UCD Connect & the UCD Library UCD Connect & the UCD Library – partners in communication– partners in communication

With an overview of Web 2.0 applications in an Irish academic library

~ Diarmuid Stokes & Josh Clark

UCD Li brary Leabharl ann UCD

UCD ConnectUCD Connect

• The university’s information portal for students and staff

• Access to email, news, announcements, weather, administration and IT services, staff training & development info, etc.

• Items such as announcements targeted to specific audiences: students, support staff, academic staff - PERSONALISATION

PersonalisationPersonalisation

• UCD Connect built on channels in tabbed environments

• All channels can be minimized, or maximized to full screen

• Some channels can be turned on/off• Build custom tabs that can be populated

by various channels• Group together the information relevant to

YOU

Account info, Change password

Arrange your tabs & channels

Create and modify channels

(restricted access)

UCD Library in ConnectUCD Library in Connect• the My Library tab• High profile!• Acts as a “second website” for the Library• Cannot be customised: i.e., channels cannot be

rearranged or turned off• Links in My Library take you to existing pages on

the Library’s website at www.ucd.ie/library• Access to Library catalogue, databases, e-

journals, subject portals, news and focus stories, LIBRARY ACCOUNT, etc.

Library account integrationLibrary account integration

• Seamless integration into Connect

• Talis Keystone software

• Student clicks on link and goes to summary page for his account

• No PIN required – log in to Connect and you log in to the Library!

Taking advantage of Taking advantage of personalisation featurespersonalisation features

• “Subject channels” – mini subject portals for students

• Link to resources in subject portals on Library website

• Nice design!

• Dynamic – updated monthly with featured resources and subject news

Title

News feature

Highlighted resource

Links to subject portal

resources

Contact and update details

UCD Connect demoUCD Connect demo

The Use of Blogs in UCD The Use of Blogs in UCD LibraryLibrary

• Began with 2 blogs in 2005:– UCD Science Library Blog ~

http://ucdscience.blogspot.com

– UCD website diary ~ http://webstrat.blogspot.com

• Purpose: informational (for staff & students)

Diary of changes and amendments to the Diary of changes and amendments to the Library’s website (for internal use by Library’s website (for internal use by

Library staff)Library staff)

News, new resource announcements, News, new resource announcements, library events for science students & library events for science students &

academic staffacademic staff

Current SituationCurrent Situation

• New blog set up late January 2007– Research @ UCD Library ~

http://ucdlibraryresearch.blogspot.com

• Audience: UCD researchers – primarily postgraduates

• Content: news re: library services for this group

The futureThe future

• Reader Services area setting up blog soon

• A blog index page, complete with RSS feeds?

• UCD Library branding for consistent design?

• A blogging policy?

Library Audio TourLibrary Audio Tour

Why create a library audio tour?

•Every year thousands of students introduced to James Joyce Library.•Need to give as many as possible introduction to the library•Size of James Joyce Library

•4 floors•Study spaces

•Support existing library tours not replace

Ideas behind the tourIdeas behind the tour

Decision to make the tour in MP3 format.

Host on website

Students independently able to access the tour and download to mp3 player

MP3 players available from the Library admission desk

Equipment and SoftwareEquipment and Software

Equipment purchased

Mixer Behringer Eurorack UB802

Microphone: Samson C03

Griffin iMic

MP3 Players

Already available

Apple ibook

Software

Apple Garageband

Apple iTunes

(Both available on the laptop)

Equipment and SoftwareEquipment and Software

Creation of TourCreation of Tour

Writing of the tour• Need to look at library with fresh eyes• Need to be able to guide newcomer

around the library, get them to where you want them to go and give them appropriate information.

• Write script, get new member of staff to take tour, get feedback, rewrite tour and repeat.

Creation of TourCreation of Tour

Recording• Need to get the voices right.• Divide tour into small segments.• Keep recording segment until right• Repeat• Use Garageband software to stitch

segments together.• Publish with iTunes as MP3 file

Making tour availableMaking tour available

Technical

Creation of web pages

Purchase MP3 players

Marketing

Creation of posters put up around library and information points

Large Plasma screen at library entrance.

Library news pages

UCD Connect

Success?Success?

Maybe..

Technical pressures meant that the tour was late in launching

Tours winding down when launched so demand for the tour not great.

Unable to get figures the website to determine usage

Techical success.

LessonsLessons

Learning curve: software and hardware

Script take longer to get right than you’d think

Divide up tour into floors

Better MP3 players

Launch earlier and pretest

Nothing stands still.

Instant Messaging (IM)Instant Messaging (IM)

Allows people to talk to each other through their computers via text or voice.

Not being used in any other academic library in Ireland

Reader Services initiative

Why IM?Why IM?

Personal familiarity with IM

Obvious high usage of IM in UCD

Moving to an electronic environment, why not electronic Queries

Something new.

The IM PlanThe IM Plan

Decided to go with MSN Messenger as it was quite popular

9 month pilot March-December 2006

Available 6 days a week for up to 9 hours a day

Part of Information Desk rota

IM in practiceIM in practice

Mostly UCD users 104 with 10 non-UCD

Usage followed pattern of physical library use

Queries ranged from the simple (noise upstairs) to complex subject queries

Lot of positive feedback from local, national and international users

IM concernsIM concerns

Part of info desk roster work – questions about sustainability once mainstreamed.

Possibility of abusive messages

Volumes of messages when mainstreamed

Microsoft dependence

Future of IM in UCD & beyondFuture of IM in UCD & beyond

Plan to mainstream IM from Sept 2007

Rethink about staffing, marketing and technology

Look at platform. Dependence on Microsoft?

Platform independence.

3 other irish libraries have indicated that they will go live with IM in the near future

Contact DetailsContact Details

UCD Connect, Blogs & audio tour

Josh Clark

Tel: 01-7167646 Joshua.Clark@ucd.ie

Diarmuid Stokes

Tel 01-7166207 Diarmuid.Stokes@ucd.ie

IM

Cathal McCauley

Tel 01-7167695 Cathal.McCauley@ucd.ie