ReShare has been selected by two consortia, PALCI and ConnectNY, as their resource sharing program. Both organizations are partnering with Index Data for implementation, hosting, and support services, with plans to launch the service in summer 2021.
This adoption expands the prevalence of the ReShare Returnables product in the resource sharing marketplace and further demonstrates that ReShare is meeting a previously unmet need of libraries and consortia.
Thanks to the participation of the Project ReShare community, we elected new at-large members to the Steering Committee.
Congratulations to Adam Murray — Executive Director of Marmot Library Network — and Boaz Nadav Manes — University Librarian, Lehigh University — for their election to the Steering Committee. In addition, Scott Anderson — Information Systems Librarian, Millersville University — will be joining as an ex officio member.
Each new Steering Committee member brings years of experience and will provide valuable insight in the development of Project ReShare, both as a suite of products and a community. We thank all three for their willingness to serve on the Steering Committee.
“I believe that I can bring a valuable perspective to the Project ReShare Steering Committee, one that encompasses the academic and public library worlds, the economic disparities within those worlds, and the role consortia can play in innovation that helps lift all libraries together.”
Adam Murray, Marmot Library Network
“I strongly believe that especially at this time and in this climate, ambitious and collaborative infrastructure projects such as Project ReShare can assist our users to keep our society better informed, safe, and more equitable.”
Boaz Nadav-Manes, Lehigh University
“The library community is in need of a robust, low threshold, flexible and open solution to address effective, efficient and innovative resource sharing amongst participating organizations (not just libraries) in the future. Project ReShare represents that future.”
Scott Anderson, Millersville University
Elected Officers
In addition to electing new at-large members, the Steering Committee elected new officers in the positions of:
Chair, Tim McGeary, Duke University
Chair-Elect, Nora Dethloff, GWLA
Secretary, Adam Murray, Marmot Library Network
Jill Morris — Executive Director of PALCI — will serve as Past Chair. Jill’s commitment and contributions were instrumental in the creation of Project ReShare. Under her leadership, ReShare grew into a sustainable and dynamic community with a structure to continue bringing together more organizations that seek to transform the resource sharing landscape. Thanks to Jill for all of her hard work and steadfast leadership since the foundation of Project ReShare, and we look forward to benefiting from her expertise in your continued role on the Steering Committee.
Thanks also to the Nominating Committee for its stewardship of this election.
Emily Decker, University of Alabama
Nora Dethloff, GWLA
Kelly Farrell, TRLN
Hilary Fredette, West Virginia University (Nominating Committee convener)
Project ReShare is pleased to announce that Internet Archive, a non-profit library, and the Marmot Library Network, a Colorado-based consortium, have joined the project as members.
Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is building a digital library of books, Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. With a mission to “provide Universal Access to All Knowledge,” it provides free access to researchers, historians, scholars, patrons with print disabilities, and the general public. Internet Archive began in 1996 archiving the Internet itself, a medium that was just beginning to grow in use.
Internet Archive will contribute to Project ReShare expertise and knowledge specifically related to strengthening the community of practice around controlled digital lending (CDL). “As a library that has been running a version of controlled digital lending for more than nine years, it is thrilling to see a group like Project ReShare come together to accelerate and promote this work,” remarked Chris Freeland, Director of Open Libraries, Internet Archive. “We also will continue to support and promote the work of scholars who have codified CDL through independent publications and legal white papers.”
A large component of Marmot’s new operational plan is growing the consortium’s involvement in Project ReShare and FOLIO. Marmot aims to be a consortium built on the choice and ownership that comes from involvement in open source solutions.
“We believe that Marmot’s role as a multi-type library consortium, composed predominantly of public libraries, would provide the ReShare community with valuable insight in both consortial and public library needs,” stated Adam Murray, Executive Director of Marmot Library Network.
Organized by academic, public, and school librarians, Marmot’s original purpose was to create a network located on the Western Slope of Colorado with access to a shared cataloging system. Marmot was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1990. As a multi-type library consortium with 30 Voting Members and 9 Associate Members, Marmot has evolved in its 35 years of operation, adding services such as workstation and network management, hosting solutions, a digital archive, and a catalog discovery layer.
As a member of the ReShare community, Marmot has committed $10,000 in membership fees, plus dedicated time from the wide-ranging expertise of Marmot’s staff, including developers.
Project ReShare is pleased to be expanding its community with the inclusion of Internet Archive and Marmot Library Network, working together to transform approaches to resource sharing.
Background
The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in 2018 to create Project ReShare – a new and open approach to library resource sharing. The ReShare Community has a bold vision for building a user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for libraries to set a new standard for how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require.
For more information, contact info@projectreshare.org.
Lisa Croucher Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN): trln.org, Executive Director Project ReShare: projectreshare.org, Communication Team, Chair info@projectreshare.org
Project ReShare announces the release of ReShare Returnables 1.0, the first production software to come out of the open source, collaborative community. The Returnables software represents the first step in ReShare’s goal of creating a consortial resource sharing system that will enable sharing of the collective collection in all formats, regardless of integrated library system, and empowering library-driven and user centered workflows.
