Introduction
Strategic Context
- Provide national infrastructure to underpin efficient and effective library services across the country, and to support Australian libraries in the twenty-first-century digital world.
- Renew the Libraries Australia Search service to meet the collection management needs of over 1,000 Australian libraries.
- Harness new and emerging opportunities in the digital environment, including the National Broadband Network, to engage with diverse Australian audiences, including those in regional and remote communities.
- Support research and lifelong learning for all Australians by maximising online access to our collections and services.
- Strengthen our engagement with Australian communities through social media opportunities and services optimised for mobile devices.
- Develop a robust and sustainable business model for Trove, to ensure we can expand and enrich its content and invest in new services for our users.
- Make it easy for educational content developers and researchers to access Trove resources for use in their curriculum products and innovative research spaces.
- Lead and collaborate in National and State Libraries Australasia projects to improve Australians’ access to library resources
Key Objectives for 2012-2015
Libraries Australia
Support the collection management and document delivery activities of more than 1000 Australian libraries, and aggregation and syndication of bibliographic metadata describing library collections.
- The most comprehensive possible aggregation of bibliographic metadata describing Australian library collections – including a comprehensive record of Australia’s published documentary heritage – is developed and is available for re-use in multiple contexts
- The collection management and document delivery workflows of Australian libraries are met effectively and efficiently
- The services offered by the Library are sustainable, with an equitable cost-sharing model across the Australian library community.
Trove
Support Australian and international users to access and engage with a broad range of online and other resources held or managed by more than 1000 libraries and cultural institutions.
- Trove’s content base grows to best fit users’ needs to learn about Australia and its place in the world, with a special emphasis on freely available digital Australiana
- Trove’s service mix continues to evolve to deliver high quality, high performance access to a broad range of resources via the Trove website and other services incorporating Trove content, and to offer new ways for Australians to engage with Trove content
- The services offered by the Library are sustainable, with investigation of potential external revenue streams to support development beyond what the Library’s recurrent budget will allow.
NSLA eResources
Support Australians to access high quality electronic resources at the time and place of their choice.
- Australians’ access to quality eResources is maximised by harnessing the strength of joint negotiations on price and conditions
- The service mix best meets the developing needs of member libraries and their patrons
- The service offered by the Library is sustainable, with an equitable cost-sharing model across the consortium members.
Resource Sharing and Information Technology
Appendix 1: Acitivites to support key objectives
Objective 1: Libraries Australia
| Goal | Activities | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Libraries Australia Search redevelopment | Redevelop Libraries Australia Search to support the performance and capacity required by Australian libraries, and to improve Libraries Australia users' onlin experience. | 2012-2013 |
| Libraries Australia Cataloging |
Implement CBS6.0 to improve service to member libraries.
Implement CBS configuration to support all required (Resource Description for Access) RDA fields and data
Implement CBS Job Manager to improve Library staff self-sufficiency in National Bibliographic Database (NBD) management
Review need to offer a cataloguing client and whether the CBS system best meets our needs, including exploration of the implications of Bibliographic Framework Transition Initiative (BibFrame) for future business requirements, workflows and skills. This work needs to take into account the Library’s coming process to replace its LMS, and whether there are further efficiencies to be made via system consolidation
|
2012-2013 [Complete] 2012-2013 2013-2014 2013-2015 |
| Libraries Australia NBS quality |
Continue with Duplication Detection Removal program to identify and remove duplicate records
Implement Relate program to relate headings in bibliographic records with authority records
Shift effort from human reviewing of data loads to automated processes delivering an effective balance between quality and cost
Merge and de-duplicate the Libraries Australia name and subject authority files to improve database quality
Investigate options for improving detection of broken URL links and providing users with options for navigating to content of interest (NB. A single approach may be viable for the Library’s OPAC, Libraries Australia and Trove).
|
Ongoing 2012-2013 [Complete] 2012-2014 2013-2014 |
| Libraries Australia NBD coverage |
Assess gaps in coverage, and promulgate Libraries Australia options for libraries to add and maintain their NBD holdings
Investigate sources of bibliographic metadata for eBooks and options for representing Australian library eBook holdings
Improve coverage of NSLA special collections as NSLA Accessible Collections projects improve description of pictures, manuscripts, maps, oral history and other special collections
|
Ongoing
2013-2015
2012-2015 |
| Libraires Australia BND currency |
Continue to work with OCLC and others to simplify and lower barriers to update capability, especially positioning ourselves to take advance of moves to cloud-based systems.
