Managing Ebook Workflows from Acquisition to the Catalogue

1
Managing E-book Workflowsfrom Acquisition to the
Catalogue

• Catherine Davidson, Nancy Hall, Heather
  FraserVancouver, BC May 23, 2008

2
Welcome.

• Housekeeping
• Session Structure
• Speaker Introductions

3
Collections The context.

• Driving forces behind Yorks approach to e-book
  acquisitions
• Moving from bundles to discrete titles
• Paradox ?Collections, ?Tech Services

4
Collections Driving force.

• Our users more content
• Via LibQual and other surveys, focus groups etc.

5
Collections LibQual comments.

• The materials, especially the book stacks, are
  so far away from the entrance, which makes
  dropping by to pick one up such a chore. I enjoy
  the electronic books accessible through the
  catalogue, although sometimes they are
  unavailable due to some sort of glitch
  Graduate student, Humanities
• York's libraries should significantly expand the
  print and electronic collections to truly become
  a world-class research library. Faculty ,
  Social Sciences

6
Collections Identifying potential e-content.

• Via 25 subject specialists, directly from faculty
  or from vendors
• Request trial and pricing info
• Evaluate (or not)
• Decision or move to wishlist

7
Collections Our philosophy.

• Experimental. Exploratory.
• Platform-neutral. Content dictates selection.
• Not a substitute for print but a supplement.

8
Collections E-book bundles simple,
straightforward.

• Closed (i.e. no growth) bundled collections e.g.
  EEBO, ECCO

9
Collections E-book bundles complex.

• Closed bundled collections that require repeat
  maintenance broken URLS etc
• Growing bundled collections with MARC records
  available manage adds, deletes

10
Collections E-book bundles undesirable.

• Bundles for which promised MARC records never
  materialised
• But there are opportunities for third-parties to
  help provide a solution

11
Collections Ideals and compromises.

• Prefer ownership model
• But some disciplines actually better suited to
  lease model e.g. Safari, Books 24X7

12
Collections Evolving from E-book bundles to
individual titles.

• Recently reviewed and updated profiles take
  advantage of ability to view e- alongside the p-
  in slip notifications

13
Collections Areas needing further attention.

• Need for effective promotion and communication
  (equally applicable collections in e- and
  p-formats)
• Need for assessment and analysis (quantitative
  and qualitative)

14
Collections Areas for further attention.

• Need for accurate measurement and reporting (e.g.
  ARL, CARL)
• Potential application for e-reserves and for
  adaptive equipment for users with disabilities.

15
Collections Library-vendor-publisher dialogue.

• Flexibility to locally-load content on Scholars
  Portal ebrary e-book platform
• MARC records that conform to standards must be
  part of the deal.
• Content must be accessible e.g. for users with
  disabilities

16
Collections The equation.

• From AUL perspective
• Return on investment
• (as demonstrated by use) PLUS
• Diminishing human resources available locally
  EQUALS
• Streamlined processes, minimal intervention

17
Collections Dynamic but turbulent environment.

• The e-book landscape continues to be not only
  dynamic but also turbulent.
• Mark R. Nelson, E-Books in Higher Education
  Nearing the End of the Era of Hype? ECAR
  Research Bulletin, vol. 2008, issue 1 (January 8,
  2008). Can also be found at lthttp//connect.educa
  use.edu/Library/EDUCAUSEReview/EBooksinHigherEduc
  ationNe/46314gt.

18
Collections Positioning and Competencies.

• Higher education must position itself to be
  ready to incorporate e-books effectively on
  campus, and develop the competencies to make such
  positioning possible.
• Nelson, p. 52.

19
Acquisitions Guiding Principles.

• Expenditures dedicated pot of funds to encourage
  selection i.e. not eating into print funds
• Mirror existing workflows for print whenever
  possible
• Consider Scholars Portal ebrary platform

20
Acquisitions Models.

• Subscription
• Lease
• User-select or pay-per-use
• One-off, discrete titles

21
Acquisitions Subscription.

• Large number of titles available
• Discovery and access may be limited if no MARC
  records available

22
Acquisitions Lease.

• Dont own titles
• High maintenance
• Possible user frustration

23
Acquisitions User-select or pay-per-use.

• Set of titles with option to own
• Mediation required, could lead to some user
  frustration
• Broader access to titles
• Actual purchases deducted from deposit

24
Acquisitions Discrete titles.

• Considerations
• Fees set-up, hosting and access
• Multiple vs single user
• Catalogue records

25
Acquisitions Comparison of 3 providers of
discrete titles.

26
Acquisitions E-book mirrors print book workflow.

• Advantages
• Rely on existing vendor profiles
• E-books integrated into database
• View e-book alongside p-book in notifications

27
Acquisitions E-book alongsideP-book in profiles.
28
Acquisitions Value-added features.

• YBP previews
• Links to OCLC

29
Acquisitions Value-added features.

• Placing orders with vendors
• YBP previews
• Links to OCLC

30
Acquisitions Sneak peek to assist in purchase
decision.
31
Acquisitions Link to OCLC number
32
Acquisitions Issues and next steps.

