ULMS Feasibility Study Overview

Laura McCaig

Basis of Feasibility Study

To determine the current picture in NHS Scotland Libraries

Identify associated benefits and costs for future business case

Project ran from May – December 2003

Methodology

Questionnaire distributed to all NHS Scotland Libraries

Steering group formed Site visits Literature review

Questionnaire findings

Sent to representatives in 82 Libraries Responses from 61 Libraries across

Scotland 74% response rate

Is the library catalogue accessible via the Internet or NHSnet?

30%20%

50%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Internet NHSnet Neither

Access Route

Perc

enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Current 'Library Management System' in Use

59%

12% 12%6% 2% 2% 2% 6%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

Type of System

Perc

enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Type of Library Management Systems in Use

2% 2% 2%

11%

4%2% 2% 2%

27%

9%4%

2% 2% 2%7%

2% 2%

13%

0%5%

10%15%

20%25%30%

Vendors

Perc

enta

ge o

f Res

pond

ents

Do you anticipate changing your Library Management System in the next 5 years?

30% 33%

24%

13%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

Yes No Don't Know N/A

Categories

Num

ber o

f Res

pons

es

Subject Heading Authority FilesSubject Headings Number of LibrariesNone 22In-house 11NLM 5HPMULTI 5MeSH 3Library of Congress 2Wessex 1Talis 1Reference Manager 1RCN Subject Headings 1HMIC Thesaurus 1ECH Homeopathic Thesaurus 1DHSS -Data Thesaurus 1COPAC 1AMED 1

Classification systems in useScheme Number of LibrariesNational Library of Medicine 12Dewey Decimal Classification 11Own in-house scheme 8None 5Regional Modification of NLM 3Univesal Decimal Classification 2Royal College of Psychiatrists 2DHSS - Data Thesaurus 2Library of Congress 2Classification for medical literature 1BLIS Bibliographic Classification 1

Cost-Effectiveness Studies

Current Holdings Book Loans

Current Holdings (2003)

Resource Type

Number of positive

respondents

Total number of

health-related items

held (from survey)

Average number of

health-related items

held per library

Total number of

health-related records

on electronic catalogue

Average number of

health-related

records on electronic catalogue per library

Total annual

borrowings (from

survey)

Average annual

borrowings per library

Books 46 225566 4904 199880 4345 143170 5303Journal Titles: Current 46 28422 618 27166 591 627 125Journal Titles: Back Runs 45 34958 777 33216 738 439 88Leaflets 19 2760 145 2200 116 405510 202755Teaching Kits 13 2925 225 2888 222 13008 4336Audiovisual Materials 31 4614 149 3705 120 71 8Other (See below) 10 4757 476 2046 205 285 95Grey Literature 1 2097 2097 2097 2097 N/K N/KPosters 3 319 106 319 106 N/K N/KDemos 1 160 160 160 160 N/K N/KDisplays 1 136 136 136 136 N/K N/KEquipment 1 53 53 53 53 N/K N/KCD-ROMs 1 60 60 60 60 N/K N/KInformation Files 1 50 50 50 50 N/K N/KReports, directories 1 1900 1900 2046 2046 285 285Total 304002 7293 271101 6336 563110 212710

Resource Type

Number of positive

respondents

Estimated total of health-related

items across Scotland

Estimated total of health-related items on catalogue across

Scotland

Estimated total of items

not on catalogue

Estimated costs of

associated BL loans

Books 46 421710 373689 48021 £328,943.85Journal Titles: Current 46 53137 50789 2348 £9,626.80Journal Titles: Back Runs 45 66809 63479 3330 £13,653.00Leaflets 19 12493 9958 2535 N/KTeaching Kits 13 19350 19105 245 N/KAudiovisual Materials 31 12800 10278 2522 N/KOther 10 40910 17596 23314 N/KTotal 627209 544894 82315 £352,223.65

Approximate 100-fold increase in book collection available to library services and users.

If a library wished to increase its collection to 400,000 items, then it would cost approximately £16M to do so (based on average book costs).

Average no. of books per library unit 4904Books available across NHS Scotland LKS 421710

Approximate 23-fold increase in material available to library service and users

Average no. of items on catalogue per library unit (excl. journal titles) 10513Total no. of items on catalogue per library unit (excl. journal titles) 248997

British Library Book Loans

- details taken from the Library & Knowledge Service Development Network Statistical Return 2002 – 2003

Number of

Libraries

Total Borrowed from BL

Average Number of BL

Loans per Library

Estimated Total Borrowed from

BL

Estimated Total BL

cost

Average BL cost per library

Books 45 13164 293 25158 £172,331.39 £2,003.85

NHS Scotland-wide estimatesQuestionnaire Respondents

Resource Type

BL Book Loan Summary

Total number of books requested from BL during 2002/3 (46 libraries) 13146Estimated annual cost of books borrowed from BL across total of 86 NHS Libraries £172,332

Other findings

Health Promotion Libraries NHS - University Library Partnerships Common services

Health Promotion Libraries

HPLib2000 - most common Not Z39.50 compatible “Future calendar booking” feature essential

NHS - University Library Partnerships

Already using a large LMS linked to the University

Cannot warrant a change of system

Common Services

Catalogue and Circulation Modules Inter-Library Loan Module Statistics To provide best possible service to end

user

The current picture of NHS Scotland Library Management Systems

Variance in service provision Lack of I.T. service in some areas Variable Internet Access Lack of consistency

The current picture (continued) No system-wide approach to

management/access of physical resources in several NHS Boards

Survey findings suggest scope for improving use of resources across the NHS

Synergies to be realised through a more coherent approach

Many willing to participate in such a system

Summary/Conclusions

Knowledge Management - catalogue has a central role

Hybrid system preferred Essential components determined:

Cataloguing Circulation (plus Health Promotion Future Booking) Interlibrary Loan Requesting and Administration

Ability Federated system under Local Management

Administration