Page 48 - Journal of Library Science in China 2020 Vol.46

SHAO Bo, SHAN Zhen & WANG Yi / Construction of smart libraries with new generation service platforms: 047
Business reengineering and data management

output” efficiency evaluation concept, and improve user satisfaction with real effects, in order to
build a reasonable “benefit” distribution mechanism among member libraries, and fully mobilize
the enthusiasm of smaller member libraries (L. M. ZHAO, Q. P. ZHANG, & PANG, 2012).
(2) Construction of new generation library alliances driven by technologies
The existing technical architecture of the automation system is lagged behind the needs of
business development, and the system is redundant and unstable, which increases maintenance
costs and difficulty for upgrading. The next-generation library platform is compatible with
multiple metadata standards and can provide integrated electronic resource services. The new
technical architecture can enable unified management of multiple products and services, support
multi-tenant and subscription services, is cost-effective, and is easy to deploy, manage and
maintain. Besides, it reduces the input to library hardware storage and the requirements for
library system operation and maintenance, and improves the efficiency of librarians’ and readers’
experience. The digital library alliance based on the new generation service platform should also
step up its pace, propose the construction mode of the new generation library alliance as soon
as possible, and realize smart transformation and upgrading. First, the new alliance can choose
to share the same background management platform. Second, from the perspective of resource
management, an independent comprehensive resource alliance shall be established within the new
alliance, instead of one of the print resources. Only in this way can the needs of the new generation
of library alliances be truly met. The new generation library alliance shall connect the technical
advantages of large alliances with the resource advantages of small alliances to achieve integrated
management of resources and services, full and accurate data analysis, and comprehensive
intelligent management and service.

5 Conclusion

The new generation library service platforms can effectively serve as the connector of the resource
ecosystem of knowledge and service. Through data analysis and knowledge discovery, it can
quickly extract the required information from the massive knowledge for users, so that the library
can establish a balanced mechanism between information producers and consumers, upgrade from
single two-way service to integrated service, and then facilitate comprehensive upgrading of the
ecology of information system. However, to realize the smart transformation of the library, it is not
enough to rely solely on the new generation of library service platforms. The entire library system
can truly become a user-centered and constantly self-optimizing system only when the organization
is restructured, the business adjusted, and professional staff trained. From the construction of new
generation library service platforms, this paper has made a forward-looking exploration of BPR
of the library and data management services, and proposed new ideas of training librarians and
reshaping library alliances, to inspire the further development of smart libraries.