Launching the Search for I-Share Next

CARLI is beginning the first phase of the lengthy formal process of selecting and implementing the system that will ultimately replace Voyager as the software platform for I-Share. We do not plan to rename I-Share, but for clarity while we are still running Voyager and planning for its replacement, we will be using the phrase “I-Share Next” to refer to our future system. As CARLI is a unit of the University of Illinois, we are required to operate under the Illinois public procurement policies, including seeking bids through a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process, and respecting the State’s requirements relating to communicating with and about RFP bidders and their proposals. We will elaborate more on those communication policies as the process moves forward, but throughout this process, which is expected to continue through mid-2017, members of the CARLI staff, the Board of Directors, and the (yet to be formed) I-Share Next Task Force will strive to keep the process as transparent as possible, and CARLI members involved and well informed.

Following the Board of Directors meeting in March 2014, CARLI will begin to solicit applications for those interested in serving on the I-Share Next Task Force. The ISN Task Force will help CARLI staff craft functional specifications, evaluate RFP responses, and ultimately make the final recommendation to the CARLI Board on the software that will eventually replace Voyager. Any staff from a CARLI Governing library is eligible to apply to serve on the ISN Task Force. Applications will be screened and members will be selected by the CARLI Board of Directors to ensure an appropriate mix of expertise and representation. The ISN Task Force will represent a diverse array of stakeholders in I-Share, ideally including three members each from public universities, private institutions, and community colleges. Members are expected to have considerable experience with shared library systems, and must have their library administration’s support to make the necessary, and significant time commitment to this project over the next three years. 

Over the next few months, CARLI will provide various opportunities for you to learn more about the “next generation systems” that are currently available. We anticipate offering webinars, links to product websites, many opportunities for you to send us questions and comments, and perhaps some in-person events. A web page, Frequently Asked Questions About I-Share Next, is available on the CARLI web site. We will continue to expand and update this FAQ as new information becomes available.

Additionally, CARLI Staff and I-Share Next Task Force members will post regular news updates following team meetings, product demonstrations, and the completion of other significant tasks. These updates will be published on the CARLI web site. The articles will be open to comments from registered users of the CARLI web site. To request an account, site visitors are asked to submit the online form. Users will receive an email confirmation when their account has been approved. 

We appreciate your support as we begin what is sure to be an exciting and challenging process. As always, please contact the CARLI Office if you have any questions.