The library’s classroom continues to be a focus of our outreach efforts to the Berry community. While the core mission of the room has not changed, we are looking to redesign the space to benefit from the lessons that we have learned from the design and usage of the Sandbox. While we realize that we are unable to replace the furniture in the room, there are some technology modifications that we would like to offer as goals for this space. We see these modifications taking place in a staged rollout.
Over the course of the next year we will begin transitioning away from using ILLiad for managing interlibrary loan transactions. In its place, we will move everything over to WMSILL which will provide us with a significant cost savings. In May, 2016 we will begin testing the WMSILL submit process within WorldCat in order to better understand what our patrons will see as we transition over. During the next six months, we will educate the campus with the goal of beginning the transition to WMSILL during the Fall of 2016.
Our current fleet of 29 iPad 2s are nearing their last legs. These devices have been a staple of technology lending and library instruction since their purchase in 2011. As they age, they have become more unreliable and difficult to maintain. Unfortunately, these devices were purchased with grant money and are not eligible for replacement under the current IT replacement plan. In order to continue to support the campus needs for these devices, we will need to find a replacement in the near future.
We will use this next year to develop a proposal for replacement that incorporates information gathered from surveys and focus groups that will help us understand what the needs of the community are for these devices and if there are other options that would meet their needs just as effectively. We would also like to begin exploring the possibility of assistance from other campus groups to help in funding this replacement. Initially we would estimate that 20 devices would be sufficient for our needs.
With the new role of Digital Initiatives Librarian beginning in July, the technology team would like to recommend that over the next year, we reevaluate our plans to implement ArchivesSpace and the current implementations of Omeka for MBDA and the Photo Archive. Although we do not anticipate any changes to these programs, the team would like to allow Jessica to acclimate to her new role and make sure that these are the ones that best fit our needs now and in the future.
The ScannX scan systems are one of the most popular services available to our patrons at Memorial Library. They are used almost daily and have been very reliable since they were introduced into service approximately 3 years ago. However, we realize that they are nearing the end of their expected lifespan. The technology team will evaluate the ScannX system and recommend, if necessary, a path forward to replace the aging system.
The WePresents in the sandbox are almost two years old. Since we purchased them WePresent has rolled out two new models. These newer models offer the ability to wirelessly mirror both iOS and Windows computers without the need for additional software. We would recommend the purchase of at least one of the newest models at $700 to upgrade the capabilities of the Sandbox.