.co.uk/customerexperience
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Panlibus Magazine | Winter 2014 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
Capita white paper
No library is an island – Orkney Library and Archive “We have integrated our website with social media since 2009 and we have also got an archive which has got its own blog. It has completely changed the way in which we keep in touch with our users. “It has been especially useful for arranging library events and getting into contact with book publishers, and we have managed to get some quite famous authors to come and talk at the library simply through social media contact. “We have 9,500 followers on Twitter, which is quite unusual for a small local library. In the past five years we have had Twitter followers from all over the world come on holiday to Orkney and then come specifically into the library to say hello because they have been following our Tweets! “Locals who live in Orkney use our website and social media pages to make book requests or just use as a means of contacting us. Whereas before they would phone, now they send a message via Facebook asking about the time of the story telling event, or asking us for a specific book. It means any response not only benefits them but the other viewers of the post too. “We have been completely revolutionised by it. It has breathed new life into our service; making the library a more vibrant place to be and a service which is very engaged with what our customers want.” Karen Walker, Principal Librarian, Orkney Library and Archive
“Technology changes the way we present things.” Julie Bell, County Library Manager, Lancashire County Council
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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University of the Arts London
What do students entering HE expect from digital technologies?
David White, Head of Technology Enhanced Learning, University of the Arts London
David White, Head of Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of the Arts London, poses a fascinating question. When we come across new technologies or digital platforms for the first time in further and higher education, how do we decide what the technology does, or should do, and how we can use it to help us? In the Jisc-funded digital student project, we have been investigating incoming students’ expectations of the digital environment in HE. Institutions will be working to meet or manage expectations as hundreds of thousands of new students arrive in September, but it’s no small task to build a picture of students’ hopes and aspirations when there are modules to rewrite and technology to update over the summer. Clearly, experiences of digital technology while at school will be a major influence, so we have looked closely at the sort of technologies schools own and how they use them.
In the classroom
Coming to an understanding of the use of technology in schools wasn’t straightforward. There isn’t as much written on normal day-today use as you might expect, plus practices can vary widely within a single institution, let alone between them. Essentially, as is the case in HE, you might get a teacher who uses digital
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Panlibus Magazine | Winter 2014 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
technology in an innovative and inspiring manner – or you might not. We found that while there are examples of interesting practice and quite a few cases of schools buying ‘cool’ technology, these are isolated and not necessarily indicative of larger trends. The reality is that most students’ experiences of digital technology in schools is rudimentary and tends not to stray too far from traditional pedagogical paradigms.
“In effect, technology is simply a new channel for delivery rather than an opportunity to engage students in new ways.” In effect, learning remains one-way, and new technology is simply a new channel for delivery – such as watching a teacher click through a PowerPoint, or using the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) as just another distribution method for content, rather than an opportunity to engage students in new ways.
Shifting model
Schools of old were designed to deliver a tightly organised curriculum, using an abundance of face-to-face time with students. For better or worse, this approach in a highly didactic form still remains today. The incorporation of technology is subservient to that, usually applied with hopes of efficiency gains rather than aspirations for improving learning and teaching.
At the very least, teachers need to talk with students about how they might be using the web for homework and other study. This might already be happening, but it’s not clear from the literature or from our focus groups.
Digital technologies in HE
When students enter HE they already have reasonably clear expectations of what technologies they are entitled to, which are usually focused around access to the web, provision of software and hardware, and availability of digital content. These expectations will largely be a mirror of their experiences in school – which tend to be limited in learning and teaching terms – but with a sense that technical and content provision will be ‘better’, because HE is seen as bigger, more grown-up or ‘professional’. What incoming students are generally less clear on is the nature of HE itself and how this should influence the manner in which they go about learning. The fact is that HE is different to school, with hugely reduced face-to-face time, underpinned by more sophisticated, independent learning. It’s also likely that at least some of their course will be ‘moving’ online, including formal contact with staff. If incoming students’ expectation is that digital in education contexts is only a one way street for sharing content, then they are going to struggle to engage in discourse online. HE institutions need to make it clear that access to the latest technology and a
University of the Arts London
cornucopia of digital resources are not the only ingredients in becoming a successful learner. Alongside ongoing improvements to infrastructure led by IT induction programmes, course teams need to challenge incoming students, assumptions about the nature of learning and the role digital technology can play in their studies.
