Libraries: Research, Instruction, and Outreach Committee : Minutes April 7, 2008

04/07/2008
Minutes April 7, 2008

Five College Libraries
Research, Instruction and Outreach Committee (RIO)
Minutes of the April 7, 2008 Meeting
Present: Bryan Goodwin (chair), Sherre Harrington (FCLC liaison), Susan Kimball, Beth Lang, Barbara Polowy (recorder), Bonnie Vigeland

Meetings

Minutes of the March 10 meeting were approved incorporating changes to the draft discussed via email.

DEDCC Proposal on Next Generation Library Catalog
Members discussed Bryan’s draft of a RIO response to DEDCC’s recommendation to pursue a “next generation” library catalog. Only one significant change was made, to recommend that both reference and circulation staff be included on the proposed committee to oversee the ILS public interface. Bryan will modify the draft and send it to RIO to review. Sherre will bring the response statement to the FCLC and Bryan will send it to the AMC and to DEDCC.

RIO Response to the Ex Libris Aleph Audit of the Five Colleges Report
Members discussed and prioritized Ex Libris’s recommendations for the OPAC (based on RIO’s December 2007 report on usability testing). While RIO endorses DEDCC’s proposal to pursue a next generation library catalog, we recommend the OPAC issues below (given in priority order) be addressed in the near future and will forward this list to the FCLC and AMC.

1- Relevancy Ranking
RIO again calls for the implementation of relevance ranking of search output to be of the highest priority and requests that the AMC work with ExLibris to develop a resolution to this issue. There is confusion about whether or not the relevancy ranking system cited in the Ex Libris report (TTU) is actually the same system we tried to implement last summer (TCU), a ranking model that does not appear to be compatible with the Five Colleges implementation of ALEPH.

2- Journal Searching
RIO endorses the Ex Libris recommendation to make the SFX A-Z list more accessible in the OPAC as one way to improve patron access to local periodical holdings. However, the current A-Z list is incomplete and does not contain print subscriptions held by the Five College libraries. Susan Kimball will explore the process of integrating print holdings into SFX on the Amherst instance during the summer of 2008. She will report back to RIO on how this work could be done, how long it might take, and provide some examples for usability testing. However, integrating print journals into the SFX knowledge base will fall mostly to technical services staff, so the FCLC must provide guidance on priorities and resources for this project.

3- Modifying Searches
RIO recommends adding some type of “modify search” (ideally retaining initial search terms) and “start a new search” functionality to search results screens. Barbara will send committee members examples of how some other Aleph sites integrate modify/new search on results screens. RIO will draft more specific recommendations for changes to modify/new search at its May meeting. RIO requests that a spelling assistance program be added as an enhancement request to future versions of ALEPH.

4- Accessibility / JAWS reader problems
At this time RIO does not recommend dropping the context-sensitive help statements that cause problems with the JAWS reader. We will investigate WorldCat.org as a possible alternative to the FCLC OPAC interface. Susan Kimball will contact Susan Edwards to discuss testing the accessibility of the WorldCat.org search interface. RIO does not recommend maintaining a second OPAC view with no java script as suggested by Ex Libris.

5- Navigation
RIO will review and make a specific recommendation for changes to the order of elements displayed in item records on the holdings screen.
RIO supports Ex Libris’s suggestion to reduce the number of fields indexed in the “keywords in title” search to improve the precision of keyword in title searches. We propose a small ad hoc group with representation from RIO and the FC Cataloging Committee work on this issue.

6- Initial Article
RIO recommends the wording of the dropdown menu search “title begins with” be changed to “title begins with (omit initial articles).” RIO does not recommend developing a local java routine to strip initial articles as suggested by Ex Libris but rather that this feature be added as an enhancement request to future versions of ALEPH.

7- My Account
Patrons continue to have problems understanding what to enter to log into My Account. RIO recommends modifying on-screen log in instructions to include a graphically prominent explanation of what the “library barcode” is (for example, adding a phrase like “Your Library Barcode is the 15-digit number starting with 21… on your ID”) and perhaps rewording instructions. Before making specific recommendations on changes, RIO will need to consult with the Five College Circulation Committee.

Union View
The questions surrounding the Five College decision to use union view within Aleph as the default for the catalog, use of multiple vs. single bib record, and the many implications of removing union view are large issues requiring extensive review. RIO recommends that work on Ex Libris’ recommendations in this area be postponed until the review is completed. RIO urges that the review be conducted in a timely manner in order to understand how well our current union view/ multiple bib configuration will function in a next generation catalog environment.