Encourage Australian libraries to regularly contribute holdings, rather than relying on periodic refreshes every few years
Undertake major holdings refreshes for Australian libraries which have not maintained their holdings
|
2012-2014 Ongoing Ongoing but should reduce over time |
| Libraries Australia and OCLC |
Improve synchronisation between Libraries Australia and OCLC WorldCat by implementing detailed serial holdings and expanding interoperability with the WorldCat Synchronisation Gateway
|
2012-2014 |
| Libraries Australia RIS and RES | Maintain and develop Record Import Service and Record Export Service to impove opportunities for aggregating and disseminating Libraries Australia records | 2012-2015 |
| Libraries Australia products |
Ensure that our current product suite is successfully migrated with the Libraries Australia Search redevelopment
Investigate options to support Australian libraries downsizing or consolidating their print collections, e.g. by exploiting our current product suite; by exploring the benefit of working with the Hathi Trust to compare its digital collections with Australian print collections
Review need for and cost-benefit of the eResources collection service
|
2012-2013
2012-2014
2012/2013 |
| Libraries Australia Document Delivery |
Closely monitor LADD transactions, including sectoral trends
Implement detailed member serial holdings in OCLC WorldCat to reduce number of unfillable document delivery requests received by Australian libraries
Analyse options for providing a national ILL/DD utility as OCLC phases out support for the supporting VDX software, and ensure we are well prepared to meet or facilitate member needs in a post VDX and post ISO ILL world
Participate in international processes surrounding developing a new standard to replace the current ISO ILL standard
|
Ongoing 2012-2013 2012-2015 2012-2015 |
| Libraries Australia directories | Integrate Australian Libraries Gateway (ALG) and Inter Library Resource Sharing (ILRS) directories to ensure one source of data to supoprt directory needs for both Libraries Australia and Trove | 2013-2014 |
| Libraries Australia administration | Redevelop Libraries Australia administration (specifically the membership datastore), which controls permissions for users to access a range of Libraries Australia systems, and generates reports statistics. Examine potential for redeveloping in concert with LA directories, to achieve a single datastore of member details. | 2013-2014 |
| Libraries Australia helpdesk |
Implement new Reftracker versions to streamline answering member enquiries and continue supporting users
Assist users to exploit the opportunities offered by the new Libraries Australia Search
Further improve website information to improve member self-sufficiency relating to Libraries Australia Document Delivery
|
2012-2015
2013-2014
2013-2014 |
| Libraries Australia users |
Implement and manage panel of Libraries Australia trainers Answer user enquiries to meet the Library’s service standard. Communicate with Libraries Australia users using social media and other methods Host Libraries Australia Forum on an annual or bi-annual basis Engage with Libraries Australia Advisory Committee to ensure that sectoral and member perspectives are well understood, and to communicate Libraries Australia strategic and operational activities. Present papers and presentations at major library and information conferences, and to smaller groups of stakeholders, especially state based Libraries Australia User Groups. Publish papers to maximise impact of our professional research and explorations. Use the information gained during our 2011-2012 business environment review to meet our users’ needs. |
2012-2013 [Complete}
Ongoing |
| Libraries Australia Business Model |
Ensure we have and exploit the right metrics to support our decision making
Ensure we have a strong understanding of the impact of cloud-based Library Management Systems on member library workflows, and the impact changed workflows will have on our members’ need for our current suite of services and potential impact on revenue.
Investigate options for aggregation and syndication of bibliographic metadata describing Australian library collections
Work with Collections Management Division to assess the relationships between the Library’s OPAC, eResources, digital delivery systems, Libraries Australia and Trove (also included in Trove Business Model)
Undertake full costing of the service, to help the Library to understand current and future resource requirements, and to amend the Libraries Australia business model to ensure that the service is sustainable
Undertake full costing of the LADD service and investigate alternative charging models
Review and promote the Libraries Australia Value Proposition to members and potential members.
