Introducing Social Introducing Social Catalogues and Social Catalogues and Social Software into Public Software into Public Libraries Libraries

Laurel TarulliCollection Access Librarian

Halifax Public LibrariesDecember 7, 2009

Exploring the world Exploring the world around usaround usWeb 2.0 User Expectations – Amazon and

Google vs. The Public Library Catalogue

New technologies – *Social interactions and sharing◦RSS feeds, LibraryThing, Facebook,

Twitter Younger, energetic staff with new

ideas about “the library”

The Library Catalogue – Basic The Library Catalogue – Basic HomepageHomepage

Google – It isn’t just about a single search Google – It isn’t just about a single search box, it’s about personalizing your information box, it’s about personalizing your information needsneeds

Amazon.caAmazon.ca

We’re not Amazon or We’re not Amazon or GoogleGoogleNo, we’re not, but what are they doing right?

◦ Recommended reads◦ Ranked results◦ Single search box – pulling all resources together

and letting you “drill down”◦ Easy to use – no training required!

There’s a fear in exploring this:◦ Exposing our weaknesses◦ It’s too expensive to “fix” our current model◦ We don’t have the expertise or resources◦ It demands too much effort – status quo◦ There’s an education component involved

Skills Staff buy-in Focus groups/research

Baby StepsBaby StepsStep-by-step introduction of new

technologies and ideas◦Non-threatening

Job security Fear of technology Fear of change

◦Explaining and showing the benefits◦Fun

Time to play Getting used to the technology and ideas

Halifax Public LibrariesHalifax Public LibrariesIntroducing 2.0 technologies into

cataloguing◦Cataloguing Wiki

Created in late 2007 Resistance/Staff buy-in

◦Staff Side Collective body of cataloguing knowledge

within the department

◦Catawiki “Public” staff side of Catawiki

New Technologies New Technologies throughout HPLthroughout HPLReference blog

Readers’ blog◦ Active Readers’ Advisory Team and RA

movement at HPL

How can we merge our expertise into one source to help our users and enhance our services?

◦ We need to look at what we currently have and what users and staff want

Legacy Library CataloguesLegacy Library Catalogues

Online Catalogues: What Online Catalogues: What Users and Librarians WantUsers and Librarians Want

Users – “Seamless discovery through delivery”

Delivery is more important than discoveryWhere is it? Is it available? Format? How soon can I have it?

Simple search box with option for advanced searching

Easier access to online content and links

Online Catalogues: What Online Catalogues: What Users and Librarians WantUsers and Librarians Want

First attempts to “socialize” First attempts to “socialize” the library cataloguethe library catalogue

Adding enriched content on your ownSummariesTables of contentsAdditional general notes (500s field)ReviewsRSS FeedsRecommended titlesEmbedded live reference/RA chat in the catalogue

Edmonton Public Library http://www.epl.ca David Lee King’s post: Fun with Meebo Widget and the

Library Catalogue http://davidleeking.com/2007/11/30/fun-with-our-meebo-widget-and-the-library-catalog/

Partnering with teams within the library◦ Collection Access and Readers’ Services

◦ Halifax Public Libraries Personalized summaries created by the RST that address

appeals and read-a-likes Embedded reading lists Reading suggestions found within bibliographic records Local genre headings/access points Linking bibs to relevant Readers blog posts and relevant

blog posts to the library catalogue Invites readers’ comments and interaction, event

suggestions

Social Catalogues or Next Social Catalogues or Next Generation CataloguesGeneration Catalogues

Features Single sign on

Federated search interface

Expanded scope Discovery and display of all types of content in the collection and beyond

Allows for easier customization and additional software options and enhancements

Ranked results

User intuitive interfaces Did you mean? Feature No dead ends Search suggestions

HPL Decides on HPL Decides on AquaBrowserAquaBrowser

◦Early 2009 AquaBrowser was purchased

◦May through September Implementation Process

Bibliographic record “clean-up” Faceted navigation rankings Display content Icon creation Format layouts Exporting of records

HPL Decides on AquaBrowserHPL Decides on AquaBrowser

◦October – our first glimpse of HPL’s overlay Review, editing, critiquing Formed a Social Cataloguing group from key

staff members at HPL Updates to Management Team

◦November Reviewing, critiquing Updates to Management Team Ongoing Feedback from Management Communications and Marketing gets involved

HPL Decides on AquaBrowserHPL Decides on AquaBrowserDecember - beta

◦ Staff launch◦ Staff training

January – beta◦ Public launch◦ Research and evaluation of AquaBrowser

begins

February◦ Full public and staff launch◦ Research and evaluation of AquaBrowser

continues for 2010 and beyond?

So, what does it look like?So, what does it look like?

This is what it looks like “out of the box”

After customization...After customization...

My Discoveries AccountAllows you to view your reading listsTags you’ve createdRatings and Reviews

Searching another userSearching another user

Controversies with user Controversies with user taggingtaggingThose opposed say:Tags corrupt the MARC dataAbuse Drain on resources to monitor or

“clean” user-generated materialsNo quality control/uniformityTags aren’t meaningful

◦“Favourites” “To Read” “Research”◦Sarah Palin’s new book

User tag “I can see Russia”

AquaBrowserAquaBrowserTag base has been pulled in from

LibraryThingTags reflect community – they

personalize the library catalogueUser-generated information is

another layer on top of MARC, it is not part of our MARC records

Language control◦“Black list” of terms

Follow-up thoughtsFollow-up thoughtsUser-generated information,

including tags assist in make library catalogues social discovery communities, rather than static item inventories.

◦Reflect different languages, opinions and regional needs/cultures

◦Can be personalized or social/community focussed

◦Reflect new language and trends not yet found in controlled vocabularies

Thank you!Thank you!Laurel TarulliCollection Access LibrarianHalifax Public Libraries(902)869-4427tarulll@halifax.ca

The Cataloguing Librarian Bloghttp://laureltarulli.wordpress.com