WAC: Home > About WAC > Minutes > January 24, 2005

Web Advisory Committee Minutes, January 24, 2005

Attending: Beckett, Howser, Irwin, Jones, Spitzenberger, Trkay, Wellvang
Absent: Alvarez, Murdoch
Minutes: Howser

Agenda:

1. Not on agenda: Gretchen initiated discussion of MetaLib, OneSearch & UTALO based on the fact that some on WAC attended a MetaLib meeting earlier in the day. She questioned the relationship of our design issues discussions to MetaLib and OneSearch and how they relate to the use of UTALO by our users. Sarah/Marie indicated that the MetaLib/OneSearch will take more than a semester to implement. WAC should continue to move in the direction of considering changes suggested by staff at the Information Services/Information Resources/Information Literacy joint meeting in January. Tasks mentioned by Sarah include, but not limited to: "provide links out" -- still connect to OneSearch and UTALO; also provide deep links into OneSearch, also the research databases which can not be linked; cannot add to federated search (contents of some databases will not be effected.
   
   
   • Explanation email on OneSearch (for those of us not on MetaLib Committee) is in an email Bob Samson sent 11/25/04.
   • Quote: " The Libraries will be implementing the MetaLib federated search product, which we have named "OneSearch" .  This should prove to be a significant new service for our users.  The MetaLib Implementation Team completed its formal training in the system earlier today (yesterday) and will now begin the process of configuring and implementing our local OneSearch system. 
   • A link to the OneSearch user interface has been added to the Libraries' staff web page, i.e. http://libstaff.uta.edu .  The system is pretty much in a default configuration at present with little functionality, but you should be able to see the system evolve over the next four to six months, similar to watching a new building go up on campus from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting.  We have tentatively targeted a March or April release of OneSearch."
   • Sarah indicated MetaLib go live in ??? June Year? At our meeting, Sarah indicated OneSearch go live August or Fall 2005. This is contrary to what Bob's message indicates. Things change.
     
     
2. Report on library staff feedback session on "Library Catalog" and "Research" menu items (Trkay/Beckett) (see: [WAC-2005-01-24] websitefeedback.doc, also at Q:\MIS\Web Advisory Committee (WAC)\Minutes)
   
   
   • Suzanne and Gretchen led the discussion of the feedback from the joint meeting of IS/IR/IL.
   • There is strong feeling among certain quarters that the UTA Library Catalog be a dominant fixture on UTALO top navigation bar, instead of being in a drop-down link. Feeling is the library catalog should not have a drop-down menu but should be a link directly to advanced search option. Options in the drop-down menu should move elsewhere or disappear. Even though on the right side of main page of UTALO there is a link to the OPAC, staff in the public arenas do not use this.
   • The next items for discussion was the Drop-Down menus for Library Research and Library Services . Some feel all library service requests should be in one place -- For example Library Services - Catalog Service Requests drop-down menu for forms.
   • New Books , UTA Theses were referred to by Sarah as "Links of Convenience"
   • These items led into a discussion of what is Research and what are services.
     
     
   • ACTION:
     • Services should probably be "re-defined" in order to get a clear picture of what should be under Library Services v. Library Research
     • Concerning Library Services and drop-down menu for Collections -- the description for "Collections" should be from a departmental perspective.
     • Statement was made "Navigation quickly becoming a site index and that was not the intent. "one click from" "JAVA script huge"
     • Suzanne brought up having a label for class Assignments. Sarah mentioned Library Course Guides was to serve that purpose, but these are only created when faculty request such. Suzanne suggested we have a link for Faculty to something to the effect of "Tell Us Your Assignment." Gretchen mentioned a university library site in Australia which has something like this.
       
       
     • ACTION:
       • WAC will pursue the "Tell Us Your Assignment"
       • Suzanne will send out an email asking Subject Librarians to notify DLS of the Course Guides which need to be suppressed if the courses are not being taught in the current semester.
       • Subject Librarians also need to be aware of the days and times of DLS re-deployment of Web pages if they need a course guide to be put up in due time. DLS also was reminded that sometimes faculty notify subject librarians at the last minute. These factors should be taken into consideration.
       • Quoting from an email, Sarah sent to Library Staff yesterday, 1/31/05, this sums up what Sarah said at our 1/24 meeting.

         "If you have a specific deadline for when the new, updated, or corrected information must be available on the web site, be sure to tell us what that deadline is.

         At the moment, we publish web site updates to the "live" web site twice a week. (or, if you've heard us talk about "redeploying the web site" -- that's what I mean by "publishing the changes" -- that is, making your changes visible on the public web site)

         These web site changes get published overnight Monday night/Tuesday morning and then again overnight Thursday night/Friday morning. If possible, give us a few days lead time so we can incorporate your updates into our work to get them published on time. However, if there's an emergency or other special circumstances, just let us know and we will be able to accommodate you."

       • Hopefully, after the Content Management is in place, application of updating will be smoother.
         
         
3. What are the goals of UTALO? (from the discussion at the last meeting)
   Not discussed.
   
   
4. Items on the table:
   • Dropdown menu changes -- discussed in agenda item "Library Staff Feedback"
   • Librarian home pages:
     • A template needs to be used to bring a continuity to librarian subject pages
     • Improvement in design, content, etc. needed
     • Who should host?
     • I am uncertain if this relates to hosting, but Sarah said that DLS will soon no longer administer library staff personal work-related home pages. Any Library Staff member may request web space on the UTA server.
     • Template for librarian staff "business card" pages

I left the meeting early due to SEL Ref Desk shift -- so I don't know if you discussed this after my departure at 4pm