Transitioning from a Self-developed and Self-hosted ILS to a Cloud-based Library Services Platform for the BIBSYS Library System Consortium in Norway

Abstract

The Norwegian BIBSYS consortium replaced the self-developed and -hosted library system by Alma, a Library Services Platform delivered by Ex Libris in December 2015. Academic libraries and consortia in particular, considering replacing its current ILS with a next generation library system could use the BIBSYS experience. In this article, BIBSYS shares its experiences with the procurement process and offer some thoughts about the advantages and challenges after system change to Alma. The article also discusses the need for library networking and the need for a cloud-based system to be more international.