In the news recently has been talk about Google’s “my library”, well, don’t hesitate to visit the “original” MyLibrary, now hosted at http://mylibrary.library.nd.edu.
The home page is complete with bunch’s o’ documentation, sample scripts, descriptive text outlining what MyLibrary is (and is not), mailing list administratativia, links to sample applications and production-level applications, etc. The whole thing lives on top of WordPress.
MyLibrary is not an application as much as it is digital library framework and toolbox. MyLibrary is about creating relationships between the three primary entities of libraries: 1) information resources, 2) librarians, and 3) patrons. It does this through the management of an institution-defined controlled vocabulary of facets and terms. By classifying resources, librarians, and patrons with facet/term combinations MyLibrary can address things like:
- As a librarian, my collection includes…
- As a patron, my databases are…
- People like me also use…
- Other resources like this include…
- If you use this, then you might like…
- As a patron, my librarian is…
- As a librarian, my patrons are…
- Resources for my class include…
Google, thanks. Imitation is the sincerest from of flattery, but I doubt Google knew about our, the library profession’s, MyLibrary.