RBC Info Commons RBC Info Commons WebsiteWebsite

What we need to know before What we need to know before we start?we start?

by Mukul Sethby Mukul Seth

Competitive IntelligenceCompetitive Intelligence

What do other Information Commons What do other Information Commons websites cover?websites cover?

Which topics are the most popular?Which topics are the most popular?

How are they incorporated into the How are they incorporated into the site?site?

IC websites looked atIC websites looked at

Emory UniversityEmory University University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona

University of MinnesUniversity of Minnesotaota

University of IowaUniversity of Iowa

University of CalgarUniversity of Calgaryy

Purdue UniversityPurdue University

University of GeorgiUniversity of Georgiaa

U. Southern CaliforniU. Southern Californiaa

Queen's UniversityQueen's University Indiana UniversityIndiana University

University of TorontUniversity of Torontoo

Australian National Australian National U.U.

U. SaskatchewanU. Saskatchewan University of OtagoUniversity of Otago

Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie University

Content CategoriesContent Categories

What content is on the websites?What content is on the websites?

Which of these categories are Which of these categories are relevant to our Information relevant to our Information Commons?Commons?

How important our they to us?How important our they to us?

Popularity of IC Website Components

15

14 14

11 11 11 11

10

8

6 6

5

4 4

3

2 2 2

0

1

2

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4

5

6

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Inst

ructi

ons

Hard/

Softw

are

Conta

ct

Suppo

rt

Hours

What

's New

About

Intro

duct

ion

Polici

es

Floor M

ap

Room

Boo

king

FAQ

Feedb

ack

Work

shop

s

Borro

w eqi

p.

Pictur

es

Virtua

l tour

IC P

lann

ing

Docs

Component

# IC

Web

site

s

Instructions/Learning AidsInstructions/Learning Aids

Online tutorials on printing, Online tutorials on printing, photocopying, scanning, using a USB photocopying, scanning, using a USB drive…drive…

Help with applications such as Help with applications such as Microsoft Office, Quest, myWaterloo, Microsoft Office, Quest, myWaterloo, UWAce, and the TRELLIS catalogueUWAce, and the TRELLIS catalogue

Usually linked to the How to.. Pages of Usually linked to the How to.. Pages of the library websitethe library website

see see Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie University

Hardware/SoftwareHardware/Software

How many workstations How many workstations (sit-down/stand-up) there are and (sit-down/stand-up) there are and their specificationstheir specifications

Are there any special multimedia Are there any special multimedia workstations?workstations?

What software packages they have What software packages they have installedinstalled

see see U. CalgaryU. Calgary, , U. ArizonaU. Arizona

What’s NewWhat’s New

What current events are taking place What current events are taking place in the library, the university, maybe in the library, the university, maybe the countrythe country

Information about new software, and Information about new software, and software updatessoftware updates

How to get involved in the library?How to get involved in the library?

see see U. DalhousieU. Dalhousie, , U. TorontoU. Toronto

Virtual TourVirtual Tour

Pictures of the facilities, linked from Pictures of the facilities, linked from an interactive floor map of the libraryan interactive floor map of the library

Or a few 360 degree views of the IC Or a few 360 degree views of the IC areas and other areas of the library areas and other areas of the library (would need users to have quick time (would need users to have quick time installed)installed)

see see U. IowaU. Iowa, , PurduePurdue

FeedbackFeedback

Enables the users to provide us with Enables the users to provide us with comments and criticismcomments and criticism

What they like, and what they don’t likeWhat they like, and what they don’t like This information is very useful to us This information is very useful to us

because it helps us get an understanding because it helps us get an understanding of what works well and what doesn’tof what works well and what doesn’t

see U. Calgary, see U. Calgary, U. Dalhousie U. Dalhousie

SupportSupport

Chat online, Email, etcChat online, Email, etc This is the support that is available This is the support that is available

onlineonline The library already has a page that has The library already has a page that has

thesethese We can link directly to that page to We can link directly to that page to

minimize redundancyminimize redundancy

see see U. GeorgiaU. Georgia, U. Waterloo , U. Waterloo

Links toolbarLinks toolbar

The main library links should be The main library links should be made availablemade available

The IC links should remain consistent The IC links should remain consistent on all IC pageson all IC pages

The more relevant links should stand The more relevant links should stand outout

see U. Calgary, U. Iowasee U. Calgary, U. Iowa

How is the IC site linked?How is the IC site linked?

What is the IC website linked asWhat is the IC website linked as– e.g. “Computing in the Library”e.g. “Computing in the Library”

Which category does it fall underWhich category does it fall under– e.g. “Services”, “Resources”, etc…e.g. “Services”, “Resources”, etc…

How prominent is the link?How prominent is the link?– Does it appear at the top?Does it appear at the top?– Does it appear at the bottom?Does it appear at the bottom?

How is the IC site linked?How is the IC site linked?

Most universities just use “Information Most universities just use “Information Commons”, or “Learning Commons”Commons”, or “Learning Commons”

It is listed under different categories for It is listed under different categories for just about every universityjust about every university

Some of the common ones are Some of the common ones are “Services”, or “Quick Links”“Services”, or “Quick Links”

There was no correlation in the There was no correlation in the placement of the IC link from the main placement of the IC link from the main pagepage

Common pagesCommon pages

Some pages such as Policies, Floor Some pages such as Policies, Floor maps, Support will be common maps, Support will be common between the IC pages and the Library between the IC pages and the Library websitewebsite

Instead of creating all new pages Instead of creating all new pages with the exact same information, we with the exact same information, we should create links to those pagesshould create links to those pages

Homepage?Homepage?

Is the Information Commons page Is the Information Commons page the default homepage on the the default homepage on the workstations at other libraries?workstations at other libraries?

Should we consider making it the Should we consider making it the homepage on the workstations in our homepage on the workstations in our Information Commons?Information Commons?

More InfoMore Info

You can go to my website to see the You can go to my website to see the data collected for each university.data collected for each university.

What is the IC at other universities?What is the IC at other universities? Who are we designing the IC site for?Who are we designing the IC site for?

The URL is The URL is http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/~msethhttp://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/~mseth