PTFS Europe

VuFind

VuFind is a library resource portal that replaces the traditional OPAC so that users can search and browse through all of your library’s resources: catalog records, locally cached journals, digital library items, institutional repository, institutional bibliography, other library collections and resources, etc.

Features

• Search with faceted results
• Real-time item record status
• “More Like This” resource suggestions
• Browse for resources
• Retrieves author biographies
• Supports persistent URLs
• Zotero compatible
• Multilingual support
• Open source software

Benefits

• Narrow a basic search using facets produced by search results
• Result set displays live circulation status, location data, etc.
• User provided with suggestions of similar resources
• Use browse to explore what the library offers
• Learn more about an author's publications on the subject
• Bookmark key records or queries
• Store records together in Zetero or any Coins based application
• No software licence fees

£2,750 to £6,600 an instance a year

• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

• Modern Slavery statement

  ODT

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sales@ptfs-europe.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 13

Service ID

639150542987353

Contact

Andrew Auld
+44 (0) 1483 378728
sales@ptfs-europe.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: Yes
• What software services is the service an extension to: VuFind is a library resource portal designed to search and browse a library’s resources by harvesting MARC21 data, OAI-PMH compliant repositories as well as searching journal holdings in resource discovery systems (such as Summon or EDS). It is an extension to the Koha Library Management System, DSpace and Knowvation.
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: None
• System requirements: Web browser access from user site

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Response time depends on the classification of the fault (classification is agreed with the customer). Severe: Where the entire system or a complete module is unavailable or unusable. We respond within 2 working hours. Moderate: Where the system is available, but aspects of previously accepted functionality are seriously impaired. We respond within 4 working hours. Minor or cosmetic: Where aspects of appearance or functionality could be improved without being classified as severe or moderate problems. We respond within 5 working days. Response times are different at weekends.
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: The same high support level of support is provided to all of our customers (described in 'Support response times' above). Support costs are based on the scale and complexity of the customer's system. Each customer is provided with an Account Manager, who reports to the Commercial Director.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: We provide the full range of services needed to implement VuFind, including installation, configuring source harvesting and search connectors, and authentication integration. If required, we can provide interface branding and customisation services. We then move to live running and ongoing hosting and support.
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats: HTML
• End-of-contract data extraction: Not relevant (see below).
• End-of-contract process: Because VuFind harvests data from third party systems which already hold the same data, exiting is simply a process of closing down the system and destroying the server.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: None
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Description of service interface: VuFind is a web browser library resource portal that replaces the traditional OPAC so that users can search and browse through all of your library’s resources: catalogue records, locally cached journals, digital library items, institutional repository, institutional bibliography, other library collections and resources, etc.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Accessibility testing: We would check and advise on accessibility compliance in response to customisation requests.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: The API is for use by PTFS Europe in supporting and developing the service. There is a Swagger UI available for documentation and testing of the APIs on an endpoint. Each API requires proper permissions, so by default the APIs are not available to any user.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: No
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: There are a wide range of parameters and configuration options that can be set by buyers. In addition, the look and feel of public interfaces can be customised to meet branding and other requirements.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: We can configure the amount of resources made available to each of our installations. Depending on the size of the system we can install the service on a dedicated server with no other users.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: We can provide comprehensive metrics on uptime using the Nagios monitoring service. In addition, statistics relating to help desk performance can be derived from our CRM system used for call management.
• Reporting types: Reports on request

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Supplier-defined controls
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
• Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: A range of tools to export data are contained within the application.
• Data export formats: Other
• Other data export formats: Format agreed on request
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats:
  • MARC
  • OAI-PMH

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: The annual availability of the Software Programs will be better than 99.9%. Service credits for failure to meet availability targets can be agreed as part of individual contract negotiations.
• Approach to resilience: Available on request.
• Outage reporting: In the rare case of outages, users are alerted by email and by posts to the user forum.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: LDAP and easy integration with Shibboleth (SAML2)
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Access to support channels is via an authorised login and password to the support portal. Each user can see all the support tickets of all other users within their organisation. Access to management interfaces within the application is controlled by user access level which is linked to the user login. This defines the permissions and roles each user or group of users is able to carry out
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: LDAP and easy integration with Shibboleth (SAML2)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: British Assessment Bureau
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 24th June 2019 - 7th May 2022. Certification number 193891
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Certification is limited to the provision of hosting, implementation and support services for a range of products in the library sector.
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications: Cyber Essentials accreditation - Certification number QGCE 1623

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: Cyber Essentials
• Information security policies and processes: Our information security policies and procedures are built around principles defined in ISO27001. We have been implementing, hosting and supporting library systems since 2007 and have a wealth of experience in the security and assurance processes needed to deliver these services efficiently and effectively. Documentation on our security management plan is available upon request