“When students enter HE they have reasonably clear expectations of what technologies they are entitled to.” For more information, take a look at the developing digital literacies infoKit by visiting www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/digitalliteracies/ or read Jisc’s guide to developing digital literacy at www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/ developing-students-digital-literacy. This article was originally published by David White to the Jisc Blog online on 1st September 2014. It has been reproduced by the kind permission of the author and Jisc. Jisc offers digital services and solutions for UK education and research. The charity does this to achieve its vision for the UK to be the most digitally advanced education and research nation in the world.
FIND OUT MORE Visit: www.daveowhite.com Twitter: @daveowhite
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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Our self-service booking solutions keep you in control… … of resources, staff time, not to mention the user experience
when visiting your library. You’ll find it’s a smoother, happier operation all round. For flexible solutions that cover: • PCs • Print payment • Wi-Fi • Rooms • Appointments • Media/AV equipment • Events • Courses • Resource charging • And much more… Solutions accessible via web or kiosk. Integration possible with all leading LMS providers. Call: 01992 415505 Visit: www.lorensbergs.co.uk Email: enquiries@lorensbergs.co.uk Follow us: @lorensbergs
Edge Hill University
Capita helps Edge Hill University’s library deliver an outstanding student experience Capita was delighted to be selected by Edge Hill University to deliver a library services platform to help the university provide an enhanced service to students, and reduce overheads. Find out how Capita will be enabling this innovative university to support their students with some invaluable improvements. With the new platform in place, students will have access to a new discovery system which enables them to search and access physical and electronic resources, including resources available through Proquest’s Summon Service, from a single search box on their mobiles, tablets and computers. The solution will also be integrated with the university’s existing virtual learning environment to provide seamless access to library information. In addition, Edge Hill University will be using Capita’s Soprano application, which allows staff to assist students on the spot, anywhere in the library or on campus, using tablet devices. With Soprano in their hands, staff can issue and return items, make reservations, and answer enquiries without being stuck behind the enquiries desk, enabling them to deliver
a more responsive service. Staff can also use the solution to perform circulation and stock management tasks.
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Of course we are very proud to be supporting Edge Hill University in its ambitions to be a leading institution for technology and to deliver an improved service for all its library users,” adds Karen Reece, Head of Libraries at Capita. “It’s a great move that innovative universities such as Edge Hill have recognised the need to ensure their libraries are using the latest technology, to help support students by making services more accessible.
The library service platform will be cloud-based, therefore eliminating the need for onsite hardware and maintenance overheads, and ensuring library staff are working with the latest technology through regular software updates administered by Capita.
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Alison Mackenzie, Dean of Learning Services at Edge Hill University, says, “We are constantly looking for innovative ways to deliver an outstanding service for our staff and students, and in using Capita’s library system we will be able to offer a more flexible and personalised user experience.
FIND OUT MORE
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Visit: www.capita-software.co.uk/chorus Visit: www.edgehill.ac.uk/ls/
“Capita’s system will provide students with easy access to physical and electronic resources and enable our library staff to deliver a more immediate response using mobile technologies.
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www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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Nielsen LibScan data
Nielsen LibScan library borrowing: Period 10 In this article we are looking at academic books, and have found that school textbooks dominate all academic (Specialist NonFiction, Trade Non-Fiction: Textbooks and Y5 School Textbooks and Study Guides) loans. Borrowings for Period 10 (four weeks ending 4 October 2014) show 3,582 Y5 titles in the top 5,000 academic titles loaned; of these titles there were 144,033 individual loans during this time. This is slightly higher when compared with the previous four-week period, where 3,011 Y5 titles were loaned 139,973 times in the top 5,000 academic titles.