As our business context changes, assess which services we should continue to offer inhouse, which services we should broker on behalf of Australian libraries, and what new skills sets we may require in a more heavily ‘brokered’ environment
Implement decisions arising from costings and business modelling
|
Ongoing Ongoing 2013-2015 2013-2014 2012-2013 2012-2013 2013-2014 2012-2015 2013-2015 and beyond |
Objective 2: Trove
| Goal | Activities | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Trove performance |
Upgrade systems to address current performance and reliability issues; work with Information Technology staff to identify, monitor, understand, prioritise and mitigate
|
2012-2014 |
| Trove performing arts |
Improve user experience of finding Australian music and performing arts material by completing tasks remaining after closure of Picture Australia, Music Australia and Australia Dancing in June 2012, and implementing a performing arts selected subject view
|
2012-2013 |
| Trove selected subject views |
Review utility, sustainability and any risks associated with the performing arts selected subject view to assess viability and issues associated with offering additional subject views, e.g. resources documenting Indigenous Australia |
2013-2014 |
| Trove newpapers |
Redevelop Trove newspapers to improve performance and the newspaper interface (including enabling for mobile devices) to deal with Trove’s increasing newspaper content base With Information Technology and Collection Management Division, investigate software options to improve newspaper OCR quality |
2012-2013 2014-2015 |
| Trove people | Improve Trove's party (people and organisations) infrastructure to increase use and utlity of this content |
2012-2014 |
| Trove articles | Complete review of inclusion of licensed articles in Trove, communicate with vendors and users on the outcomes, implement resulting recommendation | 2012-2014 |
| Trove books and journals | Support the inclusion of increased digitised published text content resulting from the Library's implementation of a Books and Journals digisitation system in 2013 | 2012-2014 |
| Trove lists | Improve Lists functionality to support more user choice in how they present and share their curated Lists, including museums and galleries wishing to showcase digital content |
2013-2015 |
| Trove user engagement |
Explore new options for higher value user engagement features (e.g. geotagging, adding subject terms from a thesaurus) |
2013-2015 |
| Trove information and help |
Develop and implement new information architecture for Trove’s about, help and other information pages |
2012-2013 |
| Trove harvesting |
Enhance the Library’s Harvester to improve Trove and Libraries Australia support team ability to harvest digital content using a variety of protocols, and to develop additional mechanisms (including instructional resources) to lower barriers to contribution |
2013-2014 |
| Trove data syndication |
Continue to promulgate opportunities to reuse Trove content via the API and other methods including by GovHack developers as a NSLA initiative. This work will include assessing the opportunities and risks of allowing commercial vendors to expose Trove content in their services Explore opportunities, issues and options surrounding provision of open linked data, including considering the most appropriate repository for making data available (Libraries Australia, WorldCat or Trove) |
Ongoing, GovHack in 2012-2013
2013-2014 |
| Trove content |
Liaise with the Library’s Newspaper, Books and Journal Digitisation Program to ensure digitisation plans are understood, delivery needs are met, and discovery is optimised. Review and prioritise all current and potential contributors in Trove Contributors Database Add Australian researcher data to Trove via Australian National Data Store (ANDS) metastores Refocus on adding unique digital Australiana Negotiate to add content from other national collecting agencies = Focus on adding content from small museums using a single collection management system Develop new approaches to assist potential contributors with limited technical capacity Add relevant content from other aggregators including the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF), Hathi Trust, Digital NZ and Europeana
|
Ongoing, with new focus on Books and Journals in 2013-2014 2012-2013 Ongoing 2012-2013 2012-2015 2013-2015 |
| Trove users |
Undertake major evaluation survey of Trove users to help us understand our user demographics, their needs, and their responses to Trove. Develop response to results of evaluation survey Leverage the roll-out of NBN broadband to increase use of Trove and social media engagement with Australians living in rural, remote and regional areas Answer user enquiries to meet the Library’s service standard Present papers and presentations at major library and information conferences, and to smaller groups of stakeholders; publish papers to maximise impact of our professional research and explorations |
2012-2013 2013-2014 Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing |
| Trove business model |
Ensure we have and exploit the right metrics to support our decision making
Implement outcomes of Trove Value Edge activity study
Undertake full costing of Trove service, to help the Library to understand current and future resource requirements
Document current Trove business model and consider the opportunities and risks associated with growing the service in a sustainable manner
Work with Collections Management Division to assess the relationships between the Library’s OPAC, eResources, digital delivery systems, Libraries Australia and Trove
Integrate Trove into the Library’s fundraising and development programs
|
Ongoing 2012-2014 2012-2013 2012-2013 2013-2014 2012-2015 |
| Trove corporate governance |
Finalise and publish Trove scope statement, Strategic Directions, Content Inclusion Statement and Content Inclusion Policy Trove Reference Group to meet quarterly to discuss strategic and planning issues Review rle and terms of Trove Reference Group |
2012-2013 Ongoing 2013-2014 |
Objective 3: eResources consortium
| Goal | Activities | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| NSLA eResources business model | Implement sustainable business model to sustain the NSLA Consortia into the future | 2012-2014 |
| NSLA eResources content |
Review concept of the core set and explore the value of reframing effort to common selection criteria rather than common products
|
2013-2014 |
| NSLA eResources licensing |
Investigate options for common licensing terms and conditions for eBook licences across NSLA Continue to negiotiate for licence conditions allowing onsite, walk-in and remote access |
2012-2014
Ongoing |
