Slide 17 of 33
Notes:
Benefits of the integrated collaborative system.
Linking the cataloguing, acquisitions and circulation functions, as well as the on-line public catalogues for all three libraries will provide benefits for both users and staff.
- to our users, we will look more like one library. Users will have easier access to the other universities' libraries, with some seven million volumes.
- access to library catalogues over the Web, through a browser, with no additional software required.
- sophisticated on-line catalogue employing Graphical User Interface (GUI) provides powerful search and retrieval capabilities
- seamless integration of library catalogues, electronic resources and advanced learning multimedia technologies
- access to major on-line research databases, technical support for joint collection development and resource sharing
- common tools and systems to facilitate sharing of library staff resources and expertise
Library staff from all three universities, as well as representatives from the libraries at St. Jerome's and Conrad Grebel Colleges (Federated and Affiliated colleges of UW) have been involved in the planning process. Sharing staff resources in a more efficient manner is another plus for the system. Now, the three libraries are ordering some of the same books and cataloguing them on different systems. The TUG System will cut down on duplication and staff work.
In a new level of collaboration staff from Information Systems and Technology (IST) at UW, along with their counterparts at the other universities, participated in the planning to ensure the new technology would fit into the overall campus development. Like the other components of the Business 1999 project at UW, the new library system is Oracle-based. The system servers will be located at UW, with WLU and Guelph connected over the Internet. Using a formula based on the size of each institution, the universities will share the costs of hardware and software for the million-dollar system, with user workstations purchased separately by each University.
