[Eril-l] Statement of Work for Library Services Platform

Tue Aug 27 06:42:45 PDT 2024

Library Management System (LMS) is the term used in (especially) the UK. 
It equates to Integrated Library System (ILS) which is the more common 
term in the US. As you point out LMS is also (widely) used for Learning 
Management System which does cause confusion (especially when talking 
about integration of a reading/Resource list system with a 'LMS'. The UK 
still often uses the term Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) instead of 
LMS.
In my judgement Library Services Platform (LSP) is a *generally* 
accepted term (first coined by Marshall Breeding over a decade ago).  
However librarians and vendors may, and do use LSP when ILS might be 
more accurate. Some 'legacy' ILSs may have a cloud-based muti-tenant 
layer which they use to justify the LSP term

Although published over a decade ago, the following is still helpful in 
navigating this area especially in getting to grips with 'multi-tenant' 
and the different approaches vendors took to develop their library 
systems.
The Future of Library Systems: Library Services Platforms. By Carl 
Grant. NISO. Information Standards Quarterly. Fall 2012. Vol. 24. Issue 
4. ISSN 1041-0031 
https://www.niso.org/sites/default/files/stories/2017-09/FE_Grant_Future_Library_Systems_%20isqv24no4.pdf

Very best
Ken
-- 
Ken Chad Consulting Ltd. Tel +44 (0)7788 727 845  Email: 
ken at kenchadconsulting.com  Web: www.kenchadconsulting.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenchad/  Twitter (X): @kenchad

***********
On 26/08/2024 22:05, Electronic Resources in Libraries discussion list 
via Eril-l wrote:
> This is helpful. Does this mean Library Services Platform is now the 
> universally accepted terminology? When we migrated off our ILS in 2015, 
> the accepted term for these new systems was Library Management Systems. 
> That caused confusion with Learning Management Systems.
> 
> Thanks,
> Kay
> 
> Kay G. Johnson
> Head of Collection and Technical Services
> Radford University, McConnell Library
> 540-831-5703
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eril-l <eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org> On Behalf Of Electronic 
> Resources in Libraries discussion list via Eril-l
> Sent: Monday, August 26, 2024 1:50 PM
> To: Electronic Resources in Libraries discussion list 
> <eril-l at lists.eril-l.org>
> Subject: Re: [Eril-l] Statement of Work for Library Services Platform
> 
> NOTICE: This email originated externally. It is not from a Radford 
> University account. Use caution responding, opening attachments, or 
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> 
> 
> Thank you, Ken.  I appreciate your help and the links.  The second 
> article has some particularly useful language regarding the technology 
> that is more detailed than I've seen in other places.
> 
> -Leah
> 
> 
> Leah Donley
> Research Library
> Brookhaven National Laboratory
> donley at bnl.gov
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eril-l <eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org> On Behalf Of Electronic 
> Resources in Libraries discussion list via Eril-l
> Sent: Monday, August 26, 2024 12:00 PM
> To: Electronic Resources in Libraries discussion list 
> <eril-l at lists.eril-l.org>
> Subject: Re: [Eril-l] Statement of Work for Library Services Platform
> 
> Not all will agree on what differentiates a LSP from an ILS. Higher 
> Education Library Technology (HELibTech) has a useful definition here 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://helibtech.com/next_generation. Here 
> is the LSP section:
> ********************
> Library service platforms
>  From around 2010 a new generation of web and cloud based systems 
> emerged. These are termed Library Services Platforms (LSPs). The most 
> widely deployed LSPs are Clarivate/Ex Libris Alma, and OCLC WMS. They 
> were largely developed from the ground up rather than being evolved 
> from past 'legacy' solutions. In functional terms the key 
> differentiation from a LMS/ILS was a fully web based staff interface 
> and *integrated* management of print and electronic resources. This 
> meant libraries did not need a separate electronic resource management 
> (ERM) system or spreadsheets to manage their (predominantly) journal 
> subscriptions and associated licenses.
> 
> In technology terms LSPs are fully web based and hosted in the cloud. 
> “A born cloud based system” is essentially a single system with the 
> multiplicity of client libraries being ‘tenants.’ These ‘clouds’ may be 
> regional (e.g. European) in order to meet legislative requirements but, 
> within each multi-tenant environment, there is only one copy of the 
> application software, one operating system and one database supporting 
> multiple libraries. The vendor only has to deploy, develop, maintain 
> and upgrade one copy of the software. There is no option for the 
> software to be supported 'on premise' - on local servers. In contrast a 
> hosted LMS/ILS solution is much less efficient. While the hardware 
> infrastructure may be shared the vendor still has to support a 
> multiplicity of client systems that need to be maintained separately.
> The efficiency benefits to the vendor of what is in effect one single 
> global (or at least multi-national) library system are clear.
> 
> The open source FOLIO library system is characterized as a LSP, being 
> built from the ground up using modern 'microservices' architecture.
> However unlike Alma or WMS there may be multiple versions - inherent in 
> a open source approach where code is open to be modified. FOLIO can be 
> deployed as a hosted or on promise solution.
> 
> Another feature of a LSP it that it comes paired with a ‘discovery 
> service’ - Primo with Alma WorldCat discovery with WMS). Folio does not 
> have a discovery service but is often paired with the Ebsco Discovery 
> Services (EDS).
> ***********************
> You may also find this (2016) paper useful: "Rethinking the library 
> services platform". By Ken Chad. Higher Education Library Technology
> (HELibTech) Briefing Paper (No.2) . January  2016 . DOI:
> 10.13140/RG.2.1.5154.8248
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.kenchadconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Rethinking_the_LSP_Jan2016a.pdf__;!!P4SdNyxKAPE!ExP-xpLivDpjgChQqb84gRFMufXzkPLN9Vqubu_712_Yt-KNaVEjowSkHhqyzO2Z34EvZ7aeOINZdKyDpGk$
> 
> Very best
> Ken
> --
> Ken Chad Consulting Ltd. Tel +44 (0)7788 727 845  Email:
> ken at kenchadconsulting.com  Web: 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.kenchadconsulting.com__;!!P4SdNyxKAPE!ExP-xpLivDpjgChQqb84gRFMufXzkPLN9Vqubu_712_Yt-KNaVEjowSkHhqyzO2Z34EvZ7aeOINZ2IWxaZ0$
> LinkedIn: 
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenchad/__;!!P4SdNyxKAPE!ExP-xpLivDpjgChQqb84gRFMufXzkPLN9Vqubu_712_Yt-KNaVEjowSkHhqyzO2Z34EvZ7aeOINZcyUhun4$ 
>   Twitter (X): @kenchad
> 
> ********************
> On 26/08/2024 13:58, Electronic Resources in Libraries discussion list 
> via Eril-l wrote:
>> Hello all,
>> 
>> This is slightly off-topic but hopefully fits here.  Has anyone found
>> success in defining and describing a Library Services Platform (LSP)
>> within a Statement of Work (for a procurement)?  Including the LSP
>> overall but also its functionality and features (Discovery service,
>> knowledgebase for managing online resources, etc.)?  The definitions
>> I've found in articles are a little vague.  I understand them, but am
>> having difficulty translating them to an effective Statement of Work
>> which needs to be specific and detailed.  I want to make it clear that
>> we want a LSP and not a more traditional ILS (in my experience with
>> researching systems over the last several years, traditional ILS
>> vendors can sometimes be eager to call a traditional system an LSP
>> because they know it's the trend).
>> 
>> Thank you,
>> 
>> Leah
>> 
>> Leah Donley
>> 
>> Research Library
>> Brookhaven National Laboratory
>> Email: donley at bnl.gov