In our very first guest post, Owen Stephens introduces a new application, developed by Knowledge Integration, for managing a library’s open access requests.
Working with the Knowledge Integration, Leipzig University, and the wider FOLIO community to develop the Open Access requests management application has been challenging, interesting and fun. As this is (as far as I know) the first time open access request management has been fully integrated with a library service platform, leaps of imagination have been needed from all sides, to envisage how this work will integrate with the wider library service. The flexibility of the FOLIO environment, where we can add new applications as libraries observe the need for them, has made it possible to develop a module independently while ensuring that it fully integrates with the existing electronic resource management (also developed by Knowledge Integration) and the invoicing functionality (developed by EBSCO) relatively easily.
Weekly meetings with the FOLIO open access specialist interest group have provided regular and valuable feedback. This is all part of our iterative consultation process, which enables us to adjust our approach and the functionality in the application as, development, review, and re-development as needed. Through this process we’ve developed innovative approaches to tracking workflows and ensuring all aspects of a request to publish open access articles and books can be recorded and managed. The final application includes:
- The ability to record all aspects of an open access request
- Checklists for workflow management
- The ability to record correspondence in relation to the request and whether there are any related follow-ups that need to happen
- The ability to link requests to any transitional or transformational publisher agreements in place at the library, and to report on all open access publications made under a single agreement
- Recording charges, including taxes and discounts, in many currencies, with integration into FOLIO’s existing invoicing and finance applications. Making it possible to track a library’s open access expenditure in the same place as the library’s materials budgets
- Reporting in OpenAPC compliant formats
As we make the first release of the Open Access requests management application on the FOLIO platform, I’m really excited to see libraries start to use the software, and to see how we can work to further improve and enhance the functionality to help libraries manage Open Access publication activity in their institutions.
Thoughts from our client
It’s been a real pleasure working with Björn Muschall and the team at Leipzig University. Dr. Anne Lipp, Director General at Leipzig University Library, says:
“The Open Access transition is one of the most important challenges we as a university library are facing today. Although this task is not a new one, until now there were no suitable tools to manage Open Access requests, costs and budgeting satisfactorily. Therefore, we are now more than happy to be able to perform these tasks in a convenient and proper way with the FOLIO Open Access app.
“With Knowledge Integration, we found a partner who perfectly met our needs and those of the community involved, both technically and in terms of user experience.
“With Owen Stephens, who works closely with Knowledge Integration, we found a person who exceptionally mastered all the business aspects during the requirements analysis as well as the communication with the community. Open Source software development like this, with strong development partners and a lively community, will help us in the future to be able to integrate new fields of work into our operations in a highly effective manner.”
Further information:
- Watch Owen introducing the Open Access app at the FOLIO Forum
- Try out the Open Access app on the FOLIO Snapshot environment
- Find out more about the project on the FOLIO open access specialist interest group wiki