LTS Newsletter: December 2025

Library Technology Services, Harvard Library

Welcome to Library Technology Service’s occasional newsletter for anyone interested in Harvard Library IT.

Library Technology Services extends our heartfelt thanks to all of our colleagues across Harvard Library and HUIT for your partnership, support, and collaboration over the past year. Your trust, engagement, and shared commitment have been essential to our collective progress.

As the winter break approaches, we hope you enjoy well-deserved time with those who matter most. We look forward to continuing our work together in the year ahead.

Winter Recess Support

Library Technology Services will be closed for winter recess, starting at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, December 24, 2025 through Thursday, January 1, 2026. The LTS Support Team’s Winter Recess Schedule is posted on the LTS wiki.

All Library Systems will be available on their regular schedules. Support tickets will be collected on business days throughout break. Any urgent messages will receive a response within 24 hours of review.
Emergency support is available for any major systems failure. Please call the HUIT Operations Desk at 617-495-7777. Be sure to specify that you are calling about a library system.

DRS Futures Project Update

We are pleased to share an upcoming Go-Live Onboarding release for the new Digital Repository Service (DRS3) that is planned for February/March 2026. The release includes simplified content ingest and management, reporting, and a structure editor for page-turned objects. Onboarding information and workspace instructions are forthcoming. Additional DRS3 features will be introduced in a subsequent release.

The transition window from DRS2 to DRS3 is planned for the end of January to mid-March. We expect a short pause to DRS2 deposits to enable syncing remaining content with DRS3. Throughout the cut-over, DRS users will have access to legacy DRS2 content, including reporting and metadata queries.

The Migration Plan includes the project timeline and anticipated impact on users. If you have questions about the upcoming release, please email DRS Feedback.

Leadership Training

The MOR Leadership Training Program aims to build leaders who are adaptable, collaborative, and skilled in soft‑power influence. It develops mindsets, skills, and tools for effective teamwork, communication, and navigating change. This Fall, three LTS staff members participated in the training program:

Dee Dee Crema, Senior Digital Library Software Engineer
Phil Plencner, Senior Drupal Developer
Vitaly Zakuta, Senior IT Project Manager

Dee Dee Crema shared that one of the most valuable takeaways from the training has been the importance of networking. The experience underscored the value of engaging with a broader range of colleagues, helping identify common ground and opening the door to future collaborations beyond the immediate circle of trusted colleagues.

Vitaly Zakuta reflected that as a result of the leadership training program, he has become more strategic about goal setting and strengthened his ability to lead effective meetings with practical skills such as setting clear agendas and goals in advance. Similar to Dee Dee, he remarked on the importance of networking and influencing others without formal authority. His most valuable takeaway was that creating a positive workplace culture is a core strategic priority for achieving team goals. Vitaly plans to introduce and reinforce a growth mindset with his team, knowing that this mindset can positively impact all aspects of project work.