New Library Feature

1
New Library Feature

• Proposal 22
• The Encyclopaedia

2
Thought Behind Metaphor

• The metaphor describes the real life source of
  comprehensive summaries of knowledge.
• As the user may turn to an encyclopaedia for
  information and guidance, they should be able to
  access one online.
• An added benefit of the online interface will be
  the generated list of related books, thus helping
  the user further with their studies.

3
Immediate Idea

• The Encyclopaedia will allow users to
• Search for material related to project topics.
• Gain brief information about their search,
  including images. (new)
• Access a list of related books.
• Reserve them for 24hrs for collection. (new)

4
Search For Material Related To Project Topics

• Very much like keyword search available at
  present.
• Knowledge about the individual user will be used
  to assist search, via logging in. Knowledge of
• Age
• Course
• Year

5
Gain Brief Information About Their Search,
Including Images

• Current keyword search system provides a list of
  book titles.
• Proposed system will also provide
• A summary of topic searched.
• Images to intensify media content.
• A catalogue of interrelated books including cover
  images.

6
Access A List Of Related Books

• From the catalogue of books the user can access
  each one individually to gain further
  information, such as
• Loan status
• Location
• Year printed
• etc

7
Reserve Them For 24hrs For Collection

• A user should be able to reserve a book that is
  currently not on loan.
• This will allow them to retain the book for
  24hrs, providing them with time to travel to the
  library to pick the book up.

8
Metaphor Source Characteristics

• Objects Properties
• Encyclopaedia name, volume
• Topic name, page, content, subject area (ie
  Comp. Sci.)
• Relations
• Volumes ordered by number
• Subject areas ordered by volume
• Topics organised alphabetically
• Actions
• Open specific volume
• Look up appropriate topic in index
• Turn to correct page

9
Metaphor Target Characteristics

• Objects Properties
• Topic name, content, subject area
• Book name, author, ISBN, location, etc
• Relations
• Topics organised alphabetically
• Books organised by Topic
• Actions
• Display Topic and Books
• Books represented by image of cover
• Reserve Books

10
Mappings
Task How the user performs it How the interface performs it
Task1 Search in book index for topic. Type in topic and click on search.
Task2 Go to a topic. Click on a topic link from results page.
Task3 Search again in the index for more topics. Refer back to results page when required.
Task4 Assess which topic is of most interest. Assess which topic is of most interest from the refined results.
Task5 Read about topic in question from the page. Read about topic in question from the computer screen.
Task6 Search for any listed material related to topic, search for book in library, loan if not on loan already. Reserve related books online. Loan from library.
11
Interface Design

• Index Page
• User greeted with
• option to select new subject category, different
  from their personal course subject. (Info
  gathered from Database)
• Input box for keywords
• Submit button
• Common buttons (Back, Start Over, Clear
  Form, etc)

12
Interface Design cont

• Results Page
• Automated list of topics refined using users
  keywords
• Each topic is a link to topic page
• Topic Page
• Informative details and pictures (if any)
• Catalogue of helpful books (each a link to info
  page). Loan status by each book expressing its
  availability, i.e. On Loan

13
Interface Design cont

• Book Info Page
• Existing information will remain intact.
• If book is not On Loan then, if user is logged
  in, he/she can request it to be reserved for
  24hrs.