Old Metalib project wiki (restricted to Task Force members)
New Vera-Metalib project wiki (viewable by MIT Libraries staff only)
Metadata aggregator project wiki (restricted)
See also:
Verde project wiki (viewable by MIT Libraries staff only)
Project SimpLR
Timeline for building the New Vera
Overview of Stages
0. Preparing for new Vera beta.
1. New Vera in beta while old Vera still live. New meta-search functions in Vera, link to old Vera for listing functions.
1a. Replace Vera pages that list e-journals with SFX A-Z lists.
2. Replace Vera pages that list databases. Build them in the new Vera.
3. Take the New Vera out of beta and retire the old Vera public web screens. (staff can still use Vera in Filemaker until Verde is ready)
Vera/Metalib Implementation timeline May - October 2007
stage 0
preparing for new Vera beta
done
Selina/Jennifer- populate the Metalib KB with our 40 databases for cross-search
done
Nicole - create XHTML templates for Sands, for metasearch search, results, and error screens
done
Sands- build the new Vera beta pages
done
Alex- order new Metalib & Verde hardware
done
Alex- install new Metalib & Verde hardware
done
Rich + ExLibris- upgrade to Metalib 4
done for now in native interface
Darcy/librarians-
give input on which databases belong in the setsand
decide what to do about those databases that have simultaneous user limits
done
statistics sub-group of UIG- decide which quantitative stats to gather and how, think through how we'll interpret them
done-
May 8
and at May all-staff meetingshow prototype mockups to staff and answer questions
done
Rich/Nicole- customize SFX A-Z pages for e-journals
done
Nicole - create static html pages for each broad subject, listing the specific subjects
done
Nicole - write screens to pop-up from "what am I searching" link
done
UIG - come up with set of funny waiting messages
done
Nicole - test the alpha version
done
Darcy & Nicole do early pre-beta testing of pages... test results from each database, Sands to continue with basic functionality
in progress
Sands/Nicole- make UI changes based on testing results
done
release to all-lib for feedback and testing
done - Aug/Sept.
UIG- make publicity and communication plan for the new Vera beta, decide where to link to it from, write blog posts, etc.
done - July 24
Nicole - write blog post announcing a new Vera is coming
done
Nicole- run a sample export from Vera for listing databases and give to Susan from ExLibris
done
Nicole - schedule support plan meeting (below)
done - August 21 & October 9
have meeting with all involved with supporting the new Vera to make support plan
done
Nicole- make links to new Vera and update URLs and relevant pages
November 13
***** release beta to the public *******
November 13, 2007 - March 2008
stage 1
new Vera in Beta while old Vera still liveNovember
Nicole & UIG- plan usability tests
December
Nicole & UIG- conduct usability tests & evaluate results
January
Nicole/UIG - make decisions about interface changes based on usability results
January
Nicole make mockups of screen changes
Feb. 1 - March 31 (in progress)
Sands/Nicole - make usability changes and finish work from before that's still undone
stage 2 - replace Vera pages that list databases
(in progress)
due May 1librarians - update descriptions of databases in Vera
(in progress)
due April 14librarians - come up with lists of sub-topics for each Vera subject and make list of which databases belong in those subtopics
done
Nicole - mockup page for specific database subject with subcategories
done
Rich - test building a page from SFX using Nicole's mockup and manually entered sample data for one subject
done
Nicole + UIG - decide which data elements from the old Vera need to show on the screen and in what order
early April
Kim/Rich/Nicole - plan the process for exporting data about databases from old Vera and storing it in SFX KB
early April
Nicole - build actual page template for listing databases, (include search box for search of both ejs and dbs)
early May
import database data from old Vera to SFX (in a test instance)
early May
Rich - batchload - using the lists from librarians, enter all the topics and subtopics for each Vera subject into SFX and tag each database with appropriate topics/subtopics
May
Rich - using Nicole's page template and stylesheets, build the page template for each subject
June
Nicole - test the pages
June
Rich - make change and updates
June
Kim/Nicole/Rich - make plan for ongoing maintenance and sychronization between old Vera and SFX KB (for databases)
Nicole + UIG - more testing and evaluation of pages that list dbs - show to all librarians, get feedback
Rich/Nicole - make any more changes needed as a result of feedback
Rich - move pages from sfx_test to sfx_local
Nicole - find more ways to link to and integrate these pages from our web site
Nicole - update shortcut URLs for database subjects
Nicole/Rich/Kim - write documentation for staff
Nicole + UIG - plan for usability tests that include these pages and the rest of Vera Multi-search changes from before
evaluate usability feedback, evaluate stats from Google Analytics and SFX
plan for future updates and changes
Summer 2008
stage 3 -
take the new Vera out of beta and retire the old Vera (from the public view)
Nicole/UIG: find all places on web site to link to the new Vera Multi
find places to embed the search in addition to our home page
UIG + CFG: marketing and pubicity
Nicole - retire the old Vera public web pages and update all Vera shortcut URLs