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Websites of libraries

Paul Nieuwenhuysen

• Vrije Universiteit Brussel

• Information- and Library Science, University of Antwerp,

Belgium

Lecture presented at KUL, February 2003, at the occasion of the international workshop organised by VLIR and KUL on co-operation between libraries in the VLIR inter-university cooperation program

These slides are available fromhttp://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/presentations/

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Contents / summary

of this presentation

1. Why websites of libraries?

2. Technical aspects of website development

3. Ideas for co-operation?

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Websites of libraries

Why websites of libraries?

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Library WWW sites: example

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

Have a look online through the Internet at a library WWW site.

Have a look online through the Internet at a library WWW site.

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“Collection development” in information centres: introduction

• We can distinguish two classes of activities in collection development:

»Classical, traditional acquisitions of documents in hard copy or on CD-ROM or DVD for local storage (and in many cases conservation) and of course for usage.

»Relatively recent activities related to licensing access to information available online through the Internet and the WWW.

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“Collection development” in information centres: hard copy

User / Reader

Hard copy

Collection development

Information centre / Library

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“Collection development” in information centres: hard copy

User / Reader

Searching + using

Hard copy

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Digital / electronic / virtual library: introduction

• Access to a growing amount of information is provided by combining

»classical, traditional, standardised methods, practices and structures used in physical libraries and archives,

»computers and computing power that is decreasing in price,

»the growing communication possibilities of electronic, digital networks like the Internet.

• This leads to a growing number of so-called “digital (or virtual or electronic) libraries”.

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Digital / electronic / virtual library: scheme

Structures, practices, and methods of physical libraries and archives

InternetComputing power that is decreasing in price

Digital / electronic / virtuallibrary

Digital / electronic / virtuallibrary

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“Collection development” in information centres: hard + digital

User / Reader

Collection development

Information centre

Electronic, digital

resources

Hard copy

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“Collection development” in information centres: hard + digital

User / Reader

Searching

Electronic,

digital resources

Hard copy

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Organizing access to information in information centres: hybrid libraries

User / Reader

Searching + using

Hard copy + electronic, digital resources in an integrated, hybrid library

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Organizing access to information in information centres: the problem

• Users should be guided in finding their way through the maze, through the labyrinth that is formed by all available information systems and services.

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Organizing access to information in information centres: introduction

• How to organize access depends of course on the type of information source:

»Storage, organisation and conservation/preservation of collected hard-copy documents.

»Providing access to online computer-based information sources.

»+ Integrating access to all types of information as far as possible in a so-called “hybrid library”.

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Integrating access to all types of information in information centres (1)

• Users are in general more interested in the contents of the information carriers (documents) than in the type of information carrier such as hard copy or computer-based.

• Therefore, an information centre should try to offer access in a way that offers all documents nicely integrated, irrespective of the type of document / information carrier.In this way the so called “hybrid libraries” are created.

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Integrating access to all types of information in information centres (2)

• However, acess to all types of documents cannot be fully integrated in an ideal way.

• Some tools can help to integrate access. For instance:

»An integrated library management system that offers a catalogue that points not only to hard-copy documents, but also to online accessible information.

»A website created, offered, and maintained by an information centre can point out how to access the hard copy documents and can offer hyperlinks to online accessible documents.

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Integrating access to all types of information in information centres (3)

Web site created, offered, and maintained

by an information centre

1 or several catalogues created, offered, and maintained

by an information centre

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Web sites developed by information centres: introduction

• Information centres can create a website on the Internet as a gateway to the available information and to the services offered by the centre.

• Through this website, the information centre can attempt to integrate access to information sources in various formats accessible through various media.

• Such a “WWW-based guide” can be interesting for internal as well as well as external users of the services offered by the information centre.

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Web sites developed by information centres: contents

The contents of such a website can consist of

»descriptions of information services offered (with electronic mail addresses or direct links)

»one or several catalogues or databases

—built by the information centre

—not built by the information centre, but made available online by the information centre

»links to information sources and services offered by external organisations

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Web sites developed by information centres: links (Part 1)

The links to information sources and services offered by external organisations can bring the user to

1. all bibliographic databases and electronic journals, for which is paid, because not everyone in the world can have access!!

2. a selection of Internet-based search tools that are available free of charge to everyone in the world!(such as directories for browsing and indexes for searching WWW sites, books, journal articles, discussion groups…)

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Web sites developed by information centres: links (Part 2)

3. a selection of interesting, high quality databases and electronic journals, that are accessible free of charge to everyone (for instance the bibliographic medical database PubMed and Open Access scientific research journals)

4. a selection of other interesting information sources?

