This is a presentation I made for a class that describes the planning, marketing and assessment of the new NYU Health Sciences Libraries website. It focuses both on external website users/stakeholders, as well as the affect of adding web content management to the responsibilities of library staff.

1. The New HSL Website
and Drupal
Planning, Marke<ng and Assessing
the Roll‐out

2. “Name of the Game”
Content
Experts
(Librarians
&
Library
Staff)

3. Drupal
Drupal is a web content management system (CMS)
• It will enable library staff to edit content on the
website themselves with any programming
• Directly connects the content experts to the content

4. Perceived Need
Web Services staff
• The boQleneck to geRng accurate and <mely
informa<on published on the HSL website
• Nego<a<ng content and execu<ng updates
takes <me from other projects
Other library staff
• Discouraged from keeping content up to date
• Hesitant to refer patrons to the site

5. Perceived Need
Patrons occasionally find “orphaned” pages.
Other peer ins<tu<ons are using CMSes.

6. Goals & Outcomes
A good place to start…
HSL Mission Statement:
“The mission of the NYU Health Sciences Libraries is to
enhance learning, research and pa<ent care by managing
knowledge‐based resources, providing client‐centered
informa<on services and educa<on, and extending access
through new ini<a<ves in informa<on technology” (HSL).

7. Goals & Outcomes
HSL Mission Statement:
The mission of the NYU Health Sciences Libraries is to
– enhance learning, research and pa<ent care by managing
knowledge‐based resources,
– providing client‐centered informa<on services and
educa<on,
– and extending access through new ini<a<ves in
informa<on technology.

8. Goals & Outcomes (External)
Goal #1
To ensure the delivery of
authorita<ve informa<on
resources for all aspects of
biomedical research at NYU
Langone Medical Center.
Patrons will be able to quickly
locate electronic resources on
the website.

9. Goals & Outcomes (External)
Goal #2
To ensure the HSL website
publishes the most current
and accurate informa<on
about the Libraries’ own
services and policies, in Usage sta<s<cs of library
keeping with its mission to services & resources accessed
“provid[e] client‐centered via the website will experience
informa<on services and a measurable and sustained
educa<on” (HSL). increase.
Patrons will be able to quickly
locate informa<on about the
library and it’s policies and
services on the website.

10. Goals & Outcomes (Internal)
Goal #2
To ensure the HSL website
publishes the most current and
accurate informa<on about the
Libraries’ own services and
policies, in keeping with its
mission to “provid[e] client‐ Circula<on & Reference staff
centered informa<on services will refer patrons to the
and educa<on” (HSL). website as the authorita<ve
source of current and accurate
informa<on on the library’s
policies and services.

11. Goals & Outcomes (Internal)
Goal #3
To maximize the library’s
investment of both
technological and human
resources into a web CMS, to
“manag[e] knowledge‐based
resources” available through
the HSL website (HSL).
Managing content on the
website will not unduly detract
from staff contributors’ primary
work responsibili<es.

12. Gems of Wisdom
from the Literature
• An Implementa<on Team needs to be composed of people with
authority within the organiza<on (Goodwin, Burford, and Bedard
55).
• Change agents and departmental advocates need to be iden<fied
and u<lized for key tasks (Miller 51).
• Permissions within the system should be granted according to
func<onal, not hierarchical roles (Bramscher and Butler 18).
• WYSIWYG editors should reflect desired page content) and should
not one‐size‐fits‐all (Bramscher and Butler 23.
• Quality documenta<on and training are pillars of a communica<on
strategy that connects quality customer service to changes in staff
workflow (Boiko 431; Goodwin, Burford, and Bedard 58).

13. Budget
Sun Solaris Server $2855
Drupal 6.9 Sonware $0
Web Team FTE ~600+ hrs
Other FTE ~200+ hrs

14. Core Project Staff
Web Services Librarian (Project Lead) – Emily Molanphy
Leading the HSL Web Team in clarifying and revising the CMS’s desired func<onality and
•
design
Contribu<ng to the design and execu<on of the CMS
•
Iden<fying and assigning tasks to Project Team
•
Technical troubleshoo<ng
•
Teaching training sessions
•
Designing training curricula and documenta<on
•
Web Services Manager – Christopher Evjy
Par<cipa<ng in the HSL Web Team, clarifying and revising the CMS’s desired func<onality and
•
design
Contribu<ng to the design and execu<on of the CMS
•
Technical troubleshoo<ng
•
Teaching training sessions
•
Designing training curricula and documenta<on
•
Programmer – Vikram Yelandou
Authoring PHP code to extend Drupal’s func<onality to meet technical requirements
•
Extreme technical troubleshoo<ng
•

15. Rough Timeline
Design &
Implementa<on Decommission
Old Website
LAUNCH!!!
Summer 2008 –
March 2009 Sept 1, 2009
May 1, 2009
Refining & Beta Period
Entering Ini<al May – Sept 2009
Content
April 2009

16. SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• Well‐qualified, dedicated personnel • Complicated server sonware and
• Project strongly supported by Admin hardware configura<on could result in
• Support of HSL Marke<ng Team to delays
execute marke<ng plan • Drupal sonware is not contractually
• Support of Libraries’ systems dept. to supported; problems must be worked out
handle server environment configura<on independently
and maintenance • Vacant leadership posi<ons within the
Libraries will slow content crea<on
Opportuni2es Threats
• Collabora<on possible with Ins<tu<on’s • Poor economic environment could
Web Team (also using Drupal sonware) result in sudden staffing cutbacks
• Web Team can contribute custom code
back to the Drupal open source sonware
community to benefit other users

17. Marke<ng
Incredibly diverse patronage
and
don’t forget the staff!

18. Marke<ng Goals & Outcomes
Goal #1
Increase usage of the
library’s website over the
next year.
The number of unique visitors
to the library’s homepage will
increase measurably over the
next year.

19. Marke<ng Goals & Outcomes
Goal #2
Increase awareness of library
services offered via the
website over a 2 year planning
horizon.
HSL patrons will aQend more
library instruc<on classes.
HSL Reference Librarians will
experience a decrease in calls
to the Reference Desk
concerning library policies and
services.

20. Marke<ng Goals & Outcomes
Goal #3
Promote the Libraries’ image/
The number of partnerships
role as informa<on experts
and collabora<ve projects
within the ins<tu<ons it
between librarians and faculty
serves.
will increase substan<ally over
the next 2 years.
The amount of money the
library receives in dona<ons
will increase substan<ally over
the next 5 years.
Publicity outlets within the
ins<tu<ons the HSL serves will
men<on the library more
frequently.

21. Marke<ng Goals & Outcomes
Goal #4
Connect addi<onal
demands on staff <me to
improvements in customer
service to patrons.
Staff will feel empowered by
the knowledge they are making
a posi<ve impact, as opposed
to feeling encumbered by the
addi<onal workload.

22. Target Audiences
External
1st, 2nd and 3rd year Medical Students
•
Dental Students
•
Residents
•
Post Doctoral Students
•
Medical Faculty
•
Dental Faculty
•
Internal
• Library staff
• Library Administra<on

23. Marke<ng Tac<c #1 (External)
Producing and distribu<ng fliers & bookmarks
• Start/end dates: 3/23 – 4/30
• Cost:
– ~9 FTE hours
– ~3 PTE hours
– Bookmarks prin<ng per 1000
• $275 single‐sided
• $375 double‐sided
– Fliers printed in‐house
• $ .075 per color copy
• $17.50 per ream of paper (500 pages)
• Total for 2000 = $220

24. Marke<ng Tac<c #2 (External)
Designing and pos<ng Features Banner content
on new website
• Start/end dates: 3/23 – 4/6
• Cost: ~5 FTE hours

25. Marke<ng Tac<c #3 (External)
Configuring HSL patron computers’ web
browsers and desktop backgrounds
• Start/end dates: 3/23 – 4/10
• Cost: ~12 FTE hours

26. Marke<ng Tac<c #4 (External)
Compose posts and ar<cles for the HSL
Supplement blog, the HSL Report monthly
mass email and the News sec<on of the new
website
• Start/end dates: 3/23 – 4/10
• Cost: ~6.5 FTE hours

27. Marke<ng Tac<c #5 (External)
Compose ar<cles for departmental newsleQers
• Start/end dates: 3/23 – 4/30
• Cost: ~7 FTE hours

28. Marke<ng Tac<c #6 (External)
Encourage Public Services faculty liaisons to
promote the website in their interac<ons with
faculty and include the website in their
instruc<on curricula.
• Start/end dates: 3/23 ‐ ongoing
• Cost: ongoing FTE hours

29. Marke<ng Tac<c #7 (External)
TwiQer a website “feature of the week” for 6
weeks.
• Start/end dates: 4/6 – 5/11
• Cost: ~3 FTE hours

30. Marke<ng Tac<c #8 (Internal)
Staff Launch Party
• Start/end dates: 4/9 – 4/16
• Cost:
– ~24 FTE hours (if 20 staff aQend an hour‐long
party)
– ~$300

31. Marke<ng Tac<c #9 (Internal)
Present new website features at monthly
Librarians Mee<ng
• Start/end dates: 4/1 – April Librarian’s
Mee<ng
• Cost: ~3.5 FTE hours

32. Budget
• ~57 FTE hours
• ~3 PTE hours
• Total expenditures: ~$795 or $895 (depending
on prin<ng op<ons)

33. Mockups
Features Banner
Bookmark

34. Assessment
Outcomes (in order of ease of data collec<on)
1. Usage sta<s<cs of library services & resources accessed
via the website will experience a measureable and
sustained increase.
2. Patrons will be able to quickly locate electronic resources
on the website.
3. Patrons will be able to quickly locate informa<on about
the library and it’s policies and services on the website.
4. Managing content on the website will not unduly detract
from staff contributors’ primary work responsibili<es.
5. Circula<on & Reference staff will confidently refer patrons
to the website as the authorita<ve source of current and
accurate informa<on on the library’s policies and services.

