Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
The stuff by Mitchell Whitelaw on Generous Interfaces (and he cites some aspects of Trove as an example of a generous interface) seems relevant to this discussion: Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/mtchl/generous-interfaces Paper: http://www.ica2012.com/files/data/Full%20papers%20upload/ica12Final00423.pd f Owen Owen Stephens Owen Stephens Consulting Web: http://www.ostephens.com Email: o...@ostephens.com Telephone: 0121 288 6936
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
I like what NCSU has done: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/ -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Alexander Johannesen Sent: Thursday, 20 September 2012 8:11 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers I love the Trove from the National Library of Australia ; http://trove.nla.gov.au/ Alex -- Project Wrangler, SOA, Information Alchemist, UX, RESTafarian, Topic Maps --- http://shelter.nu/blog/ -- -- http://www.google.com/profiles/alexander.johannesen ---
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Šand the third answer promotes Drupal. There are further votes for Drupal and NCSU. Clayton Andrew Predmore Manager, Web Operations Yale University Library andrew.predm...@yale.edu On 9/19/12 4:18 PM, Sian Meikle sian.mei...@utoronto.ca wrote: Full disclosure -- it IS our library's site -- but the University of Toronto Libraries use a drupal frontend to integrate our library catalogue (Endeca), Summon (local presentation powered by Summon APIs), e-journals (a filtered subset of catalogue data via Endeca), and resource guides (LibGuides). These services, in turn, integrate other data: for example: -- permitted uses (eg licensed rights) data is integrated directly in the catalogue and Summon interfaces for digital titles; -- the catalogue also uses StackMap to display shelf locations for some libraries. -- the catalogue offers a locally-developed shelf browse that integrates print collections system wide with digital collections Start here: http://www.library.utoronto.ca We, in turn, are long-time admirers of the NCSU libraries and their discovery interface work (http://library.ncsu.edu/) Sian Meikle -- Sian Meikle 416.946.3689 (work)416.978.1668 (fax) 130 St. George St, 7th floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A5 Interim Director, ITS, University of Toronto Libraries From: Code for Libraries [CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim [tan...@brandeis.edu] Sent: September-19-12 3:00 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Tania Fersenheim Manager of Library Systems Brandeis University Library and Technology Services 415 South Street, (MS 017/P.O. Box 549110) Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: 781.736.4698 Fax: 781.736.4577 email: tan...@brandeis.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Here's touting our own site: http://www.library.vcu.edu/ http://search.library.vcu.edu This search is using a hosted instance of Ex Libris' Primo. So I'm not sure we qualify as technologically sophisticated in terms of coding our own discovery layer. I do think we are exemplary for simplicity of the search layer, using the combined everything (catalog + journal articles + local digital collections) as the default. These scoped searches are only available through advanced search. We have broken out of the tab-crazy UI. What is especially interesting I think about our case is that shortly this Fall our OPAC will completely disappear, as we are one of the early adopters of Alma which uses Primo as its front end. We have been running the following aggressive stop sign for links into the catalog since summer without great uproar: http://www.library.vcu.edu/catalog/ So, we are all in for a single search solution. I had many reservations about this direction at first with great attachment to developing and featuring a separate search for the traditional catalog dressed up in discovery. Some of my colleagues did a good job challenging these assumptions and pushing us forward. --Jimmy -- Jimmy Ghaphery Head, Library Information Systems VCU Libraries 804-827-3551 On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 3:00 PM, Tania Fersenheim tan...@brandeis.eduwrote: Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Tania Fersenheim Manager of Library Systems Brandeis University Library and Technology Services 415 South Street, (MS 017/P.O. Box 549110) Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: 781.736.4698 Fax: 781.736.4577 email: tan...@brandeis.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Gill -- Gill Hamilton Digital Access Manager National Library of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland g.hamil...@nls.uk -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim Sent: 19 September 2012 20:00 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Tania Fersenheim Manager of Library Systems Brandeis University Library and Technology Services 415 South Street, (MS 017/P.O. Box 549110) Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: 781.736.4698 Fax: 781.736.4577 email: tan...@brandeis.edu *** Visit the National Library of Scotland online at www.nls.uk *** Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. This communication is intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the Information Systems Helpdesk on +44 131 623 3789 or is.helpd...@nls.uk and delete this e-mail. The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Library of Scotland. The National Library of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity. Scottish Charity No. SC011086. This message is subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and has been scanned by iCritical. *** Follow us on Twitter for twice-weekly updates. Become our fan on Facebook and keep up-to-date that way too.
