Two Consultants for the Research Collections and Preservation Consortium (ReCAP)

The New York Public Library is recruiting two consultants two consultants for Research Collections and Preservation Consortium (ReCAP).

Here's an excerpt from the ad for a Technology Consultant ReCap Discovery to Delivery Project:

NYPL seeks a Technology Consultant to support the work of the Workflow and Technology Subcommittee (WTS). The Technology Consultant will work closely with the Technology Architect and the Planning Consultant but will also provide deliverables directly to the WTS.

The Technology Consultant will be engaged to perform the following activities:

1. Prepare a technology environmental scan:

a. Identify current technologies available in the ReCAP partner libraries and the ReCAP facility to support discovery, request and delivery, collections management, and collections development

Describe the software systems currently in use to support these library functions at each of the three ReCAP partners and at the ReCAP facility. Include local and external systems that are used by these institutions.

b. In conjunction with the Technology Architect, identify options for software systems to support those four required elements of the shared collection (discovery, request and delivery, collections management, and collections development).

Based on research and domain knowledge, describe software systems (and related services) that could be used to support those functions in the context of a shared collection. Provide a general description of their functionality and their attributes e.g. propriety or open-source, perpetual license or subscription, and/or other attributes as advised by the Technology Consultant. Provide a preliminary assessment of the pros and cons of each system for use by ReCAP shared collections. Note: this activity is intended to describe potential technologies in general, not to recommend specific choices at this time.

Deliverable: A written report to the Technology Architect and the WTS due by April 31, 2012.

2. Make recommendations to the Technology Architect and the WTS about the design of systems infrastructure to support both user-facing and staff-facing services at each member institution to support shared collections.

Working as part of a team including the Technology Architect, the Workflow Consultant, and the Planning Consultant, incorporate information about new services, revised workflows, and system options to produce recommendations about the system infrastructure needed to support ReCAP shared collections. Specific tasks include:

  • Review findings and recommendations made by the Workflow Consultant, who will be engaged to evaluate current workflows associated with selection from the partner libraries for ingest into the ReCAP facility, and to recommend appropriate modifications to these workflows and related technology services necessary to support the shared collection. The Workflow Consultant’s initial report is expected to be available in summer 2012.
  • Consider findings by the Planning Consultant regarding desired organizational structure, governance, and cost-sharing (as available).
  • Assess existing software products applicable to shared collections (as identified in Activity #1) and recommend appropriate solutions for the ReCAP partners’ shared collections system architecture.
  • Identify any needed systems or functionality not currently available in existing software products, with recommendations about how best to fill gaps.
  • Assist the Technology Architect in gathering cost information for implementing or developing the recommended system solutions.

Deliverable: A report to the Technology Architect and the WTS due by September 30, 2012 describing the Technology Consultant’s recommendations for system solutions to support ReCAP shared collections. The report will include any recommendations with respect to priorities, development, or implementation scheduling.

For the complete RFP please contact Joseph Brucia at josephbrucia@nypl.org

Here's an excerpt from the ad for a Workflow Consultant ReCAP Discovery to Delivery Project:

NYPL seeks a Workflow Consultant to support the work of the Workflow and Technology Subcommittee (WTS). The Workflow Consultant will work closely with the Planning Consultant and the technology team but will provide deliverables directly to the WTS.

The Workflow Consultant will be engaged to perform the following activities:

1. Evaluate current workflows associated with transferring materials to and retrieving materials from the ReCAP facility

The Workflow Consultant will document existing workflows at the partner libraries necessary to perform these activities:

  • Select and prepare materials for transfer to ReCAP
  • Request, receive, and return materials needed from ReCAP

The Workflow Consultant will also document workflows at the ReCAP facility necessary to perform these activities:

  • Ingest and shelve new materials from each partner (including use of inventory control system)
  • Respond to request, retrieve, deliver, return and reshelve requested materials.

2. Recommend appropriate modifications to these workflows and related technology services necessary to support the shared collection Deliverables:

Deliverables:

  • An initial report to the WTS due by July 31, 2012 describing current workflows and the Workflow Consultant’s recommendations for workflow changes and system changes necessary to support ReCAP shared collections.
  • A final report due September 30, 2012 based on continued participation in planning discussions with the WTS and the project team, to incorporate modifications based on subsequent decisions about services, organization, or collection management.

For complete RFP please contact Joseph Brucia at josephbrucia@nypl.org

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