Author Archives: mprentice

Apr 02

March issue of ITAL available

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I’m pleased to announce the publication of the March issue of Information Technology and Libraries.

Issue contents are listed below. To receive automatic notifications of future issues, please subscribe to ITAL.

Suggestions and feedback are always welcome, please send to:

Bob Gerrity
ITAL Editor
gerrityr (at) gmail.com

Information Technology and Libraries
Volume 32, Number 1 (March 2013)
CONTENTS

Editorials

Bob Gerrity

Editor’s Comments

Patrick “Tod” Colegrove

Editorial Board Thoughts: Libraries as Makerspace?

Articles

Danielle Becker and Lauren Yannotta

Modeling a library web site redesign process: developing a user-centered web site through usability testing 

This article presents a model for creating a strong, user-centered web presence by pairing usability testing and the design process. Four rounds of usability testing were conducted throughout the process of building a new academic library web site. Participants were asked to perform tasks using a talk-aloud protocol. Tasks were based on guiding principles of web usability that served as a framework for the new site. Results from this study show that testing throughout the design process is an effective way to build a website that not only reflects user needs and preferences, but can be easily changed as new resources and technologies emerge.

Kathleen W. Weessies, Daniel S. Dotson

Mapping for the Masses: GIS Lite & Online Mapping Tools in Academic Libraries

Customized maps depicting complex social data are much more prevalent today than in the past. Not only in formal published outlets, interactive mapping tools make it easy to create and publish custom maps in both formal and more casual outlets such as social media. This article defines GIS Lite, describes three commercial products currently licensed by institutions and discusses issues that arise from their varied functionality and license restrictions.

Vandana Singh

Experiences of Migrating to Open Source Integrated Library Systems 

Interest in migrating to open-source integrated library systems is continually growing in libraries. Along with the interest, lack of empirical research and evidence to compare the process of migration brings a lot of anxiety to the interested librarians. In this research, twenty librarians who have worked in libraries that migrated to open-source integrated library system (ILS) or are in the process of migrating were interviewed. The interviews focused on their experiences and the lessons learned in the process of migration. The results from the interviews are used to create guidelines/best practices for each stage of the adoption process of an open-source ILS. These guidelines will be helpful for librarians who want to research and adopt an open-source ILS.

Danijela Boberic Krsticev

Information Retrieval Using Middleware Approach 

This paper explores the use of a mediator/wrapper approach to enable the search of an existing library management system using different information retrieval protocols  It proposes an architecture for a software component that will act as an intermediary between the library system and search services.It provides an overview of different approaches to add Z39.50 and Search/Retrieval via URL (SRU) functionality using a middleware approach that is implemented on the BISIS library management system. That wrapper performs transformation of Contextual Query Language (CQL) into Lucene query language. The primary aim of this software component is to enable search and retrieval of bibliographic records using the SRU and Z39.50 protocols, but the proposed architecture of the software components is also suitable for inclusion of the existing library management system into a library portal. The software component provides a single interface to server-side protocols for search and retrieval of records. Additional protocols could be used. This paper provides practical demonstration of interest to developers of library management systems and those who are trying to use open-source solutions to make their local catalog accessible to other systems.

Mar 08

LITA Guide: Improving the visibility and use of digital repositories through SEO

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Recent OCLC surveys show that less than 2 percent of library users begin their search on a library website, which is why search engine optimization (SEO) is so crucial. And though a survey of faculty researchers at four major universities showed that most consider Google and Google Scholar amazingly effective for their research, low Google Scholar indexing ratios for library institutional repositories is widespread because it ignores common library metadata. Kenning Arlitsch and Patrick OBrien, who have presented and published widely on the topic, show how to ensure that high-value content is visible to researchers in their new book “Improving the Visibility and Use of Digital Repositories through SEO: A LITA Guide,” published by ALA TechSource. Drawing on their expertise in digital libraries and corporate marketing, they show how to mount a successful SEO strategy, including:

  • Recommended dashboards for increasing participation by sharing data;
  • Avoiding the four most common crawler errors that lead to low rankings;
  • How to effectively utilize the Google Keyword Tool;
  • The use of domain settings to generate unit-specific reports for special collections, institutional repositories and university presses.

