Library Information Systems

1
Library Information Systems

• Anne Lynch
• Information Services Division
• University of Southern California
• October 6, 2000
• CSCI 577a Software Engineering Design
  Construction of Large Software Systems

2
Goals for Today

• To provide you with background information on
  your clients and on the Information Services
  Division Health Sciences Libraries
• To provide you with an overview of issues
  trends with library information systems and
  resources
• To help you understand the environments in which
  your projects will need to function

3
USCs Information Services

• Information Services Division
• Academic computing
• Libraries
• Telecommunications
• Student Information System
• Health Sciences Libraries
• Norris Medical Library Dental Library

4
Trends in Information Service Delivery

• Web delivery for services and information
• Proliferation of digital content
• Building digital libraries databases
• Commercial content providers e-resources and
  e-journals
• Vendors/COTS suppliers support web delivery
  SIRSI Epixtech
• Adapting dot.com technologies to academic
  environment

5
Web Services

• Online Catalogs Homer Helix
• Circulation borrowing records
• Electronic resources dictionaries,
  encyclopedias, e-journals, e-books/NetLibrary
• Digital archives
• USC created contentIDA, Slide Library, Station
  Data
• USC content linked to other sites Pathology
  slides

6
Web Services - cont.

• Reference Customer Support FAQs
• USC Web
• E-Mail
• Behind the scenes - business functions
• Timeclock payroll
• Monitoring systems facilities
• Intranet info sharing for staff

7
USC Customers

• USC Students libraries user rooms, dorms, homes
• USC Faculty Staff offices, homes
• Researchers at other institutions some Internet
  II others are not
• Partners Affiliates e.g., CSEs Affiliates,
  USC alumni
• The World via the web

8
Customer Expectations

• 24 hrs/ 7 days a week any where, any time
• Same access at home as on campus
• Fast delivery
• Everything will work when they need it
• Everything available electronically
• Support is available
• Same capabilities as amazon.com

9
Customers Environments

• On Campus
• User rooms fast connections, good equipment,
  recent software
• Campus housing fast connections, access to
  software, equipment varies
• Faculty/Staff Offices fast connections software
  and hardware varies significantly
• Off campus???

10
Web Delivery Challenges

• Users have varied hardware, software
  connections need to support a wide range
• Browsers Netscape, IE, AOL, etc.
• PCs, Macs, UNIX
• Access speeds modems, cable/DSL, ethernet
• Not all information is free authentication for
  proprietary system services
• Success ability to use high end capabilities
  while providing acceptable delivery to those with
  older or slower equipment

11
ISD Client Expertise

• Knowledge of customers (faculty, staff, students)
  and their information needs and behaviors
• Knowledge of library collections, information
  resources, and tools
• Knowledge of ISD delivery tools and how they are
  used
• Knowledge of trends impacting information access
  and delivery

12
Research Public Services Core

• Units which work directly with the public
  Leavey, Art Library, Science Library, public user
  rooms (SAL), Consulting (x05555)
• Projects 1, 8, 9, 14
• Web publishing USC website (Project 12)
• Digital Archive Content (Projects 15 16)

13
Infrastructure Core

• Information Technology Services
• Computing, telecommunications, networks
  software (Project 17)
• Software Development
• Integrated Digital Archive software (Projects 15
  16)
• In-house tool development sysmon (Project 18)
• Academic Administrative Software
• Student Information Systems
• Integrated Library System

14
Administrative Services

• ISD Payroll - (Project 5)
• Human Resources
• Facilities
• Budget

15
ISD Relationships
Information Services Division
Public Services Assists users with systems
software
Infrastructure Develops maintains systems
software
USC Faculty Students Staff
Know users needs Know service delivery
requirements Have to field questions complaints
Know systems technical needs Highly security
conscious Have to maintain fix systems
16
Stakeholders

• Most projects, especially if product is used by
  the public, require a variety of expertise
• Public services user needs, frontline support
• Infrastructure program and server maintenance
• Users direct input
• Public services clients need input from
  Infrastructure on how systems can be supported
• Infrastructure clients need input from Public
  Services and users to insure product is useable

