There is an urgent need to transform resource discovery in the face of the changes taking place in library collections. There has been a move away from physical items owned and housed in libraries; increasingly, library collections are composed of electronic resources offered by a multitude of remote providers. Accessing these dispersed resources requires connecting to each one of these providers individually. Currently, Red River College Library (RRC) does not have a discovery tool serving as a uniform search platform, but one open source option caught the attention of some of RRC’s inquisitive minds. In September 2015, a team was formed to embark on a project to test the discovery tool “VuFind”, which was developed by Villanova University Library. The presenters will tell the story of their project that was carried out with existing staff and computer resources. They will discuss the phases of the project, what it entailed technologically, how the assessment prepared them for future implementation, and how the teamwork brought insight on communication and collaboration. They will also share bits of wisdom garnered from using open source software, myths dispelled about discovery tools, and most importantly, what they found out about VuFind that improves the way library resources can be discovered by patrons.
Can is a library technician at Red River College Library. She also has a MLIS from San Jose State University with a concentration on digital resources and emerging technologies.
