In 2022, the University of Maine System libraries, the Maine State Library, the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, Bangor Public Library, and Portland Public Library (collectively and further referred to as URSUS) went through an RFP process to find a new Integrated Library System – or systems – (ILS) that would meet the needs of both academic and public libraries, or separately if needed.
The URSUS group had been with the current ILS for 20+ years, and it was painfully out of date and would no longer be supported. Due to these reasons, the URSUS Directors decided to move forward with the RFP to find a more current and robust system.
URSUS interacts, and interfaces systematically, with other state systems including Minerva consortium (approx. 60 public libraries), Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin Colleges, University of New England, and the MILS consortium (approx. 22 small public libraries). The systematic ability to interact is made possible through INNReach (a software solution provided by Innovative Interfaces Inc.), and this enables direct patron lending and requesting between the above-mentioned libraries/consortia.
Separately, but related and as important, Summon (OneSearch) is used as the discovery layer for the University of Maine System libraries. Portland Public Library uses Bibliocommons as a discovery layer, and the Maine State Library and Bangor Public Library do not use a discovery layer. All three public libraries (Portland, Bangor, and Maine State), however, were interested in available technologies and discovery layers as they relate to public libraries.
Through the RFP process, we entertained responses that met the following:
The guiding principles were:
After a long two years, the URSUS consortium members were able to find a company that met their needs.
The new ILS:
The URSUS libraries are transitioning to two ILS platforms both owned by the parent company, Clarivate. The Academic Libraries (eight UMS campus libraries, and further referred to as URSUS-Academics), are transitioning to the ILS ALMA this spring and expecting to go live in June 2024. The public libraries (BPL, PPL, MSL, and LLRL, and further referred to as URSUS-Publics), will transition at a later date to the ILS Polaris. These Integrated Library Systems provide the necessary background modules to help the libraries function. These core functions include acquisitions, circulation, e-resource licensing and management, cataloging, and more. In addition, there is a public-facing product for both library types. While the URSUS-Academics will use the discovery layer Primo to replace Summon (OneSearch) mentioned above, the URSUS-Publics will use Vega as their primary discovery layer.
The purpose of the two different ILSs is to provide both types of libraries (Academics and Publics) the best services for their needs. Over the 20+ years that the URSUS group worked under the same ILS, there were growing pains as each type of library had different needs from the other. This solution under Clarivate, provides both types with their own systems and therefore their own solutions.