Creating a New Faceted Browsing Function for Millennium WebPAC Pro

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Creating a New Faceted Browsing Function for
Millennium WebPAC Pro

• Li, Yiu On, Senior Assistant Librarian
• Leung, Roger, Information Technology Officer
• Hong Kong Baptist University Library

9th HKIUG Meeting University of Hong Kong Library
8th Dec., 2009
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Outline

1. What is Faceted Browsing?
2. Implementations of Faceted Browsing in
   Traditional WebPAC Two Approaches
3. Architecture of the New Faceted Browsing Function
   in WebPAC Pro
4. BU Faceted Browsing Function and Encore A
   Comparison
5. Conclusion

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1. What is Faceted Browsing?
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1.1 Definition of Faceted Browsing

• Faceted Browsing
• also known as faceted searching, or faceted
  navigation
• is a special navigation interface designed for
  record searching and browsing
• to display aspects of result sets in multiple
  classification and categorization schemes, (e.g.
  related authors, titles, subject headings,
  material types, locations, languages, publication
  years, etc.)

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1.2 Advantages of Faceted Browsing

• Unlike a single, pre-determined, hierarchical
  scheme, faceted browsing gives users the
  abilities
• To find items from multiple dimensions and
  attributes
• To explore new directions in dynamic taxonomies
  (i.e. divisions into ordered groups or
  categories)
• To refine/narrow down the searches

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1.2 Advantages of Faceted Browsing (Cont)

• To easily switch between searching and browsing,
  users can use their own terminology for
  searching, while browsing the organizations and
  categories suggested by faceted classifications
• To display the number contents of each
  suggested category

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1.2 Advantages of Faceted Browsing (Cont)

• For experienced Web users, faceted navigation
  isnt something that needs to be explained
• -- Marshall Breeding. "Next-Generation Library
  Catalogs". Library Technology Reports, vol. 43,
  no. 4, July-August 2007, p.12.

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1.3 Use of Faceted Browsing in Commercial Sites

• Indeed, faceted browsing has become part of a
  well-established user interface convention
• A 2003 survey reported that 69 of 75 leading
  commercial sites made use of faceted browsing. In
  fact, all sites of computers, gifts, kitchen
  ware, music/video categories used faceted
  browsing
• -- Use of Faceted Classification,
  http//www.webdesignpractices.com/navigation/facet
  s.html
• e.g. Amazon, the largest online book stores

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• In Amazon, faceted browsing includes
• New Releases
• Department
• Formats
• Binding
• Shipping Options
• Award Winners
• Promotion
• Avg. Customer Review
• Condition

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1.4 Implementation of Faceted Browsing in WebPAC

• If librarians can implement this common faceted
  browsing function in WebPAC environment, then
• we can change WebPAC from a traditional searching
  tool to a powerful information discovery tool

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2. Implementations of Faceted Browsing in
Traditional WebPACTwo Approaches
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2.1 Need for Adding New Web 2.0 Functions to
WebPAC

• More and more librarians are discontent with the
  insufficient functionalities of the traditional
  WebPAC interfaces
• To win the support from the new generation of web
  users, we need to add new Web 2.0 technologies
  such as faceted browsing, interactive cloud tags,
  federated search, and social networking tools,
  etc.

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2.2 Next Generation WebPAC

• Different names of WebPAC equipped with new Web
  2.0 functions include
• Next Generation Library Catalog,
• SmartCat,
• Library Catalog 2.0.

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2.3 Two Different Approaches

• In Hong Kong, two different approaches are
  adopted to build the Next Generation Library
  Catalog. They are
• New Functions in New WebPAC (NFNW)
• New Functions in Current WebPAC (NFCW)
• (Note in this presentation, we use faceted
  browsing function as an representative example of
  the Web 2.0 functions)

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2.4 NFNW Development Logic

• The development logic of the New Function New
  WebPAC approach may be summarized as
• We MUST add faceted browsing function to WebPAC
• Existing Millennium WebPAC Pro environment is too
  old and CANNOT accommodate this transformation
• Thus, we need to develop a new WebPAC to
  implement new Web 2.0 technology
• (NOTE this argument is invalid, we will talk
  more in NFCW later)

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2.5 Two Models of NFNW

• Two different development models of New Function
  in New WebPAC
• Encore
• III product
• Relatively high annual subscription fee
• CUHK, HKU, PolyU have purchased
• Scriblio
• an open-source software
• enhanced used at HKUST

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2.6 Disadvantages of NFNW

• Many existing powerful functions of WebPAC Pro
  are missing in Encore
• Exact Author, Title, Subject Searching
• Scope searching
• Limit results to items with "Available" status
• Search History
• Author/title/subject authority list (e.g. Author
  search Strauss, Johann, 1825-1899)
• Modify/Limit this Search command
• Advanced Keyword Search Form

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Existing WebPAC Pro powerful functions are
missing in Encore
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2.7 NFNW Dual WebPAC System

• As a result, Encore cannot replace traditional
  WebPAC Pro
• If patrons want to use those old advanced
  search functions, they have to use the
  Traditional WebPAC Pro
• Thus, Encore (New Function New WebPAC) approach,
  in reality, is a dual WebPAC system
• Encore (New WebPAC) WebPAC Pro (Traditional
  WebPAC)

