Developing a Sustainable Library IT Environment (CIL 2009)

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Presented at Computers in Libraries 2009: http://www.infotoday.com/cil2009/day.asp?day=Monday#session_D104 Have you ever had your website designed by a highly skilled intern or volunteer who has long since left? Do you enjoy playing phone tag with your institution’s IT department that is located on a different floor of the building or even a few hundred miles away? We all know about planning for hardware requirements and ensuring operating systems are compatible with the most recent ILS release, but this presentation offers ideas that may help your library create and sustain a long-lasting IT environment, including sustainable web design, use of opensource applications, harnessing the tech skills of your library staff and negotiating with your organization’s IT department, evaluating third-party products and services, as well as looking at market tendencies and forecasting trends.

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Developing a Sustainable Library IT Environmentor What In The World Were We Thinking?

Oleg Kreymer

Jennie Pu

Watson Library

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

CIL 2009March 30, D104

We will discuss...

interface design social software implementation staff involvement user expectations IS&T relations integrated library system

examples of unsustainable developmentstrategies for sustainable development

In the areas of…

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Technology implementation decisions that we make today will affect out Library IT environment for years to come.

(a basic assumption)

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Sustainable web design● The Case of the Vanished Programmer

● web design by committee

● "special" needs

Solution:

Open Source Content Management Systems● Design and Management templates

● reality check

● Social Software

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Social Software Advantage community support agile development familiarity:

to patrons to staff

built to be successful it is here to stay Strategies: taking what works and making it work for you thinking backwards: from solution to problem

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Engaging your peers ● New technology is exciting: harness it. ● Your most valuable resource:your peers. ● Learn by playing.

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Customize your needs to existing solutions

CIL 2009March 30, D104

03/25/09

There had to be a better way

Problem: creep of the internal shared drive

03/25/09

•Comments invite participation by all and build community

Cuts down on email

Customize your needs to existing solutions

CIL 2009March 30, D104

● Wordpress: Watsinfo (internal blog) & Library

Portal, library instruction guides● Google suite: reference calendar, seating

schedules, registration sheets● Flickr: document ongoing projects, volunteer

directory● IM for quick chats and status

No more bottlenecks

CIL 2009March 30, D104

● Share responsibility with all staff● No more waiting for changes, such as:

– updating changes to library hours

– highlighting new database● Leadership inevitability

Shaping user expectations the promise of technology Reality of library technology

Strategies: “lower” patrons' expectations Shape expectations: instruction, outreach Integrate new technology as much as possible

Re-shaping expectations OCLC style:

worldcat.org article search

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Information Systems... ... and Technology?● working with your IT department

● different priorities● no strategic development

● informal channels of communication● uh... freedom?● leadership opportunity

CIL 2009March 30, D104

our web2.0 timelinethe Library● March 06 – CIL06● September 06 – playing with blogs, flickr, delicious, etc.● March 07 – wordpress as internal CMS● Summer 07 – Museum-wide Web2.0 outreach

the Museum● August 08 – youtube presence● Fall 08 – presence in flickr, facebook, myspace● February 09 – flickr images marketing campaign

DID THE LIBRARY LEAD THE WAY?

PERHAPS, PERHAPS...

CIL 2009March 30, D104

YES WE DID!

ILS: the elephant in the Server Farm● Integrated Library System as obsolete technology

● customization● data ownership● standards

● ILS must go. Now what?

● Open Library Environment Project

oleproject.org

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Strategies for sustainable library IT development:

● tailor your needs to existing solutions ● educate: yourself, your peers, your patrons● learn by playing● rely on already existing resources● take advantage of your peers● create, reshape user expectations● make partners, not clients● do stuff, be a leader

CIL 2009March 30, D104

Developing a Sustainable Library IT Environment or What In The World Were We Thinking?

Oleg Kreymeroleg.kreymer@metmuseum.org

Jennie Pujennie.pu@metmuseum.org

Watson LibraryThe Metropolitan Museum

CIL 2009March 30, D104

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