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Salvete! My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Can't. Resist. Plug. Batman. Y'all are nerds, so undoubtedly, y'all prolly know this stuff already, bttt That started in part with Kete. http://kete.net.nz/site/topics/show/329-kete-open-source-software-for-community-digital-libraries Te Horowhenua Trust, http://library.org.nz then The Horowhenua Library Trust basically bit the bullet for everyone a second time (Koha was the first) in making that bit of Open Source Software happen. If your current favourite is a strong enough thing to get ye to dig into the moth eaten oft empty folding jobbie you keep in your pants or purse, they could REALLY bloody use it. They've a new building to pay for (among a zillion other things) so if you're really that keen on cool stuff happening, show em some 3. Big olde blinky button on the upper right labeled Donate Now. http://www.tetakere.org.nz/ Royt made me plug this against my free will, Brooke
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Every one of this suggestions has one major flaw, IMO. The primary result of a search is a big set of bibliographic records -- more than the user can possible look through. In some of them there are facets available, but in no case is there any useful analysis of set in a visualization that would allow the user to get a picture of what she has retrieved. I'm thinking timelines, a la' WorldCat Identities or the Open Library subject pages [1]. Also, none of them tell the user more about the person or subject or work that they have retrieved. (At least, in the views that I have seen.) I really think that lists of manifestations just aren't good enough when searches bring up hundreds of results. kc [1] some examples: http://openlibrary.org/subjects/halley%27s_comet http://openlibrary.org/subjects/place:istanbul_%28turkey%29 and see others at: http://openlibrary.org/subjects or look for your favorites On 9/20/12 6:03 AM, Hamilton, Gill wrote: My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Gill -- Gill Hamilton Digital Access Manager National Library of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland g.hamil...@nls.uk -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim Sent: 19 September 2012 20:00 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Karen Coyle kco...@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net ph: 1-510-540-7596 m: 1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Every one of these sites is not going to work for everyone. Please conduct your own user research for your own audience. Our users, for example, have no interest in visualizations of search results. Our researchers actually want just a list of results. They are compiling bibliographies or reading lists and they honestly just want a really long page of titles and authors of what we have. -Sean On 9/20/12 11:03 AM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: Every one of this suggestions has one major flaw, IMO. The primary result of a search is a big set of bibliographic records -- more than the user can possible look through. In some of them there are facets available, but in no case is there any useful analysis of set in a visualization that would allow the user to get a picture of what she has retrieved. I'm thinking timelines, a la' WorldCat Identities or the Open Library subject pages [1]. Also, none of them tell the user more about the person or subject or work that they have retrieved. (At least, in the views that I have seen.) I really think that lists of manifestations just aren't good enough when searches bring up hundreds of results. kc [1] some examples: http://openlibrary.org/subjects/halley%27s_comet http://openlibrary.org/subjects/place:istanbul_%28turkey%29 and see others at: http://openlibrary.org/subjects or look for your favorites On 9/20/12 6:03 AM, Hamilton, Gill wrote: My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Gill -- Gill Hamilton Digital Access Manager National Library of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland g.hamil...@nls.uk -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim Sent: 19 September 2012 20:00 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Totally agreed. Just reading through those email and feel we might off the topic. If we want to go from location A to location B. There are so many choice: take bus, taxi, rent a car, buy a car, buy a leisure car, buy a air ticket, rent a helicopter, or even buy your own aircraft. I would more recommend to see what you really need (Requirement), how many budget do you have (Resource) and start from there. BTW, here are some my opinions: - If you do not have a solid technical development team, please don't choose open source. - If you do not have a powerful budget, there is no need to compare with big organizations. - Subscription service becomes more an more popular, it is worth to take a look. Hope it helps. -- Jing Xiao Senior Programmer L-1005, System, QEII Library Memorial University, St. John's, NL, A1B 3Y1 On 9/20/2012 1:19 PM, Sean Hannan wrote: Every one of these sites is not going to work for everyone. Please conduct your own user research for your own audience. Our users, for example, have no interest in visualizations of search results. Our researchers actually want just a list of results. They are compiling bibliographies or reading lists and they honestly just want a really long page of titles and authors of what we have. -Sean On 9/20/12 11:03 AM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: Every one of this suggestions has one