35. Assessing Outcome #1
Usage sta<s<cs of library services & resources accessed via the
website will experience a measureable and sustained increase.
• Data collected from 4 services including
– TTX: Helpline, eResource Line, Ask a Librarian and Literature Search
Requests
– ILL/DDS
• Data will be collected and analyzed in 3 key <me periods
– By the new site’s launch date of May 1, 2009 data will be extracted for
the twelve months prior to that date.
– Monthly during the 4 month Beta Period
– Monthly for 6 months aner the old site has been taken down and the
transi<on is complete

36. Assessing Outcome #2
Patrons will be able to quickly locate electronic resources on
the website.
• Par<cipant observa<on (Brophy 205)
• Non‐random sample group will be composed of users who
iden<fied themselves in the libraries’ ini<al Needs Assessment
Survey as willing to help the library further improve it’s web‐based
services.
• They will be given 5 tasks to accomplish from a pool of 10. Tasks
will be tailored to ascertain the rela<ve ease with which the user
can:
– accomplish basic steps in the research process
– find informa<on about the library itself and its policies
– find and use library services offered via the website

37. Assessing Outcome #3
Patrons will be able to quickly locate informa<on about the library and
it’s policies and services on the website.
• The Web Team will run a Fact Hunt & Survey off the website’s
homepage for 2 weeks aner the May 1st launch.
• Five $20 gin cards from the local coffee shop will be offered to
en<ce users to par<cipate.
• A fact will be asked of the user about the libraries’ loca<ons, library
services, accessing electronic resources or library policies.
• Once they have an answer they will link to a Survey Monkey survey,
submit it and fill out a survey about their process and experience.
• Par<cipants who answer with the correct fact and submit a
completed survey will be entered into a drawing for the gin cards.

38. Assessing Outcome #4
Managing content on the website will not unduly detract
from staff contributors’ primary work responsibili<es.
• This outcome will be assessed by administering and analyzing
the results from the CMS User Survey.
• Distributed via email in the first week of June, one month
aner the site’s launch.
• Created by the Web Services Librarian using Survey Monkey.
• Ques<ons will cover 3 areas:
– How staff feel about the system, overall
– Usability
– The affect the new CMS/website has on their work

39. Assessing Outcome #5
Circula<on & Reference staff will confidently refer patrons to the website as the
authorita<ve source of current and accurate informa<on on the library’s
policies and services.
• Progress toward this outcome will be assessed through the use of what Brophy
refers to as a diary study that will be two weeks in dura<on (202).
• Two input formats will be made available to par<cipants to maximize the
number of responses:
– A Survey Monkey survey will be the preferred method. Technical Staff will place a link to
the form on computer desktops at all service points, across all loca<ons.
– One page forms will be distributed in print to those that request them
• Each diary entry will include:
Date & <me (automa<cally populated on web form)
–
Type of patron referred
–
Informa<on, policy or service patron was referred to
–
URL
–
Notes on referral (op<onal)
–

40. Con<nuous Assessment
External
• Sta<s<cs from the TTX and ILL systems should be analyzed
on an annual basis.
• A biannual user survey could measure how well users are
finding e‐resources and informa<on about the library on
the website.
Internal
• A short survey could be aQached to staff’s yearly evalua<on
to measure the CMS’s impact on their work.
• Circula<on Managers who can run a dairy study for a week
every two years to measure website referrals.

41. Conclusion
From hQp://www.magicity.com/images/1ApplauseCard.gif

42. Works Cited
Boiko, Bob. “Rolling Out the System.” Content Management Bible. 2nd ed. Indianapolis, IN:
Wiley Publishing, 2005. 429‐450.
Bramscher, Paul F., and John T. Butler. quot;LibData to LibCMS: One Library's Evolu<onary
Pathway to a Content Management System.quot; Library Hi Tech 24.1 (2006): 14‐28.
Brophy, Peter. Measuring Library Performance: Principals and Techniques. London: Facet,
2006.
Goodwin, Susan, Nancy Burford, and Martha Bedard. quot;CMS/CMS: Content Management
System/Change Management Strategies.quot; Library Hi Tech 24.1 (2006): 54‐60.
Miller, Ron. quot;Expert Tips on Implemen<ng an Enterprise Content Management
System.quot; EContent 30.8 (2007): 48‐51.
NYU HSL. “User Code of Conduct.” New York University Health Sciences Libraries. Jul. 2003.
New York University Health Sciences Libraries. 24 Feb. 2009 <hQp://
library.med.nyu.edu/library/libinfo/conduct.html>.