• Speed and auto-notification of availability to
  retrieve
• Collecting data e.g. price comparisons for print
  vs electronic dispel misconceptions
• Assessment collaborative efforts such as
  ebrarys offer to conduct institutional surveys

33
Acquisitions Issues and next steps.

• E-reserves
• Library Accessibility Services
• E-books on demand repurpose backlists

34
Cataloguing E-book Workflow the York
Environment.

• Our LMS SirsiDynix
• Size of Library Database
• E-Content e-books, e-journals, e-video,
  e-audio, a i and websites
• E-Books sets

35
Cataloguing The York Approach.

• Multiple records
• Text-based call number ELECTRONIC
• Example

36
Cataloguing sample ebrary title formatted dump
from the catalogue.
37
Cataloguing MARC Records Standards.

• Full level records
• MARC 21
• AACR2
• LC subject headings
• Access points under authority control

38
Cataloguing Preferred Standards at York.

• MARC records delivered with MARC-8 character
  coding
• Appropriate notification if UTF-8 (Unicode)
  characters in records
• Coded as language material

39
Cataloguing Leader indicating Language Material
and Unicode Character Coding.
40
Cataloging Preferred Standards at York.

• Unique vendor-provided identifier in each record
• No cost records. Can be bare bones but should be
  structurally error-free

41
Cataloguing Staffing.

• Current situation
• Increasing workload
• Future needs

42
Cataloguing Record Retrieval and Processing
Bundles and Discrete Titles.

• Vendor sites checked on monthly basis for new or
  deleted content
• Notification prefer direct email via vendor to
  multiple contacts
• Retrieval of records from vendor site prefer
  via FTP or download directly from vendor website

43
Cataloguing Record Retrieval and Processing
Bundles and Discrete Titles.

• Files stored locally
• Record analysis identify number and type of
  records etc

44
Cataloguing Record Analysis Sample of Leader
information from MARC analysis tool in MARC
Report.
45
Cataloguing York Local Modifications to Records.

• Additions
• 506 Access restriction
• 506 aAccess restricted to York University
  faculty staff and students.
• 710 (unique identifier)
• 710 2aNetLibrary York University.
• 949 for loading
• aELECTRONICc1rNtE-BOOKlINTERNETmYORKwTEXT

46
Cataloguing York Local Modifications to Records.

• Deletions
• 650 2 MESH subject headings
• 650 4 Source not specified
• 650 6 Répertoire de vedettes-matière
• 653 Uncontrolled Index Term
• 655 Genre/Form Index Term

47
Cataloguing Key Tools.

• 2 software packages
• Ease of use and learning curve
• MARC Report (www.marcofquality.com)
• MARCEdit (http//oregonstate.edu/reeset/marcedit/
  html/index.php)

48
Cataloguing Key Tools.

• MARC Report (www.marcofquality.com)
• Cost includes updates and customized help
• Used for the last three years
• Slight learning curve

49
Cataloguing Key Tools.

• MARC Report (www.marcofquality.com)
• Excellent features include
• Z39.50 client
• Data translation tools

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Cataloguing Key Tools.

• MARC Report (www.marcofquality.com)
• Detailed analysis of content of MARC records
• Identify required changes or problems
• Split files or join files

51
Cataloguing Key Tools.

• MARC Report (www.marcofquality.com)
• Split files based on Leader, Fixed Field
  or Variable Field data
• Sort records within files
• Make complex global changes

52
Cataloguing Key Tools.

• MARC Edit (http//oregonstate.edu/reeset/marcedit
  /html/index.php)
• Free
• Easy to learn
• Used at York for making actual changes to records
  and recompile the file
• We have used it to create MARC records from
  delimited data

53
Cataloguing Loading the Records.

• Library Computing portion
• Electronic resources database
• Loading into library catalogue

54
Cataloguing Wishlist.

• Better dialogue between content providers,
  vendors, publishers and libraries to provide
  excellent MARC records
• Access to technical help
• Clean files, no corrupt records

55
Cataloguing Wishlist.

• Auto-notification when new records are available
• New content clearly identified and clearly named
  on vendor servers and websites
• More opportunities to work with more vendors in a
  MARC record advisory capacity

56
Thank you.

• Questions?
• Catherine Davidson
• Associate University Librarian, Collections
  
• cdavids_at_yorku.ca
• Nancy Hall
• Manager, Monograph Acquisitions
• nhall_at_yorku.ca
• Heather Fraser
• Head, Bibliographic Services
• hfraser_at_yorku.ca