ISSN 1039-3498 | no. 59| October 2002
|
NLA Web
Site Restructure Project
|
|
In January 2001 a usability review was conducted of the Library’s web site. In a previous Gateways article (No. 51, June 2001, see www.nla.gov.au/ntwkpubs/gw/51/p20a01.html) I reported on the outcomes of this review: A significant set of usability issues centering on web access to the catalogue will prove harder to address in the short to medium-term. Many libraries face similar problems: the need to provide multiple versions of the catalogue (Java, Z39.50 and Telnet); a limited capability to customise the user interface; and the OPAC service model itself, which may no longer be the best way of delivering access to the Library’s collections. The testers did not necessarily understand the distinction between a site search and the catalogue, or our collections and our merchandise. In terms of our strategies for Internet service delivery, the testing highlighted the large gap that still exists between the services the Library currently delivers via its web site and its stated goal to ensure ‘all Australians, at their place of choice, have direct, seamless access to print and electronic sources of information.’ Achieving this goal will be dependent not only on enhancements to the technical infrastructure, but also on adoption of quite new service paradigms.Shortly, the Library will be embarking on a project to restructure the web site to address outstanding recommendations of the January 2001 review. The restructure will coincide with implementation of a new Integrated Library Management System (ILMS). The new ILMS will enable significant improvements to be made to the usability, not just of the catalogue interfaces, but of the web site as a whole. Limitations of the current software mean that the catalogue occupies its own space physically on the web site. In the restructure, the opportunity will exist for a new and quite radical degree of integration between the catalogue and the web site. For example, a new ‘One Search’ capability is planned that will search the catalogue and the web site simultaneously. A paper on ‘Architectures for Web Collection Delivery’ has been published on the web site which gives an overview of the Library’s vision for the restructure and how it relates to other projects (www.nla.gov.au/policy/electronic/architectures.html). A separate paper entitled ‘Why One Search’ provides more detail about the thinking behind the ‘One Search’ concept (www.nla.gov.au/policy/electronic/onesearch.html). The new web site is currently scheduled for implementation in the second
quarter of 2003. |
| Contents list for this issue of Gateways |
Please address any comments and enquiries to The Editor, Gateways: gateways@nla.gov.au