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click on to access WebPAC Pro for more
old/classic advance searching capabilities
Encore in University of Queensland Library
http//encore.library.uq.edu.au/iii/encore/search/
C7CSStrauss7COrightresult7CU1?langengsuitede
f
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2.8 Disadvantages of a Dual WebPAC System

1. Patrons have to learn how to use two different
   WebPAC systems. This may cause inconvenience and
   confusions
2. Library staff spend more time and effort to
   maintain two searching interfaces, therefore,
   maintenance cost is high
3. Systems people waste time to re-invent a new
   interface rather than concentrate on the design
   work of faceted browsing function

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2.9 Building Next Generation Library Catalog
the Second Approach

• The development logic of New Functions New WebPAC
  approach is based on an invalid argument
• the existing Millennium WebPAC Pro environment
  is too old and CANNOT accommodate any Web 2.0
  functions
• But, our study shows that WebPAC Pro is a
  comparatively open and flexible environment, and
  we can add in-house developed scripts to the
  interface

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2.9 Building Next Generation Library Catalog
the Second Approach (Cont)

• Thus, we decided to add faceted browsing function
  to the existing WebPAC Pro interface
• This is a more logical, simple and direct
  approach, and I call it
• New Functions in Current WebPAC (NFCW)

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2.10 Merits of the NFCW Approach

• Faceted browsing is inserted to WebPAC Pro and
  becomes an integral part of it
• All the existing WebPAC Pro powerful functions
  are kept
• The new add-on faceted browsing functions are
  fully compatible with the existing WebPAC Pro
  functions
• The new add-on faceted browsing functions
  strengthen the existing WebPAC Pro searching
  capabilities

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2.10 Merits of the NFCW Approach (Cont)

1. Single interface avoids unnecessary
   inconvenience, inconsistency and confusion caused
   by a dual WebPAC systems
2. Save library staffs time and efforts in
   maintaining two different WebPAC systems
3. No need to re-invent a new WebPAC interface,
   therefore, software development cost and cycle is
   largely reduced

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2.11 New Faceted Browsing in HKBU WebPAC Pro

1. Based on the NFCW development logic, HKBU has
   recently installed a new faceted browsing
   function on the staging port of WebPAC Pro
2. Currently, only some 222,000 records are uploaded
   to this database for testing

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2.11 New Faceted Browsing in HKBU WebPAC Pro
(Cont)

• HKBU WebPAC Pro staging port
• http//hkbulib.hkbu.edu.hk2082/searchS11/?search
  typeasearchargplatosearchscope11SORTDexten
  ded0searchlimitssearchorigargasmithadam

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New In-house Developed Faceted Browsing Function
in HKBU WebPAC Pro
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3. Architecture of the New Faceted Browsing
Function in WebPAC Pro
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3.1 Systems Requirements

• Hardware
• X86 based PC/Server
• Our Server configuration
• Dual Xeon Q-Core CPU
• 32GB Memory
• 1 TB HDD space
• NOTE 220,000 bib records are uploaded for
  testing, and use 7.8 GB for MySQL and Sphinx

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3.1 Systems Requirements (Cont)

• Software
• Perl 5 with marc2xml and marc-charset (for MARC
  to XML conversion)
• MySQL 5 (for data storage)
• Sphinx (for building index and searching data)
• IIS with ASP 3.0 (for user interface data
  conversion)

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3.1 Systems Requirements (Cont)

• Systems requirement is minimal
• Dont need a dedicated server
• Dont require special high end programming
  language (Perl, MYSQL, and Sphinx are freeware)

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3.2 Program Workflow

• Two major parts
• Construct a bibliographic record database for
  facets analysis
• Create a special iFrame in WebPAC Pro for
  displaying facets

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3.3 Construction of a New Bibliographic Database

1. Metadata are required to calculate facets
2. Thus, we build a separate database to store the
   raw data for creating facets instead of using the
   records in Innopac system
3. All MARC records are exported from Innopac
   system, and uploaded to our in-house developed
   bibliographic database

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3.3 Construction of a New Bibliographic Database
(Cont)

• An indexing program is designed to extract facets
  according to 11 categories below

Variable Fields Fixed Fields
1. Author 5. Scope
2. Title 6. Language
3. Subject 7. Material Type
4. Publisher 8. Location
9. Publication Year
10. Call No. (browsing only)
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3.4 Facets Variable Fields

• Below is the facet variable fields for
• Author Search Smith, Adam

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3.5 Facets Fixed Fields

• Below is the facet fixed fields for
• Author Search Smith, Adam

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3.6 Insert Facets on WebPAC Pro

1. WebPAC Pro is an open environment, we can insert
   scripts and create an iFrame to display facets on
   brief citation browse page and bib record page

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3.7 iFrame Tag on Briefcit.html

• An example of iFrame tag
• ltiFrame src"http//lib.hkbu.edu.hk/facet/browse/i
  ndex.asp?searchterm " width"100" height"100"
  frameborder"0" scrolling"no"gt
• lt/iFramegt

