Product: Talis Aspire
Loughborough University successfully migrated to Talis Aspire, improving user experience and integration
The Challenge
After 22 years of using its in-house Reading List System (LORLS), Loughborough University recognized the need to migrate to a modern system. Guided by both IT Services and the Library, the University sought a new system that prioritized user experience while seamlessly integrating with their LMS, Discovery Systems, and internal student and staff information systems.
The new system had to be intuitive for users familiar with LORLS, as reading lists are a key component of course content. It was crucial for the new system to enable timely stock acquisition and reporting, as these processes were closely linked to LORLS. Additionally, the system needed to support a smooth migration of over 2,200 lists with minimal disruption, ensuring staff and students would engage from the outset.
The Solution
Loughborough University identified Talis Aspire as the ideal solution. It was the only system that integrated effectively with their existing systems while offering flexible entry methods to ensure a smooth transition for academics. Talis Aspire also enhanced the user experience for students. Furthermore, its proven track record and strong customer support, combined with regular updates and a thriving community, made it an ideal choice.
The Result
The migration was structured into two projects: one to implement the new system and the other to migrate the data. Both began in November 2023, with data migration completed by early March 2024, and the system went live in April 2024.
The implementation was comprehensive, covering system authentication, course hierarchies, staff training, acquisitions workflows, and user acceptance testing. The migration of data posed the greatest challenge, requiring academic access to be frozen for several weeks to clean and test the data thoroughly. By freezing access during semester 2, most reading lists were finalized with minimal edits required.
To ensure a smooth transition, the university opted to migrate mid-term during a quieter period when fewer reading list edits were needed. The initial plan was to run LORLS in parallel with Talis Aspire from April to June, but positive feedback from student and staff led to an earlier switch to Talis Aspire exclusively.
Upon its introduction, Talis Aspire received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students, who described it as ‘Engaging,’ ‘Intuitive,’ and ‘Modern’. Few student queries have been received, indicating the system’s ease of use and the effectiveness of the on-demand training materials. Within four months, the system had 5,500 users, including over 500 academics, with further growth expected during new academic year. The project’s success has led to the project team winning an internal Vice Chancellor’s award.
“Changing systems after 22 years of a home-grown system was inevitably daunting, but collaboration with colleagues across the University and with Technology from Sage ensured a successful transition. Talis Aspire provides an intuitive and engaging interface to connect our students to their resources, as well as enabling a smooth workflow for lecturers. There are lots of possibilities with Talis Aspire to further enhance our reading list practices and we look forward to exploring and introducing these to support our sector-leading student experience.” – Helen Young, Deputy Director of Library Services, Loughborough University
Learning Points
The success of this project was a collaborative effort involving multiple departments, including IT, Library, and the Student Union Executive officers. Detailed planning and extensive testing were critical, including:
User Stories and Prioritization: Identifying system needs via user stories and categorizing them as ‘Must,’ ‘Should,’ and ‘Could’ was essential. This process involved a wide variety of user types, including library staff, academics, students, procurement, and IT services. In future projects, involving an even wider variety of students and staff would be beneficial.
Metadata Quality: Ensuring clean and organized metadata was vital for successful migration, focusing only on necessary information.
Maximizing Expertise: Leveraging expertise across the institution was crucial, such as using established networks and training opportunities led by school administrators and other departments.
Continuous Testing: Testing at every stage of migration prevented future issues. For example, testing small data sets against the new hierarchy revealed issues that added a few days of work in the short term but saved extensive work later. Additional testing, such as LTI integration for reading lists and VLE rollovers, could have further improved the process.
Next Steps
Loughborough University is now exploring the full potential of Talis Aspire, particularly for accessibility and inclusivity. The Library is collaborating with Student Wellbeing, Accessibility, and Inclusivity services to develop good practice guidelines to help academics create prioritized reading lists that benefit all students, particularly those with additional needs.
Further work with the Technology from Sage team includes developing links and supporting Moodle rollovers, ensuring that resit students can access archived lists.
Another area of exploration is tracking data and analytics. Loughborough University is evaluating both the standard Aspire analytics options and the potential of Talis Advanced MIS to provide deeper insights into student engagement. As the university develops its learning analytics, integrating Advanced MIS may be necessary.
The primary focus in the coming months will be embedding the new system more fully across the institution and ensuring staff and students utilize Talis Aspire’s advanced functionality, supported by ongoing customer success calls with Technology from Sage.
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