Arlitsch is the dean of the library at Montana State University. Prior to his current position he was the associate dean for information technology services at the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library. He is the founder of the Mountain West Digital Library and the Utah Digital Newspapers program, as well as co-founder of the Western Waters Digital Library and the Western Soundscape Archive.

OBrien is the Semantic Web research director at the Montana State University Library. Prior to his current position he was the SEO research manager at the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library. He is an expert in Semantic Web technologies and their application for improving data integration quality, discovering new relationships, and turning diverse data stores into conceptual knowledge. OBrien has more than 15 years’ experience implementing data-driven marketing and risk management strategy within various industries.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. Contact us at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing (at) ala.org.

Mar 07

LITA Guide Available: Implementing virtual reference services

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Social Web technologies present an often confusing array of options for answering library users’ reference questions. In “Implementing Virtual Reference Services: A LITA Guide,” published by ALA TechSource, editor Beth C. Thomsett-Scott applies 20 years’ experience as a reference librarian to sort through the clutter of tools and technologies in the industry. Contributors from across the field lay out how libraries are using vendor services such as LibraryH3lp, LibAnswers and Text a Librarian, as well as free tools like Twitter and Google Voice, for their reference needs. Practitioners offer details on virtual reference services such as Twitter Search, instant messaging (IM) services such as Google Voice and Chat and collaborative services such as My Info Quest.

Thomsett-Scott is currently the engineering librarian at the University of North Texas Libraries. In her previous role as reference unit manager, she assisted with establishing the libraries’ Meebo service, as well as their chat and text messaging services. She has served in various positions in professional associations, including ALA, the Special Library Association and the Texas Library Association. She has published in a variety of journals and presented conference sessions on the topics of website usability, mentoring and training reference staff and students and technology.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. Contact us at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing (at) ala.org.

Mar 07

Cory Doctorow to present LITA President’s Program

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Cory Doctorow will present “More than a book-lined Internet Cafe: LITA President’s Program” from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 30th in Chicago. 

Zoe Stewart-Marshall, LITA President, welcomes Cory Doctorow to present the LITA President’s program.  Doctorow is a digital rights activist, science fiction writer, and, Boing Boing co-editor.    Stewart-Marshall said “More than a book-lined Internet Café” promises to be a lively, thought-provoking talk on how libraries can and do stand on the front lines of the debate over the role of free information, and free information technology in ensuring the healthy maintenance of a free society.  And yes, he will talk about DRM.”

Cory Doctorow (craphound.com) is a science fiction author, activist, journalist and blogger — the co-editor of Boing Boing (boingboing.net) and the author of young adult novels like PIRATE CINEMA and LITTLE BROTHER and novels for adults like RAPTURE OF THE NERDS and MAKERS. He is the former European director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. Born in Toronto, Canada, he now lives in London.

The LITA President’s program is part of “Sunday Afternoon with LITA” at the ALA Annual Conference.   “Sunday Afternoon with LITA” begins with the LITA awards presentations, followed by the popular Top Technology Trends panel discussion, and, culminates with the LITA President’s Program.  

Details on all LITA Annual Conference programs and events are available at http://www.ala.org/lita/conferences/annual/2013.

Feb 19

LITA HTML5 Web Course held March 4, 6, 8, and 11

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Building Web Applications with HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript: An Introduction to HTML5, presented by Jason Clark of Montana State University Library, is now available for registration.

Geolocation, native video, offline storage, semantic markup elements, responsive Web design, canvas elements, voice input, drag and drop, opacity, gradients… HTML5 (a generic term which includes new HTML tags, enhanced CSSstyles/behaviors, and new Javascript APIs) has been released and is changing the way Web developers work. With wide support in mobile browsers and the latest browser releases from Google and Firefox, HTML5 is poised to be the technology that will help build the next version of the Web.