major flaw, IMO. The primary result of a search is a big set of bibliographic records -- more than the user can possible look through. In some of them there are facets available, but in no case is there any useful analysis of set in a visualization that would allow the user to get a picture of what she has retrieved. I'm thinking timelines, a la' WorldCat Identities or the Open Library subject pages [1]. Also, none of them tell the user more about the person or subject or work that they have retrieved. (At least, in the views that I have seen.) I really think that lists of manifestations just aren't good enough when searches bring up hundreds of results. kc [1] some examples: http://openlibrary.org/subjects/halley%27s_comet http://openlibrary.org/subjects/place:istanbul_%28turkey%29 and see others at: http://openlibrary.org/subjects or look for your favorites On 9/20/12 6:03 AM, Hamilton, Gill wrote: My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Gill -- Gill Hamilton Digital Access Manager National Library of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland g.hamil...@nls.uk -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim Sent: 19 September 2012 20:00 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania This electronic communication is governed by the terms and conditions at http://www.mun.ca/cc/policies/electronic_communications_disclaimer_2012.php
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
And I presume that you have quantitative evidence to show that. kc On 9/20/12 8:49 AM, Sean Hannan wrote: Every one of these sites is not going to work for everyone. Please conduct your own user research for your own audience. Our users, for example, have no interest in visualizations of search results. Our researchers actually want just a list of results. They are compiling bibliographies or reading lists and they honestly just want a really long page of titles and authors of what we have. -Sean On 9/20/12 11:03 AM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: Every one of this suggestions has one major flaw, IMO. The primary result of a search is a big set of bibliographic records -- more than the user can possible look through. In some of them there are facets available, but in no case is there any useful analysis of set in a visualization that would allow the user to get a picture of what she has retrieved. I'm thinking timelines, a la' WorldCat Identities or the Open Library subject pages [1]. Also, none of them tell the user more about the person or subject or work that they have retrieved. (At least, in the views that I have seen.) I really think that lists of manifestations just aren't good enough when searches bring up hundreds of results. kc [1] some examples: http://openlibrary.org/subjects/halley%27s_comet http://openlibrary.org/subjects/place:istanbul_%28turkey%29 and see others at: http://openlibrary.org/subjects or look for your favorites On 9/20/12 6:03 AM, Hamilton, Gill wrote: My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Gill -- Gill Hamilton Digital Access Manager National Library of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland g.hamil...@nls.uk -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim Sent: 19 September 2012 20:00 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Karen Coyle kco...@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net ph: 1-510-540-7596 m: 1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
That's what user research is. Qualitative evidence, too. -Sean On 9/20/12 1:18 PM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: And I presume that you have quantitative evidence to show that. kc On 9/20/12 8:49 AM, Sean Hannan wrote: Every one of these sites is not going to work for everyone. Please conduct your own user research for your own audience. Our users, for example, have no interest in visualizations of search results. Our researchers actually want just a list of results. They are compiling bibliographies or reading lists and they honestly just want a really long page of titles and authors of what we have. -Sean On 9/20/12 11:03 AM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: Every one of this suggestions has one major flaw, IMO. The primary result of a search is a big set of bibliographic records -- more than the user can possible look through. In some of them there are facets available, but in no case is there any useful analysis of set in a visualization that would allow the user to get a picture of what she has retrieved. I'm thinking timelines, a la' WorldCat Identities or the Open Library subject pages [1]. Also, none of them tell the user more about the person or subject or work that they have retrieved. (At least, in the views that I have seen.) I really think that lists of manifestations just aren't good enough when searches bring up hundreds of results. kc [1] some examples: http://openlibrary.org/subjects/halley%27s_comet http://openlibrary.org/subjects/place:istanbul_%28turkey%29 and see others at: http://openlibrary.org/subjects or look for your favorites On 9/20/12 6:03 AM, Hamilton, Gill wrote: My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Gill -- Gill Hamilton Digital Access Manager National Library of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland g.hamil...@nls.uk -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim Sent: 19 September 2012 20:00 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
