Download to read offline
Uploaded byTom Bruno
Faith Trust and Pixie Dust Implementing Ares at Yale
This document provides an overview of Yale University Library's implementation of the Ares course reserves management system. It describes the library's previous unsustainable course reserves workflows and the evaluation process that led them to select Ares. The implementation was a collaborative effort involving various teams who planned the integration with other systems, conducted data conversion, and created training and marketing materials. There were challenges along the way including a lengthy data conversion process and ensuring support for both print and electronic reserves. Lessons learned included assessing policies and procedures, having backup plans for issues, and gaining user buy-in through a phased rollout. Usage statistics improved after implementing Ares with significant increases in the number of print and electronic reserve items.
Faith Trust and Pixie Dust Implementing Ares at Yale
- 1. Faith, Trust, andPixie Dust Implementing Ares at Yale University Library
- 2. Fear and Loathingin Course Reserves
- 3. Overview 1. My PersonalCourse Reserves Journey- aka,Bringing Up Baby 2. Fear and Loathing: Reserves 911 3. Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust, or Why Ares is like Disney’s Magic Bands 4. Lessons Learned, Numbers Gathered (Recap) 5. Questions and Answers
- 4. Today’s Goals • Demystifythe project implementation process • Help you think of your course reserves policies/procedures in a new light • Learn about the conservation of Pixie Dust!
- 5. My Personal CourseReserves Journey aka Bringing Up Baby Hired by Yale in 2012 Associate Director of Resource Sharing AND Reserves ...AND Reserves
- 6. Evil Architecture 101 •Resource Sharing and Reserves had never been combined at Yale • Part of larger Access Services reorg • Not just sharing a branch on the org tree, but a chance to do something new • Ares was the goal, but it was also the catalyst
- 7.
- 8. Episode IV A NEWHOPE It is a dark time for Yale Course Reserves. In 2008, a subgroup of the E-Reserves Group in DPIP (Digital Production & Integration Program) is charged with evaluating existing reserves management solutions. The group looks at several different products, including LIST by Talis, DOCUTEK E-RES by
- 9. Our Course ReservesPredicament • YUL reserves units relying on combination of Voyager’s Reserves module and e-Reserves storage/retrieval maintained by Library IT • Unsustainable in long term: new ILS in future, e- Reserves not automated or scalable • Market for reserves management systems has narrowed significantly- Ares is now the industry standard
- 10. Fall 2012 AresEvaluation • Two online demos for YUL stakeholders • Feedback: Ares great e-Reserves tool, but what about support for print reserves? • On-site meeting November 2nd w/ Genie Powell, Atlas Systems • “Must have” features identified by stakeholders- could the vendor provide these?
- 11. Vendor Management 101 Agnes:And you, start over. I want everything in one bag. Pimple Faced Kid: Yes, ma'am! Agnes: But I don't want the bag to be heavy. Pimple Faced Kid: I don't think that's possible! Agnes: What are you, the possible police? Just do it!
- 12. It’s a boy! •Spring 2013- Approved to begin Ares implementation • Summer 2013- Soft launch for SML, CSSSI, DIV • Fall 2013- Full launch for 13/14 academic year • Expected Due Date for our son: 9/24/2013 (WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!)
- 13. Initial Project PlanningPhase • Met with Library IT re: integration with ILS • Met with CMS/LMS admins re: integration with CMS/LMS • Met with Library Communications re: marketing and promotional materials • Met with UX librarian re: webforms and usability issues
- 14. Implementation Task ForceTeams • Workflow/Impleme ntation • Data Conversion • Training & Documentation • Marketing and Outreach
- 15. A Collaborative, IterativeProcess • Task force included a cross-section of librarians, managers, and support staff • Regular team meetings and monthly All- Project meetings to gather feedback and constructive criticism • Constant assessment -> continuous improvement
- 16. Bumps in theRoad • Data Conversion (past 5 years) took a LOT longer than we had anticipated, especially for e- reserves, requiring many hours of data entry on our end • Quality control for Data Conversion was in real time. i.e., you didn’t know what was wrong until a professor tried to access their list!
- 17. Bumps in theRoad #2 • Soft launch in Summer was good for low- impact beta testing, but vacations impacted ability of teams, other stakeholders to meet • Much more of scramble in Fall
- 18. Bumps in theRoad #3 • No one surefire way to communicate reserves change with all faculty, grad students, and admin secretaries • Adopted multi-faceted communications strategy (email, Web, print, etc.), but still missed many affected patrons
- 19. Lesson #1 Implementing anew system can be a great excuse to assess/change existing policies, procedures, and workflows
- 20. Lesson #2 Lesson Oneis easier said than done
- 21. First impressions Yale coursereserves was extremely labor- intensive: • Many redundant workflows • Keying/rekeying of data • Reliance on paper checklists for status updates, managing throughput, quality control
- 22. Second impressions Course Reservesis a fear-based workflow: 1. Fear of upsetting faculty 2. Fear of failing to meet student demands 3. Fear of changing policies/procedures for fear of #1 or #2
- 23. High touch orno touch at all? • Our reserves workflows emphasized triage/damage control for individuals at the expense of efficiency and transparency for all • i.e., We had an excellent Reserves “911” system, but otherwise our services were 10+ years out of date
- 24. The system isdown • In June of 2013 a major upgrade was rolled out to NYC’s 911 system during a peak emergency dispatch call period, causing the new system to crash repeatedly • Calls were taken, written down on paper, run to appropriate dispatch center by hand
- 25. Lessons learned? 1. Tryto avoid high-volume periods for implementation 2. Make sure you have a reliable backup workflow in place 3. Assume that what can go wrong WILL go wrong and plan accordingly
- 26. Baby steps toAres… • In the case of NYC’s 911 system, the paper backup was crude but it worked • We allowed faculty experiencing difficulty or anxiety about Ares to submit their reserves requests the old-fashioned way • Just… make sure you can staff this!