ReShare Returnables supports interlibrary loan of physical materials between members of a consortium. The software, built using the open source FOLIO platform, uses an app-based approach to resource sharing workflows. The apps that make up the 1.0 release include a member directory, queues to manage requesting and supplying workflows, and a bulk update tool. A shared inventory app allows ReShare libraries to pool their bibliographic metadata for discovery and fulfillment purposes. More information about the Returnables product and a video demonstration can be found at https://projectreshare.org/products/returnables.
“As libraries face increasing pressure to share resources, the release of ReShare Returnables 1.0 represents a huge step forward in transforming the library resource sharing marketplace,” said ReShare Steering Committee Chair Jill Morris. “For many years, commercially available options have struggled to keep pace with libraries’ and users’ expectations. ReShare’s open source nature empowers groups of libraries to innovate and collaborate toward building truly collective collections, with the ability to share our disparate holdings and materials in a cost-controlled, system-agnostic, and user-centric way.”
Development of ReShare Returnables has been focused on standards compliance and interoperability. The software is the first consortial implementation of the ISO 18626 protocol for interlibrary loan transactions, and use of this standard positions the ReShare system for seamless communication with other protocol-compliant systems. ReShare Returnables also takes advantage of the NCIP and Z39.50 standards supported by many local library management systems to create local integrations and reduce duplicate workflows.
ReShare Returnables integrates with the VuFind discovery tool for an out-of-the-box consortial search experience for library users. ReShare users will also have the option to ingest metadata from the shared inventory into their existing commercial or local discovery environments, allowing them to offer users a single point of access for library and consortial requests.
“This is a tremendously exciting milestone,” said Sebastian Hammer, co-founder of Index Data, the lead software developers on the project. “Project ReShare breaks new ground in so many different areas: in its modular architecture; in its strong commitment to open standards and breaking down boundaries between consortia and platforms; and, most importantly, in its nature as a community-owned good. I believe that Project ReShare should inspire other groups of libraries and vendors to innovate together. It has been a privilege to be a citizen in the community so far, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.”
With the 1.0 release completed, the ReShare development team will continue to work on Returnables functionality, with the goal of releasing versions 1.1 and 1.2 in October 2020 and January 2021, respectively. As a member of the Controlled Digital Lending Implementers (CDLI) group, ReShare has begun concurrent development of a minimal viable product to support controlled digital lending within the ReShare platform, expected in late fall 2020.
Background
The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in 2018 to create Project ReShare – a new and open approach to library resource sharing. The ReShare Community has a bold vision for building a user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for libraries to set a new standard for how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require.
Project ReShare and Stanford Libraries of Stanford University announce the launch of the Controlled Digital Lending Implementers (CDLI) group to explore and coordinate broad and thoughtful implementation of controlled digital lending (CDL).
The digital equivalent of traditional library lending, CDL enables libraries to digitize a physical item from their collection and lend out a secured digital version to one user at a time, while the print copy is simultaneously marked as unavailable. When connected with the various workflows, decisions, policies, and mechanisms similar to those used in traditional inter-library loan, CDL offers an effective means of safely and securely circulating library materials to users—especially those for whom physical access presents a hardship—while also protecting the rights of the publishing community.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic and loss of access to our physical collections, controlled digital lending has suddenly become a top priority, not just for our library, but for so many institutions,” notes Tom Cramer, Associate University Librarian and Director for Digital Library Systems & Services at Stanford University. “CDLI will enable those implementing CDL to exchange ideas, approaches, and know-how, creating a community of practice that will benefit libraries as a whole.”
CDLI will provide a forum for implementers to coordinate efforts, develop best practices, and establish a CDL community, meeting the distinct needs of individual institutions while taking into account the larger technology and services ecosystem. Initial collaborators include libraries, consortia, software developers, and resource sharing leaders who envision the wide acceptance of CDL as an approach to library access services in support of institutional missions.
Currently, there is a lack of technical infrastructure to support the implementation of CDL. In response to this gap, Project ReShare has committed to include CDL in its development roadmap. Established in 2018 by libraries, consortia, software developers, and open source advocates, the ReShare community is designing an open source, highly-scalable platform that supports workflows for discovery, fulfillment, and delivery of library materials. CDL functionality will expand the impact of ReShare on the library community.
“A widely adoptable and sustainable technical infrastructure for CDL does not exist in today’s marketplace, and there is a great demand due to the impact of COVID-19,” says Jill Morris, Project ReShare’s Steering Committee Chair and Executive Director of the PALCI academic library consortium. “ReShare’s CDL development initiative represents the type of innovative model Project ReShare is designed to support, with tools and infrastructure that are freely available and driven by the needs of our community. Through ReShare’s participation in CDLI, we aim to coordinate our efforts in the broader library community to ensure that our libraries’ physical collections are accessible and usable by scholars and the general public.”
The 1.0 release of ReShare is scheduled for July 2020. Soon after, ReShare development partners Index Data and Knowledge Integration will begin integrating CDL into ReShare.
