Publisher/Vendor Library Relations Interest Group (PVLR)

Improving the Content Platform Migration Process: Creating a New NISO Recommended Practice

Online content has become the norm in modern libraries, meaning that a large percentage of our subscribed and purchased materials are hosted on vendor-controlled web-based content platforms. Content platforms provide tools for searching, viewing, and interacting with content, and may also provide a variety of additional functionality. Vendors continuously strive to improve these content platforms, and periodically transition from one platform to another. While new platforms can improve user experience, expand and hone functionality, and increase security, these migrations can be disruptive, affecting the entire supply chain of end-users, librarians, publishers, and other intermediary vendors.

Despite the tedious preparation by publishers, vendors, and librarians, content platform migrations are rarely seamless. Due to the complexities involved, a problem-free migration is the exception rather than the norm. The NISO Content Platform Migration Working Group was formed in 2019 to address these challenges by establishing recommended practices and checklists to standardize and improve platform migration processes for all stakeholders involved with online content platforms.

In this session, a librarian, a publisher and a content platform provider will share their perspectives on content platform migrations and discuss the NISO group’s efforts to-date and expected outcomes. Our publisher-side speaker will describe issues they must consider when their content migrates, such as providing continuous access, persistent linking, communicating with stakeholders, and working with vendors. Our librarian speaker will describe their experience and steps they take during migrations, such as receiving notifications about migrations, identifying affected e-resources, updating local systems to ensure continuous access, and communicating with front-line staff and patrons.

Panelists:
Jennifer Bazeley, E-Resources Metadata Management Librarian, Yale University
Kim Steinle, Library Relations and Sales Manager, Duke University Press
Tom Beyer, Platform Services Director, Sheridan PubFactory