Website Management: How Millersville and California Enhanced Their Library Web Sites for Public Serv

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Website ManagementHow Millersville and
California Enhanced Their Library Web Sites for
Public Service
Scott R. Anderson scott.anderson_at_millersville.edu
Loring Prest prest_at_cup.edu

• PASSHE Fall Reference Librarians Conference
• October 27, 2006
• Bloomsburg University of PA

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What is the Axis?

• Website software developed at MVS
• Developed long ago, in a galaxy far away1997?
• Database driven website
• Content is in a database (MS SQL)
• Look and Feel via templates (pre-style sheets)
• Use Client / Server software for changes
• Visual basic application

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Axis at MVS

• In production for at least 5 years.
• Suffered through versions 1 and 2
• Versions 3 major overhaul / improvement
• Nice user interface to the client app.
• Establishment of the Beach ball folder for
  version 3. Official mascot adopted.

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Axis Advantage Link Maintenance

• Easily list resources in multiple places
• No static pages
• Can associate a resource with many locations
  (aka, nodes)
• ASP at MV
• Edit once, changes all locations
• Advantage
• Easy to create new pages using existing resources
  
• Resource Guides gt By Course at MV

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Axis Advantage Link Maintenance

• Create multiple Links for each resource
• IP-based
• Direct on-campus
• http//search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtypeip
  profileehostdefaultdbaph
• Authenticated off-campus
• http//voyager.ship.edu/remote/validate.cgi?dbEBS
  COcustom22profileehostdefaultdbaph22
• Location specific links for Ref Desk
• LHP gt FA gt Print gt Normal view of Access
  Supplemental Index
• Screenshot of Reference Desk view of Access
• Advantages
• More direct access for on-campus patronsfaster
  load
• On-campus patrons dont see Shippensburg server
  problems
• Reference librarians can have special access

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Axis Advantage Link Maintenance

• (cont) Create multiple Links for each resource
• Interface-based
• EBSCO dbs Ehost Text Only Interfaces
• BSP Ehost, TOI, Enh.Bus.Searching Interfaces
• AgeLine Ehost AARP
• Advantages
• Patrons can choose preferred interface
• Patrons have an option if a server problem

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Axis Advantage Link Maintenance

• Create multiple Descriptions per resource
• Tailor descriptions to the page/audience
• ASP (Articles-Gen TTF)
• ERIC (Education Com Studies)
• Make temporary descriptions for resources that
  will be unavailable (can set on and off
  time/date)
• SamSpade.org
• Advantage
• Better communication with patrons

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Axis Advantage Link Maintenance

• Date-stamp Descriptions that may need revision
• Can date-stamp every description, but looks very
  busy
• How to or Help pages can become out-dated
• Date-stamping these pages allows a librarian or
  patron to gauge the currency of the information
• AMS Journals Online Help Page
• Full-Text Journal Finder Search Tips
• Advantages
• Librarians can evaluate if a help page needs
  updating
• Helps maintain accuracy of information being
  presented to patrons

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Axis Advantage Link Maintenance

• Create Redirection Links
• Embedded links can be hard to find and change
• Use a Redirection Link instead
• Just Getting Started
• Contact a Librarian
• Change the link once in the RL Table
• Advantage
• Fewer dead links!

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Axis Advantage Link Maintenance

• Connect a Resource Expert to a resource
• MV gt Articles gt Computer Science
• Advantage
• Connects patrons to your subject-specialist
  librarians

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Axis Advantage Site Maintenance

• Timed messages in Site header
• Can set on and off times/dates
• Warn patrons about outages, special hours, etc.
• Advantage
• Accurate info to patrons regarding down times,
  special events, etc.

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Axis Advantage Site Maintenance

• Automatic creation of Web Site Index
• A-Z list
• Search Engine with search options
• Advantages
• Easily find resources without knowing place in
  site tree
• Librarians can locate all of our resources by
  vendor (EBSCO, CSA, etc. ) using the search engine

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Axis Advantage Site Maintenance

• Built-in report bad link
• Every resource has this link (nodes do not)
• LHP gt FA gt AIS gt Gen gt ASP (show rbl)
• Patrons do your link checking!
• Advantage
• Keeps links current

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Axis Advantage Site Maintenance

• Divide and conquer Multiple editors
• Divide your site among multiple users
• Administrator controls access levels
• Can limit to specific parts of the site tree
• Advantages
• Site maintenance is distributed rather than
  centralized
• Specialists can develop their own areas

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Axis Advantage Site Maintenance

• Library Directory (MV, Cal U)
• Enter info, let Axis handle the display
• Includes a lot of information
• Patron can choose categories and sort order
• Advantage
• Provides more detailed contact information for
  patrons

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Contact Information

• Scott R. Anderson
• Coordinator of Access Services
• Millersville University
• Scott.Anderson_at_millersville.edu
• Loring A. Prest
• Electronic Resources Librarian / Webmaster
• California University of Pennsylvania
• prest_at_cup.edu