Talis Developer Network - Library 2.0 - Comments

Library 2.0 + VLE

Paul Miller — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 08:07:22 +0100

George

sounds interesting. Do you have more information on what you're planning, that you might be able to share?

Paul Miller
Technology Evangelist, Talis

Library 2.0 + VLE

G.Harkins — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 20:38:12 +0100

Paul,

Whilst many FE Colleges utilise the VLE as the interface between teaching and learning, in many cases the need for quality, interactive, materials far outstrips availability. The move to Uportal technology should place greater emphasis on the Library's role in the delivery of information literacy programs and the like, with the ability to drag and drop screens, integrate video streaming etc. In fact the Library catalogue interface could well replace the need for a VLE.

We're working towards a Library 2.0 'toolkit', which will faciliate a multi-tasking, linear workflow to assist the student learning experience. An XML-based '3-D' booklist with bibliograhic details as well as book covers, is one of the ideas we're progressing.

Library 2.0

Paul Miller — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 13:18:58 +0100

George

a good point, thanks.

In FE (Further Education - broadly equivalent to a North American Community College) where, as I understand it, there is far more of an emphasis around the Virtual Learning Environment or Course Management System, how are you seeing Library 2.0 issues beginning to play out?

Is the main benefit around intelligently surfacing something like a reading list of actionable links to library resources at relevant points within the VLE?

Paul Miller
Technology Evangelist, Talis

Library 2.0

G.Harkins — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 12:01:03 +0100

With many of the commercial 'movers' still hovering strategically over the carcass of 'Web 1.0', it's refreshing to see some many developments working in harmony towards Library 2.0.

Working in FE, I personally see it as the perfect opportunity to integrate commercial activities with educational ones. Podcasts and XML-driven booklists under the one roof? It's a winner. Lest we forget the professional (and indeed paraprofessional) skills required to drive Library 2.0 from behind the issue desk to the our respective customer bases.

Good question, my wish list

ckeene — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 15:06:36 +0100

I agree: good question!

I want a lot (sorry). and I believe ajax goodness can deliver it without cluttering the screen.

I want to see an image of the book, it helps me to locate it, and to see if it was the one I was looking at last week (eg Can't remember which java book i was reading but it had a blue cover with a dog on it)

I want a description of the book and ToC. Useful to see if the book will be of use when I'm researching something (book titles are not always useful). and good for when I want a book on Java networking (the library may have 20 java books but which have a whole section on networking)

I want comments, and tags, from users

I want to see what others have borrowed, who have borrowed this.

I want to see clearly where the book is within the library (like Huddersfield).

I want to click to see:
- other versions (audio, CDROM from book, hardback)
- other by same author
- other in same subject

I may want to rate the book out of 10.

If for some reason i want to see all the detailed information (ie everything in the marc record) then there should be a button somewhere.

I want a button which will show if libraries near by have it and if it is in stock.

I want all this on an uncluttered interface! :)

I wish library web catalogues could develop at the same pace as Amazon.

Chris Keene - University of Sussex.

re: Stats will be interesting

Dave Pattern — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 18:19:22 +0000

At the moment, the spelling corrections/suggestions are the most frequently used with the "also borrowed" not far behind.

Stats will be interesting

Richard Wallis — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 17:32:02 +0000

Those stats will be very interesting.

The proof of the worth of things is in the consumption. Are you going to run a book on which is your most popular enhancement?

Richard.

Good question Richard!

Dave Pattern — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:44:59 +0000

At the moment, I'm pretty much limited (by the way the OPAC works) to having extra content on the same page or in a pop-up window. We could probably do something a little more advanced, but it would mean performing a major rewrite on the OPAC's underlying XSL stylesheets.

The floor plans (which take up nearly an entire virtual page) are deliberately placed as far down the page as possible, with anchor links to them in the holding information box. We could have them as pop-up windows, but (to my mind) it's cleaner to have them on the same page.

Sadly even without any customisations, many Dynix OPACs will have the all important holdings information below the virtual page fold (simply because the bib info can take up a large amount of space).

Personally, I tend to prefer the "all on one screen", but for the info to be arranged so that the most important bits are at the top of the screen. Unfortunately the design of the Dynix OPAC means that you loose over 200 vertical pixels to the various navigation and search bars.

We're in the midst of running a Student Satisfaction Survey, and the floor plans have been mentioned by a respectable number of students (or should that be "a number of respectable students"?). In fact, their only major gripe with the catalogue relates to stock availability -- i.e. the OPAC says it's available, but (for whatever reason) the book isn't actually on the shelf.

Out of interest, I've also just started logging usage of our customisations. So, I should be able to release some quantitative information soon relating to use of our various suggestions & tweaks.

Library 2.0 = Library + Librarian + Web 2.0.

Richard Wallis — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 13:30:18 +0000

It's not just technology it's also about attitude.

Nevertheless Web 2.0 is a significant part of the equation.

Richard Wallis
Technical Development Manager - Talis