Roundup of Resource Sharing Tools and Projects

September 2010

NCIP Core Message Set

The NISO Circulation Interchange Protocol (NCIP) Implementers Group has provided a simple roadmap for a basic implementation of NCIP (ANSI/NISO Z39.83-2008) by defining a core message Set.

The full NCIP standard provides specifications for45messagesforuseinresourcesharingand self-service applications. The identified nine NCIP Core Messages provide the major functionality needed for implementing the standard. Responding applications need only to support this core set of messages, which reduces the effort needed to become NCIP compliant. Initiating applications may still use additional messages, but the definition of a core set of messages will make it much easier for librarians and systems vendors to implement NCIP.

The messages in the core set are:

Accept Item
Cancel Request Item
Check In Item
Check Out Item
Look Up Item
Look Up User
Recall Item
Renew Item
Request Item

For more information, go to: https://www.niso.org/standards-committees/ncip/ncip-core-message-set

RapidILL

Most of the major ILS suppliers have some resource sharing module with their product. in addition to those, there are a number of non-vendor initiatives with some innovative approach- es or open-resource tools to aid in sharing. this article highlights some of those as well as some standards that will be important for interoperability.

RapidILL is a resource sharing system that was designed by ILL staff at Colorado State University Libraries to provide fast and cost effective article requesting and delivery through Interlibrary loan.

The service is composed of pools of libraries— referred to as “pods”—that have committed to provide sharing within their pod. Some pods are private, e.g. the ARL pod that is exclusive to ARL libraries, while others like the “Cosmo” pod are open to all Rapid participating libraries. Joining multiple pods is encouraged.

Rapid works independently of a library’s ILS. After joining, a library supplies all of its journal holdings, including electronic journals—but any material that is not available for lending can be marked as blocked. Since there is a reciprocal lending policy, there are no invoicing costs.

In addition to automating many of the tasks involved with article ILL, Rapid also runs requests against a database of over 3 million open access articles and if a match is found the request can often be filled in less than five minutes.

For more information, go to: rapidill.org

eXtensible Catalog Open-Source NCIP Toolkit

The eXtensible Catalog (XC) project has an open-source toolkit for the NISO Circulation Interchange Protocol (NCIP) version 1.0 and the toolkit for version 2.0 is underway.

The NCIP Toolkit allows XC and other user- interface clients “to interact with an ILS for authentication requests, live circulation status lookups, and circulation requests.” The Toolkit acts as an intermediary between a compatible
ILS and NCIP clients. The XC Project plans to include NCIP toolkit connectors for a wide range of popular commercial and open-source integrated library systems.

The Toolkit developer documentation describes how to use the open source code to create an interface between any particular ILS and the NCIP Toolkit. Currently connectors for NCIP 1.0 are available for Voyager and Aleph from Ex Libris and the Innovative Interface Oracle implementation of the Millennium ILS.

Building on the work of the DLF ILS-DI Task Force, a working group collaboration of that task force, OCLC team members, and the eXtensible Catalog Organization, an implementation of version 2.0 of the NCIP standard, derived from the OCLC Web-scale Management Services codebase, is being added to the eXtensible Catalog’s open-source NCIP Toolkit.

The first contribution for NCIP 2.0 will support the NCIP Lookup Item service, which enables libraries to retrieve item status from their ILS in real time, making it possible for third-party discovery interfaces such as the eXtensible Catalog, VuFind, and WorldCat Local to incorporate this in their displays to patrons. Many popular discovery systems do not store item level identifiers, therefore the group plans to create a custom “NCIP-like” service that will allow for lookups based on bibliographic identifiers. The response will return information for all items associated with the identifier. Following this initial release, OCLC will work in conjunction with the Task Force members to establish a project plan to expand both the number of supported NCIP 2.0 services and ILS connection components.

The NCIP Toolkit is licensed under the MIT License, which allows for commercial reuse.

ShareILL!

The ShareIll Wiki provides a gateway to all aspects of ILL, document delivery, and resource sharing with links to resources that include: finding aids and verification tools, codes and guidelines, library networks and consortia, software and systems, standards, copyright and licensing, training, conferences, discussion lists and more.

The wiki is fully open without login for reading. Registered users can contribute to content. ShareILL is administered by Mary Hollerich (Lewis University) and Linda Frederickson (Washington State University).