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Organizing access to information in information centres: Internet access

• To allow clients to access to computer-based information resources, information centres can provide access to computers (classical pc’s or notebook pc’s or…) that are

— connected to the Internet,

— equipped with suitable software

— secured against viruses and attacks of users

— maintained well

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Education in finding and managing information

• To make sure that information sources are better appreciated, used, managed and exploited, the users and potential users should receive some education / training / instruction.

• This activity can be taken care of by schools, universities, or by the libraries.

• Ideally this should be offered in several formats:

»as stand-alone, separate activities

» integrated with the pointers/links to information on the website

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Organizing access to information in information centres: user feedback

• The system developed by the information centre to organize access to information should be

»adapted regularly to a changing world

» improved (within time and budget constraints of course)

• User feedback can be useful here.Users should be stimulated to provide comments on the website, and these comments should be directed to a person who is responsible for this kind of work.A suitable method here is the inclusion of feedback forms for email in the web pages.

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Organizing access to information in information centres: user studies

• A few website users should be selected from various categories of the user community and the way they work with your website should be studied. The observation of their behaviour and the comments by those users can be useful and interesting to improve your website.

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Organizing access to information: co-operation among organizations

• Co-operation with other organizations in the field of access to digital information may be desirable in

»purchasing access to electronic/digital sources (by forming “consortia”)

»development and maintenance of links to electronic/digital sources through the WWW

»development of study materials in the domain of information literacy

»development and maintenance of tools to manage digital information sources

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Organizing access to information in organizations: evolution of roles

LibrariesOthers

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Organizing access to information in organizations: evolution of roles

Libraries

Computer centres

Others

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Organizing access to information in organizations: evolution of roles

Libraries

Computer centres

Electronic learningenvironments

Others

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Organizing access to information in organizations: evolution of roles

Libraries

Computer centres

Electronic learningenvironments

Management of intranet

Others

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Organizing access to information: co-operation among departments

• Co-operation with other departments in the organization/institute in the field of access to digital information may be desirable.

• For instance with

»centre for computing end networking

»managers of the local central electronic learning platform

»managers of distributed, departmental information centres

»managers of the local intranet

»…

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Organizing access to digital information: some conclusions

• Organizing access to digital information has become a new, additional role for libraries.

• Still in full evolution No standard solutions.

• Skills related to information and communication technology of library personnel become more and more important.

• Competitors claim part of the same role.

• Co-operation may be useful in this field.

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

Have a close look online through the Internet at a library WWW site.

Have a close look online through the Internet at a library WWW site.

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Technical aspects of website development

Websites of libraries

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Developing web documents: introduction

Different ways to describe the same activity:

• developing / creating / editing / authoring WWW / web / HTML documents

• HTML editing / authoring

• editing / authoring for the web/WWW/intranet

• ...

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Developing web documents: simple programs for editing

To create documents in HTML, you can use

• a simple text editor

such as Windows Notepad, Windows WordPad

• an HTML editor included in a web browser

such as Netscape including (Page) Composer

• a word processor with integrated HTML facilities

such as Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002=XP…

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

Start a simple program to create web pages (files, documents,

NOT classical pages to be printed), and create and save a very simple new page.

Check if this shows up well in a web browser.

Start a simple program to create web pages (files, documents,

NOT classical pages to be printed), and create and save a very simple new page.

Check if this shows up well in a web browser.

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

Split in groups of persons that work in a similar situation,

join one of these groups, and try to develop a reasonable scheme

of a library web structure .

(Try if sticky notes are useful in this work.)

Split in groups of persons that work in a similar situation,

join one of these groups, and try to develop a reasonable scheme

of a library web structure .

(Try if sticky notes are useful in this work.)

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Developing web documents: advanced programs for editing

• a more specialized, dedicated program for the creation and maintenance of web documents and sites, such as

» (Adobe PageMill) Adobe GoLive !

» Allaire HomeSite

» Claris HomePage

» Macromedia Dreamweaver !!

» Microsoft FrontPage versions 97, 98, 2000, XP=2002… !! see news:microsoft.public.frontpage.client

» NetObjects Fusion !

» SoftQuad HoTMetaL

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

What can the specialized programs for website creation and maintenance

do more or better than the simpler programs

for web page editing?

What can the specialized programs for website creation and maintenance

do more or better than the simpler programs

for web page editing?

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Programs for website development: advanced features

• Verification of hyperlinks !!

• Cascading Style Sheets !!

