xISBN and the lovely people at OCLC

In reference to the continuing saga of my attempt to create a LibraryLookUp Bookmarklet for Utica College Library, I have discovered that OCLC is piloting a bookmarklet project which uses the power of xISBN. According to the OCLC website, xISBN:

"is a library web service that supplies International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) associated with individual intellectual works represented in the OCLC WorldCat database. Give it an ISBN, and it returns a list of associated ISBNs."

What's really cool about this (free) project is that you can submit your library's homepage URL and the people at OCLC will create a bookmarklet for you that you can simply drag onto your browser bar. This bookmarklet will not only extract the ISBN from any web page you look at, it also searches the WorldCat database for associated ISBNs (for different editions etc). I submitted the URL info for UC Library and I am hoping to get on their list-even though the ILS system we use is not open source compliant.

You can see an overview of xISBN here

And you can submit your library URL into the system here

Update 5/26/2006...

Utica College Library is now on the OPAC list. I have installed the bookmarklet and the only problem I have is that when you first try to use it you are prompted for your card number and PIN. It is really neat though. Have you tried it?

User script directories

I have found some resources for scripts to install all sorts of functions on to your Foxfire web browser. The lesson I am learning here is that using other web browsers sucks...why don't you download it, its free

Here is a list of links to userscripts from Wikipedia (which you can install as a quick search on your Foxfire browser bar...cool)

This one here is a another directory of user scripts.

I should also add that Greasemonkey can be downloaded here

LibraryLookup Bookmarklet Generator

Researching the idea of creating links to library resources as a method of initiating Lib 2.0 in practice I came across the LibraryLookup Bookmarklet Generator. It seems there is an entire project devoted to creating and disseminating linking userscripts for library catalogs.

The generator allows you to create a link to your library OPAC that will read ISBNs from any page you visit through a toolbar button. Allowing quick access to your library's records on that particular ISBN. I was attempting to create one for the Utica College Library OPAC but was having difficulties, you need to have a base url for your proxy server and I can't seem to get it right. There is a static list of previously made bookmarklets, but UC was not on the list.

I'll keep trying.

Update May 20,2006...

I was discussing my difficulties with the cataloger here at the library, and come to find out the ILS software we use (provided by Sirsi) is not open source compliant. This means that creating a link to the catalog is majorly difficult because Sirsi sets up its system (at least in the version we use) in a non-standard way. They use their own proprietary structures that do not work well with compliers and other systems (something like that).

As a way to illustrate we can look at the base URL of the UC library catalog:

209.137.75.111/uhtbin/cgisirshi/yUEAzohlik/UTICACOLL/
299100095/60/1173/X

Do you see how complicated this is, and this URL is only to get to the advanced search screen of the catalog. You would need more strings of commands to set up an ISBN scripting link.

To make this open source compliant the system would need to be changed to simplify the language structure and to put commands in the places where a complier would expect them. A URL for a more compliant system would look more straight-forward, such as something like this:

utica.edu/catalog/

At least this is my understanding of it. So I have sort of given up on the idea, but I do think having a link to the catalog and the e-journal portal in the browser bar is a good Lib 2.0-esque idea and I am going to suggest it.

This is something to look out for if you are in the market for ILS software. You should know whether its complaint to open source protocols, or at least can be easily made to be. Supposedly this makes the purchase more expensive because it usually means an upgraded academic version of the software, but in the long run, worth it. My suggestion, use Innovative.

Bringing library resources to the student researcher...Greasemonkey baby!!!

My previous comments regarding Library 2.0 and the Herculean effort it would require to implement in the current library environment were slightly defeatist. I must say though that I find the idea of "insertion" of library services into the ways undergraduates do research quite worthy of further exploration.

Many students will use Google, Yahoo! or some other search engine to do class research. While I don't find this too awful as a source for preliminary research, we somehow need to guide the students to the scholarly materials that they have access to (and we pay hefty sums for)-more appropriate materials for research. Sort of like guerilla marketing for library services. And really it comes down to this because all the traditional promotional avenues we have explored just don't work. Flyers, signs, alerts on the homepage, there is a disconnect somewhere. We are doing things Library 1.0 style-trying to force the student into our way of doing things.

It would be very Library 2.0-esque if we could "insert" ourselves into students Google searches. So say when a student sits down at a library computer and opens Google in the browser a message comes up directing that users to a database or e-journal search. This sort of tactic would go a long way in bringing our services to the world of the student researcher, and not forcing them to discover and access our resources they way we think is best.

