Projects

Huntington Beach had an old conveyor system for moving books from one part of the Library to another. This system was very old and in disrepair. This consultation involved helping the Library develop a work plan for eliminating the conveyor, adding a new state-of-the-art automated check-in system, implementing an effective self-service environment and changing the ways many of the spaces in the Library to optimize staff and patron workflows.

Working with Library to develop an ILS procurement document, evaluate potential vendors, assist with demos and final selection. The approach we took was to work with the library to identify minimum qualifications for vendors to meet in order to be considered for a demonstration. Rather than working with a laundry list of requirements, in the first phase the Library is focusing on identifying the key differentiating qualifications and seeking information about how the ILS vendor handles critical workflows. 

Lori Ayre worked with Alameda County Libraries to evaluate the materials handling operations and workflows including staffing, procedures, use of spaces and technology and interlibrary delivery. After the initial consultation, it was clear that there were numerous issues beyond the topic of materials handling that needed to be addressed.  Therefore, The Galecia Group recommended the Library form a Materials Handling Task Force to further tease out these other issues in order to put the materials handling challenges in perspective and to identify suitable solutions for the Library while developing staff engagement in the solutions. This approach was accepted and Ayre worked with the team to further evaluate the issues. Engagement was concluded with the Task Force submitting materials handling recommendations to Executive Team.

Galecia principal, Lori Ayre, and Galecia Associate, Karen Coyle, worked with the Santa Clara County Library to test the effect of making freely available ebooks available to patrons directly from the Library catalog. Working with the Internet Archive APIs and content, the Galecia team converted MARC records for the Library to load into their catalog. These records allow patrons to download e-books directly from the catalog (without having to go to the Internet Archive's Open Library website).

Lori Ayre worked with Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library to meet with Library stakeholders and clarify the short and long-term goals related to their planned RFID procurement and to learn more about the realities of RFID use in libraries. Building on this initial meeting, Ayre worked with the Library to develop an RFP and procurement plan. Ayre drafted the RFP, developed a scoring instrument, and also created a demo script and scoring instrument for the demo.  

Lori Ayre assisted in the selection of an RFID/AMH vendor and planning for the implementation. The project included vendor selection, RFID conversion, selecting and sizing equipment (self-check-ins, self-check-outs, sorters, staff stations), planning remodels, and working with vendor. Cheryl Gould worked with the Library to help define their service model to support their goal of 100% self-check-out.  

Helped establish and  managed the Open Source Open Libraries Consortium in cooperation with Peninsula Library System and Califa. The goal of the consortia was to "empower libraries and library consortia by encouraging participation and collaboration in software products generally, and encouraging them to consider an Open Source Library System such as Koha or Evergreen."

Over the course of the project we moved 9 library systems to Koha and helped three library systems begin evaluating Evergreen and Fulfillment. The project was concluded in October, 2013.

This project was done in partnership with Melissa Stockton of Quipu Group. It involved developing a procurement strategy for replacing Massachusetts' current resource-sharing product (SirsiDynix URSA) and then taking the stakeholders through RFP development, evaluation and demos and eventually through to selection.  

Developed requirements for an integrated library system. The project included providing a set of "starter requirements" appropriate for this library system and working with focus groups to finalize and prioritize the requirements. The final requirements list will be utilized in a forthcoming RFP. Working in partnership with Quipu Group.