When looking at the number of loans vs the number of titles for Y5.1 Literature, Arts and Humanities books, we see there was an average of 49 loans per title. This is the highest loan per title for any category, closely followed in second position by a specialist Non-Fiction category of 44 loans per title. This was in the S8.3 Environment and Planning category and is down to just one title: A Rough Ride to the Future by James Lovelock. Maths, Science and Technical textbooks have 26 loans per title, General: 29, Social Sciences 20 and Vocational just 13.
By far the most popular subjects are in the Y5.1 School Textbooks and Study Guides: Literature, Arts and Humanities category, with 80% of all school textbook loans in the top 5,000 titles, with Maths, Science and Technical coming in second with 11%.
Of the non-school textbooks, those in the Specialist Non-Fiction category or those with a T-suffix (denoting text book) in the Trade Non-Fiction category, Pearson Education (Professional and Heinemann) lead the publishers, with 4,584 loans across 187 titles.
Product Class
In the Nielsen BookScan Total Consumer Market (TCM), the top publisher in the non-school textbooks is, as above, Pearson Education (Professional and Heinemann) with 134,233 across 528 titles. OUP are second with 77,237 sales across 319 titles in the top 5,000 in period 10, and Hodder Education are third with sales and titles of 49,589 and 273 respectively. In the top textbooks (T suffix only) in the top 5000 academic chart for this period, ELT course materials feature highly, as do Science and Mathematics and Language Studies (other than ELT), as you can see from the table. The average loan per title is 14. (Š 2014 Nielsen Book Services Limited [trading as Nielsen BookScan and Nielsen LibScan]) For further information about Nielsen BookScan TCM Panel or LibScan panel, email: info.bookscan@nielsen.com
Loan Volume
Title count
S1.1T ELT Course Materials
8537
412
S7.9T Science & Mathematics: Textbooks & Study Guides
3884
235
S1.2T Language Studies (other than ELT)
3143
231
S3.1T Social Sciences: Textbooks & Study Guides
3004
159
S4.0T Business, Accounting & Vocational: Textbooks & Study Guides
1488
116
S10.3T Computing: Textbooks & Study Guides
1465
69
S3.8T Study Skills & General Studies: Textbooks & Study Guides
855
48
S9.9T Engineering & Technology: Textbooks & Study Guides
777
58
S2.2T Psychology: Textbooks & Study Guides
775
57
S6.1T Medicine: Textbooks & Study Guides
424
28
FIND OUT MORE Visit: www.nielsenbookscan.co.uk Email: info.bookscan@nielsen.co.uk
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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Mobile Working
Mobile Working: The time is now Over the past few years the concept of mobile working has started to be embraced by libraries, alongside many other public institutions across the country, all looking to improve the way in which they interact with customers. Whether it’s releasing staff from behind a counter or taking a pop-up library to the customers, working in a mobile environment provides staff and customers with an enhanced and more efficient user experience. With the development of cloud-based mobile working software, tasks that previously required copious amounts of paperwork and administration can now be done online, and the business benefits speak for themselves. Whereas in the past, applications and programs would be run from software downloaded onto a physical computer or server, cloud computing in the library allows librarians access to the same applications but through the internet, which is far easier to manage. However, mobile working doesn’t just offer comparably lower costs from a business perspective; we know that it also offers much greater flexibility for staff and customers. By giving staff access to the library management system from any mobile device without being tied down to a specific location, it better equips librarians to see to the needs of the library’s customers, and ultimately meet those needs - whether this is from behind a desk, in between the bookshelves, or outside the library walls. Additionally, from a software perspective, we have seen that mobile working offers effective data security regardless of hardware loss or malfunction. An ideal mobile working strategy that incorporates all these benefits will enable staff to carry out their role from any location whilst enhancing productivity. However, this does not come without an array of challenges that need to be dealt with first.
