Discovery

Charge:

To recommend a comprehensive statewide discovery solution to the Statewide Resource Sharing Committee.

• Describe a discovery solution that Massachusetts library users and residents can use to easily find and obtain the wide array of resources and formats available through the state’s libraries;
• Determine to what extent statewide discovery might be able to support locally licensed content;
• Review and evaluate current commercial and open source products and services, with support for mobile devices and ADA compliance as guiding principles;
• Examine the suitability of the new Massachusetts Virtual Catalog as a core component of the discovery solution;
• Define the relationship between statewide discovery and tools already provided at the institutional (primarily academic libraries) or consortial level;
• Outline funding needs and ongoing support mechanisms needed for the management of the discovery solution.

Time frame: 8 months – Recommendation to Resource Sharing group by April 2013