This project seeks to procure a new Library Management Platform.  IS Library & University Collections, IS Applications Division and Procurement will work together to specify the business and functional requirements, which will form part of the Invitation to Tender.

The current generation of Library Management Systems (LMSs) have been around for over 25 years, and were primarily designed to manage print resources. The Voyager LMS was implemented at the University of Edinburgh in 1999 as a collaboration with the National Library of Scotland. Voyager remains core to the workflow of Library operations from the acquisition of materials, cataloguing of metadata, and collections management, the circulation of materials (including self-issue), and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). The catalogue data is also re-presented within a number of other interfaces for business purposes (for example reading list management, mobile campus, inter-library loans) dynamically, or on demand, as required. The OPAC interface to the library catalogue is one of the most heavily used services provided by the University. In the fifteen years since its procurement, the library domain has changed dramatically.  In 1999 the LMS dealt solely with physical items, but now over 84% of all new library materials purchased are electronic (e-journals and e-books).  This has required the library to buy multiple extra products to allow effective management and use of these materials.  It is now possible to replace these separate tools with a single Universal Resource Management (URM) system - also known as a Next-Generation Library Management System. In addition it is likely that support for the Voyager application itself will be discontinued in the coming years as its vendor Ex Libris focuses effort on the development of their replacement system known as Alma. With the significant and increasing spend taking place library collections, it is essential that they are managed well in order to release their maximum value.  Good management also includes good discovery - allowing staff and students to find or request the items they require.