Discovery Here, Discovery There: The Pros and Cons of Local & Remote Hosting of Discovery Tools

Discovery Here, Discovery TherePros and Cons of Local & Remote Hosting of Discovery Tools Ken Varnum University of Michigan Library varnum@umich.edu @varnum Conversation Starter at ALA Anaheim June 23, 2012

Introduction• 5+ years at University of Michigan Library• 12+ years in academic, corporate, and special libraries• Fondness for two library things: – Drupal (not talking about that here today) – DiscoveryConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Agenda• What is discovery?• Local vs. remote hosting of interface• What it takes to host an interface locally• Pros and Cons• QuestionsConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Discovery DefinedFor today’s talk, discovery systems have thesequalities:• A central index of metadata & full text• Harvested from many sources• Integrated with full text delivery• Something you license• NOT federated/brokered/broadcast search• Understands library’s holdings/rightsConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Discovery SystemsThings you’ve heard of:• EBSCO Discovery System• Ex Libris Primo• Serials Solutions Summon• WorldCatSee a list of who uses what at bit.ly/LIDDXcConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Vendor Model

Massey University (New Zealand)Conversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Massey University (EBSCO)Conversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Boston UniversityConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Boston University (Primo Discovery)Conversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Dartmouth CollegeConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Dartmouth College (Summon)Conversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

What Do Users Experience?• An interface that generally does not look like their home library• A clean, elegant, & tested interface• Some challenges in “resetting” themselves or getting help• Unclear who “owns” the interactionConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

What Do Libraries Gain?• Simplicity of setup and interface design• Discovery is just another vendor• Autopilot (more or less)• Anyone who has used a discovery interface can use your vendor’sConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

API Model

University of ToulouseConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

University of Toulouse DiscoveryConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Universitätsbibliothek FreiburgConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

NCSU LibrariesConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

VillanovaConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

What Do Users Experience?• A familiar interface• Integration with other library services• ComfortConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

What Do Libraries Gain?• Control over user experience• Knowledge of what your users are doing• User-specific usage tracking information• Ability to intercede• Ability to offer help & additional servicesConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

University of MichiganConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Michigan Discovery via APIConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

What We Enable• Full-text link failure help• Favorites• Data AnalysisConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Problem Reporting• Article full-text links clicked: 134,095• There were 310,171 article searches• Problem reporting is built in to our interfaceConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Results of Error Reporting• Reports go to our online reference service, Ask a Librarian• Each one reviewed & responded to (phew!)• Frequent classes of problems: – User account problems – Proxy problems – Resource problemsConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Problem Reports by Data Source doaj_primary_oai, 1.2% webofscience_primary_A 53 other , 1.4% sources, 10.8% credo_entries, 1.6% gale_primary, 3.2%crossref_primary, 4.4% LOGICAL, 41.6% pubmed_primary, 5.1% webofscience_primary, 1 1.2% proquest_dll, 19.4% Conversation Starter at ALA Anaheim June 23, 2012

Favorites• Can save articles for future use• Soon will be able to organize with other library resourcesConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Favorites version 2.0Conversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

What You Need• A vendor with an API• Programming staff to customize it• Commitment to keeping up with changes• Willingness to experiment (a bit) and shareConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Why Do This?• Users have familiar navigation• Library can offer appropriate assistance• We are guardians of patron interactions; should keep that connection alive as long as possible.Conversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

DiscussionKen Varnum Drupal in LibrariesWeb Systems Manager ALA TechSourceU. of Michigan Library 978-1-55570-778-1varnum@umich.edu@varnumLink List:bitly.com/bundles/varnum/3 http://amzn.to/drupalinlibrariesBackground image by MLibrary – CC: BYConversation Starter at ALA AnaheimJune 23, 2012

Discovery Here, Discovery There: The Pros and Cons of Local & Remote Hosting of Discovery Tools

by Ken Varnum on Jun 28, 2012

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