Building Web Applications with HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript: An Introduction to HTML5 will consist of four live lectures held from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST on March 4, 6, 8, and 11,  with additional self-paced modules in Moodle; lectures will also be recorded and posted to the course Moodle site. Participants will examine the trends and enhancements that HTML5,  CSS3 and the new Javascript APIs enable, talk through the specifics of implementation and work through building a prototype HTML5 application. Visit the LITA web site for registration and additional information.

Feb 14

Online LITA Board Meeting: February 15

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The LITA Board invites you to join this meeting online on Friday, February 15, 2013 at 3:15 – 4:00 pm EST.

Join the meeting by clicking the following link: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/r5ox8uqzi5w/

View the meeting agenda: http://connect.ala.org/node/200509

Please note: the meeting begins with a closed Executive Session. The Board anticipates opening the meeting to all at approximately 3:15 pm EST.

If you have any questions, recommendations, or wish to discuss any of this, please leave a comment or contact the LITA office, lita (at) ala.org.

Feb 14

LITA Forum Call for Proposals: Reminder

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Due date for proposals: February 25, 2013

The 2013 National Forum Committee seeks proposals for high quality pre-conferences, concurrent sessions and poster sessions for the 16th annual LITA National Forum to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, November 7-10, 2013.

The 2013 theme is Creation, Collaboration, Community

The Forum Committee welcomes pre-conferences, presentations, and interactive programs related to all types of libraries: public, school, academic, government, special, and corporate. Proposals should relate to the themes of creation, empowering library users, collaboration, cooperation, and building or engaging communities. Proposals may cover projects, plans, ideas, or recent discoveries. We accept proposals on any aspect of library and information technology.

The committee particularly invites submissions from first time presenters, library school students, and individuals from diverse backgrounds.

The Forum Committee is especially interested in presentations highlighting projects that involve the creation of library spaces, the maker movement, and innovative solutions to pragmatic problems. It also encourages sessions that are hands-on.

Possible ideas for topics might include:

  • Maker spaces/Maker Movement
  • Creation of New Library Spaces
  • Data Curation
  • Discovery
  • User Experience
  • Web Services
  • Coding
  • Digital Libraries
  • Institutional Repositories

Presentations must have a technological focus and pertain to libraries. Presentations that incorporate audience participation are encouraged. Sessions can be full-day pre-conferences, concurrent sessions (50 minutes), or poster sessions. The format of the presentations may include single- or multi-speaker formats, panel discussions, moderated discussions, case studies and/or demonstrations of projects.

Vendors wishing to submit a proposal should partner with a library representative who is testing/using the product.

Presenters will submit draft presentation slides and/or handouts on ALA Connect in advance of the Forum and will submit final presentation slides or electronic content (video, audio, etc.) to be made available on the web site following the event. Presenters are expected to register and participate in the Forum as attendees; discounted registration will be offered.

Submit proposals to: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEpzV2N6Unh3UlBsVzBhZ1BRX3dfZUE6MQ

The online form will ask for:

  • Contact information
  • Title
  • Program Description (100 Words) (Please exclude any information identifying the presenter(s) or his/her/their organization.)
  • Participatory elements of the presentation
  • Level indicator (Introducing, Implementing, Innovating)
  • Brief biographical information
  • Whether you would like to consider a paper in ITAL based upon your talk
  • Do you agree to be streamed: yes or no

You will be notified about the status of your proposal by mid-April, 2013

About Louisville:

Ranked as the #1 US travel destination for 2013 by Lonely Planet, Louisville is moving beyond its reputation for horses and bourbon and gaining a reputation as a cultural hotspot in its own right. With a dynamic, newly revitalized downtown area, vibrant food and arts scenes, and a variety of interesting museums, Louisville offers exciting travel opportunities for all types of visitors.