17
Examples of Stakeholders

• CSE Tech Reports Winsor, Julie, LaDonna
• Electronic Time Clock payroll, software support,
  supervisor, staff/student employee
• Station Data Fulltext Titles Easy Audio have
  public services clients need tech support
  users
• IDA Image Composer Webmail have tech lead get
  public services/user input

18
Stakeholder Simplifiers

• Some projects are self-contained 1 client is
  enough, if product is for internal, behind the
  scenes use e.g., 18 - Network Utilization
• Co-clients with different expertise can reduce
  risks 15 16 - IDA-LA has programmer, GIS,
  metadata clients
• When those who will use, maintain, update, and
  benefit are all represented

19
Working With Your Client

• Plan ahead! Clients are busy and this is only a
  small part of their responsibilities
• Provide copies of OCD and show them the
  prototypes well ahead of ARBs
• Clients are great sources of information for
  goals,benefits, core functionality, how project
  fits within larger organization -- but not at 2
  am on the morning of the ARB!
• Incorporate their feedback. Convince them youre
  listening

20
Client-Side Simplifiers

• Project scope fits within clients authority
  scope
• Solution reduces job tedium repetitious tasks,
  reduces procedural delays
• Solution reduces organizational friction
  infrastructure clashes
• Task-tailorable user interfaces
• COTS product features anticipate directions of
  growth and meshes well with existing tools

21
Client-Side Complicators

• Scope crosses organizational boundaries -those
  wholl do the work arent the ones feeling the
  benefits
• (client may not recognize the conflict up-front)
• Solution creates more user work, dehumanizes
  personal interactions
• Solution shifts power, confuses lines of
  authority, puts other parties on critical path
• Mismatches between user interface and user tasks
  capabilities

22
Client-Side Complicators-2

• COTS product evolving toward different
  marketplace or isnt supported by ISD
• Hidden costs licenses, data entry, conversion,
  systems administration
• Mismatches with existing legacy-system
  constraints
• Single-criterion optimization speed, correctness
• Creeping (baroque) elegance

23
ISD Tools Environment

• UNIX Shop no 24/7 support for NT
• Support PC, Mac UNIX workstations
• Extremely security oriented CGI scripts pose a
  security risk use only pre-existing, ISD
  supported scripts
• http//www.usc.edu/us cweb/authoring/Utilities.sh
  tml
• Unsupported server

24
Network Resources

• USC Network has a very fast backbone
• Most of the USC Net has been upgraded to switched
  10 Mbps to the desktop
• Current bandwidth available typically 10 Mbps to
  the desktop, many servers are on 100 Mbps links.
• USC has a CalREN-2 connection

25
How Will You Be Evaluated?

• Your client(s) will evaluate you at the end of
  the course. This includes
• OCD, prototype, core functionality
• Team responsiveness
• Project results (Prototype)
• Communication
• Added value

26
Library Delivery Tools

• HOMER, the online catalog
• Vendor SIRSI http//www.usc.edu/isd/elecresources
  /catalogs.html
• Helix, Health Sciences online catalog
• Vendor Epixtech
• http//www.usc.edu/hsc/nml/catalogs/index.html
• Integrated Digital Archives
• BRS/SIRSI WebCat Gateway
• Vendors SIRSI Dataware Technologies http//libr
  ary.usc.edu/uhtbin/cgisirsi/gtH7u812Pq/0/1/37
• ISD Web pages - http//www.usc.edu/isd

27
Programming Tools Languages

• Software Documentation Index by Topic
  http//www.usc.edu/isd/doc/
• Programming Resources at USC http//www.usc.edu/i
  sd/doc/programming/programming.html
• Web authoring resources http//www.usc.edu/uscweb
  /authoring/
• CGI Web Utilities Installed at USC
  http//www.usc.edu/uscweb/authoring/Utilities.shtm
  l
• Use the Java programming language when applicable
  (Java development tools will be made available)