[Web4lib] NISO May Two-Part Webinar: The Future of ILS

[Cynthia Hodgson]

NISO May Two-Part Webinar: The Future of ILS

Both the back-end and the front-end of the traditional Integrated Library
System (ILS) are changing and evolving. The back-end is being impacted by
the change to RDA cataloging that has only just begun. The front-end is
changing through the integration of the ILS with other systems and a web
interface layer as well as the interactivity driven by Web 2.0. RDA
implementation is expected to drive additional changes to the user-side of
the ILS in ways that are still not fully understood.

NISO's two-part May webinar looks at The Future of the ILS from both of
these perspectives. On May 11, Part 1 considers RDA & Cataloging from the
perspective of the cataloger and the system vendor. On May 18, Part 2 looks
at User Interaction. Both webinars will be held from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
(Eastern time). You can register for either or both parts. There is no
prerequisite to attend Part 1 if your interest is in Part 2.

PART 1: THE FUTURE OF THE ILS: RDA & CATALOGING (May 11)

RDA holds the promise to more closely align Function Requirements for
Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and Functional Requirements for Authorities
Data (FRAD) to library catalogs. While RDA poses a disruptive shift in
current cataloging practices, it also carries with it tremendous potential
to move the library catalog into the age of the semantic web. Speakers and
topics are:

The Future of ILS: The Potential of RDA -- Bob Maxwell, Head, Special
Collections and Formats Catalog Department, Brigham Young University

How do you effectively implement RDA: Resource Description and Access with
your Integrated Library System (ILS)? It's a big change, but it's not as
hard as you might think. With RDA based on FRBR (Functional Requirements for
Bibliographic Records) and FRAD (Functional Requirements for Authority
Data), resources are now described using and entity/relationship model. That
opens up many opportunities for librarians to identify relationships, ILS
vendors to create new functionality, and users to discover information.
Brigham Young University is a participant in the U.S. National Libraries
test of RDA.

The Future of ILS: What an Ideal ILS Might Look Like -- John Espley,
Principal Librarian, VTLS

What would an ILS that supports RDA look like? While there are several
approaches being taken to modify existing systems to support RDA, the best
implementation strategy needs to be a true FRBR implementation where you
have separate Work, Expression, Manifestation, and Item records and fully
support the capabilities of linked data. RDA can actually simplify
cataloging when additional manifestations need to be added. Templates
toolkits, and macros can simplify the entire cataloging experience. Links
can be made within the ILS and to external sources. Users can navigate in
new ways using "trees" of linked data and "families" of related information.

PART 2: USER INTERACTION (May 18)

In Part 2, the webinar shifts to what the future of the ILS will hold with
respect to user interaction. Numerous studies have shown that the typical
user goes to Google before going to the library's website. What changes are
underway or envisioned that can drive the user back to using the library's
system or better yet make the library's data work better in the greater web
environment. We're already seeing a Library 2.0 world where many libraries
encourage users to add to the bibliographic information supplied by the
cataloger. How can we take it even further, going beyond the library system
"silo". And what are the implications of an RDA-driven library catalog on
the user interface? What happens in a world where RDA can set data free from
the library system to be linked to and mashed-up with other data or
applications? Part 2 of this webinar looks at developments that are both
underway and envisioned for the future to radically change the way the user
interacts with the library's data. Speakers and topics are:

Designing a Discovery Interface to Address Users' Needs -- Jennifer Bowen,
Assistant Dean, University of Rochester River Campus Libraries

The eXtensible Catalog (XC) provides a fully-customizable open source
discovery layer that incorporates into its design the findings of user
research conducted at four institutions. Using screen shots of an XC demo
site, this presentation will relate findings from XC's user research process
to specific aspects of the design and functionality of the XC User
Interface, and showcase how the customizability of a discovery interface can
enable libraries to meet the needs of different groups of users. 

SOPAC 2.1: Digital Strategy for the New Library -- John Blyberg, Assistant
Director for Innovation and User Experience, Darien Library

The Social OPAC is an award-winning, open source social discovery platform
for library bibliographic data that provides true integration of your
library catalog system with the power of the Drupal content management
system while allowing users to tag, rate, and review your holdings. User
input is then incorporated into the discovery index so that SOPAC becomes a
truly community-driven catalog system. 

REGISTRATION

You may register for either or both parts of the webinar; registrants to
both parts of the webinar receive a 25% discount. NISO and NASIG members can
register at the member rate. There is also a student discount. Can't make it
for the live webinar date? Registrants get access to the recorded version
for one year. For more information and to register, visit the event
webpages: Part 1: http://www.niso.org/news/events/2011/nisowebinars/rda/
Part 2: http://www.niso.org/news/events/2011/nisowebinars/userinteraction/


Cynthia Hodgson
NISO Technical Editor Consultant
National Information Standards Organization
Email: chodgson at niso.org
Phone: 301-654-2512