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Case Study

Custom eResources Joomla Component for Ontario Library Service

We designed and developed an automated ordering and reporting interface for the Ontario Library system, digitalizing processes for over 300 libraries across the province. The component has a unique reporting mechanism which prior was manually created requiring many hours of manual work. Our other services for Ontario Library Service include setting up and maintaining dedicated hosting, and managing content updates to ensure seamless operations.

Key Outcome for Ontario Library Service

Reduced management time for yearly eResources ordering platform. Hours of manual work saved using a new reporting tool.

Order Processing & Reporting Time Updated

From

weeks

To

hours

Project Overview

Industry

Public service industry

Duration

6 months to ongoing

Team Size

6 Joomla developers, front-end developers, designers. Content manager, server and infrastructure engineer

Tech Stack

Joomla, PHP, jQuery, JavaScript, MySQL, CSS

Services Provided

Coordinate ordering and reporting processes among all the libraries across Ontario (265 public library boards and 45 First Nations public libraries).
Setup, maintain and support dedicated Apache server for Ontario Library Service members
Joomla content management, developed page specific elements, redesigned key site pages with SP Page Builder

Ontario Library Service

Project Story

When the representative of Ontario Library Service reached out to IDL Web Inc, the reporting and ordering system worked manually. The processes, mentioned above, were very labour-intensive and time-consuming with room for possible errors. Various modules on the site were all managed in code mode which lead to room for error for the inexperienced user, which ultimately take the site down if the code had an error.

During the discovery calls with the client we reviewed all the various pieces of the eResources setup and made various recommendations on what would ultimately be a custom Component and Modules called “OLS eResources”.

Development was completed on our Staging server with a copy of the website. Our client received regular updates and at some point access was given to allow the client to perform various tests.

The project was successfully completed and is being used by Ontario Library Service for several years now for their eResources campaign. At initial launch, our team was available on demand to provide any support for the first release of the tool. Client training was also provided to staff members at OLS.

Over the years, IDL Web Inc was hired to make various improvements to the Joomla component. With the magic of digitalization and automation combined with our Joomla skill set and expertise, the ordering and reporting processes now work up to 10 times faster, saving a lot of time, effort, and costs.

Key Features

Different levels of access to provincial & supplemental resources pricing websites (login protected).
Simple users’ access management, different access levels, and the opportunity to remove, add users, or change success level in 1 click.
Opportunity to coordinate library orders, budgeting, purchase processes (analyze prices and offers to choose the best), and automate supply processes.
The database of manufacturers and suppliers, contact details, items available with prices, books’ categories, and purchasing system.

Smart search that can find the book, and vendor by practically any request, topic, or part of the book’s name.
Automate the process of calculating the number of books of each type needed for the library due to the town’s population. Towns’ population database.
Reports by libraries and all across Ontario’s librarian systems, any date, detailed by: library, vendor, book.
Download CSV reports.
Additional security setups and validations are required before submitting orders.

Wishlist

Reduce time and labor costs for ordering new books.
Reduce time spent creating reports for each library and across the province.
Reduce paperwork as much as possible and automate ordering and reporting features.
Have different access levels for specific employee groups.

Challenges

A lot of manual work for data entry, lack of digital information to run the content
Learning curve and additional staff training to launch and streamline ordering and digital reporting processes instead of the manual
Keep and improve the website speed, considering the huge amount of information needed to be processed and 300+ possible users working at the same time

Outcome

Processing time to order books was reduced up to 10 times.
Reports are available in 1 click instead of weeks before.
Reduced disruptions in the librarian supply chain and budgeting.
Reduce staff burnout from manual ordering processes, and especially reports.

Why IDL

Over 25 years of experience in the web development industry
In-house expert dedicated staff for Joomla, WordPress, Shopify, servers, SEO/SEM and site security
Committed to our clients success
Outstanding communication by way of live chat, email, phone, project management system and a support ticketing system.

Ongoing Tasks

Why clients trust IDL Web

“He gives me advice that is in my best interest, even when it means less work for him. That kind of honesty is not easy to find.”

Margot S.
Artist

Google Reviews

5.0

★★★★★

Average rating from 56 client reviews on Google.

Read our Google reviews →

Project Team and Roles

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What is the best library management system?

Koha, Evergreen, Alma, Sierra, and Destiny Library Manager-are the most popular ones for now. To consider what is the best among them, we recommend to build your library roadmap to reveal all needs, then comparing with LMS features, and choosing the one that sounds like the best match. Another pull of factors to remember: library size, type (public, academic, school), budget, desired features, and technical expertise will influence the optimal choice.

How much does it cost to own a dedicated server?

From $100 to $500 per month, average range in North America. Factors that can greatly influence the price are server specification, location, contract length, provider, and additional services included in your dedicated server package.

What are the requirements for library automation?

Aside from legal requirements that can vary from country to country, the common requirements are funding for automation, suitable hardware and software, data conversion, and migration from an old system or paper to a new LMS.

How to digitize a library?

Digitizing a library involves converting physical materials (books, journals) into digital formats, as well as digitizing the entire processes of librarian services.

This includes scanning, creating metadata (descriptions), and storing files securely. Also, all the processes and workflow need to be digitized, like ordering and reporting, reminders and deadlines checking, calculating additional fees for missed deadlines to bring a book back and so much more.

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