This cluster of services speaks to OCLS’s anticipated role in providing a suite of cost recovery, value-added services that support the colleges participating in the Page 1+ Consortium. The focus of this service cluster is on contract management and aspects of central system support that are aimed at helping to leverage the consortial value of a shared library services platform without duplicating support and services already provided by ExLibris.
We anticipate that this suite of cost recovery services will be defined and developed further in consultation with Page 1+ standing committees and the participating college libraries.
Rationale
OCLS has a long history of providing centralized services and support to the members of the Sirsi Consortium. We propose to bring that experience and knowledge to support the Page 1+ Consortium.
Proposed services in this cluster emerged from initial consultation with ExLibris, the Project Management Office and other consortia. The proposal is also drawn upon the experience that OCLS has from over a decade of facilitating the work of the Sirsi consortium and is designed with the expectation that some libraries may require additional support as they fully implement and begin to use the software.
In line with the Page 1+ Consortium’s strategic goals for leveraging collaborative activities for efficiency and cost savings, OCLS’s value-added services and activities will:
Provide the advantage of central coordination to leverage consistency and efficiency across the Consortium.
Streamline system support and administration activities.
Leverage longstanding partnerships with Ontario college libraries to deliver customized services.
Reduce duplication of work by individual colleges for the benefit of Page 1+ Libraries.
Facilitate collaborative initiatives through the support of a shared system.
Service Activities
Although services, activities and priorities may shift as we move forward, the OCLS Activities table outlines the high-level activities that OCLS recommends be part of its value-added services.
OCLS Cost Recovery Service Activities - Contract and System Support
OCLS proposes to support consortial contract negotiations and vendor relationships in support of Page 1+. This may include, for example:
Negotiations regarding the total number of Named Users in the system and/or
Monitoring Support Portal cases to ensure Ex Libris is meeting response standards as described in the Service Level Agreement.
Maintaining a custom package branding template that colleges can use in Primo VE. OCLS can create and maintain a central discovery template that can be used as the basis for further college customization. In this way copies of the original custom package will be preserved and accessible to all colleges instead of on local desktops. In addition, any consortial discovery branding decisions can be supported and distributed through the shared system as opposed to external systems such as the display and placement of the Page 1+ logo and decolonized text.
With a centralized perspective, OCLS is in the optimal position to review product updates, perform testing in sandbox, coordinate testing with colleges, report to and roll out to participating colleges.
Some colleges may not have the staff capacity or expertise to make configuration changes in their IZ or Primo VE instance. OCLS, by request, can make those changes on behalf of the college.
For example:
configuring loan, booking and request policies
configuring changes to how links, items and holdings display in Primo VE
self-check kiosk integration
troubleshoot an issue with Ex Libris while college library staff can focus on other tasks
college library staff who do not have capacity to do preliminary research on a function in Alma or Primo VE, ask OCLS to figure it out, in some cases test in Sandbox and implement
This builds capacity and expertise across the consortia with staff who are positioned to develop and share that knowledge and expertise for all members big and small to benefit. The work can also be replicated across IZs when recommended by CLO and requested by individual members.
It is possible to create reports containing information from the Network Zone and to share reports created in the Network Zone. OCLS can be responsible for configuring analytics for the network zone, identify existing reports in the Alma Analytics Community Folder that can be used by Page 1+ libraries, create and maintain shared reports as needed, or assist individual colleges in the creation of reports for their own purposes.
For example:
Identify statistical data required by CLO Annual Survey that can be collected in Alma, create Alma Analytics reports, automatically send reports to the CLO Metrics and Assessment Committee (so colleges don’t need to manually fill in related data for CLO stats).
Configure Analytics to display Network Zone information to colleges (so colleges can access Network Zone reports and e-inventory information).
Identify existing reports in the Analytics Community folder that can be used by colleges.
Help colleges with their questions about Analytics.
Assist colleges in the creation of reports/dashboards.
Assist colleges in creating sets for jobs using Analytics.
Create reports as needed in the Network Zone and share them with colleges.
Troubleshoot and resolve colleges’ Analytics problems.
Liaise with Ex Libris on colleges’ Analytics problems when OCLS cannot resolve them.
Facilitate a working group to identify analysis needs on an ongoing basis, address common problems, explore tools and resources, and improve Analytics knowledge and skills
Out of Scope Activities
Fix synchronization issues between Alma and Analytics
OCLS intends to develop detailed service descriptions for each of these activities. The descriptions will outline aspects of the proposed service, its alignment and value to the Page 1+ Consortium and, how we propose to deliver it. Ultimately, once accepted, the service descriptions will form the basis of a Service Level Agreement between OCLS and the members of the Page 1+ Consortium.
Access Requirements
In order to perform these services OCLS will need:
Admin access to college’s IZ Alma and Primo VE instance
Credentials or guest access to college SSO in support of their Primo VE instance
Dependencies
In order for OCLS to provide these services, colleges need to commit to the following:
Consult with OCLS on services and priorities
Consult with OCLS on the costing and cost allocation model
Agree in principle that not all services will be needed by all colleges, but that for the long-term benefit of the consortium all colleges will pay their share of the agreed upon suite of cost recovery services
Future Considerations
Letter template development and maintenance
API development and management
Alma Training School
Proposed Funding Model
The identified funding model represents OCLS’s best effort at determining how the costs to provide proposed services will be covered.
OCLS intends to observe and consult with the colleges during the first year of service provision to ensure the development of a funding model that will best suit college library needs.
Centrally funded:
Cost recovery: incorporated into annual Page 1+ Consortium fee schedule