CDLI welcomes institutional and individual participants from any library, consortium, technology or industry partner. Reach out to cdl-implementers@googlegroups.com for more information or if your institution is interested in joining CDLI.
Project ReShare Welcomes Two Founding Members – Grand Valley State University and Lehigh University
For Immediate Release
April 22, 2020
Project ReShare is pleased to announce two new members — Grand Valley State University and Lehigh University.
ReShare’s Founding Members Program allows libraries and consortia to contribute to Project ReShare and have a clear voice in the project’s direction. By becoming Founding Members, these organizations have expressed enthusiasm for the development of this community-owned interlibrary loan infrastructure, as well as a demonstrated commitment to ensuring Project ReShare remains a user-centered, innovative force for resource sharing in libraries. Project ReShare, together with these new members, will continue in its mission to work directly with libraries to improve the value and impact of resource sharing networks and the tools used to support them.
Grand Valley State University Libraries is dedicated to advancing collaborative work, enhancing open community, and advancing the professional ecosystem of Libraries. “We are actively reviewing our infrastructure to ensure longer term sustainability,” said Annie Bélanger, Dean of University Libraries. “Partnering to support the development of a new ILL and document delivery system aligns with our priorities and needs. We love the idea of a system for libraries created by libraries and champion vendors.”
In addition to a financial commitment, GVSU Libraries will be dedicating staff with expertise in interlibrary loan and in accessibility and usability. Staff will develop a high-level overview of staff interface user experience and accessibility issues and will audit ongoing development of the user interface. GVSU also is contributing governance support through one of the members of its Library Executive team.
Lehigh University Libraries are at the forefront of developing innovative open source software with work done on OLE, OLF, FOLIO, VuFind, GoKb, VIVO, Islandora and more. “Project ReShare governance and scope is uniquely ambitious to assist us and other networked libraries to address fundamental issues around allocation of resources and staff related to collection building and analysis at scale across libraries and systems,” noted Boaz Nadav-Manes, University Librarian. “It will be congruent with development of Library staff to think and act in a network-first frame of mind.”
Lehigh’s contribution to the project will be a halftime developer who already has been participating in weekly meetings of the development team. The developer’s focus will be on NCIP/Z39.50 integration with local library management systems, an area where Lehigh brings deep experience from its work in the FOLIO project.
ReShare plans a beta release of the software this April, with the platform ReShare 1.0 release planned for late Summer 2020. ReShare announced its Founding Member Program in June 2019 and is currently accepting applications. For more information on how to get involved and support the project, please visit: https://projectreshare.org.
ReShare plans an alpha release of the software later this Fall, with additional releases planned in Spring and Summer of 2020. ReShare announced its Founding Member Program in June 2019 and is currently accepting applications. For more information on how to get involved and support the project, please visit: https://projectreshare.org.
About ReShare
The ReShare Community is a group of libraries, consortia, information organizations and developers, with both commercial and non-commercial interests, who came together in 2018 to create Project ReShare–a new and open approach to library resource sharing. The ReShare Community has a bold vision for building a user-centered, app-based, community-owned resource sharing platform for libraries that will set the standard for how we connect library patrons to the resources and information they require. Contact info@projectreshare.org for more information.
About Grand Valley State University Libraries
Grand Valley State University Libraries was the proud recipient of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) 2012 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award. The University Libraries purposefully collect, teach, display, discover, disseminate and preserve information, in all its forms, to support the university curriculum and fuel the intellectual life of the university. We connect scholars and learners to resources. We create spaces and programs that inspire the university community and promote inquiry as an essential life skill. Each library’s collection is tailored to its location and the programs it serves, with daily deliveries of physical materials between all University Libraries locations.
The University Libraries are committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. We strive to provide an environment in which all members of the campus community feel welcome, safe, supported, respected, and valued. All library staff and faculty are active in the ongoing work of identifying and eliminating barriers to ensure that all members of the library community are able to fully participate in library spaces and services. We work to ensure that our tools, devices, services, and environments are available and usable by as many people as possible.
About Lehigh University Libraries
The Lehigh University library collection comprises over 800,000 volumes and more than 100,000 electronic books. Our journal subscriptions number more than 25,000 periodicals, the majority of which are in electronic format. Linderman Library houses the humanities collections, including the history collection, and Special Collections.
Fairchild-Martindale Library houses materials for science, engineering, mathematics, and the social sciences, including business and education. A federal government depository since 1876, Fairchild-Martindale Library holds federal and Pennsylvania documents. A third library facility, the Library Materials Center (LMC), is a storage facility located on the Mountaintop Campus, and holds lesser-used books and journal runs, as well as some Special Collections materials.
Lehigh’s Digital Library highlights various aspects of the collection, ranging from “Digital Bridges” (books on 19th century bridge construction) to “Beyond Steel” (materials examining the social and cultural impact of the Lehigh Valley’s industrial past). In addition, Special Collections holds over 30 separate archival collections that focus on industrial and regional history.
