What follows is the process of starting a library from scratch specifically tailored to the needs of ITS, protective of library patron loan data, and visually distinct from the library. In early 2024 the ITS department at Fairfield University approached the library looking for inventory management system recommendations. Loaner laptops and iPads were disappearing at an astonishing rate due to inefficient/non-existent inventory control measures. We suggested using Alma, as a system the university was already invested in, instead of looking for a different commercial solution. I will share my experience with an eye toward helping others duplicate my successes and avoid my failures.
Marquis 106/107 Ex Libris Knowledge Days and ELUNA Conference 2025 eluna-conf-planning@exlibrisusers.orgWhat follows is the process of starting a library from scratch specifically tailored to the needs of ITS, protective of library patron loan data, and visually distinct from the library. In early 2024 the ITS department at Fairfield University approached the library looking for inventory management system recommendations. Loaner laptops and iPads were disappearing at an astonishing rate due to inefficient/non-existent inventory control measures. We suggested using Alma, as a system the university was already invested in, instead of looking for a different commercial solution. I will share my experience with an eye toward helping others duplicate my successes and avoid my failures.