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Approach It is important to acknowledge that an institution-wide approach needs to be taken when considering mobile working. It is more or less impossible to introduce such a strategy piecemeal without leaving the possibility of the existing infrastructure being vulnerable to security breaches, among other faults. Whether or not mobile working is adopted across all departments, it is vital to check the compatibility of the new and existing technology and infrastructure across the whole institution to ensure alignment with organisational strategies and existing workflows.
Cultural challenges Change is never easy, but in a world where technology is constantly advancing and more efficient methods are being adopted across the workplace, libraries are learning to embrace these cost-effective adjustments; otherwise they have to accept the consequences of being limited in the services they can offer. To ease the introduction of mobile working into the library, staff should be fully supported throughout the installation of the new technology to ensure the concept of mobile working is outlined to them and that the library can continue to function without any disruption. It is inevitable that there will be concerns when embracing a new type of technology and a new way of working, with questions being raised about how this will affect employees’ roles. It is therefore vital that staff are prioritised and given explicit advice on the specific benefits of having new technology at their fingertips. A detailed support system should also be in place for any staff queries post-installation.
Reliability While mobile working is all about having access to a library’s data and software from any location, challenges can be faced in remote and rural areas where lower bandwidth connectivity is often a problem. While mobile
Panlibus Magazine | Winter 2014 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
working offers a great range of benefits centred on accessing everything in the cloud, for a library without good Internet access it will be a struggle to realise the full benefits of mobile working. Any mobile working solution must therefore expand its applications to work in such locations and offer offline options too.
Cost The cost of installing new technologies, along with the associated staff training, can often be misconstrued as spending a large amount of money. The cost will be insignificant in comparison to the long-term expenditure that maintaining a traditional way of working will incur. The advantage of the mobile software is that it’s easy to install and to update, unlike traditionally deployed software. For a mobile working solution to be successful, these and other challenges must be overcome by developing products that promote and support effective library services through configurable applications. Capita establishes close customer partnerships to get to the heart of a library’s needs, and aims to design innovative products that are robust and reliable for any library. Soprano, Capita’s cloud-based library management system (LMS), is an example of a solution that overcomes these challenges by providing reliable, cost-effective technology with the option for an offline mode so that when a good broadband connection is not available, staff can continue in their roles. Automatic updates will also be made when library staff make changes to the LMS, significantly reducing the time taken to complete tasks and making stock taking a far smoother process. Capita worked with Aberdeenshire Council, who wanted a solution for mobile and pop-up libraries. Gavin Leggat, Systems Support Officer, says, “We really liked the idea of roaming between shelving checking borrower status or being out and about in the mobile library vans, and still being able to access our
Mobile Working
database immediately on an iPad.” Enjoying the real time updates that Soprano offers and wanting to counteract the ever-present risk of static or falling library usage, Gavin adds, “It’s really important to us that we can take our library services to people rather than the other way around; it means we are proactively addressing the drop in borrowers many libraries are facing.”
Ultimately, we know that mobile working does come with its challenges but when these are analysed, they are far outweighed by the benefits.
By focusing on the integration of the role of librarians to give them opportunities to use their skills on the move, whilst also providing numerous administration benefits for the library, a robust mobile working solution is becoming a necessity for the business of the library. A mobile working solution will become the norm in the next one to two years as libraries adapt to new ways of working as well as exploiting new technology.
FIND OUT MORE Visit: www.capita-software.co.uk/soprano Email: libraries@capita.co.uk Call: 0870 400 5000
As Sarah Kennedy, a home-visit librarian at Lambeth Council, says of mobile working with Capita, “There’s no doubt that it makes us more efficient. Everything used to take twice as long – we would write everything down with a pen and paper while we were on location, then come back to the office and wait for a PC to be free to type it all up. Now we can do everything while we’re out, so we come back and just shelve the books. Managing stock has become much easier.”
