Montana Library Card Pilot: Fact Sheet
May 2006

Note

This is a real pilot project, the genuine bleeding-edge article. As it evolves and develops, what’s outlined below will almost certainly change—hopefully for the better. But as of today, May 11, 2006, this is my best understanding of what this project will entail. I am excited because I think this will lay the underpinnings for a program which provides statewide access to information, a ‘Montana Library Card’, for all Montanans. But first, we have to figure out how to make a miracle or two.

Bruce Newell, May 11, 2006

Overview
Montana State Library and OCLC invite you to participate in the Montana Library Card Pilot Project. This pilot project will experiment with giving library patrons direct simultaneous finding and requesting access to your and other libraries’ collections, and backup these cross-system ‘find-it’, ‘request-it’ functions with courier-based ‘get-it’ services.

If successful, a library patron in (for instance) Missoula, using Missoula Public Library’s online catalog (and her Missoula Public Library card), will be able to conveniently find and request an item (without a librarian’s assistance) from the Havre-Hill Library’s collection. Special courier services will deliver the requested item to the Missoula Public Library, or perhaps even the patron’s mailbox, within a day or two.

The Montana Shared Catalog and the Hi-Line catalog, in conjunction with computer applications at OCLC, will automate much of this process. All Montana libraries interested in this pilot project are encouraged to read further.

How will this work?
Participating libraries will need to be able to run an NCIP[1] server on their integrated library system. An NCIP probably doesn’t require separate computer hardware, but will typically require a larger ILS, such as Sirsi, Dynix, Endeavor, III, ExLibris, et cetera. OCLC will run applications, in the background, making it possible for a Sirsi system to exchange information with an Endeavor system, a Dynix system to ‘talk to’ an ExLibris ILS, etc. The two computers will exchange information about item availability, authenticate the patron, and whether the patron’s card is not blocked due to overdues, unpaid bills, and so forth.

Pilot libraries will need to be Montana OCLC libraries, contributing holding records to WorldCat, and actively using OCLC resource sharing. For the pilot project, participating libraries will have the option of delivering items directly to the requesting patron.

We anticipate that initial pilot project participants will include the Missoula Public Library, perhaps some or all of the other Montana Shared Partner Libraries[2], and one or more of the libraries sharing the Hi-Line Shared Catalog[3].

What are the benefits for libraries?

The Montana Library Card Pilot Proiect will allow library patrons, in participating libraries, to find more items (by searching through a larger catalog), request items from the holding library without help from a librarian, and have the item sent to their library or to their home. Project advantages for patrons include:

• More and better choices (“Every book its reader.”)
• More library users (“Every reader his book.” “Books are for use.”)
• Quick and easy request (“Save the time of the reader.”[4])
• Rapid delivery

Libraries will save time by cutting handling costs, mostly by treating interlibrary loan as if it were a circulation process, and by handling requested materials (where possible) in bulk. Libraries will increase what they directly offer their patrons by merging the presentation of their catalog with other libraries’ catalogs. Libraries will save money by gaining shipping efficiencies, however, this ‘saving’ will be an anticipated per item savings; we anticipate the volume of ILL will increase substantially, and along with it, the cost of moving materials will also increase if not substantially, at least to some degree.

When will the pilot run?

The pilot will start July 2006 and run 6-8 months.

OCLC Requirements for Participation
Pilot participants responsibilities include:

• Review, sign and return the pilot agreement to OCLC (under development)
• Agree to allow all BORROWING requests be fulfilled via WorldCat Delivery’s NCIP methodology, if possible, within their defined group
• Agree to allow all LENDING requests be processed via WorldCat Delivery’s NCIP methodology, if possible.
• LENDING libraries will strongly consider providing direct delivery to patrons of WorldCat Delivery partner libraries.
• Libraries agree to support the need for patron registration via “My Account” in the OCLC FirstSearch Service for the purpose of obtaining identification information from the patron’s library to assure patron is in good standing to request services.
• Assumes the library uses FirstSearch for patron initiated requests
• Implement an OCLC ILL Direct Request web service to allow patrons to submit request via local OPAC
• OCLC will assist with this process
• This process is NOT mandatory if the library is not interested in initiating requests via the ILS interface
• Agree to provide feedback on all aspects of the pilot, including interface design, documentation, training materials, additional features necessary to go from pilot to service offering
• ILLiad Libraries will require an update to ILLiad version 7.2 prior to participation

What will the pilot cost libraries?
There is no cost from OCLC to the libraries to participate. Pilot libraries will incur normal OCLC WorldCat resource sharing charges, if applicable.

There may be a cost from the ILS vendor to enable NCIP functionality. Libraries should discuss these costs with their ILS vendor.

What are OCLC’s goals of the pilot?
The goals of the pilot include the following:

• Understand how library staff will use WorldCat Delivery and what other features are needed to make WorldCat Delivery a complete service for library staff
• Understand how libraries and library patrons will use direct delivery, if made available

• Allow participants help shape the service being offered

Toward the end of the pilot OCLC will evaluate the feasibility of this pilot becoming a service, including costs and required functionality for a general release.

Contact
Bruce Newell, Director
Email: bnewell@mt.gov
Montana Library Network
Montana State Library
PO Box 201800
1515 East Sixth Avenue
Helena, MT 59620-1800
Voice: (406) 444-9816
Fax: (406) 444-0266
Web: http://montanalibraries.org

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[1] Niso Circulation Interchange Protocol (NCIP) supports circulation-related information exchange between different information systems. http://www.niso.org/standards/index.html

[2] Bitterroot, Drummond, Flathead County, Hearst Free, Missoula, and Polson.

[3] Big Sandy Branch, Blaine County, Harlem Public, Havre High School, Havre Middle School, Havre-Hill County, Highland Park School (Havre), Liberty County, Lincoln-McKinley Primary School (Havre), Sunnyside Intermediate School Library (Havre)

[4] Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_laws_of_library_science