Any questions regarding the Forum? Please contact the LITA Office: lita (at) ala.org; (312) 280-4268

Jan 23

Five Local Libraries Honored for Offering Cutting-edge Services

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Today, the American Library Association (ALA) recognized five libraries for offering cutting-edge technologies in library services, honoring programs in Boston, New York, Tucson, Ariz.; Orlando, Fla.; and Le Roy, N.Y.

The recognition, which is presented by the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy and the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA), showcases libraries that are serving their communities using novel and innovative methods. Libraries or library service areas selected will be highlighted through various ALA publications and featured in a program at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, June 27-July 2, 2013.

“This year’s winners represent creative and cost-effective engagement with technology trends including BYOD (bring your own device), augmented reality, e-government, crowd-sourcing, and online learning,” said Marc Gartler, Branch Manager, Madison Public Library, who chaired the selection subcommittee. “We are excited to recognize these fantastic projects and believe they have the potential to be replicated by many libraries across the country.”

Mobile Digital Learning Tools, Boston College High School’s (BCHS) Corcoran Library, Boston

The Corcoran Library is “meeting students where they are” through their mobile initiative designed to showcase the library’s online resources through mobile sites and apps optimized for mobile searching.  BC High adopted a new cell phone policy which allows students to use their cell phones for research purposes in the library.  Librarians orient students to the new mobile resources through the school iPads and the students’ smart phones.  The aim is to foster an understanding of how these digital learning tools can enhance student information literacy experiences.  The initiative can be replicated by other libraries in schools that are either BYOD (bring your own device) or 1:1 programs by reviewing the library’s website.

German Traces NYC, Goethe-Institut New York Library with Pratt Institute School of Information and Library Science, New York City

The Goethe-Institut and Pratt Institute teamed up to develop German Traces NYC. This mobile experience uses an augmented reality app to allow learners to explore German cultural heritage in New York City. After downloading the app, users can simply hold up their mobile phones and view archival photos layered on top of the images visible through the phone’s camera. The mobile experience also features archival documents, photographs, and multimedia narratives to bring U.S. history to life. It allows users to create a custom walking tour via GPS and access multimedia content. Finally, users can add their own stories to the German Traces webpage. More than 19,000 people visited the website in the year since launch.

Guide on the Side, University of Arizona (UA) Libraries, Tucson, Ariz.

With the launch of Guide on the Side, the UA Libraries turned 12 years of lessons learned developing e-learning tools into an open-source software package that librarians worldwide can download and use to quickly and easily create online, interactive tutorials based on principles of authentic and active learning. The key: a WYSIWYG interface that reduces or eliminates the need for programming assistance and provides considerable time savings. The UA Libraries have developed more than 25 tutorials using the tool, and these tutorials received nearly 73,000 uses in one year. Other libraries have installed the software, begun creating tutorials and joined a discussion group to continue improving the software.

Right Service at the Right Time App, Orange County Library System, Orlando, Fla.

OCLS’ Right Service at the Right Time (RS/RT) mobile optimized website addresses a growing need in public libraries to aid library patrons seeking government assistance, which increasingly is accessible only online. RS/RT uses a database-driven decision-making engine to connect people in need of government and non-profit public services with the appropriate provider. Need areas addressed include family assistance, healthcare, housing, jobs, and transportation. The site was based on feedback from users who access the Internet solely with mobile devices, and it currently offers four language versions. In 2012, the service expanded from five to 36 Florida counties, and it had more than 10.3 million total page views.

WEBOOKS, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership School Library System, Le Roy, N.Y.

Genesee Valley addressed two needs of rural schools with its crowd-sourced WEBOOKS: improved access to digital content and a way to do this at a time of devastating budget cuts. The library system created a Drupal website that allowed librarians across 22 school districts to pool together a portion of their individual library materials aid while maintaining control over spending through a participatory selection process. By purchasing together, the system was able to buy more e-books than each would have been able to afford individually, and the project demonstrated to administrators that the libraries are working together to find creative solutions. Several districts provided additional funds because of the promise of the project.

