A CMS Approach at NC State University Libraries

1
A CMS Approach at NC State University Libraries

• Computers in Libraries
• March 10, 2004

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
2
Agenda

• Steve McCann
• CMS Investigation Background and Overview
• May Chang
• CMS Application
• Questions and Answers
• CMS Handout

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
3
The Challenge of Managing Content

• All happy families resemble one another, but
  each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
• Leo Tolstoy.
  Anna Karenina.

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
4
NCSU Libraries Website Environment

• 15,000 static HTML files, managed informally
• Large number of contributors
• Includes department pages, general and services
  information, research guides, course pages,
  information literacy instruction modules, staff
  home pages, etc.
• Site includes redundant elements
• Includes hours, ask-a-librarian links, branding,
  etc.
• Website redesign in progress
• The system is not broken but could be improved.

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
5
CMS An Overview of Benefits

• Ideally, a CMS should
• Simplify the management of the web site
• Empower a wide range of contributors while
  maintaining look and feel
• Allow change to both layout and style
• Provide Security, user management, versioning,
  workflow
• Schedule content publishing and expiration
• Allow multiple publishing channels, both in and
  out

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
6
The Full Web CMS
Non-CMS db
Connector Code
Contributors
Web Server
HTML files
CMS
Main CMS db
XML RSS
Connector Code
CMS- generated db

• A CMS can stand behind all the static and dynamic
  parts of the website
• Boiko, p.76

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
7
A CMS Process at NCSU Libraries

• CMS Investigation Project Team
• Getting up to speed for participants
• Tested several CMS solutions
• Talked to other libraries using CMS
• Received commercial demo
• Final report presented in early 2004
• Pilot project

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
8
CMS Investigation Project Team

• Weeding Decisions before Selection
• Commercial Open Source DIY ?
• Wait to participate in campus-wide adoption of
  portal technology?
• Does solution mesh with libraries appropriate
  technology?

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
9
Libraries Appropriate Technology

• Production Environment
• Oracle and Sun Solaris
• Variety of servers, middleware and databases
• Skill Sets
• Java, Perl, php, ColdFusion
• MySql and other OSS technologies

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
10
CMS Solutions Reviewed / Considered

• Apache Lenya http//cocoon.apache.org/lenya/
• ZopePlone http//www.zope.org/
• SiteExecutive http//www.siteexecutive.com/
• OpenCMS http//www.opencms.org/
• Magnolia http//www.obinary.com/en/magnolia.html

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
11
CMS Investigation Findings 1 of 5
Commercial CMS Solutions

• Pros
• Support, documentation, training, and service
  level agreements
• Would likely be faster to implement
• Perceived sense of safety
• Safest bet if resources are available to purchase

• Cons
• Licensing can be expensive
• Customization/integration and maintenance
  expenses
• Vendor sets priorities and schedules for feature
  requests

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
12
CMS Investigation Findings 2 of 5
Open Source CMS Solutions

• Pros
• Significantly cheaper without the licensing fee
  line item
• Code is accessible
• Community developed add-ons
• Options for hosting (outsource, in-house, or
  combination)
• Widest selection of hosting platforms

• Cons
• Uncertaintyproduct support, documentation,
  training
• Flip side of flexibility can be a challenging
  complexity
• Enterprise-grade workflow difficult to achieve
• Implementation times can be lengthy
• Portion of licensing-fee savings redirected to
  development expertise

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
13
CMS Investigation Findings 3 of 5
Custom CMS based on an OSS framework

• Pros
• Opportunity to create a customized, branded
  solution specific to requirements
• Commercial support available Opportunity for
  the best of OSS and Commercial
• Proven, solid framework

• Cons
• Similar cons to other OSS solutions
• Required functionality will need to be built if
  not already available
• Customization introduces added concern of taxing
  internal development resources, which can further
  delay implementation and increase product support
  demands

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
14
CMS Investigation Findings 4 of 5
Building from Scratch ( DIY )

• Pros
• Results in a system that is specifically
  tailored to needs

• Cons
• Difficult to estimate initial and ongoing
  investment
• Heavy dependency on development staff
• Difficult to keep up with feature requests
• Various field experts caution against this
  approach

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
15
CMS Investigation Findings 5 of 5
Extend Existing Web Publishing Model

• Pros
• Least invasive option not dramatically
  different from current practice
• Opportunity to formalize workflow and editorial
  process
• Opportunity to standardize editing tools

• Cons
• CMS functionality, such as workflow,
  transformations, etc., would need to be developed
  in-house
• Essentially results in DIY scenario
• Potential exists for final product ending up
  incomplete

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
16
CMS Solutions Reviewed / Considered

• Apache Lenya http//cocoon.apache.org/lenya/
• ZopePlone http//www.zope.org/
• SiteExecutive http//www.siteexecutive.com/
• OpenCMS http//www.opencms.org/
• Magnolia http//www.obinary.com/en/magnolia.html

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10
17
References

• Boiko, Bob. Content Management Bible. New York
  Hungry Minds, 2002.
• A CMS Approach at NCSU Libraries can be found at
• http//www.lib.ncsu.edu/presentations/cil2004/

Computers in Libraries 2004
May Chang,
Steve McCann

2004.03.10