[WEB4LIB] RE: Library web presence (was Re: Re: In defense of stupid

[Mike Beccaria]

That is an amazing site. Thanks for that example. If others have examples that they know of that are unique and/or more useful than the traditional library homepage/OPAC, please share. 
 
Mike

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: Jim Campbell [mailto:campbell at virginia.edu] 
	Sent: Fri 5/6/2005 4:13 PM 
	To: Multiple recipients of list 
	Cc: 
	Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: Library web presence (was Re: Re: In defense of stupid
	
	

	Brigham Young
	http://www.lib.byu.edu
	is a nice example of a Web site that is both a representational homepage for
	the library and a tool for finding information - click on the "Search by"
	links.
	
	- Jim Campbell
	
	Digital Access Coordinator and
	Librarian for German
	University of Virginia Library
	Voice: 434-924-4985
	E-Mail: Campbell at Virginia.Edu
	
	
	
	> -----Original Message-----
	> From: web4lib at webjunction.org
	> [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Randy Norwood
	> Sent: Friday, May 06, 2005 3:17 PM
	> To: Multiple recipients of list
	> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Library web presence (was Re: Re: In
	> defense of stupid
	>
	> Well said.
	>
	> Do you know of some good examples where this approach has
	> been implemented (even if imperfectly)? Would it be a
	> portal-type front end?
	>
	> One problem with federated searching, especially as it
	> includes more and more types of content under its umbrella,
	> is that less-experienced users may not understand the scope
	> of the "information space" they're in. This continues to be
	> an issue in the simple situation of users searching the
	> library web site (the "pages", not the OPAC, databases,
	> journals, etc).
	> Perhaps this would be overcome if the web site search results
	> were included and described or presented in such a way that
	> their limitations were clear to average undergrad level students.
	>
	>
	> --
	> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	> Randy Norwood
	> Web  Manager
	> Texas Tech University Libraries
	> Office: 806-742-2238  x236
	> Fax: 806-742-8669
	> E-mail: randy.norwood at ttu.edu
	>
	>
	>
	>
	> On 05/06/05 1:33 PM, "William Melody"
	> <w-melody at northwestern.edu> wrote:
	>
	> > I think there's this assumption that the current library
	> tools meet the
	> > needs of advanced users.  They don't at all.  I've seen library web
	> > interfaces that come close to being usable, but very, very
	> > few.  Researchers of all skill levels use Google because
	> library tools are
	> > so atrocious.  Federated searching will help, but it's not
	> the ultimate
	> > solution.  Apple doesn't try to pack all of the
	> functionality of Final Cut
	> > Pro into an iMovie interface.  If librarians consciously
	> recognized that
	> > library web interfaces as a whole are web /applications/
	> that need to have
	> > UIs that behave as expected, patrons wouldn't be turned off by
	> > them.  Google isn't going to go anywhere.  Therefore, the
	> natural role of
	> > the library is as an advanced information retrieval system, and the
	> > interfaces should reflect that role.
	> >
	> > The web presence of a large academic library (the only kind
	> of library I
	> > know about) has become a web application to the users, but the user
	> > interfaces have not caught up.  That's probably the most fundamental
	> > difference between Google and libraries today: Google
	> recognizes that it is
	> > an application and immediately provides you with the UI
	> while libraries are
	> > still stuck in the mind set of web 'pages.'
	> >
	> > - William Melody
	> >
	> >
	> >
	> > William Melody
	> > Interlibrary Loan
	> > Northwestern University Library
	> > 1970 Campus Dr.
	> > Evanston, IL   60208-2323
	> > T. 847.491.3382
	> > w-melody at northwestern.edu
	> > www.bibliotheke.org
	> >
	> >
	> >
	>
	>
	>