A mission-critical system is one that is so intertwined with the operation of an organization that the organization can scarcely function without it. Just as in corporations, mission-critical library systems offer the capability to unlock talent and time. They are essential to the transformation of higher education and the learning environment. A library management system that is mission-critical must enable them to focus their time and talent to create new roles and roll out new services. So while libraries put a great deal of focus on their systems and their processes, the ultimate value of a mission-critical system is that it frees them to focus on things other than systems. The challenge is not in the management system--it is in how they can stay away from it. Their relevance is not determined by their management system but by the services that they provide directly to their users.