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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‘‘I like the D-Tech SelfCheck units because they’re simple, they’re robust and they work!’’
RFID / SECURITY / RFIQ / PEOPLE COUNTERS / EM / STOCK MANAGEMENT / RF / LAPTOP SECURITY / VENDING / SELF SERVICE
lorensbergs
So, just why are libraries moving to VDI? Richard Terry, Product Manager, lorensbergs Have you started hearing murmurs around virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) in relation to library PCs? Maybe you’re weighing up different deployment methods as part of a computer refresh? I’m Richard Terry, netloan PC booking Product Manager at lorensbergs, and I’m finding that the topic of VDI is arising with increasing frequency as we advise and work with libraries looking to update their PC networks. In this article we explore the benefits of moving to a VDI environment, and look at how to avoid the pitfalls.
The challenges of managing library PC estates Since public access PCs are such a core library service, their provision requires careful management, not least around the challenges of maintaining a large number of computers across many different physical sites. PCs require being kept up to date, and the larger the number of PCs you have, the more complex this task becomes. Some updates have ways of being centrally automated, such as applying the latest hotfix for windows or the current anti-virus definitions. Other updates are much harder to apply, for instance updating the version of Adobe Acrobat so users can open the latest PDF files, or keeping Flash Player up to date to avoid security vulnerabilities, and this is particularly difficult in a public library environment where downtime must be kept to a minimum.
VDI as a solution One way of addressing this challenge is through a VDI environment, also known as desktop virtualisation, which creates a pool of centrally managed virtual desktops. The leading platforms for VDI are VMware Horizon, Citrix XenDesktop and Microsoft Hyper-V, and all of these are now supported by netloan from lorensbergs.
How does VDI work? Users connect to a virtual desktop using a thin client connection. The desktop is created
from a master template image before the user connects. When the user logs off, it is deleted and a new virtual desktop is created from the master template to replace it. All that is needed to update the software that users see when they connect is to update the master template, and any new users who connect will get the new desktop. If there are problems, you can revert back to the previous master template in a few minutes and users will start to receive the older desktop. Even a major update, such as replacing Windows 7 with Windows 8.1, can be done in this straightforward manner. Other benefits of VDI include: • Sustainability - Client PCs are in fact thin client terminals, which are cheaper, more energy efficient and longer lasting than standard desktops. • Security - As a user gets a brand new desktop every time they connect, there is no possibility of the previous user’s data being cached, removing the need for other specialised software tools to do this. • Easier troubleshooting - Problems with the desktop are generally resolved from the data centre, meaning there is no need to physically visit the end device to fix a problem. • Cost efficiency - The centralised approach of VDI makes it easier and less costly for IT staff to provision, install, maintain and monitor desktops and their applications, reducing the total cost of ownership.
specification needs to be estimated carefully to meet quality–of-experience standards. If a refresh and any other new facilities prompt usage to increase, this needs to be anticipated. Funding may be another issue and expectations over longer term savings managed closely. A larger initial outlay is likely and the speed of recouping costs will depend on the number of PCs involved. Larger library authorities will feel the financial benefits more quickly. Finally, server faults can have a higher criticality with VDI, so a robust resolution procedure and redundancy planning are essential.
Netloan PC booking and session management has extended support of VDI this autumn with its latest release. netloan works with all kinds of deployment methods, but this is one that’s an interesting solution in so many ways and I’m looking forward to working with more customers as they refresh their PCs and make the move! This article was first published in lorensbergs News, Autumn/ Winter 2014.
