User Interface Group
July 13, 2006
User Interface Group Meeting
Present: Darcy Duke, Millicent Gaskell, Lisa Harrington, Nicole Hennig, Bonnie Parks
Guests: Rich Wenger
1. Barton as an SFX Source
Rich has been able to make the display of the SFX button conditional on the full record in version 16. He's also changed the holdings page so the SFX button does not appear after each item but instead the text "electronic holdings" displays. However the display on the holdings page is unconditional which concerned everyone. The group discussed whether we should roll it out now rather than wait until version 18. If Rich can easily remove the display on the holdings page, he will implement in version 16 otherwise we will wait until version 18.
2. New Book RSS Feeds
Rich has been working with Barker and Dewey on some sample feeds. Rich has improved the feeds so that they now sort titles alphabetically and character limits have increased. Rich will finalize the sample feeds, transfer them to another test server, and distribute them to Millicent and Darcy for final comments. Darcy and Nicole will prepare a communication for DLG with screenshots of the feeds to help start the divisional libraries in planning for new book feeds.
3. LibX Toolbar
Feedback from Libraries' staff has been very positive. Nicole will change the configuration files so that the title search is a title keyword rather than "title begins with" search so that it will work when combined with the author search. She will also find out how updates happen with the LibX auto-update feature, so that we'll know how people who have already installed LibX will get the update. Darcy will move the web pages as we discussed and make them live next week. Nicole will create redirects as needed. Darcy will also create a blog story to promote the tool.
4. Libraries' Betas
Darcy created a new page for the Libraries' beta projects. The group felt it is important to communicate to the Libraries' staff that the experimental nature of betas do not require the same level of support. Maggie volunteered to draft a message for all-lib. Bonnie and Lisa had some ideas for logos for our beta page and will investigate getting or making the logo. The group discussed how early adopters on our staff can play a role in supporting these new tools for others on our staff and also ways to allow for our users to contribute feedback about the betas. Nicole will schedule an information/discussion session for staff
about betas sometime in August.
Darcy will finish the betas page and publish to the web. Nicole will mock up an updated Help Yourself page and About Us page to include the betas. Darcy will also put the beta page in the featured resources and/or the stripe in the coming months. Eventually, a place for "graduated" betas will need to be created.
5. Updates
The url to test Barton in version 18 will be distributed to the Barton test group soon and to all-lib next month. Darcy commented that the Barton wiki has been very effective in the upgrade process.
Marion Leeds Carroll and Melissa Feiden are drafting a homepage for the staff web. Their draft will be presented to UIG at a future meeting. The hope is to have a new macfadden home page in place for fall. Soon we plan to offer wikis for use in creating staff web pages.
A request for proposals has been distributed to get vendors to redesign the Libraries' giving web site. The hope is to have the new site up by the end of September.
Nicole will set up a staff web page for the UIG committee and post our minutes there soon.
Next Meeting: Thursday, July 27, 2006
Future Agenda Items:
Virtual instruction and podcasting (screencasts, Angie's project tutorials)
Staff Web: new home page and wikis
MIT Libraries' Betas page (LIBX toolbar, Firefox extensions, Podcasts, experimental home page)
Putting ourselves where users are (Wikipedia, iTunes Univ, RSS feeds, other)
RSS feeds from Barton for new items
New giving web site
Archives web site redesign
Barton v. 18 changes
Barton as an SFX source
SFX new features: more conferences, etc.
Working with the grad students from GSC