Team Members:
- Chris Benda
- Jodie Gambill
- Robert Rich
- Larry Romans
- Amy Stewart-Mailhiot
Project Summary/Abstract: The Library Guides Project Team will investigate open-source and commercial options for creating and managing library guides (including subject and course guides), and will make recommendations related to the acquisition of a product for system-wide adoption.
Statement of Need: A Research Services Committee discussion focusing on ways to improve our display of the research databases brought to light some dissatisfaction with the lack of a system for easily creating and maintaining subject and course guides.
Evaluation of the possibilities should include the implications of each option on staff time, both for public services and LITS. It is the responsibility of team members to communicate the progress of the project to their libraries/departments and to bring concerns from their libraries/departments to the team.
Project Champion/owner: Research Services Committee (RSC)
Project leader/coordinator: Amy Stewart-Mailhiot
Documentation and Reporting: The project team will develop a needs document outlining criteria for a desired system. The project leader will provide periodic progress reports to the Research Services Committee. The team will conduct a review of selected systems, and a set of recommendations will be submitted to the Research Services Committee. Once approved by RSC, these recommendations will be submitted to the Library Directors Council for approval. If there are extensive needs with regard to technical infrastructure, the recommendations will go to Strategy & Planning Council before implementation. Depending upon the recommendations, one or more implementation teams may be required.
Related Project(s) and Stakeholders: The Director of System-wide Public Services is a stakeholder in this project. LITS is also a stakeholder given that there may be implications for system maintenance and hosting.
Budget: It is expected that expenses will be negligible during the planning process. If a commercial option is selected, the estimated cost will need to be approved by the Director of System-wide Public Services. If the team opts for mass conversion of existing guides, funding will be necessary for hiring graduate students to do the work. Depending on cost, this will need approval from the Director of System-wide Public Services or Library Directors Council.
Timeline: The team will be in place by June 2nd, after approval by the Library Directors Council. Recommendation of a system will be submitted to the Library Directors Council by September 30th, 2008. Once a system has been approved, the project team will help guide the implementation and will help coordinate training for staff involved in creating and updating guides. The team will determine the best method for converting existing guides to the new system. The goal is to have all guides in the new system by the start of the 2009 fall semester.
Assessment: The team will seek input from library staff currently involved in creating and updating resource guides to determine ease of use of the systems under review. The team should also seek student and faculty input on the usability of sample guides created using the different options. Library student workers will be a useful resource to tap for this, particularly during the summer months.