Post on 21-Dec-2015
SOCIAL CATALOGUES: THE NEW FACE OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOGUE
Laurel Tarulli
Collection Access Librarian
Halifax Public Libraries
tarulll@halifax.ca
SOCIAL CATALOGUES: THE NEW FACE OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOGUE
The catalogue: present and future
OCLC Report: Online Catalogs: What Users and Librarians Want
Features of social catalogues
Purchasing a social catalogue/discovery tool
Enhancing the features in our existing library catalogues
Examples
LIBRARY CATALOGUES: THE PRESENTOUR CATALOGUES TODAY
Part of the larger package of an ILS A single component among many components No emphasis by vendor to excel at this component
regardless of the fact this it is the only component that patrons use
Complex search interface
Not consistent with well-established user conventions. Google vs. The library catalogue Amazon vs. The library catalogue
GOOGLE VS. THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE
Google – Ability to personalize homepage
The Library Catalogue – Basic homepage
The Library Catalogue – Basic homepage
The Library Catalogue – Basic homepage
AMAZON VS. THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE
Amazon – Standard Record
AMAZON VS. THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE
Amazon – Standard Record
AMAZON VS. THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE
Amazon – Standard Record
The Library Catalogue – Standard Record
The Library Catalogue – Standard Record
OUR CATALOGUES TODAY CONT...
Unable to rank results according to relevancy or interest
Limited in scope
Tied to print materials and are less able to address electronic content
Unable to deliver online content to user
Lack social network features to engage library users
Lack enriched content in bibliographic records.Library Technology Report, July/August 2007 vol.
43/no.4
ONLINE CATALOGUES: WHAT USERS AND LIBRARIANS WANT
Users – “Seamless discovery through delivery”
Delivery is more important than discovery Where is it? Is it available? Format? How soon can I have it?
Simple search box with option for advanced searching
Easier access to online content and links
ONLINE CATALOGUES: WHAT USERS AND LIBRARIANS WANT
Enriched content such as summaries, tables of contents and excerpts are expected and highly desirable Reviews Ratings Cover art
Relevant search results that are obvious Related subjects and subject categories
Ability to narrow results is important Faceted searching
Online Catalogs: What Users and Librarians Want
An OCLC Report March 2009
ONLINE CATALOGUES: WHAT USERS AND LIBRARIANS WANT
Librarians Merge duplicate records. One record rather than multiple
records of an item due to format or edition
Like users, they would like to see more enriched content, such as summaries, tables of contents and excerpts
Reviews Ratings Cover art
While librarians desire other features, these are the two that ranked the highest. Other features depended on the area of librarianship.
Online Catalogs: What Users and Librarians Want
An OCLC Report March 2009
KEY FINDINGS FOR LIBRARIANS AND USERS
High priority on delivery
Users place more value on access to online content and links than librarians
While librarians believe that standard access points are essential (ex. ISBN), users place more value on enriched content (ex. summaries, tables of contents) for identifying items they want
Enriched content is a priority for both users and librarians – “more subject information”
Online Catalogs: What Users and Librarians Want
An OCLC Report March 2009
SOCIAL CATALOGUES:NEXT-GENERATION LIBRARY CATALOGUES
Why were they created? User expectations Competition with web-based software such as
LibraryThing, Amazon, Google and social networking sites such as Facebook
Limitations of cataloguing module delivered by ILS vendors
Access to larger bodies of content Access to more advanced search technologies Freedom to personalize appearance Freedom to change or update software more frequently,
rather than being tied to the development cycle of an ILS vendor
FEATURES OF SOCIAL CATALOGUES Single sign on
Federated search interface
Expanded scope Discovery and display of all types of content in the collection and beyond
Allows for easier customization and additional software options and enhancements
Ranked results
User intuitive interfaces Did you mean? Feature No dead ends Search suggestions
FEATURES CONT... More cover art images, tables of contents and summaries
More reviews
RSS feed/Twitter New items in the collections New reading lists
Mobile interface/Integration with hand-held devices
User generated contributions Writing reviews Rating items Creating booklists Tagging Adding reading suggestions
FEATURES OF SOCIAL CATALOGUES CONT...
Faceted navigation Narrowing down search results Clustering software
Example: Vivisimo http://vivismo.com
Recommendations Related materials Reading suggestions
HOW DO SOCIAL CATALOGUES WORK?
