The current situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in all schools and colleges having to close their doors to students and many staff members too. With a reduced staff the IT departments too are doing their best to maintain only the absolutely necessary infrastructure and libraries will usually not be in the priority list. This scenario has highlighted the need for libraries to maintain their own hardware and software themselves.
Using the Cloud now gives the opportunity to do just this. What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is the delivery of on-demand computing services — from applications to storage and processing power — typically over the internet
In these days when it is possible to avail of a strong internet connection for every person this seems to be a logical step to take.
With iSLIM it is easy to put all data on the Cloud so that not only is it available from anywhere but it is also safe and secure. The infrastructure is maintained by experts and librarians can concentrate on building a strong catalogue and make available as much digital material as possible and users will be able to access this material from their homes. Users can also request libraries to set aside particular books that are available in physical form so they can be picked up easily. This reduces the interaction required between users and staff which is an important requirement in these days of social distancing.
The Cloud has the advantage that it is easily tailored to your specific requirements so that you pay for only what you need. Additionally you can increase the infrastructure very quickly if the need arises. iSLIM is a powerful tool for maintenance of libraries and using it on the Cloud gives you the facility of being able to access it from anywhere.