Libraries supporting TAFEs, polytechnics, colleges and specialised libraries normally do not have large staffing resources or IT support and are working with tight budgets. With fewer barriers to entry, the student population can range from incredibly diverse to extremely narrow/niche. There may be many multiple onsite locations or campuses, and sometimes these sites are in entirely different regions across a state or country. The collections held by libraries can be unique, coming from a variety of sources including consortium arrangements. The students could be on site (at any of the locations) or remote — but no matter where they are, they need easy access to library resources.
Implementing Digital Library Solutions
Developing a robust digital library can bring control back to the library staff, while relying less on IT teams. EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS), OpenAthens and Stacks are examples of library tools that provide a positive user experience while also providing library staff with easy-to-use resources with a secure, professional approach, freeing up staff to focus on other tasks.
These EBSCO and EBSCO-affiliated resources can function independently or as part of an interoperable solution, providing librarians with the opportunity to choose the best services for their particular needs. For example, libraries can easily integrate EBSCO resources with library management systems (LMS) including Moodle, Canvas and Blackboard.
The goal of the resources is to address multiple library and researcher needs including:
Ease of Search
EDS is an easy-to-use single search box linking to your library’s entire resource collection — no matter how complex. This can be accessed anywhere, anytime. The EBSCO Mobile app provides a similar mobile experience and is free to all EDS users. EDS can be integrated into different LMS systems and can be set up with customised branding at the click of a button.
Remote Access
OpenAthens is a single sign-on (SSO) resource with an SAML based authentication which provides greater security to users. OpenAthens also provides a cloud-managed proxy as part of its service. Librarians and administrators can access reports at the click of a button with an easy-to-use dashboard to manage users and access.
Easy access to website management
You don’t need to be an IT guru to create a library portal. Stacks provides a bento box set up for plenty of templates so library staff can easily drag and drop to set up a user-friendly website. Not only can resources include links, but a library’s website can also include news feeds, room bookings and more. This means any library can easily update and change the website in no time at all, without needing to outsource IT support.
Extra library resource support
Not all libraries have a large staff. EBSCO’s Library Service Engineer team helps with technical planning and customisation ,and our implementation team handles the heavy lifting during set-up. Post-implementation, the EBSCO team can provide support for you and your library, with access to our local customer service team, 24-hour technical support and local training options.
Overall, whether your library has a smaller staff, various locations or unique resources, you can still provide a professional digital library experience while putting less strain on your library staff and resources.
