Comments on: Libx: Connecting Users and Libraries http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/ Library and Information Technology Association Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:29:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: LibX Team http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-41120 LibX Team Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:57:25 +0000 http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-41120 Genny, you have two ways in which to find related versions from Amazon. The quickest is to select the title, right-click, and search for it in your primary catalog. You can also make LibX use OCLC's xISBN service, which allows the user to search for related editions (hardback, paperback) etc. This must be configured in the edition builder. Select "Show xISBN Options" in the Catalogs Tab. As for your question how worthwhile it is - as of Oct 2007, LibX was downloaded by over 12,000 end users. These are mostly in the academic community, but some are from public libraries. Interestingly, a large number of initial users were librarians themselves. They use the tool when performing reference services, and also when doing such technical services tasks as selection or acquisition. Given that the work invested in maintaining an edition often pays off in-house, also offering it for free to patrons comes for little added effort. Finally, consider your alternatives: you cannot buy real-estate space at Amazon.com, for instance. Tools like LibX give you presence right now, and more sophisticated services in the future. Genny, you have two ways in which to find related versions from Amazon. The quickest is to select the title, right-click, and search for it in your primary catalog.

You can also make LibX use OCLC’s xISBN service, which allows the user to search for related editions (hardback, paperback) etc. This must be configured in the edition builder. Select “Show xISBN Options” in the Catalogs Tab.

As for your question how worthwhile it is - as of Oct 2007, LibX was downloaded by over 12,000 end users. These are mostly in the academic community, but some are from public libraries.

Interestingly, a large number of initial users were librarians themselves. They use the tool when performing reference services, and also when doing such technical services tasks as selection or acquisition. Given that the work invested in maintaining an edition often pays off in-house, also offering it for free to patrons comes for little added effort.

Finally, consider your alternatives: you cannot buy real-estate space at Amazon.com, for instance. Tools like LibX give you presence right now, and more sophisticated services in the future.

]]> By: Genny http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-40977 Genny Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:39:31 +0000 http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-40977 I tried building a Libx edition for our library. It worked pretty smoothly, except that once I installed the toolbar, the links it provided from Amazon back to our OPAC defaulted to ISBN only. I didn't immediately see a way to change this to a broader search (like author/title). An ISBN search fails to retrieve related editions of the same title (audiobook, hardback, paperback, etc.) and therefore may get zero results for the user. Most likely there is some fairly easy way around this if I spend some time tweaking the toolbar configuration. But how worthwhile is that? I would be interested to know if anybody actually downloads these toolbars and installs them in their browsers -- particularly public library patrons. I tried building a Libx edition for our library. It worked pretty smoothly, except that once I installed the toolbar, the links it provided from Amazon back to our OPAC defaulted to ISBN only. I didn’t immediately see a way to change this to a broader search (like author/title). An ISBN search fails to retrieve related editions of the same title (audiobook, hardback, paperback, etc.) and therefore may get zero results for the user.

Most likely there is some fairly easy way around this if I spend some time tweaking the toolbar configuration. But how worthwhile is that? I would be interested to know if anybody actually downloads these toolbars and installs them in their browsers — particularly public library patrons.

]]> By: Annette http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-40961 Annette Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:30:27 +0000 http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-40961 The best place to start learning about LibX is at http://libx.org. The slides from my presentation (and slides from past presentations) are at: http://libx.org/publications.html If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at: libx.org@gmail.com Thanks! Annette Digital Assets Librarian Virginia Tech The best place to start learning about LibX is at http://libx.org.

The slides from my presentation (and slides from past presentations) are at:
http://libx.org/publications.html

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at:

libx.org@gmail.com

Thanks!

Annette
Digital Assets Librarian
Virginia Tech

]]> By: Bakoyema Fagdeba http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-40824 Bakoyema Fagdeba Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:21:07 +0000 http://litablog.org/2007/10/10/libx-connecting-users-and-libraries/#comment-40824 I am interested in knowing more about Libx. I am interested in knowing more about Libx.

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