Support changing roles with reduced workloads

When Tulsa Community College realized their existing integrated library system (ILS) was being phased out, they were already ready for a next-generation, cloud-based system. "We wanted something that would work fluidly with the discovery system we were already using," explained Dean of Libraries and College Librarian, Paula Settoon. In addition, "We really wanted to get away from having to have applications on each individual PC," she said. Systems and Technology Librarian Bob Holzmann added, "With [four] campuses around the county, that meant that when we did [system updates], I would be traveling around for a couple days doing this work."

The library chose WorldShare^® Management Services (WMS) in part because they were already happy with WorldCat^® Discovery and their other OCLC services. "This was the one system where we didn’t have to ask for extra money," Bob said, because "so many things were bundled that we already were doing with OCLC." He added, "We found that the WMS solution was a really good fit for our budget situation. …Certain other services we could eliminate, such as … the authority control updating."

Bob also found the migration to be relatively easy, due in part to OCLC's online training tools. "There are frequent updates to the training. …You don't have to pay extra money like you would for other companies." After years of working with OCLC regional and technical staff members for other services, Bob found that the WMS implementation staff met the same high bar. "We found the OCLC staff … to be really helpful and friendly and pretty fast," he said.

With the old system, Paula explained, "[Bob] spent a lot of time running reports and constructing the criteria for the reports, and now we can all do it ourselves when we want it. …It's been a really great change for the staff to have the opportunity to do some of those things themselves." Bob agreed, "Staff are more independent with the technology."

Due to attrition, the Technical Services staff has been reduced, but, Bob said, "We found that in Tech Services we were eliminating or reducing tasks." Bob no longer travels between campuses to update software. The cataloging librarian now has time to assist at the public reference desk and to work on special and unique cataloging. "We don't really have a backlog there this year like we had in the past," Bob said. Plus, staff members have more time to dedicate to special projects, like the Tulsa Community College Archive.

Bob also appreciates the increased access to WorldCat, which he describes as "the best and largest bibliographic utility and database in the world," because "just about everything's there, and the other vendors don’t have that." He added, "We are no longer having to load MARC records into an ILS because everything is right there in WorldCat." In addition, "OCLC is a cooperative, not a corporation, so that has some advantages for the end users." Most importantly, he said, "The circulation staff love [WMS]. The cataloging staff [say] it makes things faster… . Users like the simple and clean Discovery look and method."

Library at a glance

• Supports Oklahoma's largest, multi-campus community college with nearly 10,000 FTE students
• Full service library on each of four main campuses supported by four library directors as well as nine full-time and four part-time professional librarians
• Collection includes around 70,000 titles across the four campuses