Agora: the hybrid library from a users perspective

David Palmer , Assistant Librarian     David.Palmer@uea.ac.uk     (University of East Anglia)   Bridget Robinson, Agora Communications Coordinator     b.r.robinson@ukoln.ac.uk     (UKOLN (UK Office for Library & Information Networking))

Ariadne 2001
(ReLIS:doi:doiari:y:2001:i:26:p:4)

Abstract:

Agora is one of the five Hybrid Library Projects that began in January 1998, forming part of phase 3 of the elib programme investigating issues surrounding the integration of digital and traditional library resources. It is a consortium-based project, led by the University of East Anglia; partners are UKOLN, Fretwell Downing Informatics and CERLIM (the Centre for Research in Library and Information Management). The project also works with several associate groups: libraries, service providers and systems developers. The initial six months of the project concentrated on the development of a prototype HLMS (Hybrid Library Management System) based on Fretwell Downings VDX software. The prototype was evaluated and the results fed into the system definition for the first "real" HLMS which emerged in the spring of 1999. The document lays out the Agora vision of the HLMS, most explicitly in the requirements catalogue, which sets out over 145 detailed requirements. Prioritisation of these requirements was undertaken by the library associates and project staff to determine the functions to be included in Release 1 of Agora and those to be included in the later Release 2 version. Once Release 1 had undergone compliance testing in the autumn of 1999, it was installed at the library associate sites ready for the next phase of the project - the undertaking of case studies. This article will look at the main focus of the case studies, summarise the results and evaluate how this work can be used to inform the future direction of the project and the ongoing development of the Hybrid Library concept.

Note: David Palmer and Bridget Robinson provide a summary of the Agora case studies and evaluate how the results can be used to inform the work in the last 6 months of the project and the ongoing development of the hybrid library concept
Month: 10-January-2001
Year: 2001

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