Jin Guo, the Director of Collections and Resource Management, gave a talk “Work Smarter, Together: Unifying the Library Management Systems” at the Long Island Library Resources Council (LILRC) 5th Annual Technical Services Open Forum in Farmingdale Public Library on March 29, 2019.
SUNY libraries currently undergo a state-wide system migration project. The new library management system Alma not only allows SUNY libraries to share physical library resources across campuses but also improves the way users search. To help libraries manage such systematical change and implement Alma successfully, Jin Guo presented her research “Measuring IS project success through a software-assisted qualitative content analysis” and a case study that she led to successfully consolidate two state university library systems.
Unifying two library management systems involves the operations of acquisitions, cataloging and metadata, bibliographic authority control, circulation, inter-library loan, and system administration as well as collaboration with end-users, system provider, consortium, and campus IT. The case study demonstrated the project management framework, project process management, and lessons learned and challenges overcome throughout the project. Librarians from Adelphi University, Pratt Institute, New York Public Library, St. John’s University, Nassau Community College, Nassau Library System, Hofstra University, St. Joseph’s College, Hicksville Public Libary, Farmingdale Public Library, and Farmingdale State College attended the forum.