So, do you have any? I'll tell you what I know: On average, users rarely go beyond the second page of any retrieved set, whether in a library catalog or on Google. This of course wreaks hell with the FRBR concepts of identify and select which is supposed to be on the results of a find. In 1982, when we brought up the first U of Calif union catalog, the technology was telnet: 18 lines, 70 characters per line. At most we got two items, sometimes only one, on a screen. Statistically, the average viewing was 2.5 screens. Later, maybe 1986? 88? we moved to a web interface. We could now get 10 items on a screen. Statistically, the average viewing was 2.5 screens. I've read, but unfortunately right now cannot find, that you never want to drop below screen 2 of google results or you're essentially invisible (in the SEO literature). So, given this, and given that in a decent-sized catalog users regularly retrieve hundreds or thousands of items, what is the best way to help them grok that set given that the number of records is too large for the user to look at them one-by-one to make a decision? Can the fact that the data is in a database help users get a feel for what they have retrieved without having to look at every record? What is the net result of the fact that users don't go generally beyond screen 2? (In the U of Calif catalog, it meant that no one looked beyond items with a author whose name sorted in the A's.) kc On 9/20/12 10:26 AM, Sean Hannan wrote: That's what user research is. Qualitative evidence, too. -Sean On 9/20/12 1:18 PM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: And I presume that you have quantitative evidence to show that. kc On 9/20/12 8:49 AM, Sean Hannan wrote: Every one of these sites is not going to work for everyone. Please conduct your own user research for your own audience. Our users, for example, have no interest in visualizations of search results. Our researchers actually want just a list of results. They are compiling bibliographies or reading lists and they honestly just want a really long page of titles and authors of what we have. -Sean On 9/20/12 11:03 AM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: Every one of this suggestions has one major flaw, IMO. The primary result of a search is a big set of bibliographic records -- more than the user can possible look through. In some of them there are facets available, but in no case is there any useful analysis of set in a visualization that would allow the user to get a picture of what she has retrieved. I'm thinking timelines, a la' WorldCat Identities or the Open Library subject pages [1]. Also, none of them tell the user more about the person or subject or work that they have retrieved. (At least, in the views that I have seen.) I really think that lists of manifestations just aren't good enough when searches bring up hundreds of results. kc [1] some examples: http://openlibrary.org/subjects/halley%27s_comet http://openlibrary.org/subjects/place:istanbul_%28turkey%29 and see others at: http://openlibrary.org/subjects or look for your favorites On 9/20/12 6:03 AM, Hamilton, Gill wrote: My current fav is Digital NZ http://www.digitalnz.org/ Gill -- Gill Hamilton Digital Access Manager National Library of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland g.hamil...@nls.uk -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim Sent: 19 September 2012 20:00 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Karen Coyle kco...@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net ph: 1-510-540-7596 m: 1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
There are plenty users who go beyond screen 2, I know I do. Dave Caroline
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Of course they do. This might help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Average On 9/20/12 10:52 AM, Dave Caroline wrote: There are plenty users who go beyond screen 2, I know I do. Dave Caroline -- Karen Coyle kco...@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net ph: 1-510-540-7596 m: 1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
On 2012-09-20 14:39, Karen Coyle wrote: What is the net result of the fact that users don't go generally beyond screen 2? (In the U of Calif catalog, it meant that no one looked beyond items with a author whose name sorted in the A's.) Umm... (even more) crappy scholarship? - mt -- * Marc Truitt University Librarian, voice : 506-364-2567 Mount Allison Universitye-mail : mtru...@mta.ca Libraries and Archives fax: 49 York Street cell : 506-232-0503 Sackville, NB E4L 1C6 There is a grave inconsistency between the requirements for academic excellence and professional achievement and the student-pleasing priorities of the youth-centred realities of our time. It remains to be seen what gives first: the standards and requirements of the academy or the expectations and demands of young people. - Ken Coates and Bill Morrison, 2011 * -- * Marc Truitt Associate University Librarian, Bibliographic and Information Voice : 780-492-4770 Technology Services e-mail : marc.tru...@ualberta.ca University of Alberta Libraries fax: 780-492-9243 Cameron Library cell : 780-217-0356 Edmonton, AB T6G 2J8 But all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream And the steel rails still ain't heard the news The conductor sings his songs again, The passengers will please refrain This train's got the disappearing railroad blues. -- Steve Goodman, 1970 * -- * Marc Truitt University Librarian, voice : 506-364-2567 Mount Allison Universitye-mail : mtru...@mta.ca Libraries and Archives fax: 49 York Street cell : 506-232-0503 Sackville, NB E4L 1C6 Well, I left my happy home to see what I could find out I left my folk and friends with the aim to clear my mind out Well, I hit the rowdy road and many kinds I met there Many stories told me of the way to get there... -- Cat Stevens (1970) *