Overlays the existing catalogue
Pulls content out of the different components of the ILS including bibliographic records and circulation information Requires accurate and uniform records and access points Will find your “bare-bones” records and expose them
Imports content from other sources LibraryThing Tags Full-text
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL CATALOGUES:DISCOVERY TOOLS Open Source
Bibliocommons Oakville Public Library http://opl.bibliocommons.com/dashboard
Evergreen Georgia Library http://gapines.org/opac/en-US/skin/default/xml/index.xml Salt Spring Island Public Library http://saltspring.bclibrary.ca *Natural Resources Canada (13 libraries)
Polaris Brampton Library http://catalogue.bramlib.on.ca/polaris
Koha/SOPAC (ILS system) Nelsonville Public Library http://search.athenscounty.lib.oh.us
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL CATALOGUES/DISCOVERY TOOLS Vendor - Discovery Tools
Worldcat University of Washington http://uwashington.worldcat.org/account/?page=searchItems
AquaBrowser Queens Borough Public Library http://aqua.queenslibrary.org *Halifax Public Libraries (coming soon!)
Endecca North Carolina State University Libraries www.lib.ncsu.edu/catalog McMaster University Library http://libcat.mcmaster.ca/index.jsp
Encore Scottsdale Public Library System http://encore.scottsdaleaz.gov/iii/encore/home?lang=eng
THE FACE OF A SOCIAL CATALOGUE
Koha – Main Page
THE FACE OF A SOCIAL CATALOGUEAquaBrowser – Main Page
AquaBrowser – Short bib display
Encore – Record display
Encore – Record display
PURCHASING A DISCOVERY TOOL
Look at what your competitors are doing. Check out other libraries, play with Amazon, LibraryThing, Facebook and other social catalogues, networks and software. What are they doing? Has it been successful? Why?
Research. Make it broad. What are people saying about social catalogues? Are there surveys to look at? Stories of successes and failures? What about lessons learned on blog posts of first-hand experiences?
PURCHASING A DISCOVERY TOOL
Consider the following:Proprietary vs. Open SourceSystem requirementsUsersBudget, staff resources and time-line
Call vendors and libraries to ask them about their product.Ask for sample RFPs (Requests for proposals)Ask about special customized featuresAddress concerns
“USING WHAT YOU’VE GOT”:IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL FEATURES INTO YOUR EXISTING CATALOGUE
Enriched content from vendors Cover Art Search Inside Features Additional tags, reviews, recommendations
Syndetic Solutions
Google Books
Amazon
LibraryThing for Libraries
IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL FEATURES INTO YOUR EXISTING CATALOGUE Adding enriched content on your own
SummariesTables of contentsAdditional general notes (500s field)ReviewsRSS FeedsRecommended titlesEmbedded live reference chat in the catalogue
Edmonton Public Library http://www.epl.ca David Lee King’s post: Fun with Meebo Widget and the
Library Catalogue http://davidleeking.com/2007/11/30/fun-with-our-meebo-widget-and-the-library-catalog/
WORKING WITH YOUR EXISTING CATALOGUE
Partnering with teams within the libraryCollection Access and Readers’ Services
Halifax Public Libraries Personalized summaries created by the RST that
address appeals and read-a-likes Embedded reading lists Reading suggestions found within bibliographic
records Local genre headings/access points
Coming soon – AquaBrowser!
Halifax Public Libraries:
Collection Access and Readers Services Team working together
Halifax Public Libraries:
Collection Access and Readers Services Team working together
Edmonton Public Library Live Reference Chat in catalogue
RSS Feeds http://www.epl.ca/RSSFeeds/EPLRSSFeeds.cfmhttp://www.epl.ca/eplnewincatalogue.cfm
Book reviews by EPL customers
Add to my list (add to your account)
Recommend this title (send titles/reading suggestions to via email to friends)
WORKING WITH YOUR EXISTING CATALOGUE
Edmonton Public Library:
RSS Feed for New Items in the Catalogue
Edmonton Public Library:
Ask Us located in the Catalogue
Edmonton Public Library:
Ask Us located in the Catalogue
Edmonton Public Library cont...
Catalogue-Lite
What others are reading
Personalized book lists – “You tell us who, what and why you like to read your favourites and we will come up with a list of other titles and others for you to try” – EPL website
Coming soon –BiblioCommons!
CONCLUSION - SOCIAL CATALOGUES
Increases collaboration among cataloguing and other library services
Allows libraries to enter the “playing field” with all of the other web-based social catalogues and software available
Assists in Collection Development and catering our services to our users
The library catalogue becomes the user’s catalogue and personal information space
CONCLUSION
We can implement social features without social catalogues
Promotes user interaction and online social communities
Social catalogues are in our future – “The future is so bright, we’ll have to wear shades” – Karen Calhoun
SOCIAL CATALOGUES: THE NEW FACE OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOGUE
Laurel Tarulli
Collection Access Librarian
Halifax Public Libraries
tarulll@halifax.ca