FOLIO is not an ILS but more a platform upon which the ILS bits and pieces are built; FOLIO is a solution—a central data aggregation platform upon which you perform applications
- The data (records) are stored in the FOLIO codex, based on BIBFRAME (MARC’s planned replacement). The FOLIO codex is a single data repository. Three types of records:
- Work (traditional bib info)
- Instance (is it ebook? Is it print?)
- Item (barcode, location)
- Manage collection through the knowledgebase (FOILIO codex)—“unified resource management”
- Order something (book, ebook, etc) through GOBI
- GOBI updates the knowledgebase that your library has ordered that something
- Knowledgebase updates discovery that your library has that something on order
- Reduces acquisition workload
- Pointer records point to different repositories so we don’t maintain records but maintain control over our local data
- MARC records are transformed to be stored in FOLIO codex; same goes for electronic holdings, and other metadata, all transformed to be stored in FOLIO codex. Transformation services have been developed for MARC and Dublin Core; more can be developed
- Everything is in a single repository (FOLIO codex), like a single collection
- FOLIO codex helps do really good ERM—DDA, licenses, overlap analysis; everything is managed through a single tool
- Anticipated FOLIO core applications for v.1: system, resource mgt, acquisitions, circ, repository, data conversion tools (transformation stuff), knowledgebase [cataloging, resources sharing, course reserves not planned for v.1]
- Until cataloging is developed, can use OCLC or MARCedit (free)
- Until resource sharing is developed, can use OCLC or other solutions
- Until course reserves is developed, can use circ and LMS or other online solution
- Remote authentication is handled by a partner vendor, with the OpenAthens product (used in UK for 10 years, and handles https without issues)
- Moving away from less secure IP authentication
- SAMAL—secure handshake
- Costs
- Core traditional applications (listed above) are fee
- Subscription fees for hosting, support, fully managed authentication, and discovery
- One time implementation cost
- Annual subscription fees
- Based on FTE & Carnegie classification
- FOLIO is fully web-based, browser independent
- The UX is REACT (software architecture developed by Facebook)
- Same look and feel over all FOLIO modules
- Apps are micro-services, so you can change out pieces (app part) for one that you like better developed by the FOLIO community
- Starting with academic libraries
- Cornell has 12 FT librarians and 7 FT developers working on FOLIO
<>oDuke has heavy investment in FOLIO