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
On 9/20/2012 1:39 PM, Karen Coyle wrote: So, given this, and given that in a decent-sized catalog users regularly retrieve hundreds or thousands of items, what is the best way to help them grok that set given that the number of records is too large for the user to look at them one-by-one to make a decision? Can the fact that the data is in a database help users get a feel for what they have retrieved without having to look at every record? I've often felt that, if it can be properly presented, facets are a really great way to do this. Facets (with hit counts next to every value) give you a 'profile' of a result set that is too large for you to get a sense of otherwise, they give you a sort of descriptive statistical summary of it. When the facets are 'actionable', as they are usually, they also let you then drill down to particular aspects of the giant result set you are interested in, and get a _different_ 2.5 screens of results you'll look at. Of course, library studies also often show that our users don't use the facets, heh. But there are a few conflicting studies that shows they are used a significant minority of the time. I think it may have to do with UI issues of how the facets are presented. It's also important to remember that it doesn't neccesarily represent a failure if the user's don't engage with the results beyond the first 2.5 screens -- it may mean they got what they wanted/needed in those first 2.5 screens. And likewise, that it's okay for us libraries to develop features which are used only by significant minorities of our users (important to remember what our logs show is really significant minorities of _uses_. All users using a feature 1% of the time can show up the same as 1% of users using a feature 100% of the time). We are not lowest common denominator, while we need to make our interfaces _usable_ by everyone (lowest common denominator perhaps), it's part of our mission to provide functionality in those interfaces for especially sophisticated uses that won't be used by everyone all the time.
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Promoting our own site: http://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org We are aggregating bibliographic records from 48 European national libraries, major research libraries and some other free sources. We also feature some special exhibitions, full text content and some federated search for those collections that cannot be harvested. It is a complete in-house development,Java/Solr based, from aggregation and processing framework to frontend, using Apache Wicket. Regards, Rene Wiermer
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
I keep on thinking about how infrequently I use search to surface the media that I want. I mean, if I was doing serious research yeah I'd search and drill way past 2.5 pages of results, I'd look at facets, I'd go bananas getting to the stuff I need to get to. But increasingly I deal with interfaces that treat search as a secondary feature, with predictive or popular results being visually pushed to the 'home page'. Think about your Apple TV, for example. On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 4:00 PM, Rene Wiermer rwier...@googlemail.comwrote: Promoting our own site: http://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org We are aggregating bibliographic records from 48 European national libraries, major research libraries and some other free sources. We also feature some special exhibitions, full text content and some federated search for those collections that cannot be harvested. It is a complete in-house development,Java/Solr based, from aggregation and processing framework to frontend, using Apache Wicket. Regards, Rene Wiermer -- Nate Hill nathanielh...@gmail.com http://4thfloor.chattlibrary.org/ http://www.natehill.net
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
On Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 4:13 PM, Nate Hill wrote: I keep on thinking about how infrequently I use search to surface the media that I want. If this includes Google, I would say you are in the solid minority with this approach to discovery. I mean, if I was doing serious research yeah I'd search and drill way past 2.5 pages of results, I'd look at facets, I'd go bananas getting to the stuff I need to get to. I guess I'm skeptical about this pages and pages of results for stuff that people are researching. Going back to Google (where searches frequently result in thousands of pages of results), I'm really only overwhelmed with the signal to noise ratio when I'm trying to search for a very specific problem that has very common terms. Like Airplay icon not appearing. But increasingly I deal with interfaces that treat search as a secondary feature, with predictive or popular results being visually pushed to the 'home page'. Think about your Apple TV, for example. This is actually a feature I never use on my Apple TV. Analogous would be Amazon's homepage (I can't say I've ever serendipitously bought something 'recommended' for me on the homepage, although I have bought recommended things after search) or Netflix. I do sometimes use Netflix's suggestions to help jog my memory of stuff to search for, however. I think, at the end of the day, discovery is hard and is VERY specific to the task, collection and individual (all three of which are variables) and shouldn't be limited to a particular approach. -Ross.
