2019/09/03
Waseda University
Keio University
On September 2, 2019, the Waseda University Library and the Keio University Media Center (Library) launched Japan's first jointly operated library system.
The newly adopted system is the cloud-based library system Alma and the discovery interface Primo VE from Ex Libris, a company headquartered in Israel. This system has a proven track record of operation at prestigious university libraries overseas, including the University of Cambridge and Harvard University, and this is its first implementation in Japan.
To leverage the benefits of joint operation, a new organization, the "Waseda-Keio Cataloging Unit," has been established to realize the efficient creation of cataloging information, and it has been decided to share cataloging information in an international standard format on the library system. As a result, researchers and students affiliated with both universities can now simultaneously search a combined total of 10.7 million volumes from Waseda and Keio.
Furthermore, the new discovery interface allows for cross-searching of subscribed electronic resources along with print holdings. It also enables the simultaneous discovery of articles and papers contained within these resources, as well as academic information from around the world that is freely available on the web. This is expected to significantly improve convenience for library users at both universities. For the libraries, it will enable centralized management of contracts and access for electronic resources such as journals, creating an environment that can provide more stable, international standard-compliant academic information.
A joint symposium on the joint operation of the system is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, at the Ibuka Masaru Memorial Hall in the Waseda University International Conference Center.