A presentation for “Can You Open This For Me? Using and Understanding Open Source Tools.” Sponsored by the RUSA MARS Hot Topics in Electronic Reference Discussion Group Saturday, January 24, 10:30am - 12:00pm

Quick Survey Does your library provide research guides to users? Do you like your system for producing guides? Does your library use open source web applications?

Does your library provide research guides to users?

Do you like your system for producing guides?

Does your library use open source web applications?

Project Goals Improve authoring & publication Enhance presentation Add interaction

Improve authoring & publication

Enhance presentation

Add interaction

My initial big idea Re-use Drupal! Slated to power Intranet, lightweight ERMS, database lists, and more Highly extensible platform built on integrated set of social web features

Re-use Drupal!

Slated to power Intranet, lightweight ERMS, database lists, and more

Highly extensible platform built on integrated set of social web features

So much for my idea… Q: Why not use a tool that is designed to deliver content in guide or instructional format?

Q: Why not use a tool that is designed to deliver content in guide or instructional format?

Follow-up Question How about comparing Drupal vs. other applications?

How about comparing Drupal vs. other applications?

Specifications Web-based editing and publication Tabbed layout Collaborative authoring/management of content Embed videos, IM, feeds, and more

Web-based editing and publication

Tabbed layout

Collaborative authoring/management of content

Embed videos, IM, feeds, and more

Specifications Modular: re-use chunks of dynamic content

Modular: re-use chunks of dynamic content

Why Open Source? “ Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. The promise of open source is better quality , higher reliability , more flexibility , lower cost , and an end to predatory vendor lock-in.” Open Source Initiative

“ Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. The promise of open source is better quality , higher reliability , more flexibility , lower cost , and an end to predatory vendor lock-in.”

Open Source Initiative

Why Open Source for Research Guides? Mash  Your data in your database Share the vision, make it your own, & contribute Encourages creativity Freedom to be bold

Mash 

Your data in your database

Share the vision, make it your own, & contribute

Encourages creativity

Freedom to be bold

Updated Project Goals Improve authoring & publication Enhance presentation Add interaction Re-examine guides concept?

Improve authoring & publication

Enhance presentation

Add interaction

Re-examine guides concept?

Our Lineup Drupal – highly flexible / already in-use Library a la Carte – “Built by librarians for libraries” Moodle – large set of online instructional tools

Drupal – highly flexible / already in-use

Library a la Carte – “Built by librarians for libraries”

Moodle – large set of online instructional tools

Why Not LibGuides? Leverage in-house expertise to do more – more quickly Suitable for our environment Too rigid After using the open source tools why… ?

Leverage in-house expertise to do more – more quickly

Suitable for our environment

Too rigid

After using the open source tools why… ?

Drupal Lots of built-in features, add-on modules, & highly extensible Easiest to install but most settings to tweak Still less work then programming from scratch

Lots of built-in features, add-on modules, & highly extensible

Easiest to install but most settings to tweak

Still less work then programming from scratch

Library a la Carte Set it up and go! Easy-to-learn interface (our librarians like it – including someone who liked LibGuides) Out-of-the-box front-end user interface is good – & open to modification! Many cool features coming soon!

Set it up and go!

Easy-to-learn interface (our librarians like it – including someone who liked LibGuides)

Out-of-the-box front-end user interface is good – & open to modification!

Many cool features coming soon!

Moodle Sophisticated, built-in instructional activities Requires additional planning Feature-set may take investigation if you are not familiar with learning management systems Easy to install but a fair amount of settings to explore

Sophisticated, built-in instructional activities

Requires additional planning

Feature-set may take investigation if you are not familiar with learning management systems

Easy to install but a fair amount of settings to explore

In Closing Cost = time: how much time do you have? What fits with your environment? Will development continue for the foreseeable future? Will it foster creativity?

Cost = time: how much time do you have?

What fits with your environment?

Will development continue for the foreseeable future?

Will it foster creativity?