04 Developing strategies for library systems

Anders Söderbäck

Audience: Coordinators, Project managers, Heads of department, anyone with responsibility for library systems and/or have ideas and opinions on what, how, why and where we are going.

Short description: The context of library systems are changing, and not only this; the systems are changing too! Link resolvers are now critical to library operations. The OPAC, even the next generation OPAC, feels old. Federated search is out, discovery platforms are in. Everyone wants an ERM, but noone likes the ERMs that are currently on the market. Cataloging will to change into something ”collaborative, decentralized, international in scope, and Web-based.” Buzzwords are flying! Data as a service? The Cloud? Linked data? Marc must die, we hear, but how do we make sure it doesn’t turn into a zombie? How do we make sure RDA will actually become something other than AACR3? Does all this really matter, considering the Google eBookstore and Amazon Kindle Lending Books?

We are obviously entering a new paradigm of library systems, but still we continue to work and think like its the 20th century. How do we make sure that we get the systems we need? How do we make sure that we, instead of buying the latest solution from the system vendor we usually buy our systems from, are able to influence the future information ecology? How do we get linked data, when we never really got z39.50?

In this age of change, working with strategy have never been more important. This workshop will focus on sharing experiences of strategic thinking (both successful and not-so-successful), methods for strategic thinking, and on developing actual strategies for our glorious future.

Workshop outcomes: Exchange of information and experience, A better understanding of the current and emering landscape of library systems, Increased competence for working with systems strategy