Re: Laundry list for NGC (long post)

Gail,

I agree that Amy's list is a great contribution to this discussion. I wanted to pick up on one line in your
mail, though.

> I think it would be great if I could just go to one giant libary site,
> search and discover, then finally link to my local library where I can
> place a hold and pick it up.

Here at Talis we have a service called Source (http://www.talis.com/source/blog/) for ILL Librarians
that is free to contribute to and free to discover holdings on. The platform services that power this are
also powering the freely available Cenote (http://cenote.talis.com/). Cenote links through to
libraries wherever we have the information to and we've based that on an open directory that anyone can use
and help maintain (http://directory.talis.com/ui/). These things aren't just possible; there are
some folks here who want to help you do it.

Source is a UK service, but given today's technologies, the web and other advancements there is absolutely
no reason you shouldn't get what you want globally. We just have to change the way we think about this stuff;
open up, stop pretending we can "own" the data that everyone needs to share and, above all, build on a cost
model more like the one Google started with.

rob

Rob Styles
Technical Lead, Talis
tel: +44 (0)870 400 5000
fax: +44 (0)870 400 5001
direct: +44 (0)870 400 5004
mobile: +44 (0)7971 475 257
msn: mmmmmrob <at> yahoo.com
irc: irc.freenode.net/mmmmmrob,isnick

________________________________________
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB <at> listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Gail Richardson
Sent: 12 December 2006 17:10
To: NGC4LIB <at> listserv.nd.edu
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Laundry list for NGC (long post)

Thank you for your awesome list. I think it is safe to say that this is what we all want - as users, and *for* our
users. And it should all be possible, shouldn't it? Whether we will ever find all of this, or even most of it,
through a vendor product, I don't know. I don't suspect so. So how can we do this for ourselves, do it right,
and be consistent? I hate that each library does whatever slightly differently. I think it would be great
if I could just go to one giant libary site, search and discover, then finally link to my local library where
I can place a hold and pick it up.  I'm circulating this list to our staff - and putting it under the
organizational Christmas Tree. Cheers - Gail

Gail Richardson - Ext. 5062
E-Services Coordinator
Oakville Public Library
120 Navy Street
(corner of Lakeshore Road and Navy Street)
Oakville, Ontario L6J 2Z4
Telephone: 905-815-2042
Fax: 905-815-2024

Amy Ostrom <amostrom <at> GMAIL.COM>
Sent by: Next generation catalogs for libraries <NGC4LIB <at> listserv.nd.edu>
12/12/2006 11:00 AM
Please respond to
Next generation catalogs for libraries <NGC4LIB <at> listserv.nd.edu>

To
NGC4LIB <at> listserv.nd.edu
cc

Subject
[NGC4LIB] Laundry list for NGC (long post)

Dear NGC4Libbers:

I have not been able to keep up with all the posts, but it seems no one will just create a substantial list - too
much theory and questioning/doubt behind everything.  I don't know about anyone else, but I am myself an
end user, and I have a LOT of things I would love to see.  I don't care if it is done in collaboration with
Amazon, or Worldcat, or any organization, but this is what I want.  I hope this proves beneficial. 
(Apologies in advance for a long post.)

*I want it all in one place with option to see more or less (if it's on a booklist let me know, if it has reviews
let me see them, put it all in the same place; if the library has it in audio and book format, put it in the same
record!, seriously, if one type isn't in, I'll take another format - I don't want to click on 15 records just
to find something; I also want to be able to hide some stuff if it is too cluttered)

*I want descriptions, dangit!  And why does no software exist for integrating series information in the
catalog??  I want to know what the next book is!  (nothing like clicking on something you think you know what
it is, and then it really isn't.  I HATE that for something I might be interested in, I have to go to Amazon
first to find anything)

*I want to see related/similar materials (I want a smarter version of http://www.literature-map.com/,
either to graphically display the closeness of the book/author, or to at least list what others think are close)

*I want to make wishlists and my own booklists (heck, if I read an awesome series, I want to let others see
these books if they share similar tastes; also I may not have time to read right now, but doesn't mean I want
to forget a book I found that might be worth reading later)

*I want pictures!  (I am visual, I'll know it's the right book if I can see it first; I want to see a sample of of
the content as well, but would settle for a description)

*I want suggested searches and ways to narrow or broaden the search I made (if I can't remember the name or
misspell it, I want it to act like Amazon and pull up suggested spellings or related searches, also broken
down by category)

*I want the search to pull up the RIGHT materials (rank by popularity would work better than what item was
last cataloged; Amazon is very good with its algorithm, it's not that hard to replicate - we can record how
many times a record was viewed and how many times it was checked out, we know its publication date, we know
its format, why can't we organize the search better?)

*I want an RSS feed for new items based on a search query (heck yeah I want to know what just came in without
going to the catalog every day so I can get my hold on it ASAP, but I don't want to know EVERY item that is
purchased, only what I am looking for; great for current awareness as well)

*I want to see the newly available items, especially in DVDs, CDs, and games (not just an RSS feed out, but
actually on the site!)

*I want to know how long the wait list is, in days and or queue location (if it's too long, I'll just go buy the item)

*I want permalinks, so I can link to a book from my blog to the catalog instead of to amazon or remember easily
how to get back to it without running the search again (I am all about promoting the library, but Amazon is
better than the library could ever be with marketing and promoting, let's take their example!)

*It would be awesome to create my custom display, so I see what I want in the color I like (okay, it's a stretch,
but it's all about customizing and personalizing these days)

*I want a map to show me the general shelf I might find my item (so many times an item was pulled out of the
general collection and I pull my hair out in frustration)

*I want a library where I only have to sign in once, ONCE! (in my library catalog, every time I place a hold I
have to enter my information; I log on, and I get signed out after maybe ten minutes of idleness - I'm
probably surfing Amazon to find the RIGHT book...)

*I want to be able to turn on alerts for things like service outages, due dates, and overdues with quick
access to renew, let alone modify my account profile and add password hints... (people are very forgetful)

So, from these wants, here is a basic (non-comprehensive) list of features we need to build a better catalog:

1.  XML format
2.  More (and better) content
3.  More pictures
4.  Smarter search engine
5.  RSS on the fly
6.  Commenting!!  Commenting!!
7.  User accounts
8.  Single sign-in
9.  User created lists/content
10. Permalinks
11. FRBR 2.0
12. Highly customizable interface
13. Highly user-friendly account settings/options
14. Smart spell-check aka related spelling/search terms
15. Organizable search results

So for those who aren't very technical and are kind of freaking out about the grocery list, the basic
configurations should still be in tact with ability to enable the customization tools.  I am tired of code
that is falling apart, personally, and I would love to have a "skin" collection similar to MySpace, where
you can pick or share your theme (with small customizations for name, etc), so the smaller libraries can
also have a pretty catalog.  Or even being able to share the customized configuration files without loss of
security?  Seems like the world, but aren't we paying a fortune for these systems?

--

In peace,

Amy M Ostrom
Web Interface Designer
amostrom <at> gmail.com

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