California University goes with Aussie developer

Australian-based software developer, HarvestRoad, has been selected by California State University as a core component in the prototype development of its California State University (CSU) Digital Marketplace.

After an initial evaluation period, HarvestRoad Hive Digital Repository System and associated learning Resource List Management System (RLMS) will become core components in the prototype development of the California State University (CSU) Digital Marketplace.

The goal of the CSU Digital Marketplace initiative is to enable the distribution of network-based digital goods and resources in support of CSU academic programs across all 23 universities in the system.

The initial phase of this initiative is the design and development of prototypes that are informed and tested by the needs and requirements of students, faculty, librarians, and disabled students services throughout the CSU system.

Managing Director of HarvestRoad, Graeme Barty said in the first half of 2008, the CSU’s objectives include; expanding the range and reach of digital collections accessed through a federated search service to provide users greater choice of content; integrating the federated search service into a variety of application environments that deliver content into the user’s environment of choice; systematically collecting end user requirements through use case development and focus groups with faculty, students, librarians and disability student services officers; and extending requirements gathering outside the CSU system

“The work that CSU has done in scoping and evolving this model is consistent with other recent deployments we have executed in UK, France and Germany,” Barty said.