Planning and Implementing Successful Systems Migrations

Citation

Frederick Guy, R. (1998), "Planning and Implementing Successful Systems Migrations", Library Review, Vol. 47 No. 8, pp. 408-409. https://doi.org/10.1108/lr.1998.47.8.408.7

After staff costs, the most significant costs incurred in most libraries today are for information technology and, in particular, the systems used to control the major functions in the library. The reliance on the use of technology has increased quite markedly from 20 years ago when processes were batch handled and the technology only had very limited impact on the work of the library and most staff. Today, many libraries are more or less dependent on the use of IT systems, and malfunctions, downtime etc. have quite significant effects on the work of the libraries and their staff.

The achievements of libraries in the application of technology have been quite considerable and in many cases rather more impressive than the situation in many private sector companies. Librarians were to the fore in using first batch retrieval systems, then online systems followed by networked CD‐ROMs and latterly the Internet and World Wide Web. They also started as long ago as the mid‐1960s to use computers for essentially clerical type tasks. In those days there were no “off the shelf” programs and they had to be developed in‐house and run on institutional mainframe computers, sharing the computing resource with a myriad of other activities. The emergence of mini computers in the 1970s provided the impetus for the development of software to run on computers dedicated to the needs of the library and allowed the hardware to be housed outwith the control of the institutional computer centre. Gradually an industry of suppliers emerged to provide systems dedicated to the automation of library processes. As technology has advanced so has the development of library systems but the implementation of the results of each major advance imposes quite considerable challenges to any library intending to adopt any new or upgraded system. Broadly speaking, implementing any new upgraded system can involve introduction of new hardware, both at the central and user end, new software, migration of data and training of staff. No matter the size of library there are major obstacles to be overcome and any help advice etc. from those who have already carried out the process can be invaluable.

The time for the publication of a book entitled Planning and Implementing Successful Systems Migrations is most apposite as libraries face the prospect of moving to the new third generation systems (client/server systems). The book is based on a series of case studies (eight chapters) sandwiched between an introductory chapter from the editor and a final chapter entitled “Planning the perfect migration”. The case studies are wide ranging and cover migrations in organisations as follow: Edge Hill University College; Suffolk County Libraries; Strathclyde University Library; San Joaquin Valley Library System; The Department of Health; Slagelse Central Library in Denmark; Solihull Sixth Form College; and Coventry City Libraries.

The approach, therefore, is quite clearly one of pragmatism designed to alert the reader to the kind of issues which have actually been faced in a wide range of institutions. No attempt has been made to draw comparisons or comment on the issues raised in each of the case studies so the book has to be judged on the case studies themselves. The editor outlines the merits of adopting a case study approach, the basis of selection of these particular case studies and what authors were asked to do. He goes on to say that the original idea had been to follow an identical structure for each chapter on the basis that it would be easier for the reader to make comparisons. This was not possible, he states, not least because local circumstances made it very difficult to follow a rigid format and would have been unnecessarily restrictive on authors, forcing them to discuss issues which did not apply in their situation and limit discussion of issues which were particularly important to them. In moving from the original approach to that which was finally adopted it is a pity that the likely needs of the readers were not considered more fully. With a case study approach, readers are more likely to try and identify those cases which are most comparable to their own and look at them rather than attempt to read all the studies. In this scenario, then, a structured approach, rather than a free flowing one, allows comparison to be made relatively easily.

The case study approach, too, has limitations. By definition they are a snapshot of events which have already happened. Although the case studies in this book are relatively recent (no more than three years old) in an area of rapid development some of the issues/problems raised can have been overtaken by events. It is also true that since the case studies were written by those closely involved in the events there can be dangers that the authors will not be sufficiently critical of decisions they themselves have made or were involved in.

The absence of any attempt to bring out key issues raised in the case studies and discuss them is unfortunate as such an approach would surely have been most useful to any reader about to embark on migration. A structure of fewer case studies (written if necessary without adhering to a rigid forrnat) supported by a number of chapters discussing some of the central issues raised in the case studies would have been a more useful and helpful approach, at least to this reviewer.

The approach adopted, reliant as it is on the views of authors, does not give sufficient emphasis to some important matters concerned with procurement and migration. For example, libraries of any size face procuring systems through European Union procurement rules. There is discussion of this topic in the University of Strathclyde case study but it would be easy for a reader to overlook this chapter, if they were more interested, for example, in case studies from public libraries. This is the sort of issue which needs to be addressed in a more general chapter as does the issue of MARC records and, in particular, whether UK libraries should continue to use UKMARC or migrate to USMARC.

The book is completed by a list of Acronyms and abbreviations, an alphabetical listing of Further Readings and an index. Those embarking on a system migration should find much of use in the book but it is hoped that there will be a second edition which will try and combine a number of case studies with a series of more general chapters taking up issues raised in the studies but also providing discussion and analysis of all matters pertinent to systems migration.