We too are using Innovative. The public online catalog is different
than the staff interfaces. There's the OPAC (the online catalog) and
there's Millennium (the staff interfaces for each module). I believe
the dual interfaces we're discussing are the online catalog: one for
patrons and one for catalogers.
With Innovative, there is also a staff web interface. However, while the
staff interface does provide all the information available in the
cataloging/bib record and is served up via the web, it is not the
Public catalog. Some catalogers contend that using the online public
catalog is preferred to using the staff web interface. However, the
information contained in the public catalog does not match the needs of
the patrons. For example, patrons can perhaps do without bib record
searching, while catalogers find this helpful.
Designing a library web interface that meets the needs for both the
public and staff could be solved with a dual interface--one for patrons,
one for staff. The open-source community can provide this ability where
proprietary vendors have failed or simply opt not to develop it. For
the record, I've asked Innovative to develop such an interface. This
would solve many design issues. Having said that, Jerri brings up some
excellent points about developing user-interfaces for all electronic
devices. Many libraries, including Innovative libraries, utilize SMS
functionality which allows library records to be sent to cell phones.
What is really needed is a fully functional, fully personalizable, very
flexible catalog interface. At the moment it appears the open-source
ILS community is our best option. The proprietary vendors take too long
to develop new technology and they're developing on legacy applications.
Deb
Jean Harden wrote:
> I have a feeling I'm missing something here. Our catalog (Innovative) has a public interface and multiple staff interfaces - one for cataloging, one for circulation, one for acquisitions, etc. Any staff interface has lots of information that the public has no need to see. The public interface is designed specifically to meet the needs of the public and shows only that information that is useful to the public. (For instance, the staff can see how much we paid for something and what fund the money came out of. The public would have no interest in that information and cannot see it.)
>
> Is this what you are talking about when you say dual interfaces?
>
>
> --
>
> Jean Harden, Music Catalog Librarian
> Libraries
> University of North Texas
> PO Box 305190
> Denton, TX 76203-5190
> (940) 565-2860
> jharden_at_library.unt.edu
>
>
>
>>>> On 9/17/2007 at 1:50 PM, in message
>>>>
> <AA8403492BF77844B94115278FF2349511BD1B_at_mercury.co.douglas.or.us>, Carol
> McGeehon <clmcgeeh_at_CO.DOUGLAS.OR.US> wrote:
>
>> I agree we need to develop dual interfaces. One for the public and one
>> for the staff. I'm a SirsiDynix customer using the WEB2 catalog
>> originally from Data Research and I've set up a staff catalog which can
>> be accessed internally because of the needs of a previous cataloger.
>>
>> Definitely our public wants something much different than our staff
>> wants and I firmly believe staff needs should be met with a different
>> interface than our public. Currently I use the same interface and have
>> left functionality turned on which we have turned off in the public
>> catalog.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
>> [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Jerri Swinehart
>> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:13 AM
>> To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
>> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] As a Library 'decision maker'
>>
>> At 01:20 PM 9/17/2007, Deb Bergeron wrote:
>>
>>> While I realize that creating a well-designed catalog for all users
>>> (including catalogers) is a controversial subject, what I don't quite
>>> understand is why this is an issue when we now have the ability via
>>> open-source to develop dual-catalog interfaces that 'play well' with
>>>
>> ILS
>>
>>> modules, thus giving us the ability to design for both the patron and
>>> the staff (librarians/catalogers). What am I missing?
>>>
>> I think the future of cataloging as a profession first came
>> up because the Library of Congress (LoC)decided not to create series
>> authorities. There was gossip on the cataloging listservs had LoC
>> doing away with subject headings. I think it woke a lot of catalogers
>> up that the traditional catalog, which is now online might very well
>> go away. So cataloging jobs would change or disappear. Change can be
>> a very frightening thing for folks especially when they've spent
>> their lives doing their work the same way.
>>
>> My own opinion is that I want a catalog that is available
>> 24/7 on all those nifty and expensive electronic devices that
>> everyone (but me) has today. I also want a more robust keyword
>> searching mechanism than is currently available (at least on
>> Voyager). I also want to be able to add more keyword searchable
>> information to bibliographic records. If that means not using MARC so
>> be it. A well-designed metadata schema, a few standards for entry, an
>> ILS that supports it et voila! We can begin to give library users (at
>> all levels)what they want in the way they want it.
>>
>> I also think that before sitting down to the nuts and bolts
>> of how to do this that the library users need to be surveyed. What do
>> all library users at all kinds of libraries want? Or feel they need?
>> The answers would, I suspect, change the way in which ILSs are
>> designed, the way in which information literacy classes are taught,
>> and also change the way in which catalogers do their jobs.
>>
>> Sorry...I'll go back to lurking now.
>>
>> Jerri Swinehart
>> MLIS
>> Library Assistant III
>> Oakland University
>> Kresge Library
>> Technical Services
>> Rochester, MI 48309-4484
>> swinehar_at_oakland.edu
>>
>>
>> --
>> This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by
>> MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.
>>
>> Douglas County, Oregon
>> www.co.douglas.or.us
>>
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deb Bergeron <mailto:bergeron_at_macalester.edu>
CLIC <http://clic.edu>, System Administrator User Support
1619 Dayton Ave. Suite 204A, Saint Paul, MN 55104
T: 651.644.3878 C:651-487-7609 F:651.644.6258
Received on Mon Sep 17 2007 - 14:16:05 EDT