	04/07/2008 Minutes April 7, 2008 Five College Libraries Research, Instruction and Outreach Committee (RIO) Minutes of the April 7, 2008 Meeting Present: Bryan Goodwin (chair), Sherre Harrington (FCLC liaison), Susan Kimball, Beth Lang, Barbara Polowy (recorder), Bonnie Vigeland Meetings Minutes of the March 10 meeting were approved incorporating changes to the draft discussed via email. DEDCC Proposal on Next Generation Library Catalog Members discussed Bryan’s draft of a RIO response to DEDCC’s recommendation to pursue a “next generation” library catalog. Only one significant change was made, to recommend that both reference and circulation staff be included on the proposed committee to oversee the ILS public interface. Bryan will modify the draft and send it to RIO to review. Sherre will bring the response statement to the FCLC and Bryan will send it to the AMC and to DEDCC. RIO Response to the Ex Libris Aleph Audit of the Five Colleges Report Members discussed and prioritized Ex Libris’s recommendations for the OPAC (based on RIO’s December 2007 report on usability testing). While RIO endorses DEDCC’s proposal to pursue a next generation library catalog, we recommend the OPAC issues below (given in priority order) be addressed in the near future and will forward this list to the FCLC and AMC. 1- Relevancy Ranking RIO again calls for the implementation of relevance ranking of search output to be of the highest priority and requests that the AMC work with ExLibris to develop a resolution to this issue. There is confusion about whether or not the relevancy ranking system cited in the Ex Libris report (TTU) is actually the same system we tried to implement last summer (TCU), a ranking model that does not appear to be compatible with the Five Colleges implementation of ALEPH. 2- Journal Searching RIO endorses the Ex Libris recommendation to make the SFX A-Z list more accessible in the OPAC as one way to improve patron access to local periodical holdings. However, the current A-Z list is incomplete and does not contain print subscriptions held by the Five College libraries. Susan Kimball will explore the process of integrating print holdings into SFX on the Amherst instance during the summer of 2008. She will report back to RIO on how this work could be done, how long it might take, and provide some examples for usability testing. However, integrating print journals into the SFX knowledge base will fall mostly to technical services staff, so the FCLC must provide guidance on priorities and resources for this project. 3- Modifying Searches RIO recommends adding some type of “modify search” (ideally retaining initial search terms) and “start a new search” functionality to search results screens. Barbara will send committee members examples of how some other Aleph sites integrate modify/new search on results screens. RIO will draft more specific recommendations for changes to modify/new search at its May meeting. RIO requests that a spelling assistance program be added as an enhancement request to future versions of ALEPH. 4- Accessibility / JAWS reader problems At this time RIO does not recommend dropping the context-sensitive help statements that cause problems with the JAWS reader. We will investigate WorldCat.org as a possible alternative to the FCLC OPAC interface. Susan Kimball will contact Susan Edwards to discuss testing the accessibility of the WorldCat.org search interface. RIO does not recommend maintaining a second OPAC view with no java script as suggested by Ex Libris. 5- Navigation RIO will review and make a specific recommendation for changes to the order of elements displayed in item records on the holdings screen. RIO supports Ex Libris’s suggestion to reduce the number of fields indexed in the “keywords in title” search to improve the precision of keyword in title searches. We propose a small ad hoc group with representation from RIO and the FC Cataloging Committee work on this issue. 6- Initial Article RIO recommends the wording of the dropdown menu search “title begins with” be changed to “title begins with (omit initial articles).” RIO does not recommend developing a local java routine to strip initial articles as suggested by Ex Libris but rather that this feature be added as an enhancement request to future versions of ALEPH. 7- My Account Patrons continue to have problems understanding what to enter to log into My Account. RIO recommends modifying on-screen log in instructions to include a graphically prominent explanation of what the “library barcode” is (for example, adding a phrase like “Your Library Barcode is the 15-digit number starting with 21… on your ID”) and perhaps rewording instructions. Before making specific recommendations on changes, RIO will need to consult with the Five College Circulation Committee. Union View The questions surrounding the Five College decision to use union view within Aleph as the default for the catalog, use of multiple vs. single bib record, and the many implications of removing union view are large issues requiring extensive review. RIO recommends that work on Ex Libris’ recommendations in this area be postponed until the review is completed. RIO urges that the review be conducted in a timely manner in order to understand how well our current union view/ multiple bib configuration will function in a next generation catalog environment.