2018 Charleston Library Conference

Numerous studies show that the 'gateway' role of the library is diminishing, leaving patrons with questions regarding accessing online services: Is the service that I’m trying to use licensed by my library? How do I get access? Do I need a proxy link from the library website? Do I use OpenAthens/Shibboleth/…? A username and password?

Rethinking the role of the library as the starting point for the discovery of scholarly materials and iteratively developing new library solutions can lead to new 'just in time' and 'just in place' services for patrons, offering great help navigating such issues while marketing the library at the same time.

In this presentation, one library IT specialist and one former library program manager will share how flipped thinking and adopting a ‘lean start-up’ innovation methodology led to a new context-bound solution for libraries, based on a browser plugin.

The presentation will detail:

● The shift from IP based authentication to Single Sign-On methods and how this can be managed by the library
● How to guide patrons through various access methods
● How iterating while judiciously listening to end-user feedback can lead to production-ready services that offer big improvements in library services
● The value of testing new ideas from the perspective of the party that has the definite say in whether it is any good: the end user

Along the way, the presenters will share how this process led to a browser plugin that eases off-campus access to library resources considerably, and how it's being adopted by Erasmus University patrons.

Ample time for Q&A with attendees will follow.