Now I know that this is sort of thing is possible, you can install Greasemonkey scripts into Mozilla browsers that offer a modicum of control over browser behavior. I know this, but I don't know how yet. I have been looking for resources on Greasemonkey script for the library environment and I am having trouble finding appropriate materials. Suggestions would be great?

Using pictures to "brand" an academic library

Library Lines

Going back to my discussion of the re-design of the Utica College Library web site- I wanted to convey some ideas that we, as a group, had about using images in an academic library web site.

We realized after some discussion that the pictures and other graphical components included on the site have a great deal of impact on the "branding" of the library to the campus community. We decided that the picture we use on the homepage is critically important to how we are perceive in the minds of faculty, students and staff.

The picture we have on the homepage now says many things about the library that we really do not want wish to convey. Its cold, uninviting and depicts nothing we, as the library staff, have to offer in terms of useful services. The conclusion we came to is that the best asset we have is the people inside the building, not the building itself. Pictures should always include people and activities.

The picture I included here is an example of a photo you should not use on you library's homepage. Its boring, really and offers the viewer a neutral impression.

The whole idea of using a picture of the library building as a branding image suggests that a library is strictly a place, bound in by four walls. With the introduction of such things as OPACs, e-journals, e-reserves and other methods of remote access to library material we, as librarians, have been painstakingly breaking out of the old paradigms and the notion of the library as soley a physical space. Shouldn't we be reminding people of this when they visit our homepage?

Blogging with flickr

@ Stonewall

This post is being created from my flickr account. Like I said I am on a steep learning curve when it comes to blogging. If you haven't heard of this service its free and I highly recommend you set up an account.

What's great about posting through this service is the fact that they offer some additional formatting options. Including the one you see here which is a thumbnail view.

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Flickr

Download my Font

I created a font out of my own handwriting. You can do it yourself at Fontifer , its the coolest. I wanted anyone who reads this to see the site as I really wanted it to be seen. So, I uploaded the font to my FTP space and you can download it yourself here. If you don't know how to install a font onto your computer all you have to do is:

1. right-click on the link above and select "save target as" and then save the file to your desktop

2. open your font folder by first opening the control panel, then clicking on themes and appearances and finally locating the font folder on the left hand navigation menu

3. once you open the font folder, simply drag the file (it's called "scrawl") from the desktop to the font folder

4. viola

If you like the font you can use it for any non-commercial purpose you'd like. I don't mind.

Update 5/25/2006...

I took the font out of my template. On some monitors it was okay, but it really effected the readibility on others. You can still download and use it though.

Shhhhhh....Library 2.0 is trying to study

Dr. Paul Miller offers a compelling editorial in regards to Library 2.0 in the April issue of DLib magazine. What I find most interesting about the concept (and his take on it) is the dramatic shift in thinking and procedure that full implementation would require from professional librarians.

I see Miller's stance here as one of Lib 2.0 cheerleader, and his point is to offer up the advantages of the idea with glittery pomp-pomps and dramatic basket tosses. The reality of the library profession (as I have experienced it) makes me scratch my head and wonder who among us is capable, or even interested in, initiating these sorts of tech-heavy processes.

I certainly don't know very much about writing JavaScript or Greasemonkey code and I am also pretty certain that none of the librarians I know do either. If I did-or had any interest in knowing about it-I certainly wouldn'’t be going into the library profession. I could find much more lucrative opportunities in IM or computer programming.

This is the point that I am making, most librarians are interested in the library as a place with old books and old ways of doing things (the best way in their opinions), they are interested in keeping old traditions alive and I think there is much to be said for the pursuit of this ideal. I can tell you that my training in library school has never focused on these sorts of activities. The idea seems to be that we as librarians need to know the theories of information retrieval, user behavior, information architecture etc, but not the actual hands-on technical work processes. As if we will always be on a team with people with these skills and don't need to know it.

The truth of the matter is that in libraries we almost always have limited budgets and you find yourself working with a bunch of people all of whom know practically nothing about how to implement the sorts of processes that Lib 2.0 seems to require. From my vantage point the profession is being led in two different directions and there is friction and conflict as a result. In my own personal career circumstances I see this conflict everyday, don't we all know a colleague or two who frown upon innovative Lib-2.0-esque ideas? I do.