You Don't Need A Rocket Scientist: 10 Easy Ways To Dress Up The OPAC Emily Clasper Suffolk Cooperative Library System IUG 2010

If You Are… A Web Developer (a REAL one) A Graphic Artist A Programmer Really great with Javascpript, php, XHTML, or other languages? Trying to figure out what to do with your unlimited time and resources? GET OUT!

This Session is For People: “Accidental” Web Designers … for whom the OPAC falls under “Other Duties as assigned” … with a basic grasp on CSS and HTML … who are pressed for time … who are strapped for cash … who are not sure how they became a “Code Monkey”

10 Easy Ways to Dress Up The OPAC “Bells and Whistles” Mostly free or low-cost Widgets From Third Party Services Really Easy Code All Code, Instructions, Links, and Resources available at: [Link to Presentation and Resources]

#1: Build Your Brand Design your OPAC to promote your library’s message Use CSS to apply different branding to individual scopes

#1: Build Your Brand

#1: Build Your Brand

#1: Build Your Brand

Does your library have a brand manual or style guide? #1: Build Your Brand

#1: Build Your Brand

Use the toplogo files to customize each scope’s #1: Build Your Brand Colors Fonts Logos and Images Links Embedded elements

[Link to Example Code] Copy elements that will be different from the master style sheet and paste into an internal style sheet in the toplogo_sXX.html file. Change values in the internal style sheet to customize the colors, fonts, etc. In the Release 2007 example set, the toplogo file adds a navigation bar that can be customized for each scope. Header images, links, and other elements can be added in the rest of the toplogo file. #1: Build Your Brand

#2: Provide a Different View External links, widgets, other bells and whistles add value to the catalog. Some libraries have concerns about allowing these elements on in-house dedicated OPAC terminals. Skip adding value for the bulk of users in order to protect a handful of locked down computers? Add the features but block them in-house and allow outside use only? Add the features and unlock these terminals?

Use a local style sheet to suppress selected elements on specific terminals #2: Provide a Different View

#2: Provide a Different View [Link to Example Code & Instructions] 1. Add <div> tags to the elements you want to suppress identifying them with a unique CSS ID. For example: <div id=“hide1”>Stuff to Hide</div> 2. Create a style sheet containing only these elements as follows: div#hide1 { display : none; } div#hide2 { display : none; } (etc.) 3. Save this file on the terminal and direct the browser to use this local style sheet.

#3: Get Feedback from Real People Survey Tools Embed a Poll Link to a Survey

http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/software/page10744.cfm #3: Get Feedback from Real People Basic Survey Tools SurveyMonkey Zoomerang SurveyGizmo PollDaddy Lower Cost Integrated Solutions Constant Contact FormSite Moodle More Advanced Survey Packages SurveyZ QuestionPro LimeSurvey Key Survey Start by thinking about your needs. If you're just looking to get your feet wet with a quick survey, one of the free or low cost tools is likely to work fine. In fact, a more sophisticated survey package is likely to just be considerably more difficult for you to use.

Glowday.com Time to create and embed this survey widget in our catalog: 15 minutes #3: Get Feedback from Real People

Linking to a more in-depth survey or “Suggestion Box” Zoomerang.com #3: Get Feedback from Real People

#4: Look At Use Patterns Google Analytics How many users do you have? How regularly do they use your catalog? From where do they access your catalog? What browsers, operating systems, screen resolutions, etc. are they using? What are your users searching for? How long do users spend in our catalog? How many search terms are being used? How do our users find our catalog?

