Shared Collection Service Bus (SCSB) is a middleware that provides library discovery-to-delivery services using a multi-institutional and consortia approach. SCSB manages transactions between bibliographic databases, inventory and discovery systems in order to expedite end-user discovery and order fulfillment for library materials. SCSB is a cloud-based package that enables patrons at any partner library to discover and request materials from a designated shared collection. It creates an index of items for each partner’s discovery environment, allowing patrons to search all shared items alongside their other library resources. To achieve this, the middleware leverages APIs to communicate in real-time with the partner libraries’ integrated library systems (ILS) and discovery layers as well as storage inventory management systems (IMS). Real-time availability and request provides a seamless experience for patrons.
SCSB supports the following functions:
Facilitates Discovery: Consolidates and normalizes items and bib records from partners and provides daily updates to all partner discovery systems. The search service provides the ability to perform federated search on the shared collection from the library discovery system.
Real-time Availability: The database maintains real-time status of all “Shared” and “Open” collection items.
Real-time Request Processing: Maintains validation rules and item status. Requests submitted through library discovery system forms are validated real-time, processed and recorded in the SCSB database. Users receive confirmation or validation error messages in real-time enabling them to resubmit a valid request.
Real-time Status Reporting: Consolidates a complete view of item status across all inventory system and partner library systems into the middleware database. Consolidated status can be leveraged for tracking and analytics.
Collection Management: Implements centralized automated collection classification algorithm (including duplicate detection). Middleware provides user interfaces for manual workflow steps such as withdrawal of preservation copies.
SCSB is designed to provide the following benefits to the Users:
Real-time availability of all shared collection items in OPAC systems
Validate and process the requests in real-time
Provide real-time item status
Integration with Partner ILS to support requesting and circulation. Support of collection management rules
Support existing workflows and user experience
Eliminate cross loading bibliographic and item records in ILS.