Integrating McKeown Library

In this month’s feature we look at the integration of St. Angela’s McKeown Library and Academic Writing Centre into the ATU Library service we’ll cover:

• Moving to a shared LMS
• Expanding our databases collection to accommodate St. Angela’s students.
• Other services for ATU Sligo and ATU St. Angela’s

Moving to a Shared LMS

There was a double challenge to the integration of McKeown Library’s database (catalogue) into the ATU Library service.

Firstly, McKeown Library had to be moved from their exiting Library Management System to the same system as the ATU Library.

Once they were transferred to the same LMS as us, we then had to integrate their database into ours and make them part of the Yeats Library system.

This enormous transfer of data involved extensive consultations, support from specialists and months of work.

Expanding Database Access

Before joining the ATU, St. Angela’s students and staff were provided with access to databases through their affiliation with NUIG.

Once it was announced that St. Angela’s would be joining the ATU, the library staff in Yeats and McKeown libraries dedicated themselves to finding ways to ensure that our new staff and students would continue to access the best academic databases for their needs.

With an extensive and complex community to serve, ATU Libraries searched for ways to provide this service as effectively as possible while still meeting the needs of our existing community.

The result is an extend list of databases, which we have secured access to for our communities here and in St. Angela’s.

For a full list of what’s available, please see our resource page.

Other Services

Together with McKeown Library, we’ve also been developing some shared services between us. These shared services are part of the overall development of a set of wider shared practices that are being developed by the ATU Library service.

Students registered to the ATU St Angela’s campus will be able to:

• Use the Yeats Library building for studying.
• Book a Seminar Room for group study through our booking system.
• Borrow books from Yeats Library

These services are reciprocal, and students registered to ATU Sligo campus will also have the same privileges.

For More News

If you’re interested in hearing about the developments at Yeats Library and in the ATU Library service, keep an eye out for:

• Our bi-monthly blog features
• Our regular social media posts
• Our upcoming LibraryLife newsletter