FIND OUT MORE
Is VDI for me? Of course, it’s important to accurately assess the infrastructure needed for moving to VDI to ensure a smooth transition. The VDI servers’
Call:
01992 415505
Email: enquiries@lorensbergs.co.uk Visit: www.lorensbergs.co.uk
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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Partner news
Partner news Shaping the future together: Capita’s Additions Partner Programme The Additions Partner Programme builds strong relationships with companies providing third-party products that extend the functionality of Capita’s library management system. The relationship between Capita and partners delivers the benefits of integrated products, ensuring you can save time and money while continuing to improve customer experience. In this issue of Panlibus we bring you highlights from some of our partners:
BDS in Howes E-Book Deal BDS has expanded its services to the UK’s leading audiobook, digital services and large print publisher, W.F.Howes Limited. Currently BDS supplies W.F.Howes with MARC metadata for audiobooks and e-audio titles. The new agreement builds on this very successful relationship and covers the supply of e-book records ordered via W.F.Howes’ OneClickdigital e-lending download platform for libraries. “The creation of e-book records for use in the library catalogue is an exacting process,” says BDS Data Manager, Lesley Creamer, who has led the project to streamline the production of library quality e-book records at BDS. “Our aim has been to mirror the high quality of our existing data as efficiently as possible for a large number of titles.” “BDS is delighted to extend our work with W.F.Howes,” says Sarah Armitage. “E-books and e-lending are fast becoming an important part of the library landscape and BDS is ready to meet the exacting demands that this new media makes on the library catalogue.”
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Libraries interested in finding out more can visit www.bibliographicdata.co.uk, www.wfhowes.co.uk or contact Sarah Armitage directly by emailing sarah. armitage@bibdsl.co.uk or calling 07860 324570.
BDS wins new contract with the British Library BDS has also recently secured the British Library European Language Monographs NETCAT Contract to catalogue 10,000 English language monographs over two years. The deal will enhance and expand the British Library’s legal deposit catalogue archive by using an innovative system devised by BDS which employs ‘strategic scans’ of the important parts of each of the 10,000books, alongside a control sheet that together can be used to create a record for the British Library. You can read more about this by visiting www.bibliographicdata.co.uk
Panlibus Magazine | Winter 2014 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
MyPC Maps released ITS (Info Technology Supply Ltd) has just released a brand new add-on module for its leading computer booking solution, MyPC. MyPC Maps is a web-based tool that has been designed to work in conjunction with the MyPC resource state API to provide a simple way to create and present a floor plan of MyPC-controlled PCs, and to show their availability. MyPC Maps uses a simple colourcoded key to show at a glance which PCs are available, in use, reserved or not available. You can find out more about MyPC and ITS by visiting the brand new website www.pcbooking.com or by calling 020 8869 1950.
Partner news
Time to inject some interest in RFID With minds and upper arms turned towards flu vaccinations, it seems appropriate for library RFID product and software supplier 2CQR to be targeting medical libraries with a new brochure featuring targeted packages. Success with projects for the NHS Trust at Southport and Ormskirk Libraries and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has prompted interest in 2CQR’s approach from a variety of similar medical libraries. “With 24 hours 365 days a year self-service a priority for these libraries, and a mix of unique working processes and facilities, the need for cost-effective and thought-through solutions is paramount,” explains Gavin Bennett of 2CQR. “By offering a selection of competitivelypriced packages ranging from RFID introduction kits with basic security, issue and return through self-service and on to tailormade solutions, we can enable libraries of all sizes and needs to enjoy the proven benefits of RFID library management.” The new leaflet will be mailed out shortly and is also available by contacting 2CQR by emailing info@2cqr.com or calling 01400 283850.
St Bernard’s Hospital Library updates to RFID through PSP and 3M partnership In September 2014, the St Bernard’s Hospital, which is located over 1000 miles away from the UK in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, completed the refurbishment of its library by implementing RFID technology through the PSP and 3M partnership. Shirley Sardena, Medical Librarian at St Bernard’s Hospital Library explains, “I have wanted to work with PSP for a while as they have a respected reputation and comprehensive experience in assisting libraries of our size and this refurbishment gave me that opportunity. From the very start it was apparent PSP really cared about our project. “The equipment had to be user-friendly and reliable. The 3M™ R-Series Model 8420 Kiosk displays step-by-step instructions that allow for the issuing of books through self-service.
