Virtual Library Notes

Encore

Encore is a front end to the catalog for keyword searching only. III describes it as a ‘discovery’ tool. It’s for patrons who don’t know what they are looking for and want to do a ‘google’ type search in the catalog. Once results are found the patron can then narrow down the results my using what is call ‘facets’ aka limits like format, publication date, language or collections.

Westerville Public Library is a good example: http://www.westervillelibrary.org/

               
Click picture to enlarge

On the right side of the results it provides 3 “Recently Added”.  Since it takes the last 3 bib records added to the system (by cat date) (they could be old books) westerville choose to relabel the section “Popular Choices”, which they may or may not be.  There another section for other searches and then the “tag cloud” which in this case are the subject headings assigned by catalogers.  Patrons can not add their own tags.

For patrons who know what they want i.e. a specific author or title or subject, they need to use Web Pac Pro (our current catalog).  This makes Encore a supplement to the catalog not a replacement. Libraries are struggling with how to best present a search option(s) to patrons. 

There are alternatives which might do a better job of presenting the catalog to patrons. Here are few to view and leave your comments as to what you like or dislike about them.

Ann Arbor Public Library uses Drupal

Plymouth State uses Scribilio, (wordpress blog software with an III API) allows patrons to “review or comment on items, allows patron tags and provides up to date holdings information.

Aurora Public Library uses a script to pull into the results page the limiting options found in advance search to refine the search.

RSS Feeds and Library News

Library news can be generated in RSS Feed format so patrons could sign up for an RSS feed and get the lastest information about library events, books, etc.  RSS feeds can also be added into the library catalog to keep patrons informed.  There are two ways patrons can view feeds:

1. FireFox and IE7 have build-in feed readers.  On IE7 look up at the top of your browser, do you see a little orange square? if not hold down the ctrl+shift+J keys all together and your feed list opens up under “Favorites”.  Here’s what I have:

2. Use a search engine like iGoogle or My Yahoo to display your feeds.  The advantage to this method, you can use any computer connected to the Internet to see them.  The first option, provides for them only on one computer. Here’s what my iGoogle feeds look like:

That was the morning sessions onto the afternoon sessions.