For more information, go to: www.shareill.org/index.php?title=main_page

Jangle (Just Another Next Generation Library Environment)

Jangle is an open source protocol designed to provide access to the data within a library system such as an IlS or erm. It utilizes a Jangle core apI based on the atom publishing protocol, which is the externally available interface, and a federation of connectors to the specific library systems being accessed.

While not designed specifically for resource sharing, interlibrary loan is one of the envisioned applications for Jangle. Disparate library systems could utilize the Jangle interface to provide borrowers with status information or even deliver electronic resources to the user. Specialized reporting or request generations for materials are other possibilities. A BorrowerSchema and ReservationSchema have been developed and an experimental NCIPXMLSchemaForBorrowers is in prototype.

The Jangle project opens up the possibility of building a large variety of applications that will interact with the data hidden within a library system.

For more information, go to: www.jangle.org

RFID Standards for Library Applications

Using RFID tags on library materials offers many opportunities for automating the circulation and interlibrary loan processes, including more patron self-service. for Ill and consortial borrowing, standardization especially in how the tags are coded is critical to ensure interoperability.

The International Standards Organization’s Technical Committee 46 on Information and documentation is nearing completion of a three part standard, ISO 29560, Information and documentation − RFID in libraries. The standard specifies a model for the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags for items appropriate for the needs of all types of libraries, including academic, public, corporate, special, and school. Part 1 establishes an abstract data model for the use of RFID tags. Two different encoding alternatives are offered. Part 2 defines encoding based on ISO/ IEC 15962 (Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management − Data protocol: data encoding rules and logical memory functions) and Part 3 defines fixed length encoding. Final publication of the standard is expected in 2011.

In light of the anticipated publication of the ISO standard, NISO’s RFID working group is undertaking a revision of the recommended practice, RFID in U.S. Libraries (NISO-RP-6-2008) to ensure it is in compliance with the final international standard. Among other goals, the recommended practice was developed to allow for true interoperability among libraries; i.e., a tag in one library can be used seamlessly by another, even if they have different suppliers for tags, hardware, and software. It includes recommendations for the data model elements, encoding, security, and migration to ISO standard- compliant tags. Although updates to the document will be made in 2011, the current version provides much useful information that libraries can utilize right now.

For the NISO RP, go to: www.niso.org/publications/rp/

FulfILLment ILL System

FulfILLment is an open source project being developed by equinox Software, Inc. under contract with OHIONET to create a “hybrid physical/virtual union catalog and Ill system for seamlessly sharing resources between libraries, regardless of the IlS each library happens to use.”

FulfILLment leverages the underlying architecture of Evergreen, an open-source consortial ILS. According to the developers, “libraries which are happy with their current ILS can still keep it because FulfILLment will be able to communicate with it. However, FulfILLment will also have the scalability of Evergreen and be able to handle the needs of large scale, consolidated consortia. It will combine the best of both worlds.” The project is also using the Jangle code (see box #5) to exchange data with various ILSs. FulfILLment is scheduled for completion by the end of the fourth quarter in 2011.

For more information, see: http://www.fulfillment-ill.org/

Rethinking Resource Sharing Initiative

Begun in 2005 with the publication of a white paper—It’s Time to Think Again about Resource Sharing—this ad hoc group advocates for a revolution in the way libraries conduct resource sharing. their manifesto includes these principles:

Restrictions shall only be imposed as necessary by individual institutions with the goal that the lowest-possible-barriers-to-fulfillment are presented to the user.
Library users shall be given appropriate options for delivery format, method of delivery, and fulfillment type, including loan, copy, digital copy, and purchase.
Global access to sharable resources shall be encouraged through formal and informal networking agreements with the goal towards lowest-barrier-to-fulfillment.
Sharable resources shall include those held in cultural institutions of all sorts: libraries, archives, museums, and the expertise of those employed in such places.
Reference services are a vital component to resource sharing and delivery and shall be made readily accessible from any initial “can’t supply this” response. No material that is findable should be totally unattainable.
Libraries should offer service at a fair price rather than refuse but should strive to achieve services that are not more expensive than commercial services, e.g. bookshops.
Library registration should be as easy as signing up for commercial web based services. Everyone can be a library user.

Among the activities included in their strategic plan through 2012, the group is developing tool kits to help libraries implement resource sharing in line with the manifesto principles, documenting best practice workflow examples, and creating a “GetIt” browser plug-in tool (currently available forFirefox). |Fe|doi:10.3789/isqv22n4.2010.03

For more information, go to: rethinkingresourcesharing.com