Re: ERM software question Cole, Louise 06 Oct 2008 15:21 UTC
Well, I've got experience of both III's ERM and SerialsSolutions's 360 Resource Manager, and of setting up and exploiting both of them for local use. Here are my thoughts. Ease of use. Both very good. III's ERM is integrated into the LMS and the OPAC, etc so clearly that has an edge over a separate system. And if you don't use their CASE knowledge base you need to create and maintain your own - OK if you can get to grips with uploading csv files and have somewhere to store back copies. Maintaining titles and databases. Both good, although SerialsSolutions could score less because it takes 24 hours to effect any changes, more if you use their MARC records service and/or the title needs to be added to their knowledge base. Ability to note and annotate. Both about the same. III has the ability to add notes into the OPAC; SerialsSolutions can do this with MARC records. Ability to set up staff alerts. III is slightly better as they can be more easily configured at any level, database, order, title. But SerialsSolutions 360 Resource Manager can do lots of good things as well. Ability to add new content. III scores slightly higher as brief records can be uploaded into the OPAC instantly. With SerialsSolutions you have to wait 14 or 28 days for MARC record updates to happen, or even longer if a title is not yet in their knowledge base. I can see the pros and cons of both solutions. I quite like the freedom of being able to be in control of your own knowledge base - but can see the pitfalls and staff time of having to maintain it. But it is also good to have a back-up like the SerialsSolutions support center who might be able to fix things you couldn't yourself. I do think it depends on what else you have in place - for example, when I used III's solution we purchased it along with a suite of other products (proxy server, link resolver) all linked to the LMS. Now with SerialsSolutions we have a link resolver and cross search alongside it (which are very good) but a separate proxy solution. Louise Louise Cole Senior Information Advisor (Collections) Nightingale Centre, Kingston Hill Campus Kingston University Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT2 7LB Email louise.cole@kingston.ac.uk Telephone 020 8417 5383 Fax 020 8417 5312 -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Janice Ouellette Sent: 06 October 2008 15:54 To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [SERIALST] ERM software question Hi all, By all means, please share comments to this list! I have been asked to 'investigate' this same question and I don't want to 're-invent the wheel!' Jan -----Original Message----- From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum [mailto:SERIALST@list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of John Rasel Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 10:02 AM To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: [SERIALST] ERM software question Hello folks, I have been asked to evaluate a few of the Electronic resource management tools currently on the market for potential use in our library. So far, I've looked at SerialsSolutions and their pile of 360 options, Ebsco's A-Z, and III's ERM. What I would really like are the opinions of these products from any users who subscribe to this listserv. What is your overall impression of the software? Is there anything you wish it did but can't? Were there any problems after purchase (for example, were you unable to do something with the product you were told you could?) Are there any features you absolutely love about them? We would really love to be able to do are things like an overlap analysis of our serials, whether they are in microform, print, or electronically. So far, Serials Solutions is the only one to claim that such a feature is possible. If those of you with ERM software would be willing, I would greatly appreciate the opinions of those library workers who actually use these tools, as opposed to taking the word of a vendor straightaway. My thanks, John John T. Rasel Graduate Programs Librarian Capital University 1 College and Main Columbus, OH 43209-2394 Phone: (614) 236-6352 This email has been scanned for all viruses by the MessageLabs Email Security System. This email has been scanned for all viruses by the MessageLabs Email Security System.