Description
At MSU, Mankato, I have converted a paper acquisitions workflow management tool to an electronic acquisitions & licensing workflow management tool using Microsoft Access, which I share with two Serials Technicians. We can now track any acquisitions item and identify where it currently stands in the acquisitions process. We can run reports to produce lists of items which continue to require work in our acquisitions process. For example, we can run a report at the beginning of the year to follow up on unfinished cataloging work for cancelled serials. The Workflow DB is not unique among libraries, but does not seem to be trivial, when compared to other examples of workflow management tools. I have continued to develop the Workflow DB, adding functionality as I have had time, in consultation with the Serials Technicians using the system. The most recently added functionality might be unique among library systems. In brief, I have added functionality specifically to track changes in license clauses which we pursue during negotiations. While ERMSs typically include license term management functionality, I am not aware of any similar functionality specifically to track changes, which I can use in order to pursue research.
Start Date
19-3-2015 10:30 AM
End Date
19-3-2015 11:30 AM
A Better Tool for Learning and Tracking Acquisitions and Licensing Workflow
At MSU, Mankato, I have converted a paper acquisitions workflow management tool to an electronic acquisitions & licensing workflow management tool using Microsoft Access, which I share with two Serials Technicians. We can now track any acquisitions item and identify where it currently stands in the acquisitions process. We can run reports to produce lists of items which continue to require work in our acquisitions process. For example, we can run a report at the beginning of the year to follow up on unfinished cataloging work for cancelled serials. The Workflow DB is not unique among libraries, but does not seem to be trivial, when compared to other examples of workflow management tools. I have continued to develop the Workflow DB, adding functionality as I have had time, in consultation with the Serials Technicians using the system. The most recently added functionality might be unique among library systems. In brief, I have added functionality specifically to track changes in license clauses which we pursue during negotiations. While ERMSs typically include license term management functionality, I am not aware of any similar functionality specifically to track changes, which I can use in order to pursue research.