Language:
Search
 
RBB (rete bibliotecaria bresciana - library services system of Brescia)
Provincia di Brescia
Italy

The Problem

Provincia di Brescia is a local authority that represents a territorial community and promotes its growth. In accordance with innovation requirements and to give better services to citizens, it promotes:
- the development of eGovernment in small municipalities
- common online services for citizens and companies
- re-use of tested experiences and solutions
- more flexible exchange of documentation, procedures and databases.
The value of the RBB (library services system of Brescia) is the proposal of a new shareable organizational model, based on aggregative management solutions.

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
RBB (rete bibliotecaria bresciana - library services system of Brescia) rationalizes the management and organization of the territorial library services, promoting the library cooperation and supporting the data production, processing and communication.
It adopts centralized cataloguing standards that are internationally admitted and shared, establishing a unique database, and creates a computer-based interlibrary loan. RBB is a direct access user service. It takes advantage of infrastructure and network services provided by shared ICT service center of Brescia.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
RBB has been achieved since 1988 with an analogical system, then it has improved more and more. In 1997 RBB changed the software: from a mainframe software to a server one. After an e-government testing project (SSB), in 2003 the technological structure has been completely centralized and provided with internet connection. From 2004 the library services are available for the citizenship via web. Moreover in these years it has been begun the cataloguing of multimedia works. In 2005 Provincia di Brescia set up a shared ICT service center thanks to which spreading the RBB services.

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The structure has been developed with time in a pyramidal organization: the head of the project is Provincia di Brescia that has a lot of coordination’s responsibilities at a systemic level (for example, selection of the library system’s organizational requirements, cataloguing office management, librarian training). There is a geographical network that links the peripheral operational centres (CO) to the central cataloguing database (CCP) and to the provincial Intranet.

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
The main aim is to improve the development of library networks, the coordination of the activities between local libraries and the delivery of services using the more advanced information technology. RBB is directed toward reducing and eliminating some organization and management passages and its priority is to provide the citizenship with a modern and efficient access of library services and with the information needed for finding and borrowing a book.
RBB has the ambition to realize a ‘virtual library’.

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
RBB is based on the principles of rationality and efficiency: the same document is catalogued just once, there is only a management software used by librarian through protected channels and the citizen can interact with his library thanks to OPAC (online public access catalogue) and use a lot of services dedicated to the reader. New meta-OPAC technologies providing informative resources with Z3950 protocol and an open-URL software are developing.
In the framework of shared ICT service center, Provincia di Brescia wants to bring the RBB’s services nearer to the citizen, using, in particular, digital terrestrial television (an experimentation was realized this year).

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
Thanks to central cataloguing database the librarians don’t take care about cataloguing, that is made at central level and then automated, so that the costs were reduced. More than 2.500.000 works have been catalogued. Via web you can localize a book and know if it is available or on loan. RBB has realized a form on-line and has provide a service of helpdesk.
RBB has changed not only the organizational and management structure of the library system, but also the conceptual approach of the people directly involved in the project.

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
The development of RBB was granted by the financial and effective commitment of Provincia di Brescia: it provides the technical assistance to the overall system and the maintenance and updating of the software. The information standards used by RBB permit the integration of local libraries, so that up till now the network has 243 adhesions. In 2001 RBB was adopted by Provincia di Cremona. The further dissemination of the library network of Brescia will be realized within shared ICT service centre and through DTT.
Moreover ProvBS meets the telephone expenses between cataloguing centres.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
The new information technologies have permitted the development and the spreading of the library network of Brescia, improving the interoperability of the project born in 1988 and the delivery of its services.
Nevertheless, the technology is not enough, the people have to learn a new system of working. For this reason RBB has developed also a service of training for librarian, information operator and managers involved. In this way the main problem in implementing this library network has been overcome.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Provincia di Brescia
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Raffaele Gareri
Title:   Managing director - Department of innovation  
Telephone/ Fax:   +39 030 3748530
Institution's / Project's Website:   +39 030 3748513
E-mail:   rgareri@provincia.brescia.it  
Address:   via Cefalonia, 70
Postal Code:   25124
City:   Brescia
State/Province:   BS
Country:   Italy

          Go Back
Print friendly Page