Publications
‘When the library business is booming why are public libraries in decline and what can we do?‘ By Ken Chad. 25th January 2010 (A response to ‘Empower, Inform, Enrich. The Modernisation Review of Public Libraries. A consultation document’ DCMS. December 2009)
Will we see the creation of a UK national public library catalogue? ‘Discovery and Delivery? First a national catalogue‘ looks at the progress being made and the issues.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette, 2nd September 2010
‘A perspective on resource list management‘ How has the management of academic resource lists changed, what are library management systems vendors offering and how are resource lists being handled in a social media environment?
Published in Library & Information Update (p.39-41). CILIP June 2010
‘Creating Catalogues: bibliographic records in a networked world’. This report was the output of our project with RIN to identify and map the current arrangements through which bibliographic records are created and the flow between publishers, libraries and other service providers in the UK.
The growing interest in Open Source Library Management Systems. ‘A broader menu beckons in the LMS market’ contrasts the appetite for open source solutions two years ago with the interest and solutions available today. It looks at how some of the barriers to the take up of open source solutions are being broken down.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette. 24th April 2009
Find the competitive ‘sweet spot.’ How can public libraries compete? There is a clear sense that libraries are under threat. Looking at things with a competitive frame of mind helps focus on the distinctive elements of the service. Think of this as the strategic sweet spot: where the library’s capabilities meet customer needs in a way that rivals can’t. This is therefore the place where the library will get most return on its investment. A focus on the sweet spot enables the library to highlight the areas where is can make the biggest difference and add the most value. Indeed where it can be most competitive.
Published in YDdolen/Information Wales Autumn 2008
The Impact of 2.0: Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 are local manifestations of much deeper, technology driven changes in the Information economy. The new ‘Networked Information Economy’ has enabled millions of people to combine cheap computing, and access to the web to take ownership of the ‘means of production’ and create and share content. In ‘Are you missing the point’ Ken develops themes from his recent Internet Librarian presentation.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette. 21st September 2007
Is Open Source a solution to a failing market? In the US there is increasing dissatisfaction with the LMS vendors and several major public and academic libraries have selected Open Source LMSs. ‘The LMS: an open or shut case‘ analyses this trend and its relevance to the UK.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette. 24th August 2007
UK Library resources are fragmented. There is a hugely valuable, publicly funded, resource that is not used to its full advantage because it is not aggregated. In ‘See you later aggregator’ Ken Chad agues that a UK national aggregation of library resources is feasible and that it should be combined with an easy and effective fulfilment mechanism.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette. 27th July 2007
Is it time for libraries to downsize their systems and lower costs? ‘Is the LMS at a tipping point?‘ explains the legacy of UNIX library systems and the opportunities presented by Windows based systems or Open Source to lower costs dramatically, even for large academic and public libraries.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette. 29th June 2007
The monolithic integrated LMS is splitting up into its smaller component parts, realising a long-held dream of many librarians. In ‘Taking apart the library system’ Ken analyses the new ‘pioneering’ age where libraries will need to focus more attention on standards and increase their technical skills to reap the rewards of a low cost library system ‘components’.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette. 1st June 2007 ‘
How can libraries compete with free commercial ‘library’ services? Can they offer a service that’s more relevant, engaging, personalised, cheaper, faster and easier to use? Who will create it? In ‘Same Message: new messenger?‘ Ken discusses what is happening and the implications.
Published in the CILIP+Information Gazette. 4th May 2007
The consolidating LMS market and private equity: what should libraries do? In less than two years the majority of the UK’s public and HE libraries have seen their LMS providers come under new ownership. Private equity companies have initiated much of that change. In ‘Unsettled Forecast’ Ken discusses what is happening, why it is happening and what libraries should do.
Published in CILIP Library+Information Gazette. 9th March 2007
Web services and a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) have now matured enough to provide promise of effective and economic integration between library management systems and other corporate systems such as CRM and Finance. In ‘The new value of the library’ published in Panlibus 1. Autumn 2005, Ken discusses the implications and opportunities of this approach.