New Library and Information Science Titles : Information Technology

This authoritative text will be a trusted reference for library directors implementing new IR programs or overseeing a maturing program, current professionals who find themselves with added IR responsibilities, and new librarians entering the job market. The Institutional Repository (IR) has become standard to the academic library in the past decade. In fact, some 5,000 are listed in open access directories. However, IR operations are anything but standard. You are not alone in your challenges, whether it's discovery of born digital content or policies for deposit and withdrawal. This resource gathers expertise to offer a comprehensive guide on contemporary institutional repository management. Readers will sharpen their understanding of such key IR topics as managing complexity task-by-task using a detailed breakdown of IR projects; six crucial elements every deposit policy should address; using the SHERPA RoMEO database to quickly locate publisher policies; policy development, community outreach, and open source software testing, illuminated through case studies; metadata basics for the non-cataloger; authority control for electronic theses, dissertations, and grey literature; workflow suggestions for small and mid-sized institutions; showcasing undergraduates' work with student peer-reviewed journals, photography, or theater performances; promoting faculty engagement with awards and recognition; and copyright fundamentals all staff who interact with the IR should know.

A library user can’t access an article. Your log in credentials won’t work. In the realm of electronic resources everything runs smoothly—until suddenly, without warning, it doesn’t. Invariably, systems will break down, but a trial and error approach to finding out what’s wrong is highly inefficient. This hands-on guide from two expert ERM librarians walks you through the essentials of troubleshooting. It outlines a methodical process that will help you identify the source of a problem even when it’s not obvious and take steps to reach a resolution. With the goal of developing a library-wide workflow in mind, this guide will teach you how to

-- familiarize yourself with the components of electronic resources, using flowchart diagrams of common access chains such as discovery services, knowledge bases, research guides, and library services platforms;
-- navigate the complete triage and troubleshooting workflow, illustrated through 14 in-depth examples;
-- recognize the symptoms of common access disruptions;
-- conduct efficient troubleshooting interviews;
-- manage help tickets and design problem reports that capture key information without overburdening the user;
-- create publicly available help pages for problems originating with users’ devices or computers;
-- communicate with vendors and IT personnel for speedy resolutions, providing dozens of clear definitions of library and technology terms that will help you minimize confusion; and
-- customize your own troubleshooting workflow chart for common use across departments and staff hierarchies.

Acting as a ready reference, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills to troubleshoot common ERM problems.

Plenty of resources offer you snippets of code and a variety of tutorials can show you the solutions to web development problems. But it’s much more valuable (and a better investment of your time!) to learn some core problem-solving skills. This book shares key rules and strategies that will empower you to become a confident coder and web developer, ready to think through whatever complications present themselves. Bengtson, an expert developer, describes 11 challenges typical of a library setting and ones he has faced himself. He then walks you through his thinking, with explorations of alternate approaches, as he works toward a solution. As you follow along, you’ll gain wisdom involving scenarios such as

-- integrating a reader app with Dspace;
-- tips when using a public API;
-- troubleshooting a Google Analytics Event hook in a new application;
-- building a database from a collection of CSV files;
-- collecting information from a university’s web pages to display in the library website; and
-- moving mass quantities of information to the next page of your app.

Armed with the conceptual foundation outlined in this book, you’ll be ready to meet the web development challenges you face in your library.