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
And likewise, that it's okay for us libraries to develop features which are used only by significant minorities of our users (important to remember what our logs show is really significant minorities of _uses_. All users using a feature 1% of the time can show up the same as 1% of users using a feature 100% of the time). We are not lowest common denominator, while we need to make our interfaces _usable_ by everyone (lowest common denominator perhaps), it's part of our mission to provide functionality in those interfaces for especially sophisticated uses that won't be used by everyone all the time. Exactly. When designing services, it is natural for people to use popularity based metrics (i.e. how much does something get used) as an indicator of quality. But such logic is dangerous, because if we accept it we must agree that McDonalds makes the best food on earth. The value is of what we produce is ultimately in the impact, and limitations in the tools commonly used to quantify this should not be used as a substitute for thinking. kyle
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Jonathan, I, too, like the use of facets. I wish we could do something a bit more zing with them, like present them as word clouds or something a bit more appealing than term (number) but I think the basic data is there. Facets, as we use them, though, function as set *narrowing* tools. That's very useful when you have a large set, but I'd like to see another function that leads users to nearby areas -- this obviously invokes the idea of topic maps. although I have to admit that topic maps don't always seem very provocative. There's probably some way that we could do them better. I do think that both facets and topic maps may work better using FAST-type headings rather than full LCSH pre-coordinated subject headings. That FAST is derived from LCSH (rather than being developed specifically as a faceted classification) probably makes it something of an under-performer, but the related subjects that appear on the Open Library subject pages give a clue as to how something like this might work. I'd love to see more experimentation in this direction. kc On 9/20/12 12:55 PM, Jonathan Rochkind wrote: On 9/20/2012 1:39 PM, Karen Coyle wrote: So, given this, and given that in a decent-sized catalog users regularly retrieve hundreds or thousands of items, what is the best way to help them grok that set given that the number of records is too large for the user to look at them one-by-one to make a decision? Can the fact that the data is in a database help users get a feel for what they have retrieved without having to look at every record? I've often felt that, if it can be properly presented, facets are a really great way to do this. Facets (with hit counts next to every value) give you a 'profile' of a result set that is too large for you to get a sense of otherwise, they give you a sort of descriptive statistical summary of it. When the facets are 'actionable', as they are usually, they also let you then drill down to particular aspects of the giant result set you are interested in, and get a _different_ 2.5 screens of results you'll look at. Of course, library studies also often show that our users don't use the facets, heh. But there are a few conflicting studies that shows they are used a significant minority of the time. I think it may have to do with UI issues of how the facets are presented. It's also important to remember that it doesn't neccesarily represent a failure if the user's don't engage with the results beyond the first 2.5 screens -- it may mean they got what they wanted/needed in those first 2.5 screens. And likewise, that it's okay for us libraries to develop features which are used only by significant minorities of our users (important to remember what our logs show is really significant minorities of _uses_. All users using a feature 1% of the time can show up the same as 1% of users using a feature 100% of the time). We are not lowest common denominator, while we need to make our interfaces _usable_ by everyone (lowest common denominator perhaps), it's part of our mission to provide functionality in those interfaces for especially sophisticated uses that won't be used by everyone all the time. -- Karen Coyle kco...@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net ph: 1-510-540-7596 m: 1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