MarketLine - an expansive online business library designed with you in mind • • • •
4,000 industry profiles Across over 190 countries Five year forecasts for each market Market value, volume and segmentation data • Leading companies in each industry All this at a click of a button. Add value to your proposals and research today. Get smart, save time with MarketLine. Our clients say, “Having access to up-todate information and the opportunity to ask analysts for further details is important for our users in succeeding in their courses.” To request your demo visit www.marketline.com
“My experience with PSP and 3M has been exceptional. I know them and I know they will come and do things properly.” To find out more about how the 3M-PSP partnership can benefit your library, contact 01473 745375 or visit www.psp-assetprotection.co.uk
www.capita.co.uk/libraries | Winter 2014 | Panlibus Magazine
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Upcoming events and partner news
Events Our 2015 events schedule is starting to fill up and we will be announcing further events throughout the year. Come and join us at these thought-provoking conferences.
Edge 2015 Thursday 5 - Friday 6 March, The Roxburgh Hotel, Edinburgh ‘Changing challenge to opportunity’ EDGE is a two day event for library professionals and supporters, about sharing and developing ideas and good practice to confidently embrace the challenges of change and reform. Further details can be found at www.edgeconference.co.uk
The CILIP Conference Thursday 2 – Friday 3 July, St Georges Hall, Liverpool ‘Connect, debate, innovate’ The 2015 conference will seek to inspire the audience, share knowledge, raise debate and provide networking opportunities. It will cover a broad range of issues from across the library, information and knowledge professions. Further details can be found at www.cilip.org.uk/cilip/events/cilip-conference-2015
Webinars How could our library software solutions improve the the service your library offers to users - and provide ongoing efficiency gains? Find out with our informative webinars. Just register at www.capita-libraries.co.uk/webinars
Soprano: Stock Management Module Benefits 16 January, 14:00 – 14:45
Chorus: Your LMS in a hosted environment 20 February, 14:00 – 14:45
Prism: Augmented Discovery – Surfacing Data from Other Sources 2 February, 11:00 – 11:45
Prism: Refreshing Your Knowledge - Improving Services to Users 27 February, 11:00 – 11:45
Training Whether it’s a refresh of existing knowledge around your LMS or a session for new staff members, we have the right training course for you. And if you can’t find a course that fits your bill, we’ll arrange something dedicated to just you and your team. For more details and to book your place, visit our website at www.capita-software.co.uk/training
Using Decisions: A Refresher on Reporting Basics (webinar) 29 January, 10:00-11:30 Merging and Synchronising in Decisions (webinar) 10 February, 10:00-11:30 Financial Year Rollover (webinar) 3 March, 10:00-11:30 Scheduling in Decisions (webinar) 12 March, 10:00-11:30 Decisions: A Refresher on Administration (webinar) 16 April, 10:00-11:30
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Panlibus Magazine | Winter 2014 | www.capita.co.uk/libraries
Authority Control in Alto (webinar) 23 April, 10:00-11:30 Decisions: A Refresher on Rights (webinar) 19 May, 10:00-11:30 InfoView and Web Intelligence (one-day course) 18 June, 10:00-16:00 System Manager: Beginner (two-day course) 8-9 July, 10:00-16:00 Managing Parameters in Alto (webinar) 14 July, 10:00-11:30
Many Happy Returns 3M™ SelfCheck™ Kiosk is a year old Coming soon
Dozens of satisfied public sector and academic customers now benefit from: >
Modern Design
>
Flexible module payment options
>
22” widescreen display
>
Customisable design
But we’re not finished there… >
All new 3M QuickConnect™ software
>
Sleek new interface
>
Visual and accessible
>
New features to engage with your customers
Also celebrating the second anniversary of the 3M PSP partnership within the schools and colleges market.
To find out more go to www.3M.co.uk/selfcheckkiosk or phone us on 0800 389 6686