Scriblio a wordpress overlay for your existing opac

I came across a reference to Scriblio, a WordPress overlay aka frontend of ILS systems  in a Library 2.0 book yesterday. I thought I’d share it with you all since it does many of the things that some of the ILS vendors were describing as costly add ons like Polaris’ portal. This is open source software that has been in place since 2006, so there’s been some time for libraries to work with it and find the weaknesses and strengths.

Here are a few highlights—the links below lead to a lot more information.

Scriblo is an overlay for an existing ILS system so unlike Koha you can keep your existing acquisitions and circulation modules.

Scriblio allows many web 2.0 features.

• RSS feeds
• Faceted searching
• Relevance ranking
• Tagging
• Comments on records, similar to patron reviews.

Scriblio is based on WordPress blogging software that is an open source product. Casey Bisson the developer of Scriblio received a Mellon Foundation award for this project.

Here are a few links you might want to look at. All are available for future reference on the ILS delicious feed linked through the ILSproject blog.

You can read Casey Bisson’s 2006 description of Scriblio (then called WPopac ie: WordPress Opac) here.

A technical specifications page for Scriblio

Take a look at Scriblio in action (Plymouth State University)

Apologies to anyone I missed in this email. Do we need an ILS mailing list?

Using firefox to improve customer satisfaction

Brian Herzog has an interesting post on how his library is replacing Internet Explorer with Firefox because it allows them to improve the browsing experience for patrons by allowing a number of customizations. This seems timely to me in light of Ray’s recent test of adding the Intranet search engine to the Firefox toolbar, which works great. If changing browsers can allow us to add functionality to the catalog (see below) then this seems worthy of investigating further.

Some highlights.

The reason we’re switching is a simple one – Firefox is just cooler. It lets us have more control over how the browser functions, and lets us offer more tools integrated right into the browser. Better for us, better for patrons.

Here’s a list of the customizations we’re making:

Add-Ons

• Public Fox – this is designed to make Firefox a public web browser, as opposed to being used and customized by a single, private person. We’re using it to lock down add-ons, preference, about:config, and a few other things, as well as control what file types can be downloaded
• Menu Editor – also for the control freak in us, this one lets us remove menus from the tool bar (we’re getting rid of bookmarks, help and history)
• Greasemonkey – one of my favorites, this lets us embed custom coding on webpages, such as a link from Amazon to our catalog, and helpful links on our catalog’s “no search results” page (more info on those on our Tech Tools page)
• Add To Search Bar – this fun one lets us easily add our library catalog right to Firefox’s search bar. The other searches we chose to include are Google, Yahoo, Amazon, the Internet Movie Database, Answers.com, Wikipedia, and Merriam-Webster
• IE Tab – For all of those “Best viewed in Internet Explorer” websites, this one lets you toggle back and forth between the Firefox and IE rendering engines, so IE-only pages and scripts will load in Firefox
• Image Zoom – just like what it sounds, this adds zoom controls to the right-click menu, to make images bigger and smaller. This one is most useful to patrons who get emailed digital photos at 1024 x 768 resolution, which is too big for our screens. This lets them zoom out so they can see all of their grandchild’s face at the same time

Read more

The article is saved in the delicious account for this blog for later reference.

Examples of ILS vendor’s online catalogs

The committee asked that I pass on the following information for everyone’s review.

 

To see examples of the following ILS vendor’s online catalogs, please check:

 

http://catalog.cooklib.org/ (Innovative Interfaces with Encore)

 

http://eps.memphislibrary.org/rooms/portal/page/Sirsi_HOME 

(Sirsi Dynix Symphony)

 

http://polariscatalog.piercecountylibrary.org/polaris/default.aspx 

(Polaris)

 

Library Thing For Libraries and why tagging catalog items needs a little push

I’m a big proponent for allowing tagging of books in the catalog and I’ve heard about Library Thing for Libraries for some time but, Karen Schneider over at Free Range Librarian has an interesting post on why tagging in catalogs might simply fail at best or backfire at worst unless it’s given the kind of kickstart that Library Thing for Libraries can provide.  As we prepare for vendor demos this post provides some good context.

Some highlights

(Be sure to read Karen’s full post, i’ve only scratched the surface here also–there’s a great discussion in the comments field, and Michael Casey (of Library Journal) has some interesting things to add)

For some time I’ve been pondering tagging in the context of a user’s workflow. Tagging in library catalogs hasn’t worked yet for a number of reasons, such as these rather obvious points:

• John Blyberg has noted that without critical mass, tagging is useless. I’d go farther and say without critical mass, tagging could backfire, because only the most determined cranks and pranksters might actually use it. A local library catalog is not beefy enough to build critical mass on its own; I don’t know how big or how heavily-used a catalog needs to be, but “a lot” is my guess. (Then there is the issue with the silo-like design of most library software, which keeps social data imprisoned behind proprietary walls.) That is yet another reason I like “LibraryThing for Libraries“: it’s an enrichment service to salt a catalog with an initial mass of high-quality tags built by passionate readers (and also provides that spookily-marvelous if-you-liked-this functionality).
• Some systems that claim to offer tagging make it so high-pain to tag that it works against adoption. I am thinking of the system where to merely SEE the tags a user must log in, and where tags are only searchable in “Advanced Search.” (Carl Grant, if you’re reading this, I owe you a citation on people-don’t-use-advanced-search… you have been very patient.)
• Also, on several occasions I have observed conversations about tagging between vendors and customers where the first words out of a customer’s mouth are “How can I control tagging?” and the vendor then responds in kind. If your primary objective is to “control” tagging, rather than make it work (that is, at minimum, to encourage users to provide quality tags), then the system design, to borrow youthful jargon, will be a FAIL.

