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Library Management System Migration - Implemention of FOLIO

This guide offers information about the Library's transition to FOLIO, an open-source Library Management System.

Timeline

Summer 2024

  • Licensing new Library Management System (LMS).
  • Reviewing exit documentation for current LMS.

Fall 2024

  • First meetings with FOLIO implementation team.
  • FOLIO member tenant implementation begins including data extract iterations and configurations.
  • Discovery and Catalog configuration and SSO implementation.
  • Training on and configuration for apps related to circulation, inventory, acquisition and electronic resources management.

Spring 2025

  • Continued data migration.
  • Training on and configuration for apps related to electronic resources management, cataloguing, statistics and reporting.
  • Workflow revisions.
  • Resource sharing systems integration.
  • Legacy system clean up.
  • Communication with users, cutover planning and dress rehearsal.

May 13 2025: Go live!

  • Troubleshooting as necessary, continued training.
  • Support to users.
  • June 25th: cutover from legacy system.

User-Facing Changes

The main changes that users will notice are the new catalog, interruptions to EZBorrow and acquisitions, and revised procedures and policies surrounding circulation and course reserves.

New Library Catalog

Our Library Catalog changed as part of our transition to FOLIO. The new Library Catalog is mobile-friendly, faster and you’ll notice a new look and feel. While some features and functions may work a bit differently, the new Library Catalog provides all the same account services you’re used to – searching for our materials, placing holds, renewals, reviewing your checked out items. Migration of user data and loans will be done by the library team, but there are some actions that users can take should they have saved list they want to preserve:

Printing saved lists:

  1. Log into your library account.
  2. Navigate to 'Saved Lists'.
  3. Select all lists/titles that you wish to export.
  4. Select 'View Bibliography' or 'Print List'.

Spring semester item returns:

To ensure the most accurate data is migrated to our new system and to accurately identify lost or missing items, we will kindly ask all patrons to return their checked-out items by the end of the Spring 2025 semester. If returning the items is not possible because they are used for a current research project, we ask that you confirm they are still in your possession.

Interruption of EZBorrow Services

On the go-live date, EZBorrow services will be paused for one to two week as we migrate ReShare, the system that underpins EZBorrow, from our legacy LMS to FOLIO. Inter-Library Loans (ILLiad) will continue to operate and we will let users know as soon as EZBorrow is back up and running.

Interruption of Ordering and Acquisition

Around April 2025, ordering and acquisition will be paused until we are live on FOLIO in May, meaning that requests for new physical materials will take longer to be filled.

Revised Procedures and Policies

As the library team works through the migration, we are revising our procedures in every area. What users will notice are updated circulation policies and procedures to place materials on reserve. We will communicate updated procedures and policies with users every time there is a change and add these to this guide and materials on the Library Website.

Monthly updates

  • Staff training
  • Change of search boxes for Snowden Super Search and Catalog
  • Circulation stops, data clean up
  • Dress rehearsal, full data import
  • Conference, FOLIO user group day in Rhode Island
  • Go Live!
  • Revision of material type mapping
  • Integration of OCLC and LOC z39.50 for cataloging
  • Load of serials data and verification
  • Troubleshooting patron empowerment functionalities through SSO
  • Set up of z39.50 for AccessPA loaning
  • Integration of EBSCO Net with FOLIO
  • Third data iteration ETL.
  • Overview of the Serials app.
  • Review of cut-off planning and dress rehearsal.
  • Troubleshooting serials data issues.
  • Review of circulation rules to integrate ILL and EZBorrow workflows.
  • NCIP integration with EZBorrow.
  • Edits to locations and material types in the new catalog.
  • Loading of orders in the acquisition modules.
  • Agreements loaded, discussion about license loads in ERM modules.
  • Review and training on Bulk Edit and Lists apps.
  • Clean up of legacy system data.
  • Continued work on electronic resources management (ERM).
  • Beginning of work on resource sharing systems integration - discussions with ReShare and PALCI.
  • Configuration and training on electronic management modules.
  • Agreement data.
  • Meeting with LOCATE and EDS configuration to discuss electronic resources catalog and discovery.
  • Configuration and training on acquisition modules.
  • Load of organization data.
  • Meeting with GOBI, our largest book vendor, to discuss integrations.
  • Set up of SSO and new catalog.
  • Finalization and testing of circulation rules.
  • First bibliographic records data load and data mappings.
  • FOLIO tenant configuration.
  • LMS apps overview.
  • First user data load.
  • Begin working on circulation modules.
  • License agreement for FOLIO with EBSCO is revised and signed.
  • Formation of implementation team on the library and vendor side, roles and responsibilities are defined.
  • FOLIO implementation project kick off meeting.
  • Final decision to license FOLIO with EBSCO is made.
  • Head of Systems and Collection attends the 2024 EBSCO User Group and meets with other librarians who have or are migrating, as well as FOLIO product managers.