• Creating reports (size and number of files, warnings,…) !

• Showing the hyperlinks from any page in a graph !

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Developing websites: programs on a server

• In contrast with client-based programs to edit web pages and to manage websites, some servers offer online accessible programs for these functions.

• This is an example of an online ASP = Application Software Provider.

• When using such a system, only basic, common, general editing software is required on the client to create texts, images/pictures…

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

Which program will you use to edit HTML documents?

Which program will you use to edit HTML documents?

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

Start a program for HTML editing, create a new web,

and create and save a very simple new page in that web.

Check if this shows up well in a web browser.

Start a program for HTML editing, create a new web,

and create and save a very simple new page in that web.

Check if this shows up well in a web browser.

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Developing websites: development phases (Part 1)

1. Conception

»Write a mission statement.

»Evaluate your intended audience.

»Think about possible content.

»Formulate the web structure with hyperlinks, and perhaps with a hierarchy of file folders.

»Search, find and study similar and/or competing websites to get ideas.

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Developing websites: development phases (Part 2)

2. Design

»Content

»Creativity

»Technical aspects

3. Test

4. Roll-out

5. Maintenance and improvement

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Developing web documents: basic guidelines (Part 1)

• Follow most of the older, more classical guidelines applicable to the creation of non-web documents and presentations without or with hyperlinks.

»Spell accurately.

»Use good grammar.

»Keep the lay-out simple.

»Keep texts short. Be brief.

»Note the version date on the document.

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Developing web documents: basic guidelines (Part 2)

»Clearly identify the author.

»Provide facilities for easy feedback and comments by the user/reader of your documents

—by mentioning your own e-mail address or another relevant e-mail address, and

—by providing a link of the mailto: type to your e-mail address, or

—(by offering a feedback form)

»Be clear about the copyright status of the material.

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Developing websites: guidelines related to structure

• Put yourself in the shoes of potential, inexperienced readers/users; try to imagine how they will approach the document.

• Structure your information to take advantage of the hypertext environment;do not put everything on 1 page; break into pieces which can stand on their own, and link to the other pieces;however, avoid exaggeration which leads to scattered information which is hard to collect and/or print.

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Developing websites: guidelines related to the URL

• Try to create meaningful URLs that approximate natural language for clarity and better retrieval.

• Try to have short URLs.(This is of course directly related to the folder/directory/path structure of your website.)

• Avoid renaming your files, to avoid changing URLs.

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Developing websites: guidelines related to accessibility (1)

• Try to serve your documents from a fast computer on a fast network link, that is accessible 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, all year.

• Make sure your documents display well in different browsers / clients (including non-graphics systems).

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Developing websites: guidelines related to accessibility (2)

• Avoid moving your files to another directory or server computer.If you move an HTML page anyway, then replace it with a small page that is almost empty and that links to the new location.

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!? Question !? Task !? Problem !?

Use the program that you have chosen for HTML editing,

and create a page that includes graphics.

Use the program that you have chosen for HTML editing,

and create a page that includes graphics.

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Developing websites: placing documents on a web server

• To make your documents/pages/site available through the web, you place them on a web server

»at your Internet Service Provider, or

»on your own server, or

»on another server, such as http://geocities.yahoo.com/home/

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Developing websites: which web server to use?

• When you must decide which web server to use, consider

»costs

»support

»continuous, permanent availability; good maintenance

»fast access from your institute OR your region OR from other parts of the world?

»absence of advertisements inserted by the server’s company on your web pages

»…

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Developing websites: information sources

See for instance

The Library Web Manager's Reference Center

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/RefCenter/

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Developing websites: recommended reading

Lynch, Patrick J., and Horton, Sarah

Web style guide: basic design principles for creating web sites. New Haven and London : Yale University Press, 1999, 164 pp.1. Process

2. Interface design

3. Site design

4. Page design

5. Typography

6. Editorial style

7. Web graphics

8. Multimedia

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Ideas for co-operation?

Websites of libraries

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Web sites and libraries: ideas for co-operation?

At least one proposal here:

• VLIR can organise a training workshop for all interested libraries that are related to the VLIR university co-operation projects. One workshop topic can be development of a website.

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Websites and libraries: contents of a proposed workshop

• The participants are supported/guided by two experts.

• They can

1. show what they have already locally available related to web sites,

2. work together on developing or improving their individual local website,

3. present their work to each other, at the end of the workshop, which can lead to constructive discussions.

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Thank you

Any questions?

The slides are available through the WWW fromhttp://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/presentations/