I made this sound like way too much of a blanket statement. I agree with you. Allow me to refine what im saying a little later... On Thursday, September 20, 2012, Ross Singer wrote: On Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 4:13 PM, Nate Hill wrote: I keep on thinking about how infrequently I use search to surface the media that I want. If this includes Google, I would say you are in the solid minority with this approach to discovery. I mean, if I was doing serious research yeah I'd search and drill way past 2.5 pages of results, I'd look at facets, I'd go bananas getting to the stuff I need to get to. I guess I'm skeptical about this pages and pages of results for stuff that people are researching. Going back to Google (where searches frequently result in thousands of pages of results), I'm really only overwhelmed with the signal to noise ratio when I'm trying to search for a very specific problem that has very common terms. Like Airplay icon not appearing. But increasingly I deal with interfaces that treat search as a secondary feature, with predictive or popular results being visually pushed to the 'home page'. Think about your Apple TV, for example. This is actually a feature I never use on my Apple TV. Analogous would be Amazon's homepage (I can't say I've ever serendipitously bought something 'recommended' for me on the homepage, although I have bought recommended things after search) or Netflix. I do sometimes use Netflix's suggestions to help jog my memory of stuff to search for, however. I think, at the end of the day, discovery is hard and is VERY specific to the task, collection and individual (all three of which are variables) and shouldn't be limited to a particular approach. -Ross. -- Nate Hill nathanielh...@gmail.com http://4thfloor.chattlibrary.org/ http://www.natehill.net
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Salvete! Jonathan, I, too, like the use of facets. I wish we could do something a bit more zing with them, like present them as word clouds or something a bit more appealing than term (number) but I think the basic data is there. Facets, as we use them, though, function as set *narrowing* tools. That's very useful when you have a large set, but I'd like to see another function that leads users to nearby areas -- this obviously invokes the idea of topic maps. although I have to admit that topic maps don't always seem very provocative. There's probably some way that we could do them better. I do think that both facets and topic maps may work better using FAST-type headings rather than full LCSH pre-coordinated subject headings. That FAST is derived from LCSH (rather than being developed specifically as a faceted classification) probably makes it something of an under-performer, but the related subjects that appear on the Open Library subject pages give a clue as to how something like this might work. I'd love to see more experimentation in this direction. Mebbe summat like http://liveplasma.com/ ? I have ever thought that it was quite sexy, and shamlessly used it for music collection development and listener's advisory. Now it's bigger than just music, which is sweet as, bro. Cheers, Brooke
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
On 9/20/12 2:54 PM, BWS Johnson wrote: Mebbe summat like http://liveplasma.com/ ? I have ever thought that it was quite sexy, and shamlessly used it for music collection development and listener's advisory. Now it's bigger than just music, which is sweet as, bro. Cheers, Brooke Hmm. Do they tell you anywhere how they make their connections between works? There's something similar being experimented with by the National Library of Spain: http://bne.linkeddata.es/graphvis/ This is just experimental and I don't know what drives this particular picture, which seems to be focused around Cervantes -- kc -- Karen Coyle kco...@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net ph: 1-510-540-7596 m: 1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
It may not be what you are thinking of, but see http://trove.nla.gov.au/ the best way to see it in action is to do a search. Penelope Campbell | Library Manager Department of Family and Community Services | Housing NSW T 02 8753 8732 | F 02 8753 8734 A Ground Floor, 223-239 Liverpool Road Ashfield NSW, 2131 A Locked bag 4001 Ashfield BC NSW, 1800 E penelope.campb...@facs.nsw.gov.au W www.housing.nsw.gov.au == Security Statement This email may be confidential and contain privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, disclose, copy or distribute this email, including any attachments. Confidentiality and legal privilege attached to this communication are not waived or lost by reason of mistaken delivery to you. If you have received the email in error please delete and notify the sender. Any views expressed in this email are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the department, except where the sender expressly, and with authority, states them to be the views of the Department of Family and Community Services NSW. The department does not represent, warrant or guarantee that the integrity of this email has been maintained, or that the communication is free of error, virus, interception, inference or interference. ==
