LibGuides Town HallMonday, December 15, 2014

Agenda

1. Overview of LibGuides Project

– Complex; Consensus Driven; transparent

2. Subject Taxonomy Update

–Methodical; In-process

LibGuides Project: LibGuides Support Team

LibGuides Support Team is charged with decisions regarding system-wide deployment of LibGuides features and content. Laura Rey, Team Leader*

Sean Buchanan

Tiana Faultry-Okonkwo

Beth German*

Stephanie Graves

Derek Halling

Jared Hoppenfeld

Robin Hutchison*

Michael Larson

Chance Medlin

Felicia Piscitelli

Deva E. Reddy

Kristen Smith

Elaine Thornton

Gary Wan

* Planning Sub-Team

LibGuides Project: Planning Sub-team

The Planning Sub-Team is responsible for proposing a plan and implementation strategy to the larger committee.

LibGuides Project: Phases

I. Project Definition

II. Planning We’re here

III. Implementation*

IV. Transition to Operational*

* Not going to talk about today

LibGuides Project: Phase I: Project Definition

• Literature review

• One-on-one usability study

• Reviewed best practices

• Created personas

• Developed service description

LibGuides Project: Phase II: Planning (Tasks)

• Communications Plan

• Content strategy

• Operations plan

• Navigation, Integration, Wireframes, Style

• Training and Best Practices Plan

LibGuides Project: Phase II: Planning (Sub-Teams)

• Communications• Content• Operation and Maintenance• Subject Taxonomy • Technical• Training

LibGuides Project: Timeline

• Launch date: August 15, 2015

• Planning phase complete Late April / Early May

• Training and content: May – July 2015

LibGuides Project: Approval Workflow

Deliverable Who does the work Wider Feedback Stakeholders Approval Final Signoff Communication

Service Description LibGuides Executive Team and Learning and Outreach N/A LibGuides Committee Susie Email and Blog

Subject Taxonomy Taxonomy Sub-team Open Forum LibGuides Committee ULET Email and Blog

Overarching Information Architecture Technical Team Web Team LibGuides Committee Susie N/A

LibGuides Integration Technical Team, IDT, Web team N/A LibGuides Committee Susie Joint Dean’s Corner

Operation and Maintenance Plan Web-LG Co-Team TBD LibGuides Committee ULET TBD

Wireframes and Navigation Technical Team Open Forum LibGuides Committee Susie Email and Blog

Communication Strategy Communications Sub-team and Marketing N/A LibGuides Committee LibGuides Committee N/A

Content Strategy and Content Implementation Plan Content Sub-team Open Forum LibGuides Committee Susie Email and Blog

Training Plan Training Sub-team N/A LibGuides Committee LibGuides Committee Email, Blog, and Dean’s Corner

Style and CSS Technical Team N/A LibGuides Committee Marketing and Communications N/A

LibGuides Project: In Progress and Next Steps

Team Status

Communications Plan approved. Implementing

Content Has not met. On-hold pending Subject Taxonomy.

Operations and Maintenance Has not been formed.

Subject Taxonomy Work in-progress. Update next!

Technical Formed. First meeting this week.

Training Formed. On-hold to allow the project to get further along.

Subject Taxonomy Update

Subject Taxonomy Update:Why are we doing this?

• LG2 platform based on subject area groups

• Offers multiple ways to “parse” content for users

• Automate content to make it easier to make guides

Subject Taxonomy Update:Guides vs. Subjects

Guides are Individual • Class Guides• Research Guides• Topical Guides

Subjects are Categories• Guides can be associated

with one or more subjects• Subjects can have multiple

librarian “experts”• Databases can be sorted by

subjects in the A-Z database function

• Subjects have a new “ Subject Homepage”

Subject Taxonomy Update:Subject Homepages (new)

NEW* Feature: Automatically generated subject homepage.

NEW* Feature: One or more Subject Librarians can be assigned to a Subject.

EXAMPLE: Iowa State LibGuides Home

 

Subject Taxonomy Update:A to Z Database List

A-Z Database list using the Subject Taxonomy:  

NEW* Feature: Databases can be browsed by type, vendor, and SUBJECT.  

NEW* Feature: Each subject will include a curated list of databases and allow the subject librarians to select ‘best bet databases’ that will appear at the top of the list.  

NEW* Feature: Lists of New and Trials Databases integrated

EXAMPLE: Iowa State University Libraries A-Z Databases

 

Subject Taxonomy Update:Taxonomy Sub-Team

The Taxonomy Sub-Group• Subject librarians on the LibGuides Team• Responsible for working with the librarians in their

disciplinary groups

Taxonomy Sub-Group Members: D. Reddy & G. Wan (Science & Eng.)D. Halling (MSL)J. Hoppenfeld (WCL & PSEL)F. Piscitelli & E. Thornton (Hum., Soc. Sci, and Area Studies)E. Hartnett (Database management)S. Graves & B. German (shepherds for the process)

Subject Taxonomy Update:Actions

• Analyzed data • Other LG2 implementations• TAMU Degree programs• LC headings• old MetaLib data

• Agreed on Principles for Decision Making• Some Examples:

• How many subjects are ideal for “find-ability”?• How many guides per subject is ideal?• How do we decided if a narrower/broader subject is

needed?• How many “best bet” databases are ideal to

minimize confusion?

Subject Taxonomy Update:Actions

• Taxonomy Team met with Subject Librarians:• Developed preliminary list with

approximately 40 subjects• Testing the “subjects” by assigning• Identify no more than 5 Best Bet

databases• Identify no more than 30 additional

databases• If assigning database is difficult, this

may indicate a need to broaden or narrow the subject.

Subject Taxonomy Update:Next Steps

Finalize Taxonomy Recommendation• Review combined lists of taxonomies• Review databases test worksheets

Follow the Approval Workflow• Hold Open Forum for comments and feedback• Subject Taxonomy Sub-Team will make

revisions as needed• Presented to LibGuides Support Team for

approval• Presented to ULET for approval

Thanks!

Questions?