[LIS-Forum] Fwd: Re:Data Migration from One LMS to other and Non-cooperation of Vendors

3 Apr 2013

      Dear Moderator,
Below message posted by me on 28th March was not published. Is there any reason?

with regards

P K Upadhyay
NIC, Delhi

----- Original Message -----
From: Upadhyay P K 
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2013 5:55 pm
Subject: Re:Data Migration from One LMS to other and Non-cooperation of Vendors
To: Swati Bhattacharyya 
Cc: "Dr. Rama K C Patro" , lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in

Dear professional colleagues,

Let me write my observation on this discussion for the benefit of LIS professionals. There are pros and cons of suggestions posted here. I make out these points for the sake of clarity: General Issues in Data Migration, Export, Import, Non-Cooperation, and Best Practices.

1. General Issues in Library Data Migration: In this discussion we are only considering one minute aspect of metadata migration of Books from Libsys to other LMS. But other parts are untouched like Journals, Circulation Data, Members records, Article Indexing, Budget, News Clips, Full text files, Images, Audio, Video, etc. Actually the task is increasing day by day due to Library ICT Modernization infrastructure, consolidation and cost optimization. There is a common  assumption that whenever you migrate data from one system to another there is certain percentage loss of data if not well planned financially and technically.

Actually, softwares are not at fault. Almost all softwares are having the export/import facility. But major issue is human intervention. Very rarely softwares are able to migrate/merge/import all library data automatically without any flaw or loss. Libsys, KOHA, NewGenlib, eGranthalaya, VTLS, Liberty, etc have export/ import facility, but no software can migrate all kinds of the above data automatically. It requires writing software/utility/programmes codes for importing software schema and structure. Who will pay for these efforts? MARCEdit, etc are the tools for exported data of bibliographic recordsonly, but not how to export from Libsys, etc.

2. Export in  Excel,  MARC21, XML from LMS softwares: Almost all software have export facility. Dr Pardeep Rai wrote that libsys software does not support in exporting data into other
format such as CCF, Oracle or MySQL, etc.  No question of exporting data directly to Oracle or MySQL. Each software has its own table schema and architecture using Oracle or SQL server or PostgreSQL or MySQL. Of course, Libsys has export facility in their Cataloging module to migrate data in CCF, EXCEL, MARC, Text. Actually more than 95% of Libsys Users are not using any backend database  (SQL server or PostgreSQL or MySQL or Oracle) to avoid this type of  non-cooperation from Libsys. They have purchased flat file system Libsys software and they have to be much dependant on Libsys for small-small things.

3. Import from Excel, MARC, XML in any LMS or DL:  As I wrote no software has perfect automated system to import data/metadata. For example, to the best of my knowledge, Libsys has import facility for only books if you use their typical software without any backend database. Journals, article indexing, fulltext files, images, videos, circulation data, etc. But of course with the help of any Libsys/programmer you can migrate if data is available in softcopy structured format. This is the reason, vendors charge for their effort estimate. Another example, even if your data is in excel, fields may be named differently and data may be entered differently like two Authors separated by comma, sometimes both authors in different columns, then you need little programming to break the data according to new softwares’ schema and tables. 

4. Non-cooperation from vendors: As Dr Pardeep Rai wrote that Libsys is not cooperating. Dr. R K Ch Patro wrote that Libsys is charging Rs one lakh for migrating 10000 records. I also got similar grievances from four-five professional colleagues, but even then they manage migration without the cooperation of Libsys.  NIC has migrated for around 30 libraries Libsys data to eGranthalaya. In eGranthalaya software there is a module for importing data from Excel, XML amd MARC. Dr Manjunath rightly said that your license agreement should be clear enough to take help from any vendors. I will also suggest Libsys to cooperate and not to remove/block the export module in case of not paying AMC with a fear of losing business, instead you will gain more business. Because India is a big country and requires 100s of Libsys like companies to achieve desired level of automation. 

5. Best Practices in Data Migration: Following are my suggestion for balancing the issue, 
a. While purchasing/acquiring the software, ensure in License agreement for export in at least Excel, MARC21, and Structured text. Import is little tedious depending upon data sources, schema, quality, volume and structure but terms and conditions should spell for helping from importing data from at least Excel, Access, MARC, XML, or RDBMS. Vendors may charge some amount for importing when implementing the application softwares.
b. Librarians should regularly( daily, monthly, yearly) take backup of database, copy at safe place (pen drive, another computer or network). 
c. Library Application software should be implemented preferably in web based manner with back end database (either SQL server or PostgreSQL or MySQL, or Oracle, etc) with hosting of data at your Internet service provider’s server with network security, data security and web site auditing.

Although lot many things are there to share but for any more discussion/clarification I will be happy to write.

With regards

P K Upadhyay
NIC, New Delhi
http://egranthalaya.nic.in , http://eglibnet.gov.in
http://mcitconsortium.nic.in, http://home.nic.in 

----- Original Message -----
From: Swati Bhattacharyya 
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2013 1:24 pm
Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] kindly mail 2 forum members
To: "Dr. Rama K C Patro" 
Cc: lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
...
Dear All:
May I request you, who are trying to take out data from Libsys, 
to let us
know which version of Libsys are you currently using?
Sincerely,
-- 
Swati Bhattacharyya
Librarian
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
Joka, Diamond Harbor Road
Kolkata - 700104
Ph: +91-33-2467-8300/01 (extn: O:416; R: 106)
...
Dear Dr. Manjunath
I Agree with you,but not now. Like Dr. Pradeep I alos face the same
problem
with libsys, They are charging 1lac for conversion of 10k 
data. Secondly
there are also so many library professionals (Worked with 
libsys) to whom
I
know, they can come volunterly and share their knowledge among 
others if
any
body organise training they may help, but those who have an 
urgency pl
circulate a note/procedure/guideline form your side how to 
convert? So
that
they will go ahead.
Regards
Dr. R K Ch Patro, Librarian
Institute for International Management & Technology (IIMT)
Gurgoan
0124-4787111
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-forum-bounces@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in
[mailto:lis-forum-bounces@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in] On Behalf Of 
Rajesh Bhardwaj
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 3:59 PM
To: gkm@igidr.ac.in
Cc: lis-forum
Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] kindly mail 2 forum members
Dear Dr. Manjunath,
This is really a good subject to discuss, If you can help / guide
professionals through this forum about importing the data from 
libsys to
Excel or other CCF.It would really helpful to all. Organising 
a training /
workshop would take lot of time, which is the next step of 
discussion.> Regards
Rajesh Kumar
FORE School of Management New Delhi.
On 25 March 2013 10:14, Pardeep Rai  wrote:
...
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: G.K.MANJUNATH 
Date: 23 March 2013 07:14
Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] kindly mail 2 forum members
To: Pardeep Rai 
You need to attend or organise at least two days workshop at
...
regarding criteria for selecting library software, software 
management>> and
data coversion.
Bibliographic data, in fact, from libsys can be converted to CCF,
MARC21,
Excel etc.  It all depends on the features you opted for 
at the time of
signing license agreement with Libsys or with any other software
vendors.
Most important, you have not mentioned your affiliation (
your place
place of work
...
)
in your email.
Dr,G.K.Manjunath
      Chief Librarian
      Indira Gandhi Inst of 
Development Research
      Film City Road
      Santosh Nagar
      Goregaon(East )
      MUMBAI - 400 065
Phone:        022-28416528
On Fri, 22 Mar 2013, Pardeep Rai wrote:
Dear Friends
...
I would like to share a common issue raised by many professional
colleagues
who are using the Libsys software. If any library wish to 
migrate from
libsys to another LMS or ERP. This is really a very 
difficult task,
because, libsys software does not support in exporting data 
into other
common communication format (CCF) such Oracle or MySQL, etc. 
and libsys
people does not cooperate at all.
Those professionals who have migrated from libsys to another 
LMS or ERP
can
help in this case.
They are requested to share their experience,  how, by 
which ways and
means
they have fetched the data from libsys.  Please share 
how the data be
can
be imported into Excel, Oracle or MySQL, etc.
This will help many professionals who are floating in such
circumstances.
regards
--
-
*Thanks & Regards*
*Dr.Pardeep Rai ** *
--
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