Legacy Thinking at iii

In search of the perfect "discovery platform" (formally known as the OPAC), I recently turned my attention to the new Encore Synergy product touted by Innovative Interfaces as "the only discovery solution that fully integrates next-generation article discovery technology into a cutting-edge library discovery platform."  Basically, in addition to the nifty facet searching on Encore, iii is now incorporating open url linking directly into the Encore search of your holdings. 

I never jumped on the Encore iii bandwagon because it annoyed me to buyanother product from my ILS vendor - key word there is integrated- that stood alone from the rest of the system.  And, given the reluctance by so many to visit the library catalog anyway, I was not convinced it was the "thing" that would attract our clientele away from Google.  And so, maybe not really worth the extra mega bucks to adopt.

With the next release of Encore, Encore adopters will have the option to subscribe to Encore Synergy which will allow them to search their e-collections in addition to their "regular" holdings. Cool.

In search of the perfect "discovery platform" (formally known as the OPAC), I recently turned my attention to the new Encore Synergy product touted by Innovative Interfaces as "the only discovery solution that fully integrates next-generation article discovery technology into a cutting-edge library discovery platform."  Basically, in addition to the nifty facet searching on Encore, iii is now incorporating open url linking directly into the Encore search of your holdings. 

I never jumped on the Encore iii bandwagon because it annoyed me to buyanother product from my ILS vendor - key word there is integrated- that stood alone from the rest of the system.  And, given the reluctance by so many to visit the library catalog anyway, I was not convinced it was the "thing" that would attract our clientele away from Google.  And so, maybe not really worth the extra mega bucks to adopt.

With the next release of Encore, Encore adopters will have the choice to subscribe to Synergy which allows them to search their e-collections in addition to their "regular" holdings.  Cool.

It sounds good and it looks good.  The features are really interesting - peer reviewed facet, signing up for library programs via the catalog, texting records to your smart phone, among others.  But the fact that you could use the OPAC  to search your e-holding was what I found most attractive.  That is, after all, the Holy Grail of OPACs - or, discovery platforms if you must. 

So, I asked my iii rep today: what databases can you search using Synergy?  In the webinar, they said you were limited to 30 databases so I figured this was all worked out already; however, right now, the only e-collection available through Synergy is Lexis Nexis Academic.  OK, that is a start.  Apparently Lexis Nexis is not interested in making the legal database set available to iii.  My iii representative informed me that Hein would be available late this summer.  Well, that's OK, but Hein, JSTOR, and more are already available on Google where my peeps begin their search anyway.  And, Google does not charge.

You must "subscribe" to Synergy.  And, from what I was told, each database you want included in your search - assuming they actual add some premium content that isn't already on Google - will cost extra.  I cannot guess at how much each database would cost to add.  And it is so backward from how others price their federated search solutions. At the same time, it is so typical for iii to charge for each database you want to search through your single search box.  Isn't it?

I recently read a great post on 3 Geeks lamenting a library's failure to seize the day because they engaged in legacy thinking.  Obviously, our vendors are also guilty.  I'll continue to meet with iii to learn more about Synergy and hope they begin to realize how this marketplace is priced, but right now, I again am not sure I want to invest more money for my school in a legacy system that practices legacy thinking.  And, as I told iii, I will also continue to investigate alternatives to iii.  It is time to question the legacy. (VS)