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1.10. Third-Party Hardware and Software Policy

Last Updated 11/07/2024

Using Third-Party Hardware and Software

Many NC Cardinal libraries contract with what are termed “third-party” software vendors (because they are outside of the purview of the NC Cardinal relationship with the member library system) for products that need to connect with the NC Cardinal software to work. This is governed by NC Cardinal policy (see section below) which requires that libraries expecting full compatibility with NC Cardinal software must consult NC Cardinal staff in all negotiations with vendors to ensure that their products are compatible. Assurances from other users of the product or from the third-party vendor that the product will work as expected should not be taken at face value.

In certain cases, software development is required to make the third-party's product connect correctly with NC Cardinal. In these cases, the cost of developing, supporting, and maintaining the custom interface will fall to the library purchasing the product. When contracting out for SIP-specific technology, it is the responsibility of the third-party vendor to build the crosswalks necessary for compatibility with Evergreen, as it is the responsibility of the vendor when providing compatible technology for any ILS. In order to collaborate with the NC Cardinal libraries in contracting for third-party technology, NC Cardinal will provide a test environment within which the library and/or the vendor may develop and test the crosswalks necessary in order to ensure compatibility with Evergreen.

Once the third-party product has been proven to work with Evergreen and for those products that are currently in use, NC Cardinal staff is responsible for Evergreen server-side administration. Support for the third-party product continues to be the purchasing library’s responsibility.

These same guidelines apply to any product or service that would require any sort of data export, either one-time or ongoing, from NC Cardinal staff. Many catalog added content services and statistical analysis services require this. Please consult with NC Cardinal staff about these requirements before entering into an agreement.

Policy & Procedure for Libraries considering third-party products that need an interface with NC Cardinal (i.e., Library Management Products)

The NC Cardinal staff has been asked to make the NC Cardinal database available to outside vendors via library management products. The NC Cardinal staff should be consulted during all negotiations with vendors to ensure that their product(s) are compatible with the NC Cardinal database.

Some examples of third-party software and/or services that require access to NC Cardinal resources:

• Self-checkout stations
• PC Time Management Systems that require access to patron accounts
• E-book providers who need to authenticate against the NC Cardinal patron database
• RFID systems, including security gates that automatically check out items
• Collection Management software that requires data extracted from the NC Cardinal system
• Cataloging/Bibliographic database cleanup vendors that need staff client access and/or bibliographic data extracts
• Added content providers who depend on modifications to the Evergreen OPAC

In order to collaborate with the NC Cardinal libraries in contracting for third-party technology, NC Cardinal will provide a test environment within which the library and/or the vendor may develop and test the crosswalks necessary in order to ensure compatibility with Evergreen. Contact the Help Desk for access.

Submit the following information to the Help Desk prior to making a purchase decision for evaluation of functionality, security, and support by NC Cardinal and so that the NC Cardinal team can work out a project timeline for implementation.

• What need are you trying to fulfill? (PC reservation, internet access, print management, etc.)
• What are the requirements for your product to interface with NC Cardinal? (SIP2 connection, data extracts, etc.)

Some things to keep in mind when selecting a product:

• Third-party products and services must align with NC Cardinal policies and Memorandum of Agreement.
• The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources legal affairs team and North Carolina’s Department of Information Technology may be consulted where applicable. 
• NC Cardinal will review some third-party product proposals where applicable. 
• NC Cardinal staff will work with these units to be sure proposed services are compliant with security and legal policies.
• If NC Cardinal server-side processes are required for the third-party product or service to work, NC Cardinal system staff will need to evaluate the feasibility of implementation during the testing phase. Security, policy adherence and staff time are factors that will be considered.
• In cases where the administrative burden on NC Cardinal system staff is determined to be prohibitive, NC Cardinal staff will not be able to accommodate the product or service.
• If customization is required in order for Library Management products to work, the cost of developing and supporting those customizations will fall to the library purchasing the product and/or the vendor.
• Software upgrades may break these external connections. Libraries may want to consider using a product that does not depend on the NC Cardinal server.
• During NC Cardinal system upgrades or downtimes, Evergreen functionality will be the priority. Maintenance to external connection(s) will be prioritized accordingly after Evergreen is stabilized.
• If it is determined that a third-party software product or service is causing system instability or other problems, the NC Cardinal  staff reserves the right to remove access to that product or service until the issues are resolved by the product or service provider.
• In the event of vendor error or damage, the NC Cardinal staff will consult and recommend how to clean up any problems. Some types of problems may be solved by NC Cardinal staff, but the NC Cardinal Program Director may request that the vendor make the repair/corrections or contract with approved vendors (such as Mobius, Emerald Data Networks or ESI for example) to complete this work.

Policy Passed by Governance Committee 3/20/23

Notes:

This policy only relates to Third-Party Hardware and Software deployed after the policy is in place. 

Software that implements the standard SIP protocol should not require further scrutiny.  

The NC Cardinal team has already integrated with the following vendors/tools, and further scrutiny shouldn't be necessary before deployment but may require planning for implementation.

• EBSCO Novelist
• ExLibris Summon
• Gale Analytics
• LibraryIQ
• LibraryHQ
• MyLibro app
• PatronPoint
• PayPal
• PayflowPro
• Stripe
• Unique Management Collections
• Wowbrary