The University of Michigan Library's web site is a consistent, integrated front end on what was a collection of 19 distinctly different library sites and multiple library silos. The library's site now combines a variety of tools (including Drupal, VuFind, Springshare's LibGuides, Ex Libris's Metalib, DSpace, and Solr) within a single interface. In this talk, you will learn about the design process that informed the system architecture and the way we are using data from both open source and proprietary software to break down information silos. Presented at WiLSWOrld 2010 in Madison, Wisonsin
5. Our Problem Catalog Federated Search Research Guides x 3 300+ database providers Thousands of online journals Dozens of libraries Can’t We All Just Get Along?
6. Information Not Location Web Team charge: allow the Dean to find stuff more easily A vehicle for a single identity – the MLibrary brand Provide a unified user experience Platonic Ideal – Eliminate Silos
8. Phase I: The Band-Aid Force the brand onto the site Provide consistent navigation Identify duplicated content Practice the idea of thinking of ourselves as one Reduced, but didn’t eliminate, heterogeneity of interface
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11. Data Gathering Broad user survey One question survey Focus groups Advisory groups
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13. Did not want to know where to start: information, not location
17. Visual Priorities Provide a ubiquitous, persistent FIND function Establish clear visual hierarchy Make us look hip, clean, contemporary Show off our treasures (they’re never seen!) Tell our news Reveal things that aren’t known about us
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19. Visual Elements Soft colors don’t compete with primary function Regular rhythms help users anticipate – use a grid Design philosophy – keep it simple If the design is invisible, the design succeeds
26. Putting the User First Review what users told us: Wanted librarians to tell them what was important Wanted easy starting poit Wanted unified design No lists of links* Built site around search and browse Used technology to beat silos into access * Except faculty. They LOVE their A-Z online journals list
27. Development Principles We open source software Preference for building over buying Trend toward customization of generic tool We have in-house capability to customize Drupal, VuFind, Solr But use more than open source Still live in a vendor-driven environment Metalib, EZProxy, SFX, Aleph ILS
28. Ex Libris Catalog (Aleph) Federated Search (Metalib) Link Resolver (SFX) Largely closed systems
30. LibGuides Moved subject content out of web site Better presentation for our users without building a tool Still wanted to include in site search Open data, not open application
32. Drupal Heart of the site Biggest strength: you can make it do anything Biggest weakness: you can make it do anything Enables very complex data flows Largely open
33. Apache Solr Search (mostly) happens here We index lots of data from lots of sources But we aren’t building an index of everything VuFind DSpace (“Deep Blue”)
37. The road to Hell is paved with benign neglect. -- Me
38. A Year in Review The punch list morphed into remodeling and redesign needs Reacting to feedback Conducting usability work
39. Post Redesign: It Never Ends Integrating other services & applications Article Discovery is the 3rd leg of the stool (web and catalog done) Mobile interfaces New User Experience Department just formed
40. Gateway Page Layout Participatory Design Volunteers get print-out of gateway page Circle things they like X-out things they don’t like Use post-its to add things that they want Learned interesting things about what students & librarians value Faculty study underway this term