Last week, I addressed a group of librarians about cloud computing trends, web-scale, and how OCLC plans to apply them to library management systems and services. One of the thematic questions before I took the podium was whether libraries are entering a renaissance period. That discussion might have been more interesting had the previous topic not been the very sorry state of library funding.
As I am always inclined, I tried to mix the topics all together. A few folks asked me to reproduce my brief remarks, so I will attempt that here.
Technology applications makes for a boring topic in comparison to state funding, the indispensible nature of libraries, and a pending or impossible library renaissance. But my interest in this space--the very reason I became a systems librarian, for spending the last decade as a "practical advocate" for next-generation library automation--is the opportunity to do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.
If "scale" is the theme, then the challenge is to use technology and technological platforms not only to consolidate services and make them more efficient, but also to create the capacity for libraries to concentrate their efforts on first principles and their collaboartive ethic. Put simply, and without implying mutual exclusivity:
- Disciplinary support and collection-building in academic libraries
- Physical space, local touch, education, and reader services in public libraries
- From planting the seeds of reading to the first taste of the fruits of research in school libraries
Could there be more proof that libraries are indispensible? If you're willing to believe Wikipedia (gasp!), then renaissance can mean a rebellion against teaching and learning based on classical sources. Consider thinking less of the output of the time period and what was required to create those outputs. So, yes, I would say we are entering a renaissance.
I hope it does not seem like a non-sequitur to encourage everyone to "get your geek on" to help libraries into their renaissance. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting this effort to raise community-based awareness and support for libraries.
I think due to the altruistic nature of our profession, we're sometimes a little too good at telling our sob stories and not as good as telling our success stories. Getting our geek on from community-to-community will give libraries a great advocacy opportunity, in a way that, frankly, rebels against classical teaching and learning. I didn't realize it at first, but I geek a good renaissance.
Six weeks goes by fast. Yes, it's been six weeks since OCLC announced WorldCat Local "quick start" as the first step toward a web-scale, cooperative library management service. Not only does that six weeks represent two full iterations of agile development for the three main web-scale components--circulation, print and licensed acquisitions, and license management--it's also been several interviews, speaking engagements, and lots of pressing product management work.
One of the things I'm asked repeatedly is to explain the distinctions of OCLC's effort in this space. Here they are, taken directly from my powerpoints, listed as succinctly as possible, but with some attempt at further explanation:
- A Web-based platform for all basic library management functionality
That is, it's completely web-accessible. Not browser-based; no massive plugin or extension downloads. It's not "web-technology based." It's web-based.
- Reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and increased efficiency through a unified management platform for all types of materials, regardless of format or method of acquisition
If we had it to do over again, would print and licensed acquisitions be so completely separate? Would vendors and licensors be separate lists? Would it be so hard to cross-train on library management systems?
- A flexible and customizable workflow platform
I've complained before about all the "twiddly bits" that libraries like to tweak on local systems. I feel strongly that much of this customization replaces what libraries really want--a service that allows libraries to define and/or select the processes (made up of tasks and activities) that define their workflows.
- Network effects by sharing applications and data between libraries
Cloud computing is essentially about sharing applications in a web-based scalable way. This is hardly new for libraries that subscribe to databases and ejournals. It is fairly new when it comes to running applications. But libraries also have another tool at their disposal--cooperation. Copy cataloging, resource sharing, and a strong ethos of cooperation position libraries to take advantage of cloud computing in ways that few other industries or organizations would embrace. The potential for building "cooperative intelligence" tools for libraries out of the shared data and shared ethos is nearly staggering. WorldCat Collection Analysis is a fantastic tool, but it is also just he tip of the iceberg.
- Concentrated data registries and repositories
Web-scale is not only about high transaction rates. It's about what Tim O'Reilly refers to as one of the major (missed) themes of Web 2.0--providing access to best-of-class data. Chris Anderson goes even further, writing, "The Web is all about scale, finding ways to attract the most users for centralized resources, spreading those costs over larger and larger audiences as the technology gets more and more capable."
- A Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) for interoperability with local environments and 3rd party business process systems (e.g., financial management, HR systems, and course management)
The services are being developed with full cognizance that libraries and organizations must interact with business process systems other than library management systems. That is, not only does library software require interoperability with other library software (e.g., self-check, receipt printers, EDIFACT), it also requires interaction with other enterprise solutions like financial management and HR. A service-oriented approach to the development, in combination with the OCLC Developers' Network empowers libraries to build, share, and maintain the interoperability they need.
Have no illusions that even a fantastic team (which I am happy to say is what I have) cannot do this alone. It will take a group of professionals that share and understand the vision and even more folks in the trenches guiding and facilitating the development of a next-generation of library management services. And these are the next steps--the assembly of a Library Advisory Council to help with the overall strategy, and the selection of test / pilot sites to ensure the proper functionality is developed.
Stay tuned.
This week I had the good fortune to participate in a Talk with Talis with Richard Wallis. I can't quite tolerate listening to the sound of my own voice, but I hope others will give it a listen.
One of the questions he asked me was about OCLC's use of the term 'web-scale' (often hyphenated as a compound adjective, and not hyphenated otherwise, but I am now erring toward hyphen consistency). Some have referred to it as synonymous with 'the web', however, I think there is a distinction that those more familiar with the history and state of library automation can better appreciate.
The sad truth is that most locally deployed inventory management systems are not built for massive scalability. This is partly the nature of the the age of the pre-web technology on which these systems were built, and partly the fact that a solution built to scale to hundreds or thousands of libraries was simply never within the defined scope of library management systems.
So, from the perspective of library automation, "web-scale management services" is an important distinction--as important as the cooperative nature for which the web-scale solution is built.
So, okay, that was not a very technical explanation. Never send a product manager to do an engineer's job. Thankfully, we can turn to the inaugural post of "OCLC Engineering" to help clarify Web-scale. Thank you, Mike Teets!
In case you didn't realize it, OCLC Engineering is not just one of a dozen OCLC blogs, covering everything from products, research, and various musings of OCLC bloggers!
I've had a great time this week, talking to media and bloggers, tweeting, talking to colleagues in libraries, and engaging the community towards OCLC's new Web-scale effort. The amount of energy and curiosity around this new effort is amazing. The cooperative nature of this profession makes this effort worthwhile. I'm looking forward to the opportunities in the months ahead to share more details and gather more reaction to the web-scale management services strategy. More specific details on my project are forthcoming, on this blog, and on the OCLC Product Works page. I'm convinced that it will be some time before the fun stops.
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