Helping successful higher education leaders provide services to their faculty, staff & students.
Trident Consulting Firm’s commitment to making a positive impact! Consulting in higher education is indeed a unique and complex process, and it’s great that your team has successfully assisted clients. Here are some insights related to higher education consultancy:
- Growing Use of Consultants in Higher Education: Higher education institutions have increasingly turned to consulting services over the last three decades. Several factors contribute to this trend, including external pressure for change, limited resources for full-time staff, state and federal regulations, and faculty politicization. As a result, universities now regularly utilize consultants for various purposes, such as strategic planning, technology implementation, organizational structure, financial management, fundraising, and outsourcing.
- Key Elements for Effective Consulting Engagements: Forconsulting engagements to be successful, clear communication and understanding of expectations between the client (university managers) and the consultant are crucial. When university managers hire a consultant, it is usually in response to a current or imminent institutional concern. Defining expectations and maintaining open communication throughout the process is important. Consultants who work effectively with universities often adapt to each campus’s distinct characteristics and unique culture, ensuring their engagements are successful. Recommendations align with institutional goals.
NOTE: Challenges and Pitfalls: Please note the following text:
- Trident Consulting’s focus on higher education and its achievements as a certified veteran, woman, and minority-owned company position it well to contribute to the success of educational institutions. If you have any specific questions please contact us.
Our Projects
Library Services
Library services encompass a wide range of activities and resources provided by libraries to meet the needs of their patrons. These services go beyond merely lending books and include various offerings that enhance the overall library experience. Here are some key aspects of library services:
- Circulation Services:
- Check-Out and Check-In: Managing the borrowing and returning of library materials (books, DVDs, etc.).
- Reserve Services: Allowing patrons to reserve items that are currently checked out.
- Renewals: Extending the loan period for borrowed materials.
- Reference Services:
- Research Assistance: Helping patrons find information through physical resources or online databases.
- Answering Queries: Addressing questions related to various topics, including academic research, local history, and general knowledge.
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Services:
- Facilitating borrowing of materials from other libraries when the local library doesn’t have a specific item.
- Technical Services:
- Cataloging and Classification: Organizing and describing library materials for efficient retrieval.
- Acquisitions: Procuring new materials for the library collection.
- Digital Services:
- Online Catalogs: Providing access to the library’s collection via web-based catalogs.
- E-Resources: Offering e-books, e-journals, and databases.
- Digital Archives: Preserving and providing access to digital content.
- Programming and Events:
- Workshops: Conducting educational sessions on various topics.
- Author Talks: Inviting authors to discuss their works.
- Book Clubs: Facilitating book discussions among patrons.
KOHA ILS
- What is Koha?
- Koha is the world’s first free and open-source library management system. It was developed as open-source software, making it accessible to libraries of varying types and sizes.
- “The development of Koha is sponsored by libraries, volunteers, and support companies worldwide.”
- Koha’s name comes from the New Zealand Māori language, meaning “gift” or “contribution.”
- Key Features of Koha:
- Koha offers a wide range of features for efficiently managing library operations.
- Scalable: Koha can adapt to your needs, whether you’re a small community library or a large academic institution.
- Cataloging: Efficiently organize and describe library materials for easy retrieval.
- Circulation Services: Manage check-outs, check-ins, renewals, and reserve services.
- Reference Services: Assist patrons with research queries and information needs.
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Services: Facilitate borrowing from other libraries.
- Digital Services: Offer online catalogs, e-resources, and digital archives.
- “Exciting Programming and Events: Engage in workshops, captivating author talks, and vibrant book clubs!”
- Development and Support:
- Koha has a large, active development team that produces monthly maintenance releases (security and bug patches) and bi-annual feature releases (every 6 months).
- Koha is confidently maintained to ensure security, regular updates with the latest technological advancements, and the newest features to enable libraries to manage their collections effectively.
- Numerous support companies, including Trident Consulting, worldwide provide a range of services for Koha, including installation, migration assistance, staff training, software maintenance, and development of new features.