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
On 21/09/12 12:52, Penelope Campbell wrote: It may not be what you are thinking of, but see http://trove.nla.gov.au/ the best way to see it in action is to do a search. http://www.digitalnz.org/ and it's skins such as http://nzresearch.org.nz/ are also pretty good, not that I'm trying to encourage trans-Tasman rivalry. cheers stuart -- Stuart Yeates Library Technology Services http://www.victoria.ac.nz/library/
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Hi, Tania. I think there are some amazing examples among these Blacklight interfaces: https://github.com/projectblacklight/blacklight/wiki/Examples There are a bunch there, but I'll let the people who maintain them tout their own. Of course I'm particularly partial to SearchWorks, our instance here at Stanford: http://searchworks.stanford.edu You don't mention institutional repository interfaces, but I believe they successfully and elegantly integrate discovery of various resources, so maybe these examples of hydra will be of interest too: http://projecthydra.org/apps-demos-2-2-2/ Cheers, Bess On Sep 19, 2012, at 12:00 PM, Tania Fersenheim wrote: Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Tania Fersenheim Manager of Library Systems Brandeis University Library and Technology Services 415 South Street, (MS 017/P.O. Box 549110) Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: 781.736.4698 Fax: 781.736.4577 email: tan...@brandeis.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
It's not a library, but the McMaster-Carr product catalog is a classic: http://www.mcmaster.com/ Keith On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 3:00 PM, Tania Fersenheim tan...@brandeis.edu wrote: Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Tania Fersenheim Manager of Library Systems Brandeis University Library and Technology Services 415 South Street, (MS 017/P.O. Box 549110) Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: 781.736.4698 Fax: 781.736.4577 email: tan...@brandeis.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
Full disclosure -- it IS our library's site -- but the University of Toronto Libraries use a drupal frontend to integrate our library catalogue (Endeca), Summon (local presentation powered by Summon APIs), e-journals (a filtered subset of catalogue data via Endeca), and resource guides (LibGuides). These services, in turn, integrate other data: for example: -- permitted uses (eg licensed rights) data is integrated directly in the catalogue and Summon interfaces for digital titles; -- the catalogue also uses StackMap to display shelf locations for some libraries. -- the catalogue offers a locally-developed shelf browse that integrates print collections system wide with digital collections Start here: http://www.library.utoronto.ca We, in turn, are long-time admirers of the NCSU libraries and their discovery interface work (http://library.ncsu.edu/) Sian Meikle -- Sian Meikle 416.946.3689 (work)416.978.1668 (fax) 130 St. George St, 7th floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A5 Interim Director, ITS, University of Toronto Libraries From: Code for Libraries [CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tania Fersenheim [tan...@brandeis.edu] Sent: September-19-12 3:00 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers Got a favorite discovery interface? Send me the URL I am doing some quick dirty investigation into libraries that have successfully and elegantly integrated discovery of various resources, e.g.: - library catalog - federated indexing service such as Serials Solutions or Primo Central, or a federated search system like Metalib - ejournals - ebooks - libguides - library web site - worldcat local - that kind o' stuff I am looking for sites that are both nice to look at and seem easy to use. I will assume that if you're touting your own site it is technologically sophisticated. :-D Got any faves? Tania -- Tania Fersenheim Manager of Library Systems Brandeis University Library and Technology Services 415 South Street, (MS 017/P.O. Box 549110) Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: 781.736.4698 Fax: 781.736.4577 email: tan...@brandeis.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Seeking examples of outstanding discovery layers
I love the Trove from the National Library of Australia ; http://trove.nla.gov.au/ Alex -- Project Wrangler, SOA, Information Alchemist, UX, RESTafarian, Topic Maps --- http://shelter.nu/blog/ -- -- http://www.google.com/profiles/alexander.johannesen ---