PS–I saved this to our delicious feed for easy reference later on.  If you’re interested in adding things to the Sno-Isle ILS delicious feed, let me know and I’ll provide the username and password.

Jim

Integration (Web/3rd Party)

Essentials

Must run on an SQL database.

SQL database must be accessible to customer or 3rd party applications via *DBC or native network connections

Must have plans for IP6 support

Must have SIP2 server capable of authenticating against the borrower records.

SIP2 server must be accessible to customer or 3rd party applications via network connection

Technical questions

How do you provide enhanced content such as reviews, images and annotations?

Can this enhanced content be reused elsewhere on Web site?

Is this enhanced content connected by remote access or do we store locally?

To what extent can users modify or enhance medata such as ratings, reviews, tags etc?

Do you allow for linked folksonomies (tagging) or do you have plans to allow this if we built our own system?

If you allow user generated content, where is it drawn from? For instance, is it just the local system, a consortium, or 3rd party such as LibraryThing?

What, if any, APIs do you provide?

If yes, how are these handled during upgrades or if they break, what is the support?

How customizable is the interface? Can you give us examples?

Do you provide search widgets to use in other areas of Web site?

Can you incorporate other content into an integrated search?

How do they plan to be part of Web 2.0?

What possibilities for mashups are there?

What catalog interfaces do you support?

What 3rd party Web products do you partner with?

Hardware: x86, sparc?

Operating System: Linux, Windows, Solaris?

Protocols already supported SIP2, NCIP, SMTP, FTP, etc.

What’s the policy on customizations through an upgrade?

What language translation is supported such as Spanish, Russian, etc.?

What kind of pre-existing support for specific front-ends exist such as default, Aquabrowser, Endeca, etc.

Is there any built-in authentication system for Web databases?

Do they support Shibboleth, ldap, kerberos, etc.?

Do they support cataloging other organization’s online content MARC export?

What about persistent links to catalog? Do they work remotely? Do they support Federated searching or One Stop searching? How about local content?

How does the ILS work with OCLC products?

Database

Oracle, Mysql, MSSQL, Postgres, etc
ODBC, JDBC, native?
What reports system is used?

Application code

Which languages are used?
Is the source open? What is the policy on forking?

Presentation

Web–which language? Validated?
Usable on portables (iphone, pda, etc)?
Specific browser versions/plugins/resolutions required?
ADA friendly?

Below is a list of current integration components that we use or might use. Will system integrate with these?

3M Selfcheck
Tracker
Metrologic USB scanner
EZproxy
Homework Helper
Overdrive
Aquabrowser
iTiva
Syndetics
Serials Solutions
LOL
LTI – Authority control
Self return
Quick chat
Question Point
Evanced calendar
Overdrive
Databases – Gale, EBSCO and more
Alexander Street streaming audio and video
In-house created databases such as magazine listings, podcasts, booklists

Operations Questions for Prospective ILS Vendor

What hardware and software is used?

What training is required? Provided by Vendor or Outsourced?

What skillset is needed to operate, maintain, manage system? DBA/SQL

What programming/operating system languages are used?

Describe fault-tolerance of hardware/software?

Describe implementation of disaster recovery?

What methods are used for backup of data and how often are backups recommended? Tape? Disk?

What methods are available for the migration of reports from the print queue to other media? Webserver for viewing by staff/public; printing on specialized forms (notices); transfer via ftp to other servers automatically.

What monitoring Software do you use to inform Operations Staff that there are problems? (Programs in debug, out of diskspace, file full, memory, etc.). Can this software send text messages to phones?

Describe your migration path to your system.

How does the Operations Staff gain remote access to the system?

How are nightly jobs scheduled? Can these jobs be scheduled once in a scheduler for recurrent execution?

Do you employ SIP2 or NSIP? Which applications and what is the method used to set it up?

Who has access to your reports module? Operations? All Staff? Do you use Crystal Reports?

What monitoring software is provided or recommended including alarm notification by pager/mobile phone when problems occur after hours? How customizable is this product?

Describe the migration path from a prospective client to your system.

What means do you use to notify patrons that they have holds available for pickup, overdue items, courtesy reminders. Is your software capable of sending ‘marketing’ notices to patrons based on particular interests: Biography, Science Fiction, Toddler storeytimes, etc.?

