INSTITUTION:
California State University
PROJECT TITLE:
Unified Information Access System
PRIMARY CONTACT:
Marvin Pollard,
UIAS Project Manager
CSU Office of the Chancellor
P.O. Box 3842
Seal Beach, CA 90740
voice (562) 985-9492
fax (562) 985-9642
ATTENDING THE JULY MEETING:
Gordon Smith,
Library Policy & Planning, Office of the Chancellor
(gordon_smith@qmbridge.calstate.edu)
Marvin Pollard,
Project Manager, UIAS, Office of the Chancellor
(mpollard@calstate.edu)
ALSO ON THE PROJECT TEAM (but not attending July meeting):
Marion Reid,
Library Director, CSU San Marcos
(mreid@mailhost1.csusm.edu)
John Ross,
Director, Information Systems & Support, San Diego State
(john.ross@sdsu.edu)
Debbie Masters,
Libary Director, San Francisco State
(dmasters@sfsu.edu)
Doug Davis,
Library Director, CSU Los Angeles
(ddavis2@calstatela.edu)
Phil Huang,
Systems Group Coordinator, Sonoma State University
(phil.huang@sonoma.edu)
Susan Curzon,
Vice Provost, Information & Technology Resources, CSU Northridge
(susan.curzon@csun.edu)
Harold Schleifer,
Library Director, Cal Poly Pomona
(HBSchleifer@CSUPomona.edu)
Rod Hersberger,
Library Director, CSU Bakersfield
(Rod_Hersberger@firstclass1.csubak.edu)
BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Unified Information Access System project seeks to develop aninnovative and dynamic tool for student access to information resources, for resource sharing among libraries, and for guidance and instruction in navigating the complexities of the expanding information environment. The UIAS is defined as a single, easy to use, integrated, and coherent computer-based user interface which provides direct online access to or delivery of:
print resources described in CSU Libraries’ Online Public Access Catalogs and described in catalogs of libraries beyond CSU;
print resources described in other bibliographic/abstract databases such as periodical indices;
digital resources, including text, image, video, and multi-media;
Internet-based resources including those on the World-Wide Web;
guidance in the use and evaluation of information resources including access to self-paced information competence instruction.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) process has recently been completed to identify a vendor to partner with the CSU in developing the UIAS. The RFP was based upon extensive consultation with library automated services providers to both shape the concepts of the UIAS and to determine the feasibility of its design. Ten proposals were received and evaluated to select the vendor/partner offering the overall “best value” approach to developing the UIAS. Ameritech Library Services was selected as the top-ranked vendor in the RFP competition and contract negotiations are underway.
The Unified Information Access System project is a complex undertaking that entails addressing a variety of daunting technical and policy issues. Discussions with library automation vendors and other universities suggest widespread interest in devising means of achieving user-centered and coherent on-line integration of information resources. Because of the complexity of the project and the interested expressed by others, the CSUviews unified information access as an area that could benefit greatly from collaboration among institutions. Following are several of the key aspects of unified access we would propose for collaboration:
application of existing and emerging ANSI and ISO standards for information retrieval, patron information and interlibrary loan;
authentication of users accessing the system remotely;
articulation with other campus information systems;
search-engine and user interface design for effective access to and integration of highly disparate information resources;
establishment of partnerships with library automation vendors;
managing access to costly and impacted on-line information resources;
licensing of on-line information resources for remote access.
California State University System
Indiana University
Joint Information System Committee
Lehigh University
Mt. Holyoke College
University of California – Davis
The University of Memphis
University of Michigan
Villanova University