Hunter Library is the library of Western Carolina University which has 8,400 students. Its major task is to provide services for the students and faculty members of Western Carolina University. Hunter Library classifies its services into various categories. The first service is called circulation. This includes checking out items, online renewal, reserves (items for use in library), laptop lending, flash drive lending, photocopiers and printers, and microfilm and microfiche readers. The interlibrary loan service offers the possibility to provide material from the networked libraries UNC-Asheville and Appalachian State University. The documents are distributed by a document delivery service called ABC Express. The documents can usually be delivered in one to four days. Due to the service “View My Record” students are able to see online how many documents they have lent and when they become due. The following paper studies the basic IT-strategy of this institutionalized organization and evaluates its business allignment, its IT organizational structure and architecture. It also proposes further development through an advanced information management system.
Table of Contents
1 Description of the Organization
1.1 Products and Services
1.2 The Size of the Organization
1.3 Basic Strategy
1.4 Major Competitors
2 Assessment of the IT Strategy and Business Alignment
2.1 Overview
2.2 Description of the Organization’s Main Processes, Including Goals and Success Drivers
2.2.1 Public Services
2.2.2 Technical Services
2.3 IT Portfolio
2.3.1 Hardware
2.3.2 Software
3 New Technology Assessment
3.1 The Meaning of Information in the Library
3.2 Advanced Information Management Systems (IMS)
4 Assesment of IT Organizational Structure
4.1 Organizational Structure
4.2 Outsourcing
4.3 Evaluation of the Outsourcing
5 Description of Technology and Architecture
Project Objective & Themes
This assignment examines the IT infrastructure of the Hunter Library at Western Carolina University, evaluating how information systems support the library's mission of knowledge discovery and service delivery. The central research focus is the alignment of IT processes with organizational goals, particularly through outsourcing strategies and advanced information management systems.
- Organizational structure and operational processes of the library.
- Evaluation of IT outsourcing agreements and their impact on operational efficiency.
- Assessment of current hardware, software, and networking architectures.
- Potential of Advanced Information Management Systems (IMS) to optimize information workflows.
- Alignment between IT strategy and the specific needs of students and faculty.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Meaning of Information in the Library
Knowledge and with it the connection and conditioning of contents are arbitrative and critical factors of success for almost all institutions. Because of this development, the dependence on information is growing. But the information flood makes it more difficult to handle and manage. The loss of time that occurs by finding required contents and by conditioning for a reutilization causes financial losses. In general, employees spend as much time searching for important and utilizable contents as for their vacations. An analysis of Gartner shows that employees have to spend between 30 and 40% of their time to generate, to search and to find information to use and manage them for other objects. Especially, the handling of bad structured or unstructured contents (such as protocols, documentations, contracts, guides, news, multimedia) slows down the workflow and value chain processes enormously.
This situation is also appropiate for the work of students. Out of class, most of the time consists of generating and searching for information. Of course, the library is the first contact point for that. For example, the process of writing an assignment is a standard case with which a student is confronted day by day:
1. Concretizing and understanding the topic questions
2. General studies for the topic
3. Structuring ideas to solve the problem
4. Searching for specific information
5. Selecting relevant information
6. Consolidating information
7. Own opinions or contributions
8. Typing and formatting
By analyzing these steps it is obvious that most of them deal with information. The work of a student is mainly marked by managing information in a special way. The following section demonstrates how an information management system provided by the library can improve the learning process of a student.
Summary of Chapters
1 Description of the Organization: Introduces Hunter Library’s mission, its services for students and faculty, and its strategic position within the university environment.
2 Assessment of the IT Strategy and Business Alignment: Examines the library's main operational processes (Public and Technical Services) and the IT portfolio supporting these functions.
3 New Technology Assessment: Analyzes the growing dependence on efficient information handling and proposes the implementation of advanced information management systems.
4 Assesment of IT Organizational Structure: Discusses the internal IT personnel limitations and evaluates the current reliance on outsourcing and shared university infrastructure.
5 Description of Technology and Architecture: Provides a technical overview of the current hardware requirements, server specifications, and network connectivity used by the library.
Keywords
Hunter Library, IT Infrastructure, Information Systems, Business Alignment, Outsourcing, Public Services, Technical Services, INNOPAC, Information Management Systems, Database Management, Network Architecture, Student Support, Digital Libraries, Knowledge Discovery, Operational Efficiency
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this assignment?
The paper explores the IT infrastructure of Hunter Library at Western Carolina University, focusing on how its current systems support academic services and the overall university mission.
What are the core thematic areas discussed in the document?
The main themes include the organization's business processes, the IT portfolio, outsourcing strategies, the evaluation of library hardware/software, and the role of information management systems.
What is the ultimate goal of the research presented here?
The goal is to analyze how the library manages its information resources and to determine if the existing IT strategy effectively serves the needs of its diverse user base.
Which scientific or analytical method is applied?
The author uses an analytical descriptive approach, evaluating internal processes, benchmarking against resource requirements, and assessing the impact of outsourcing on organizational performance.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body details the specific roles of Public and Technical Services, evaluates the current hardware and software landscape, and discusses the shift toward advanced information logistics.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Information Systems for Competitive Advantage, library management, IT outsourcing, INNOPAC, and information flow optimization.
Why is the "Web Steering Group" important to the library’s mission?
The Web Steering Group is essential because it manages the library's online presence, ensuring that students and remote learners can access resources and information effectively through the web.
How does the library mitigate its limited internal IT personnel?
The library relies on a strategic outsourcing agreement with the university's IT department and utilizes third-party library system vendors like Innovative Interfaces, Inc. to provide necessary support.
- Quote paper
- M.B.A. Nihat Canak (Author), 2005, Hunter Library - IT infrastructure of a library, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/64765
