Hi everyone:
Here’s the latest on what’s been happening with the 2CUL Technical Services Initiative (TSI). This report, along with past updates, is also available in the Project Reports section of the TSI wiki.
- One of the goals of the Second Phase of 2CUL TSI was to build on the systematic review of technical services operations undertaken in Phase One and look at the differences in 2CUL culture and practices and the reasons for them. Print Serials was chosen for this investigation as it appeared to be one of the areas least able to integrate but most interested in continuing explorations. Jim and Kate developed a methodology to analyze the costs and benefits of centralization or decentralization in check-in and study variant practices and the reasons for them. The study is now being reviewed by Xin and Bob and it may also serve as an opportunity to look at a complex workflow ahead of system change and allow managers to make reasoned recommendations about system requirements. One unexpected benefit of the study was that we each uncovered surprises in our own institution and learned that we are not quite as different as we first imagined. Thanks to Alan Schaplowsky and Deb Warfield for their help and insights and the many others who contributed to our study.
- Jim and Kate presented at the ALCTS Technical Services Directors of Large Research Libraries Interest Group at ALA on the change from Integration to Initiatives. This is the topic of their recent paper The Pivot: Phase 2 of 2CUL Technical Services Integration
- Bob, Melanie, Kate, Jim, Naun, Dean Krafft, Jason, Simeon Warner, and Steven attended a LD4P (Linked Data for Production) meeting at Stanford following ALA. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss participation in a potential Mellon grant-funded project to produce linked data in a production environment. Columbia will be working on producing linked data for Art Properties objects and Cornell will be working on a set of non-commercial LP recordings from the collection of Afrika Bambaataa. Cornell and Columbia plan to work together in VITRO space in Cornell’s VIVO installation.
- Naun and Kate are working on some proposals for PCC to help make MARC more linked data friendly and begin the transition away from string-based descriptive and authority data.
- Jesse Koennecke, Susan Marcin, Colleen Major, and Joyce McDonough (via phone) met with ProQuest Workflow Solutions (Serials Solutions) at ALA to discuss the future migration to Intota to manage electronic collections. This transition will essentially be an upgrade of the interface used for e-resource management, relying on the same underlying data and knowledgebase. The 2CUL TSI E-resources Working Group will submit a recommendation before the end of July.
That’s all for now. As always, please feel free to direct questions to your supervisors or to any member of the TSI Steering Committee: Jim LeBlanc, Adam Chandler, Colleen Major, Chew Chiat Naun, Robert Rendall, or me.
Kate Harcourt (on behalf of the 2CUL TSI Steering Committee)