Additional information is available at http://www.ala.org/offices/oitp/cuttingedge

 

About the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA)

LITA, a division of the ALA, is the leading organization reaching out across types of libraries to provide education and services for a broad membership of over 3,000 systems librarians, library administrators, library schools, vendors and many others interested in leading edge technology and applications for librarians and information providers. For more information, visit www.lita.org.

About the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP)

The Office for Information Technology Policy advances ALA’s public policy activities by helping secure information technology policies that support and encourage efforts of libraries to ensure access to electronic information resources as a means of upholding the public’s right to a free and open information society. For more information, visit www.ala.org/oitp.

Jan 16

LITA/Ex Libris seeking LIS student authors

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LITA is pleased to offer an award for the best unpublished manuscript submitted by a student or students enrolled in an ALA-accredited graduate program. Sponsored by LITA and Ex Libris, the award consists of $1,000, publication in LITA’s refereed journal, Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL), and a certificate. The deadline for submission of the manuscript is February 28, 2013.

The purpose of the award is to recognize superior student writing and to enhance the professional development of students. The manuscript can be written on any aspect of libraries and information technology. Examples include digital libraries, metadata, authorization and authentication, electronic journals and electronic publishing, telecommunications, distributed systems and networks, computer security, intellectual property rights, technical standards, desktop applications, online catalogs and bibliographic systems, universal access to technology, library consortia and others.

At the time the unpublished manuscript is submitted, the applicant must be enrolled in an ALA-accredited program in library and information studies at the masters or PhD level.

To be eligible, applicants must follow the detailed submission guidelines and complete the application form. Send the signed, completed forms by February 28, 2013 to the Award Committee Co-Chair, Regina Koury, Idaho State University, Eli M. Oboler Library, 950 South 9th, Pocatello, ID 83209-8089. Submit the manuscript to Regina electronically at kourregi (at) isu.edu by February 28, 2013. Detailed information about the award and application process can be found on the LITA web site.

The award will be presented at the LITA President’s Program during the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

About Ex Libris

Ex Libris is a leading provider of automation solutions for academic libraries. Offering the only comprehensive product suite for electronic, digital, and print materials, Ex Libris provides efficient, user-friendly products that serve the needs of libraries today and will facilitate their transition into the future. Ex Libris maintains an impressive customer base consisting of thousands of sites in more than 80 countries on six continents. For more information about Ex Libris Group visit http://www.exlibris-usa.com/.

For further information, please contact Mary Taylor at LITA, 312-280-4267.

Jan 08

LITA Offering Two Web Courses in February

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LITA is offering two Web Courses in February: Getting Started with GIS, presented by Eva Dodsworth, Geospatial Data Services Librarian at the University of Waterloo Map Library and Inclusive Gigabit Libraries, presented by Jon Gant, Director of the Center for Digital Inclusion at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Modeled on Eva Dodsworth’s LITA Guide of the same name, Getting Started with GIS will provide participants with an introduction to the both online and desktop GIS currently being used by library administrators, librarians, library support staff and library users.  The three week course will run February 11 – March 4 and will consist of weekly asynchronous lectures and modules in Moodle. Participants will learn firsthand how to create online maps; how to properly use maps in library web pages; how to embed GIS technology into library projects; and how to enjoy GIS and mapping technologies in personal endeavors.  Students will be exposed to many online resources that are currently being used by public, academic and special libraries across North America.  No previous mapping or GIS experience is necessary.

Inclusive Gigabit Libraries will help libraries identify ways to lead in building next-generation Internet applications and services designed to operate on ultra-fast broadband networks that several communities are already building. Consisting of two, 2 hour live lectures, held February 21 and 22, noon – 2:00 pm CST, participants will learn what gigabit networks are and how they work in accessible terms, identify strategies to leverage networks for new library services and opportunities based on case studies, and develop general concepts that would help apply the strategies in other contexts.

For registration and additional information on both courses, visit the LITA web site.