Creating a Robust Infrastructure for Discovery and Access
Of the initial services provided by the Washington Research Library Consortium, none was more significant than the implementation of a shared online catalog and integrated library system. The means employed to create a robust infrastructure for discovery and access has changed over time, but the essential focus has always been foremost.
WRLC provides these mission-critical technology resources:
- Information technology supporting library operations
- Shared library union catalog
- Integrated Library System (Alma)
- Discovery interface providing a simple, single search box (Primo)
- Link resolver which directs users to full text of journal articles
- Digital library portal (access to all resources)
- Systems integration and software development
- Virtualized environment providing quick implementation of virtual servers for test and production to the partner universities
- Systems and programming services to support consortial borrowing
- Consortium Loan Service
- Online requests for delivered items
- Online article delivery from member libraries’ print holdings
- Technologies to support digital collections and share campus scholarship
- Digital object catalog system for access and preservation of digital collections
- Institutional repository system to publish and preserve scholarly research from member universities
- Technology support for university IT services
- Cloud-based servers for university disaster recovery and business continuity
- Provide a co-location environment for critical data