This document summarizes Susan Johns-Smith's work coordinating library system integrations at Pittsburg State University. It describes integrating the university's discovery platform, Summon, with their ILS after migrating from Dynix to Sierra in 2014. The integration projects included mapping MARC data in Summon to items in the online catalog, managing additions and deletions daily via FTP, and refreshing the full database quarterly. It also discusses integrating Sierra with their Encore discovery interface and implementing various APIs for functions like patron loads and fines/fees. Finally, it provides strategies for basic integration approaches and considerations around profile setup, APIs, identity management, and utilizing discovery integration.

1. Integration or Bust –
Making a Migration Work
Susan Johns-Smith
Systems Librarian / University Professor
Coordinator of Library Systems Consortia

2. Basic Integration Projects
• Integration for Discovery Data
• Integration of API Functionality
• Integration of Patron Data for Identity Management

7. Local Data : Pittsburg State
• Southeast Corner of Kansas
• 7,000 FTE with faculty/students living in Kansas, Missouri,
Oklahoma, and Arkansas
• Multi-type Consortia: K-12 school district, 4 public
libraries, 1 community college
• Subscription to Summon Discovery Platform since 2010
• ILS Migration from Dynix / Horizon > Sierra / Encore
completed fall 2014
• 1.2 million items; 850,000 bibs; 65,000 patrons

8. Discovery Integration (2010)
• Discoverability of the MARC data in Summon closely
mapped to MARC data from online catalog
• MARC data synchronized by FTP daily for additions,
changes, and deletions using the MARC history file
• Availability of book /online catalog material displayed with
a “click” (URL redirect) to the public catalog

9. Discovery Integration (2014)
• Whoops! No history file!
• Workflow : suppress – output – review – discard
• Additions, changes, deletions output daily
• Full database refresh – quarterly or per semester
• Upload to Summon from Sierra via FTP
• SQL scripts at a future time

10. Sierra/Encore Integration (2014)
• Sierra updates go to Encore automatically
• APIs (Patron Loads; Fines &Fees; Backup)
• More concise integration projects included Syndetics cover
art/content ; Debt Collection (Unique Management),
z39.50 for record loading
• User Authentication for Patron Empowerment

11. Basic Integration Strategies
• Drop in a Key – Start your engine, and go!
• Profile Setup
• APIs
• Identity Management and Authentication Processes
• Discovery Integration
• Karma / Magic / Serendipity

12. Profile Setup
• Profile screens populated with multiple options
• Some repetitiveness if multiple profiles required
• Still fairly successful, but does require testing
• Can be additional $$ depending on product and vendor
• Is license per library or per server?
• Does it work with multiple accounts?

13. APIs
• APIs are “the way forward”
• Must understand local programming skills needed
• Must know data mapping and terminology of the vendor
fields
• MOU or service level agreements
• Unique local coding benefits > user communities

14. Identity Management
• What will the patron use : SIP2/NCIP – LDAP - Active
Directory - barcode & pin - Geolocation IP?
• What will the staff use : Standalone login/password –
LDAP - Active Directory
• What to do for multiple sources of authentication in
different identity environments – no barcodes, different
campuses?

15. We
should
ask :

16. Karma? Magic? Serendipity?
• Summon –
• Real Time Availability

17. Acknowledgments
Claymore2211, https://www.flickr.com/photos/94105490@N04/1137563116/ via http://compfight.com,
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Universal Pops (David), https://www.flickr.com/photos/43164076@N06/5593449594/ via
http://compfight.com, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
Wayne Stadler Photography, https://www.flickr.com/photos/38658617@N00/17130630715/ via
http://compfight.com. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Jessica Shoupe, https://www.flickr.com/photos/83952735@N00/26282201526/ via http://compfight.com,
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Dennis Purdy, How many times, http://www.memes.com/img/400089
MarnieJoyce, https://www.flickr.com/photos/54205314@N02/5076743386/ via http://compfight.com,
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

18. Questions?
Susan Johns-Smith
sjohnssmith@pittstate.edu