Challenges to Deploying Library Services in the Cloud
Devendra Dilip Potnis, Reynard Regenstreif-Harms, Dwight Hunter · 2018
This poster analyzes challenges to planning, deploying, and maintaining different types of library services in the cloud. We apply grounded theory principles to analyze 75 articles authored by library administrators, librarians with IT expertise, IT professionals, cybersecurity experts, and business consultants engaged in planning, deploying, and maintaining library services in the cloud. Data analysis reveals that a majority of the past literature reports challenges to implementing Software as a Service (SaaS) in libraries. The seven key areas critical to the successful implementation of SaaS in libraries are related to: (1) data, (2) authentication and privacy of patrons, (3) skills and knowledge of library staff and organizational culture, (4) IT infrastructure, (5) features of services, (6) fixed and operational costs associated with data and technology, and (7) policies and contracts. Data issues like access, storage, ownership, curation, security, confidentiality, loss, migration, and redundancy seem to have the most influence on SaaS deployment in libraries.