Google.com/analytics #4: Look At Use Patterns

1. Create a Google Analytics account. #4: Look At Use Patterns 2. Google Analytics will give you a chunk of code to embed in your site. 3. Copy the code and paste it into the toplogo.html or botlogo.html of your catalog. Embedding this into the botlogo is slightly better for page load speed Embedding in the toplogo makes multiple-scope maintenance and tracking easier

#4: Look At Use Patterns Inform future changes Remove barriers Improve usability Improve findability Report on use Spot trends

#5: Help Where It’s Needed Embed or link to IM reference Provide access to help from all pages Insert specific instructions at the point where the function is being performed

#5: Help Where It’s Needed meebome.com/

#5: Help Where It’s Needed

#5: Help Where It’s Needed

#5: Help Where It’s Needed

#6: Show Off What You Do Users go to the catalog to see what you have to offer -- is that only physical items? Programs Services Events Local information Other Resources

#6: Show Off What You Do Programs and Events Subscription Services Book Lists and Bibliographies Downloads News Worried about in-house terminal security? Suppress these on in-house OPACs using css!

Twitter.com #6: Show Off What You Do

Twitter.com #6: Show Off What You Do

Embedding Twitter Updates Option 1: Use a script to incorporate your updates into the catalog #6: Show Off What You Do [Link to Example Code & Instructions by Remy Sharp] Option 2: Use an outside service to create a widget that incorporates your content and embed the widget

rssinclude.com #6: Show Off What You Do RSS Include Easily create a widget to embed in your catalog that can draw simultaneously from a number of RSS based sources. Blogs Wikis Delicious Facebook Flickr YouTube

#6: Show Off What You Do

#7: Give ‘Em a Visual Flickr.com

Embedding a Flickr Badge 1. Visit: http://www.flickr.com/badge.gne to create a custom badge drawing from your library’s account or a group pool. 2. Embed the code into the html files for your screens. Flickr.com #7: Give ‘Em a Visual

#8: Help Users Spread the Word AddThis Bookmarking Widget Allows users to share your catalog’s content via 271 + social networking services Currently being used on more than 800,000 commercial sites Includes an Analytics component Patrons sharing with patrons Staff sharing with patrons Staff sharing with staff Patrons sharing with staff

#8: Help Users Spread the Word Addthis.com

#8: Help Users Spread the Word

#8: Help Users Spread the Word

#8: Help Users Spread the Word Install an AddThis button: 1. Visit: AddThis.com to create a custom button for your catalog. Use the “Website” setup option. 2. Embed the code into the bib_display.html file. 3. See what happens.

#9: Provide More Information Google Book Search ISBN based search of Google Books Reviews Summaries Preview (Sometimes Full Text) Related Books Common Words and Phrases Illustrations Maps Quotes and Excerpts Full text Search Other Editions References Google Scholar Results and more…

#9: Provide More Information

#9: Provide More Information

Install a Google Book Search button: Put the following fode in your WEBADDRESS wwwoption: 2. Upload a google.gif image to your screens directory. 3. Position the <!--{resourcetable}--> token in your bib_display.html file where you want the button to display. #9: Provide More Information |I|http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN%s||<img src="/screens/google.gif“ ALT="More Information From Google" BORDER=0>| [Link to Discussion of More Advanced Implementations]

#10: Make Searching Convenient Get OUT of the OPAC! Put specialized Search Boxes in practical locations Can users add your catalog to the search engines in their browser search box?

#10: Make Searching Convenient [Link to Example Code & Instructions] Add Specialized Search Boxes to: Your Library’s Web site Departmental Blogs Staff sites Sites of partner organizations Within the OPAC

#10: Make Searching Convenient

#10: Make Searching Convenient

#10: Make Searching Convenient [Link to Example Code & Instructions] Courtesy, Rich Edwards, Washington State Library http://www.opensearch.org/Home Search Plugins Auto-Discovery Open Search Standard:

The Rules Whatever you do: Be flexible. OPAC changes are never permanent, so don’t get too attached. Keep it simple. If you get too complex with custom add-ons, nothing will be sustainable. Work with all kinds of users to keep changes intuitive and goal-oriented. Document all changes, settings, sources, and accounts. Do no harm. This stuff is the icing. Make sure you still have a good cake.

Emily Clasper Suffolk Cooperative Library System eclasper@suffolk.lib.ny.us [Link to Presentation and Resources]