How easy is it to incorporate 3rd Party products? 3M Self-Checks; Patron-logon and Print management using Cash machines.

Which modules have reports and what are they?

Describe your monthend procedure? 

ILS Investigation – Cataloging

Below are the things that we would like to know from the vendors in regards to catalog services. — Colleen

Essential Services

Questions	Responses from Vendor
Does it allow for direct batchloading of records without IT intervention?
Do they allow local record creation?
Does it work well with macros and software such as Macro Express or have built in macro capability?
How easy is it to format and print spine labels? Any special requirements or machines needed?

Questions	Responses from Vendor
How well do they incorporate non-MARC records and data into the system?
How do they integrate tagging into the records?

Editing

Questions	Responses from Vendor
What is the record editing process? Are changes made instantaneous?
Can we edit authority records?
Do they offer a spell checker?

Conversion

Questions	Responses from Vendor
What is the conversion process when adding new items to a record?
Can a converted item be edited?
Is there an express conversion process to add a range of barcodes?
How do they handle overlay when duplicate ISBNs are located?
How do they handle errors when overlays are not successful?

ECommerce Questions for ILS Vendors

 

SIL Staff:  VStevens/BHart                                          Vendor:

ECommerce Questions for ILS Vendors

Do you currently have a product in use at a library that accepts electronic payments (not cash or checks)?
Which libraries are currently using this product?
What forms of payment does your product accept? ·         Credit?                                 ·         Debit?                   ·         Paypal?                                ·         Other?
What equipment is needed for this product to operate? Cashdrawer/cashregister?
What can the customer pay for electronically? ·         Printing ·         Fines ·         Fees ·         Make donations ·         Special services (holds by mail option)
How can customers make payments? At express check machines ·         At circ desk ·         By phone ·         Online through library website
Are electronic payments real time without staff intervention?   What staff intervention is required for electronic payments?
Does your product provide a “loaded” card that can be debited?
Does your product connect to Bank of America?
Does your product interface with Unique Management Systems, our collection agency?
Does your product provide an itemized receipt listing each item paid, and the cost for each item?

 

 

Library 2.0 questions–brainstorming

As a jumpstart to our discussion of Web 2.0 questions, Terry and I brainstormed a few web 2.0 questions for vendors. Please add your thoughts by commenting on this post.

Excerpted from email to the Web 2.0 group:

You can see an example of what is possible by visiting the Ann Arbor District Library. Follow this link to create an account. You do not need a library card number to create an account. Once you’ve created your account, you’ll be able to add tags to items, create reviews, and make comments. Another library I’ve heard good things about but haven’t had time to explore yet is Nashville Public, Topeka Shawnee libraries. If you know of other libraries making use of 2.0 please share them with all of us.

ILS Investigation Web 2.0

General -Account Management features similar to Library Elf

• Calendar view for due dates, overdue items, when holds will expire. The calendar view should link directly to the item in the catalog.
• Ability to manage /view multiple cards-for instance a mother of four small children-see her children’s records

RSS Feeds

SmartPhone compatible

• Holds notification via text messaging
• Catalog should be searchable in a mobile version.

Catalog Features

• Patrons should easily to be able to judge the popularity of an item in the catalog. The available copies and holds should appear in the catalog record before a patron places a hold.
• Want the list price available in the catalog record.
• We want catalog records in natural language.

Lists-We want Amazon style features.

• Can customers maintain themed lists of items read?
• Can these lists be shared ala Amazon-listmania?
• Will these lists be available in a “my lists” area of t heir account?
• Other?

Tags -We want Delicious features.

• Can customers add tags to books in the catalog?
• Will these be tags be available in a “my tags” area of their account?
• Can tags be viewed as either a cloud or list?
• Can customers bundle tags? ie:dissimilar tags under a common heading for instance the tags dishwasher garbage disposal pergo-might all be found under Home Repair
• Can customers geotag.
• Other?

Reviews-Give us IMDB mashed up with Metacritic.

External reviews

• External reviews should be grouped together.
• External reviews should be weighted using an algorithm that gives a greater weight based on the authority of the source. Or if this isn’t possible all reviews should be given numerical value or star rating system that can then be combined into an average.

Patron reviews–check out chili fresh reviews! Also visit Ann Arbor District Library (see note above) you can add reviews two ways 1) similar to chilifresh and 2) create your own old time catalog card with review.

• Can customers create reviews using a 5 star or similar rating that includes text?
• Will the system be able to average those stars to provide an overall score?
• Will other users be able to access reviews written by other customers?
• Can they add comments to those reviews?
• Can they add a useful/not useful vote to these customer reviews?
• Other?

Widgets

• What widgets if any are available to be added to the OPAC? Meebo Me to connect with the reference desk?
• Other?

Categories & Authors explained in plain English.

Categories are WordPress’ way of organizing posts with a similar subject, think of them as subject headings. As you work on this project, you may want to add the appropriate categories for the type of questions you have for ILS vendors.

Since this blog has multiple contributors, it is highly recommended that you identify yourself as the author of your posts.

Tona & Jim