- 27. That was yourplan, Ray? • Phase 1 (Summer 2013)- Initial rollout, faculty participated by opting-in, testing & feedback • Phase 2 (Fall 2013)- Initial launch in CMS (Sakai), faculty could opt-out, staff/user assessment • Phase 3 (Spring 2014)- Full launch in CMS, no opt-out, staff/user assessment continues
- 28. Don’t forget theloathing! “Everything you are doing is bad. I want you to know this.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncGHiVKJh0Y
- 29. Down & Outin the Magic Kingdom* • In 2013 starting rolling out MagicBands to select guests at Walt Disney World • RFID-enabled smart bands serving as identification, key, and ride pass all in one • Also allowing some neat/creepy personalized “magic” with new interactive attractions • Intended to replace old FastPass ride reservation system
- 30. BONUS: Reader’s Advisory *Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, by Cory Doctorow (Seriously, if you haven’t read it- GO AND BUY IT NOW!)
- 31. The Mouse alwayswins... • Problem: Disney insiders LOVED their FastPasses, HATED the idea of Magic Bands • Disney recognized that FastPass use/abuse was creating a system with clear winners and losers • MagicBands would allow Disney greater control over lines and waiting times, while giving all Guests ability to reserve rides online
- 32. P.S. Yes, I’m agiant Disney nerd… and I have multiple Mickey Mouse ties to prove it!
- 33. What’s the worstthat could happen? • Disney targeted small group to test MagicBands- insiders were tapped to build buy-in, create buzz • Ability to use the old FastPass ride reservation system at the same time • The technology is still not 100% foolproof, but critics are helping troubleshoot it
- 34. Lessons Learned 1. Howdo you keep the magic when your goal is Pixie Dust detox? 2. If you’re going to take something away, make sure you’re giving them something equally cool (or even cooler) in return 3. Co-opt your critics, turn them into your troubleshooters and champions
- 35. Step One: Launchanother successful service • In 2012 Yale Launched the Scan and Deliver electronic document delivery service for faculty, students, staff • Scan and Deliver service adopted to fulfill e-Reserves scanning requests, via Ares OpenURL request functionality • Capitalized on a success, popular service to sell Ares with patrons, library staff, AND administrators
- 36. Marrying ILLiad andAres • Blending of Resource Sharing and Reserves staff made it easier to train staff how to use the Ares client (similar to ILLiad) • Other overlapping workflows could be leveraged as well- i.e., using document delivery for e-reserves, ILL staff to assist with finding links to articles/chapters in online resources
- 37. Concierge service forall? • High-touch service meets reserves automation • Ease of ordering and reuse • Transparency to tracking, immediate gratification whenever possible • The personal touch (i.e., Pixie Dust) is still there, but reserved for genuine emergency/troubleshooting
- 38. Reserves by thenumbers 2008-2012 Averages • Avg. # of items on Print Reserve: 6603 • Avg. # of items scanned as PDF: 3016 • Avg. # of linked e-resources: 594
- 39. Better living throughlibrary automation!
- 40. Grand Totals for2013-2014 AY • # of items on Print Reserve: 9496 • # of items scanned as PDF: 5249 • # of linked e-resources: 3047 NOTE: Not only did e-reserves DOUBLE, but print reserves went up 43%!
- 41. Other improvements- ReservesAcquisitions • Changes in ordering procedures (direct email through Ares to our Acquisitions staff, fulfillment via Amazon) • Turnaround Time: 2012: 14.11 days 2013: 7.25 days (49% reduction!)
- 42. Other improvements- e-Reservesscanning • Prior to Ares, e-Reserves scanning took the entire semester for staff to complete, requiring staging of scanning requests by week • Now all e-Reserves scanning is completed by the end of the 4th week of the semester
- 43. Ooh, shiny! • Bystart of classes (1/13/14), e-Reserves already 50% complete • By 2/13/14, e-Reserves were 90% complete!
- 44. Lessons Learned (Recap) 1.We may never be a thrill ride, but we can make the course reserves experience as pleasant as possible- iterate, automate, assess, and enhance! 2. Plan, plan, plan ahead for service interruptions and points of failure. PROJECT PLANNING EXPERTISE IS A MUST! 3. Communicate with your stakeholders constantly to frame their expectations (Basecamp, LibGuides, and Bookmarks- Oh, my!)
- 45. Questions? Comments? Baby Pictures? Thankyou! Tom Bruno [email protected] Twitter: @oodja “What do you mean, my princess is in another castle?”
- 46. Acknowledgements SML/Bass Reserves and ScanningTeam Ares Implementation Task Force YUL Reserves Staff Atlas Systems Staff My wife, my daughter, and son Don’t forget: STEELSEN!