Welcome to the ‘The Matrix’: Our ILS Journey from Hardwired to Cloud-based and all the bumps along the way

Abstract

After 20 years and 18 years (respectively) of working on the hardwired ILS system of Voyager, in 2016 Penn Libraries and Millersville University independently began the ever eventful journey down the rabbit hole into the world of Alma.

The transition from a hardwired system to a cloud-based system starts with a change in mindset. In this presentation, the discussion will revolve around our journey up to and after our summer go-live dates, how we each maneuvered some of the challenges we faced, inspiring and reassuring staff and professionals, changes in policy, our best practices, and, months later, what we would have done differently.

While this presentation will discuss Alma; challenges, tips, and lessons learned will be universal to any major library system change. The presentation will also highlight transition differences between a large institution and a medium sized one.