Parts of the process in buying and implementing an Integrated Library System
-
Starting the process
- Evaluate current system
- Is the current system inadequate?
- Is their a time limit on current system?
- Investigate funding
- How much money is available in the budget for system purchase?
- Grant money?
- How much will be available for yearly maintenance fees?
- Survey what's available
- Research on the web and in periodicals
- Demos at conferences
- Demos hosted by library
- Visit other libraries online
- Site visits to other libraries in person
- Analyze library's needs for new system
- Prepare functional specifications
-
Acquisition of ILS
- RFP (Request for Proposal)
- Prepare RFP
- Announce RFP to vendors
- Receive proposals (often by a specific deadline)
- Evaluate vendors' proposals
- Demonstrations
- Prepare Demo scripts (what vendor needs to show)
- Evaluate vendor demonstrations
- Negotiate with preferred vendor(s)
- What will the system cost?
- What will be included for that price?
- Migration requirements
- Timetable for implementation
- Contract
- Prepare contract
- Legal departments review contract
- Sign contract
-
Implementation
- Acquire Hardware
- Profiling (Options and preferences)
- Set configurations for new system
- Configure indexes and display options for online catalog
- Create local screens for online catalog
- Set policies for Circulation (loan rules, fines, etc.)
- Set up templates for data records in all functions
- Set security access levels for all functions
- Data Migration
- Extract data from old system
- Perform data conversion (if needed)
- Load data into new system
- Training
- Train trainers
- Familiarize with printed or online documentation
Train all staff
- Testing
- Cut over to new system (go live)
-
Follow up
- Evaluate new system
- Adjust configurations to improve system
- Additional training to make better use of new system
LIBR 56: Computers in Libraries
This page last updated 5 January 2005
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