GLAM: Global Access Management

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GLAM Global Access Management
What e-learners and e-librarians want from AA
technologies

Sally Chambers University of London
TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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Overview

• Needs of application areas needs of users?
• External Programme e-learning community
• Online Library for External Programme students
• AA technologies in the Online Library
• User problems with AA technologies
• What do eLearners and eLibrarians want from AA
  technologies?
• Need for compatibility with security software?

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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External Programme e-learning community

• 30,000 distance / elearning students worldwide
• eCampus Student Registry Database, Virtual
  Learning Environment, Online Library resources,
  Student Discussion Fora.
• Varying specifications of computers, internet
  connectivity and computer literacy
• Ideal Authorised access to the eCampus using a
  single username and password

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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Location of External Programme students
TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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Online Library - Goals

• To provide off-campus / remote authorised access
  to licensed online resources ensuring compliance
  with licence agreements
• To provide professional support and guidance in
  the effective use of online library resources

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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AA Technologies in the Online Library (1)

• Online Registration for personal Athens accounts
• Online self-creation of username / password
• Checked against download of data from student
  registry database
• Self-creation of personal Athens account via
  proxy server (Athens is IP controlled)

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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AA Technologies in the Online Library (2)

• Manual creation of Athens accounts
• Students request Athens account using online form
  account details automatically sent by email
• Athens accounts created in advance of online
  course - posted / sent via WebCT to student
• Manual request for usernames / passwords for
  non-Athens protected resources
• Evaluation version of PAPI (through JISC-funded
  GLAM project)

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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User problems with AA Technologies

• 75 of Online Library enquiries about username /
  passwords
• How to get a username / password
• Usability / technical problems with online Athens
  registration process
• Forgotten Athens username / password
• Unable to login (technical / usability problems)
• Support should be for information skills not
  logging on!

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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what e-learners want

• Logging into personalised services (e.g. saved
  searches / alerting services) using AA username
  and password
• Clarity about which username / password for which
  resource / service
• Effective methods for retrieving / resetting
  forgotten usernames / passwords
• Logging on from home / work, i.e. from different
  computers

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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what e-learners want

• Quick login to resources over a modem
• Be able to easily see which resources access to
  and when account / login expires
• Login to multiple resources at once ability to
  easily move between resources
• User-friendly usernames and passwords (e.g. find
  institutional identifiers confusing)
• Information about the resource (e.g.
  descriptions) at point of access

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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what e-librarians want

• Improved usability for students, therefore less
  enquiriesor more enquiries about information
  skills!
• Easy to access / flexible statistics, comparisons
  across all resources / user groups
• How to get username / password to students
• Management of the student lifecycle renewal of
  accounts annually to ensure compliance with
  licence agreements
• Ability to customise error messages for students

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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what e-librarians want

• One AA method for all online library resources
• My account details, so students know which
  resources they have access to, or just show the
  resources that they have access to and hide the
  rest?
• User-friendly and flexible e-resource management
  - ability to provide access to resources via
  library web pages, catalogues, Virtual Learning
  Environments etc.

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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Compatibility with security software?

• New technologies working against AA technologies,
  e.g. security software
• Pop-up blockers, e.g. Google Tool Bar, Personal
  Firewalls etc.
• Againuser education is required!

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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Conclusion

• The importance of the user can not be
  underestimated in the development and
  implementation of AA technologies
• Need to raise awareness of AA technologies (in
  non-technical terms) for librarians and other
  information professionals
• AA technologies need to be central to the
  business processes of the user community served.

TF-AACE Workshop, Malaga 20th 21st November,
2003
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Further information?
www.glam.lon.ac.uk
www.external.ull.ac.uk