Public Interfaces Committee
February 2, 2005
Present: Rick Zwies, Karen Reardon, Julie Linden (chair), Andy Shimp, Debbie
Falvey, Stephen Naron, Earl Roy, Katie Bauer, Kalee Sprague, Tao Yang.
Guests: Audrey Novak, Matthew Beacom
Absent: Dale Askey
Recording: Debbie Falvey
1. MetaLib Demo / Audrey Novak
For presentation content, please refer to the MetaLib Update handout Julie sent
to PIC.
2. MetaLib Demo Discussion/Questions
1. Metalib can save to EndNote/Procite; it hasn't yet been tested with RefWorks.
2. You can't set search limits to particular languages.
3. The databases will be able to display contractual icons and scheduled down
times (as is currently done in DBOW). Audrey demonstrated how to do this through
the management tools.
4. If database descriptions are managed in a decentralized way (as they are
now), selectors can enter descriptions and assign databases to categories.
5. There was discussion on potentially replacing the current A-Z database list
with the MetaLib A-Z list. Katie suggested that we compile a list of current
DBOW functionality and compare it to MetaLib functionality. She also noted that
the MetaLib A-Z list will have functionality that DBOW currently doesn't have.
Julie suggested that a meeting of all selectors who use DBOW be convened to
hash this out.
6. Karen raised concerns over whether the above mentioned list would be centralized
or decentralized.
7. Tao asked if professors would be able to set up multiple accounts for separate
classes. - Yes, but you'd need X-Server if you wanted to keep the search and
results in a different interface (like Sakai).
8. Production time frame depends on feedback results. Audrey is hoping for this
spring.
9. Katie asked for ideas for usability testing. She has no time frame for testing,
but would like to get started soon
10. Audrey is hoping to have resources in ERM by the summer.
3. Feedback
Audrey asked that everyone spend some time using Metalib and send feedback to
Audrey, Kalee, Katie or Dale. She is hoping for feedback on the following:
Mapping databases to categories/subcats.
Should the categories and subcategories be changed
Quicksets - what do we think of them?
What to offer as an entry page to MetaLib (Quicksets, Multi-database search,
A-Z list)? Where do we link it? Under databases, Front Door, Learning.
© 2007 Yale University Library
This file last modified 10/18/06
Send comments to libweb@www.library.yale.edu
