The Implementation and Launch of AquaBrowser at Halifax Public

Libraries

Presented by: Laurel TarulliCollection Access LibrarianHalifax Public Libraries

• Why a Social Catalogue?• Doing our homework and the RFP• Factors that influenced our decisions• Implementation• Beta Launch• Taking a look at our new catalogue!• Feedback• Participant in OCLC funded research project

Today’s Discussion…so many options

• Implementation

• Beta Launch

• Taking a look at our new catalogue!

• Feedback

• Participant in OCLC funded research project

Focus on

• Why did Halifax Public Libraries want a social catalogue and what features were essential? Not essential?

Why a Social Catalogue?

• Halifax Public Libraries– Vision to create a collaborative, social

environment that represents an extension of our physical branches;

– To assist in better access to all of our collections, including an easier and more intuitive interface;

– User expectations – and staff expectations– Big picture!

Considerations

• Identify what other libraries are doing…likes?...dislikes?...successes?...failures?

• Research • Consider the following:

• Proprietary vs. Open Source Software• Solution Requirements (ie. What would you like the

software to do? What does it have to do?)• Users – user needs, groups• Budget, staff resources and time-line

Considerations

• Vendor presentations • Sample RFPs• Ask about special customized features or to address

concerns you have about something you’ve read• Who owns your data/stats? • Ability to track/manipulate statistics

• Speak with colleagues at other libraries about their experiences and opinions

Mandatory Requirements

• Faceted navigation• Library defined relevancy ranking• Single search result screen

• Google-like search box to search all indexes at once;

• Set of related terms;• Relevancy ranked results;• Faceted browsing capability for further refinement

of results based on library selected dimensions.

Mandatory Requirements

• Federated searching• Close to real-time database synchronization with ILS

database• Indexing that is unattended and automated• Single sign-on to interface, ILS, other data sources• Inclusion of additional databases, including Community

Resources Database• Display of enriched content (cover art, ToC, reviews, etc.• In-house ability to customize, define and make changes

to interface and design components

Mandatory Requirements

• “Social” or “Collaborative” components• Add and search tags• Personal and public lists• Searchable lists and users• Creation of reviews• Contribute ratings

Wouldn’t it be nice if it could…

• Sharing with other social networks (Facebook, MySpace, Amazon, Google bookmarks)

• Compatibility with smart phones/devices

• Ability to “follow” other users (reading lists, reading preferences)

• RSS feed

Implementation

• 1 year to public beta launch

• Key factors in successful implementation• Bibliographic Records – how good and accurate is

your cataloguing?• Knowledge of your existing system and how it

works• Excellent working relationship with your vendor

contact

Implementation• Social catalogue team made up of key staff

members from different departments at HPL

InformationTechnology

Readers’ Services

Diversity Services

ReferenceAdult Services

Collection Access

Communications &Marketing

AquaBrowser – Out of the Box

Timeline

• Spring 2009 – RFP and purchase of AquaBrowser

• Summer/Fall 2009 – Implementation

• Staff Beta Launch - December 2009

• Public Beta Launch – April 2010http://discover.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca:9000/

• Online Feedback/Survey - ongoing

Feedback from PatronsFeatures – Useful or not useful?

Easy to use or hard to use?

• Posting & reading reviews• Look and feel• Faceted navigation• Searching/viewing lists• Discovery word cloud

• Which catalogue do you prefer?

Feedback from Patrons

“…if one enjoys books, it can only be described as a positive addiction…I found the new catalogue very user friendly and easy on the eyes - i.e. not too busy. It is fun to use and easy to navigate and find search items. I particularly enjoyed the "Discovery" area on the left of the screen.”

– HPL Patron

Research Continues

• HPL is one of two libraries in Canada participating in a usability study examining the major social discovery tools used in Canadian public libraries.

• 2010 OCLC/ALISE grant awarded to research partners Laurel Tarulli, HPL and Dr. Louise Spiteri, Dalhousie University to carry out this study.

HPL’s Vision for the Future

• Social Catalogues impact and enhance all core library services

• Increases remote access and sharing• Library plays central role in community

• Local “Google” – no longer “just an inventory”

• Collaboration with a variety of organizations• museums, galleries and archives and beyond

• Create an online, collaborative information space that reflects the needs and desires of our users

Thank you!

Laurel TarulliCollection Access LibrarianHalifax Public Libraries31 Eisener Blvd.Dartmouth, NS B2W 0J1Ph. (902)490-2704tarulll@halifax.cahttp://www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca