Next-Generation Technical Services Update: March 2012
A roundup of this month’s activities and accomplishments from the Power of Three (POT) (http://libraries.universityofcalifornia.edu/sopag/ngts_pots.html) Groups:
POT 1: Build the UC Digital Collection infrastructure
POT 1 has adjusted its task list and timeline to reflect feedback from the NGTS Management Team, and is preparing to charge lightning teams. The lightning teams to be created in the near term will focus on gathering requirements for a system-wide Digital Assets Management System (DAMS) with discovery and display options and developing an aggregation strategy that ensures existing UC digital assets will be available for discovery and display as part of the UC Library Digital Collection.
POT 2: Transform cataloging practices
POT 2.1 Lightning Team 1 has completed and submitted its report on the current shelfready environment to the POT. POT 2.2 is evaluating responses from the Heads of Technical Services (HOTS) and Cataloging and Metadata Common Interest Group (CAMCIG) (http://libraries.universityofcalifornia.edu/hots/camcig/) regarding the acceptability of the BIBCO Standard Record (BSR) and has begun drafting the framework and guidelines for applying the BSR.
POT 3: Accelerate processing of archival and manuscript collections
POT 3 has completed several steps in drafting a UC-wide implementation plan for Archivists’ Toolkit, including identifying a proposed infrastructure, identifying support needed to facilitate migration to AT, and defining services available to users of the CDL-hosted service. POT 3 has also completed drafting a minimal record specification for collections and will be working with POT 2.2 to solicit feedback.
POT 4: Simplify the recharge process
A key milestone was achieved in this fiscal quarter as remaining campuses (UCD, UCSB) implemented the deposit system for CDL co-investments. POT 4’s Lightning Team 1 has completed its analysis of the survey results on implementation of the deposit system thus far. A key assumption to be tested by the POT was that using deposit accounts for CDL co-investments would minimize the number of transactions and result in overall efficiencies and cost savings. The assessment finds that while implementation of a deposit account system has reduced the number of recharges between CDL and each campus from numerous times per year to about four or five times per year, those savings have been offset by the work campus accounting units perform to track expenditures against deposit accounts. So while there have been efficiencies gained for the CDL acquisitions unit, the overall library workload has not been reduced, but changed.
The POT will be digesting and communicating the findings in further detail. Lightning Team 4.1 further recommends gathering input from campuses on the process after the end of the fiscal year.
POT 5: Maximize the effectiveness of Shared Cataloging
POT 5 Lightning Team 1 has begun drafting a report on Shared Cataloging Program (SCP) record distribution based on analysis of survey results. A second lightning team has compiled data that would ascertain the monetary and staffing costs of SCP record distribution and identified three use-case scenarios to guide their analysis of the costs of campuses obtaining records on their own.
POT 6: Develop system-wide Collections Services Operations
POT 6 Lightning Team 1A has completed its report of existing shared staffing agreements and projects. The POT is completing the compilation and analysis of survey results on campus staffing needs; needed tools; and existing backlogs.
POT 7: Transform collection development practices
POT 7 has completed and posted its “Current Inventory of UC Cooperative Collection Development Activities” on the Collection Development Committee (CDC) website to collect and provide as much information as possible on these activities for collection officers, bibliographers, and other library staff. (Note: the document is intended for internal staff information and may be viewed with the CDL password.)