Presented at the 2010 Electronic Resources & Libraries Conference. -- Abigail Bordeaux, Harvard University -- Abstract: Harvard University migrated from a local electronic resource management system to a vended ERMS in July 2009. This presentation will discuss Harvard's implementation of the new system. factors that led to a successful conclusion, and ongoing work to improve and extend use of the system.

1. ERMS Success:
Harvard's experience implementing
and using an ERM system
Abigail Bordeaux
Systems Librarian, Harvard University Library
Electronic Resources & Libraries - February 1, 2010

2. Agenda
• Context
• Defining success
• The Project: Phase 1
• The Project: Phase 2
• Q&A

3. Context: Harvard
• Over 70 libraries
• Central systems office supports ILS, ERM, link
resolver, and many other systems
• Centralized ER management for some
e-resources for entire Harvard community
• Distributed ER management by libraries for their
own e-resources

4. Context: Harvard’s local ERM
• For centralized ERM activities
• For resources available to entire University
• 2-3 staff enter & manage data
• ERM staff view + librarian end-user view
• Created in 2004 using MySQL & PHP
• Fairly simple data model

5. Context: Harvard’s local ERM
• 50+ interfaces
• 900+ packages
• 10,000+ resources
• Acquisitions • Organization records
• Licensing • Library records
• Access and Naming
• Admin

6. Why Local ERM -> Verde?
• Financial workflows
– Duplication of work
– Unnecessarily complicated
– Outside Aleph
• Limitations of local ERM
– Meant as stop-gap measure until Verde
– Minimal development since 2004
– Can’t expose as much information as we’d like

7. How do we define success?
As… Not As…
Migration of our data from Achievement of ideal system
local system
Doing ERM work in new Fully doing everything we’d
system in new ways want from ERM
Having some new workflows Adoption by all Harvard
that are better than before libraries
Working around/through Without frustration
problem areas

8. Phase 1: Project planning
• Focused on essentials
• Team of ERM users, project manager, programmer
• Scoping the project
• Detailed project plan

9. Phase 1: Data review and cleanup
This phase is essential.
Going without it is a recipe for failure.
• Outdated information
• Database integrity issues
• Kludgy use of ERM
• Weeding
• Paper filing system

10. Phase 1: Data Migration
• Data mapping
• Test load cycles
• Data cleanup
Extract Load
• Manual data entry
Delete Review

11. Work record and E-product attribute data will be added manually
E-product/Selection Status
NA NA
Publisher on work record License Attribute
Acquisitions: Vendor
License Attribute
Interface is part of product hierarchy – verified
as part of verde e-product code match process Handled via acq and/or license
Acquisitions Attribute
E-product attribute: internal note
Admin Attribute
E-product attribute: Holdings note Admin Attribute on related Interface
To be added manually as
Admin: MARC records note
migration match point

12. Phase 1: Interoperability
• ILS interoperability
• Link resolver interoperability
• Developed & used testing scenarios, checklists
• Looked at available options and chose some of them

13. Phase 1: Workflow mapping & adapting
• Acquisitions/financials ID’d as top priority
• Dramatically changed acquisitions processes
• The system shouldn’t drive the workflow, but it can
inform it
• PR & awareness campaign with libraries –
benefits of change

14. Phase 1: Documentation & Training
• Overview document for all users
• Mapping documents to help transition
• Most users view-only during this phase
• Set of detailed procedure docs for central staff

15. Phase 1: Conclusion
• Started using Verde on schedule on July 1, 2009
• Overview sessions for interested staff
• Post-STP cleanup
• Getting to work!

16. Phase 2: More people doing more stuff
• In progress now
• Extending logins to interested libraries for
their own e-resource management
• Defining and adding needed fields
• Agreement on best practices

17. Phase 2: Continued
• Replacing some web forms with steps in Verde
• Documenting & training for new activities
• Developing online help
• Making recommendations for future projects
• Expect to conclude end of March 2010

18. Thank you!
Questions?
Contact:
abigail_bordeaux@harvard.edu