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: We have a well documented and proven process for change management. As part of our project management discipline changes are documented and audited. Configuration changes are documented within the system and recorded in action logs. Implementation of the product by PTFS Europe is controlled by weekly project implementation meetings and weekly upgrade meetings. Also, at an initial installation meeting a detailed configuration spreadsheet is used to maintain change control.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: As part of our ISO27001 procedures a full risk identification and management process is regularly taken and the resulting policies audited upon a regular basis. As part of the risk analysis, vulnerabilities are identified and appropriate measures taken to obviate or mitigate. Depending upon the severity of the threat, patches can be deployed in under two hours. Information about potential threats is derived from a range of sources including security list services and other relevant sources. Where appropriate our servers are configured to automatically upload and deploy security patches from approved sources.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Nagios and Intrusion detection software is used to monitor key processes and alert to suspicious behaviour. File validation checks are carried out on a regular basis. Network intrusion detection software is also employed by our hosting provider. When a potential compromise is found we follow our ISO27001 procedure for managing compromise events. We would aim to have an immediate response to any compromises.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: Our Incident Management processes are carried out according to ISO27001 principles and audited accordingly. Support calls are placed on and managed via the support portal. There are clear escalation paths for the management of incidents. In the case of a severe breach users would be notified immediately

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Fighting climate change:

  Fighting climate change

  PTFS Europe is dedicated to fighting climate change and reduce our environmental impact wherever possible. Sustainable procurement practices and our virtual company set-up help us to achieve this. PTFS Europe’s commitment to sustainable procurement is demonstrated in our engagement with sustainable procurement tender and framework processes. We have carefully and deliberately chosen a UK-based server hosting company, iomart, as our largest supplier. They have a very clear and active commitment to environmental sustainability with demonstrable actions to reduce energy consumption in their data centres as well as active support of local recycling schemes. In addition, we use AWS who recently became the top global purchaser of renewable energy. In addition to the environmental benefits inherently associated with running applications in the cloud, AWS is committed to powering 100% of its activities with renewable energy by 2025. Their renewable energy projects also support hundreds of jobs while providing hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in local communities. PTFS Europe is a virtual company and can therefore, provide resource efficient services with minimal environmental impacts. 17 out of 18 staff work from home offices. There is no daily commute, a company-wide ease and familiarity with virtual meetings reducing overall staff and customer travel commitments and a policy to support the use of predominantly electronic admin systems and documentation to reduce printer ink and use of paper. With one member of staff in a small rented Head Office suite, the company has minimal physical office environmental impacts affecting our current & future environment. This was a strategic decision made back in 2007, long before the Covid pandemic forced a lot of organisations into home working.
• Covid-19 recovery:

  Covid-19 recovery

  As a virtual company providing web based library solutions, PTFS Europe are well placed to support customers through the Covid-19 pandemic and aid the continuance and recovery of services. The applications we support are web-based, allowing our customers to work remotely and continue to provide key services during library closures. Where library branches are unable to open, PTFS Europe's team can assist with changing loan due dates and waiving fines remotely via our helpdesk which is available for additional support. During 2021, we implemented all our projects virtually and delivered them on time and on-budget. As we enter a Covid-19 recovery phase, we can offer both in person and virtual training, subject to the needs of our customers.
• Tackling economic inequality:

  Tackling economic inequality

  PTFS Europe is firmly committed to open source software - software developed by online communities for free use by all. Libraries are an undoubted force for good in a changing world but at the same time, they face massive financial pressures. By offering significant value for money combined with high quality technical and customer support services from a modern platform, we feel we are helping libraries best cope with the pressures they face. By their nature, libraries share many of the same values as open source software, I.E. providing equal access, sharing resources and creating a sense of community. As well as large scale projects in the UK such as for numerous local authorities, government departments, universities and colleges we also provide high quality library systems at a much lower price point for third sector libraries such as Dyslexia Action and the National Foundation for Educational Research.
• Equal opportunity:

  Equal opportunity

  PTFS Europe is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. The organisation - in providing goods and services - is also committed against unlawful discrimination of customers or the public.
• Wellbeing:

  Wellbeing

  PTFS Europe’s decision to operate virtually from the outset was on the one hand a commitment to good environmental practice but on the other was a way of supporting the well-being of our staff. By actively embracing and enabling a home-working ethos, employees are encouraged to be in control of their work/life balance. This is further demonstrated in our support of part time working, continuing professional development and in enabling staff to develop their own professional interests outside of their core work commitments.

Pricing

• Price: £2,750 to £6,600 an instance a year
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: Access to a sandbox environment with admin privileges can be negotiated on request.

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

• Modern Slavery statement

  ODT

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sales@ptfs-europe.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.