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3.8 Facet Display Program

1. Input search variable by extracting the search
   term in the WebPAC search URL, http//hkbulib.hkbu
   .edu.hk2082/searchS11/?searchtypeXsearchargch
   inasearchscope11SORTDZextended0SUBMITSearc
   hsearchlimitssearchorigargXchina
2. Pass the search term to bibliographic database
   and made a SQL search query
3. Extract search results from the in-house
   bibliographic database, and then, calculate and
   group the facet values
4. Display faceted categories and values on iFrame

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2. Extract search term and pass to iFrame
1. Create facet iFrame in briefcit.html
3. SQL to bibliographic db
4. Return facets values
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BU Faceted Browsing Function and Encore A
Comparison
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4.1 Facets Variable Fields

1. Encore cannot provide facets values for variable
   fields like Author, Title, and Subject
2. Thus, Encore cannot provide a meaningful
   refinement alternative for variable field
   categories
3. An example Author search Smith, Adam

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• Encore Variable Field Facets
• No facet values
• Indeed, only keyword search links are provided
• Keyword-Author
• Keyword-Title
• Keyword-Subject
• Fail to provide meaningful alternatives for users
  to refine/limit their search

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• Author Facets in HKBU
• Names of Chinese translators are provided
• Ebook collections

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• Title Facets in HKBU
• List of Adam Smiths most important work
• Wealth of Nations
• Theory of Moral Sentiments
• Chinese translation titles for Wealth of Nation
  ??, ??? are provided

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• Subject Facets in HKBU
• Contributions of Adam Smith in subject areas
• Economics
• Ethics

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4.2 New Facets Variable Field -- Publisher

1. BU provides Publisher as a new facet variable
   field
2. Users may choose to refine the search by
   publisher like Oxford University Press

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4.3 Publication Year Facets

1. In BU, the publication year is sorted in a
   10-year range instead of a long list of single
   year as in Encore
2. A 10-year list is easier for browsing, searching,
   and collection analysis

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4.4 Encore Only Provides Keyword Searching

1. In Encore, keyword searching is the only
   searching capability
2. Without exact Author, Title, Subject search, it
   will make the searching process more complex, and
   difficult
3. In BU, users can still use exact Author, Title,
   and Subject search, and refine the search by
   facets

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4.4 Encore Only Provides Keyword Searching (Cont)

• It is difficult to do a keyword search on authors
  with common last names and first names
• e.g., Adam Smith

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• Find all records containing Adam and Smith
• NOTE the first two are not written by Adam
  Smith, the British economist, that we are looking
  for

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• An exact Author search is much easier and
  straight forward
• Adam Smith was born in 18th century, entry 2 is
  the one we are looking for
• Facets is also helpful to refine the search

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4.4 Encore Only Provides Keyword Searching (Cont)

• It is also difficult to search subject headings
  containing common terms by Keyword
• e.g. Philosophy History -- China

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• In Encore, find all records containing philosophy
  and history and China
• NOTE Many are irrelevant records

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• An exact Subject search is much easier and
  straight forward
• Facets is very useful to refine the search

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4.5 Call Number Analysis

• Unavailable in Encore
• e.g. Keyword Plato
• To facilitate users to browse the class number
  list, the program will display both the class
  number and scope of content

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4.5 Call Number Analysis (Cont)
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4.6 Fully Compatible with All WebPAC Searching
Functions

• Unavailable in Encore
• Exact Author, Title, Subject Searching
• Scope searching
• Limit results to items with "Available" status
• Search History
• Author/title/subject authority list (e.g. Author
  search Strauss, Johann, 1825-1899)
• Modify/Limit this Search command
• Advanced Keyword Search Form

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5. Conclusion
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5.1 Benefit

• Created new faceted browsing function in existing
  WebPAC Pro environment is beneficial
• WebPAC Pro can be re-engineered and upgrade to
  become a Next Generation Library Catalog
• This upgrade can keep all the advanced searching
  functionalities of WebPAC Pro

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5.1 Benefit of NFCW (Cont)

1. Upgrade cost is low because there is no need to
   re-invent a new WebPAC
2. Annual maintenance cost is low because there is
   no need to maintain two different WebPAC
   interface
3. Development circle is faster because we can
   concentrate our work on designing new functions

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5.2 Future Development

• In the second phase, we will add the following
  new Web 2.0 functions
• Cloud Tagging
• Newly Added Book List
• RSS
• User Book Rating
• User Book Review/Comment
• Adding Google/Amazon table of content
• Most Common Search Terms
• Not available in Encore

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RSS
Cloud Tagging
User Book Rating
Recently Added List
User Book Comment/Review
Google/Amazon table of content
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Demo Thank you
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Demo examples

• BU WebPAC Staging Port
• http//hkbulib.hkbu.edu.hk2082/search/X?SEARCHp
  latoSORTDlmpbDaDbsearchscope11
• KW Plato (scope Multimedia)
• AU ??? (publisher ??????)
• AU Strauss, Johann, 1825-1899 (subject
  Waltzes (Orchestra))
• SU Kant (author ???)
• KW China (pub year pre 1900)