CaiaSoft: The GFA Replacement

This fall, Library ITS is helping the Library Service Center (LSC) plan the transition to new high density storage management software. We are engaging with CaiaSoft who provides new software that supports improved workflow processes and reporting for the LSC.

Why Is This Important?

The LSC is best described as the Libraries’ “Grand Central Station”, a topic highlighted in a 2012 article about the Center’s value to DUL.

The center houses roughly 6 million books, documents and archival materials belonging to Duke and other library systems. With this in mind, it is very important to have up-to-date technology, and software services that promotes efficient workflows.

Why Are We Planning This?

GFA, the LSC’s current software tool is running on an unsupported, end-of-life operating system.

As a result, we run the risk of unwanted processing delays in the event of a failure on the current server. In turn, these delays would affect staff, researchers, and others looking for materials located at the LSC.

Who Is Planning This?

The project’s cross-division team involves staff from the following DUL departments:

  • Access and Delivery Services
  • DUL Technical Services
  • Rubenstein Research Services
  • Library Service Center
  • Library ITS

When Are We Planning This?

The transition to CaiaSoft is intended to take place on a weekend in January 2020. After this, LSC staff and supporting departments expect to use CaiaSoft to manage items located at the LSC warehouse.

Prep Work

The Project Team, during the planning stages, will have these goals in mind:

  • Overseeing data loading and accuracy
  • Creating and documenting workflows
  • Managing scripts to ensure ALEPH integration
  • Ensuring future seamless FOLIO integration

Expected Benefits

The project team has identified several key benefits, most noteworthy is improved workflow support. In addition, other  benefits identified by the Project Team are (but not limited to):

  • Web Browser Access
    CaiaSoft runs as a web application. In contrast, GFA only runs within a SSH session and requires the use of added software.
  • Item-level Data Management
    Staff can create “data flags”, and assign them at item-level.  In contrast, this feature is not available in GFA.
  • Data Auditing
    CaiaSoft offers this feature, while GFA does not.
  • FOLIO Integration
    CaiaSoft developers are active in supporting FOLIO.
More Feature Comparisons

A full list of feature comparisons is available on our WIKI page — look for the “Feature Comparison – CAIASOFT vs GFA” section.

Questions? We Have Answers…

I will be available at “First Wednesday” on November 6 to take questions and (hopefully) provide answers.