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Making the Case for Ares

Key Value Proposition

Ares automates library reserve services, provides 24/7 access to reserve collections, includes integrated copyright management, and saves significant time for both faculty and library staff.

Executive Summary​

When presenting Ares to decision-makers, focus on these core benefits:

  • Automation - Eliminates manual, time-consuming reserve processes
  • Accessibility - Provides around-the-clock access to reserve materials
  • Compliance - Integrated copyright management reduces legal risk
  • Integration - Connects seamlessly with existing campus systems
  • Analytics - Demonstrates collection value through usage statistics

Problems Ares Solves​

Manual Reserve Processing is Time-Intensive​

The Challenge:

  • Staff manually track and process reserve requests
  • Faculty submit materials through email, phone, or in-person
  • Tracking physical items requires paper logs or spreadsheets
  • Copyright clearance requires separate research and documentation

How Ares Helps:

  • Automated workflows guide items through processing stages
  • Faculty submit requests directly through web forms or LMS integration
  • All tracking happens in a centralized system
  • Built-in copyright management streamlines clearance

Limited Access Frustrates Students and Faculty​

The Challenge:

  • Students can only access physical reserves during library hours
  • No visibility into what's available on reserve until visiting the library
  • Multiple trips to the library to check item availability

How Ares Helps:

  • Electronic reserves available 24/7 from anywhere
  • Students browse reserve materials before coming to campus
  • Real-time availability information reduces unnecessary trips

The Challenge:

  • Determining copyright status requires research time
  • Uncertainty about what can legally be placed on reserve
  • Risk of copyright violations carries institutional liability
  • Manual tracking of copyright clearances is error-prone

How Ares Helps:

  • Optional automated searching in the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) database
  • Clear visibility of license terms and costs
  • Documentation of copyright decisions for each item
  • Reduces institutional risk through systematic compliance

Return on Investment​

Time Savings for Staff​

Before Ares:

  • Manual processing of each reserve request
  • Phone calls and emails to coordinate with faculty
  • Paper-based tracking systems
  • Separate copyright research for each item

With Ares:

  • Automated workflow routing
  • Self-service faculty submission
  • Centralized tracking and reporting
  • Integrated copyright management

Impact: Libraries report significant reduction in staff hours spent on reserve processing, allowing reallocation to higher-value services.

Improved Faculty Experience​

  • Reduced redundancy - Course designers can copy materials from previous terms
  • Self-service - Faculty manage their own reserve lists
  • Usage insights - Instant access to statistics showing which materials students actually use
  • Faster turnaround - Automated workflows speed processing

Enhanced Student Access​

  • 24/7 availability of electronic reserves
  • Browse materials before visiting campus
  • Reduced wait times for physical reserves
  • Better preparation for class

Integration Capabilities​

Ares connects with your existing campus infrastructure:

Learning Management Systems (LMS)​

  • LTI integration with Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace, and others
  • Students access reserves directly from their course pages
  • Reduces barriers to material access

Library Systems​

  • ILS integration for seamless cataloging and circulation
  • Discovery systems for unified search experiences
  • Authentication systems including SAML, Shibboleth, LDAP

Course and User Data​

  • Registrar feeds to automatically populate course information
  • Ensures current enrollment data
  • Reduces manual data entry

Content Providers​

  • Integration with subscription databases and repositories
  • Direct linking to licensed electronic resources

Demonstrated Value Through Analytics​

Usage Statistics​

Ares provides comprehensive reporting to demonstrate:

  • Collection usage - Which reserve materials students actually access
  • Service demand - Volume of requests over time
  • Processing efficiency - How quickly items move through workflows
  • Cost justification - Data to support budget requests

Evidence-Based Decision Making​

Faculty can:

  • See which materials students use most
  • Make informed decisions about future reserve lists
  • Eliminate unused materials

Administrators can:

  • Demonstrate library value to stakeholders
  • Identify resource allocation needs
  • Justify staffing and budget requests

Risk Mitigation​

Security and Tracking​

  • Complete audit trail of who accessed what and when
  • Item-level tracking for physical reserves
  • User accountability for borrowed materials
  • Systematic approach reduces legal exposure
  • Documentation of clearance decisions
  • Integration with Copyright Clearance Center

Business Continuity​

  • Hosted solution - Atlas Systems manages infrastructure
  • Regular backups and disaster recovery
  • Ongoing support and updates

Competitive Advantages​

Leading Market Position​

Ares has become the leading software solution for managing reserves services across all learning environments on campus.

Proven Track Record​

Institutions of all sizes rely on Ares to:

  • Improve service quality
  • Ensure copyright compliance
  • Gather meaningful usage data
  • Integrate with diverse campus systems

View the list of Ares users to see institutions using the system.

Continuous Innovation​

  • Regular feature releases based on user feedback
  • Adapts to evolving educational technology landscape
  • Strong user community and support resources

Implementation Considerations​

Hosted Solution Benefits​

Minimal IT Burden

Ares is a hosted solution - Atlas Systems manages the infrastructure, updates, and maintenance.

Your IT Department:

  • Creates integrations with local systems
  • Supports local workstations and printers
  • Atlas Systems provides integration examples from other institutions

Atlas Systems:

  • Hosts and maintains the application
  • Handles system updates and security patches
  • Provides ongoing technical support

Getting Started Resources​

Making Your Case​

When presenting Ares to stakeholders, emphasize:

  1. Time savings that allow staff to focus on higher-value services
  2. 24/7 access that improves student and faculty satisfaction
  3. Copyright compliance that reduces institutional risk
  4. Integration capabilities that leverage existing investments
  5. Usage data that demonstrates library value
  6. Scalability from small collections to large research libraries

For additional information, visit https://www.atlas-sys.com/ares