LibGig Talks With the Worthington Library System in Ohio About Their New Site Upgrades

EDUCATION

Average:

Average: 4 (1 vote)

Worthington Libraries, one of the busiest library systems in Ohio, received national recognition when it was named the 2007 Library of the Year by Library Journal magazine and Gale Publishing.

Patrons of Worthington Libraries have access to more than 3 million items through a materials-sharing consortium that includes Columbus Metropolitan Library and Southwest Public Libraries. The staff plans more than 1,000 programs and outreach events each year — for everyone from babies to seniors, to teens and business people.

Recently, the Worthington made a number of upgrades and innovations, including a new chat service and social networking upgrades, that make it one of the most forward-thinking library systems in the country. I talked with Lisa Fuller, the Community Relations Director and Kara Reuter, the Digital Library Manager about the advancements they made and the goals they have ahead of them.

Lisa Fuller (LF): Our new IM service here functions as a reference service. Think of it as a remote reference center. You, the public can contact us via email or IM and get your question answered. Kara can talk more about this and our new website that uses Drupal since she personally hand-codes it.

LibGig (LG): First off, tell me how the chat service works and when did you roll it out?

Kara Reuter (KR): We kicked off the chat service on February 9th. Basically, anyone can ask our reference desk questions since the service interacts with an embedded widget on our webpage. But you don't need to be logged into our site to use it. The service also interfaces with AOL IM, Google Talk, and MSN Messenger. You add us as a buddy or use the widget. We use Library Help which offers a queuing service alert. It usually responds in a matter of seconds. All our public service staff is on detail, logged in and ready to answer reference queries when at their desks.

LG: Any staffer can claim a question?

KR: We explored the idea of doing it out of our remote reference center but as it turns out our entire staff — well, not the circ department — but most of our staff receives the queries. Tech questions for example are referred to the tech desk, etc. We don't contract with anyone else, so queries can only be received during our hours, when our staff are at work. There is no after-hours; but statewide service does have a 24/7 reference desk.

LG: Have you encountered any glitches with this system?

KR: It's pretty smooth although if the staff isn't careful about logging off, questions can sneak in after-hours and go unanswered.

LG: You migrated and updated your site too?

KR: We migrated our server in November; we migrated into Drupal. The site hadn't been upgraded or redesigned since '01. It was about time!

LG: Why Drupal?

KR: It's an amazing system that let's you do just about anything, let's you make the site look exactly how you want it to, and it's easy to use. We have an enhanced news section, RSS feeds, a robust featured events section, services and resources section, general library announcements. And we are launching a Twitter account that will link our audience back to our website. Twitter will be used to promote our own programs and "solve problems," as they say. For example, we are in a consortium with the Columbus Metropolitan Library. I saw a question once where a patron mistakenly dropped a book in our drop-box though it was meant for the Columbus Public. This patron Twittered us and we used Twitter to solve the problem by getting the book in the right place and responding to this person.

LG: Was the migration to Drupal difficult?

KR: It took 6 months to migrate. My background is in usability and research so we used focus groups and card sorts to get the community involved on a site they wanted and a structure they were comfortable with.

Card sorts are for information architecture. Cards are used to create distinctions in, for instance, terminology. Some terms may be recognizable to librarians but are unfamiliar to everyday patrons. We also learned distinctions between borrowing — which is for in-person materials — and research — which is using online resources. Patrons alerted us to these distinctions via card sorts and we implemented them on our new site. So, now we have these two sections.

The basic thing about Drupal is the ability for staff to author content directly. And we wanted our staff to basically have more ownership of the site. For an employment listing, HR can update using Drupal immediately. Drupal sets up blocks and live listings without expertise.

LG: Did you design the site in-house?

KR: We did the "extreme makeover" planning in-house and used an outside design firm to implement the changes. We produced a blueprint which incorporated our goals and information architecture derived from the focus groups and card sorts.

LG: Are there any future goals, tech or otherwise, with Google, Twitter and your new chat service?

KR: We will continue to find our social dynamic. We're continuing to figure out ways to cross-promote and use these services to publicize and get our message out. And we are using new tools to create a calendar, for example, and other features that Drupal allows you to exploit. One specific goal is to redesign our in-house intranet. We want to create social features for our staff and allow them to share documents, so our remote center staff can share info across shifts.

One thing I want to add is that the site revamp happened to coincide with the opening of a third Worthington System location and the renovation of the other two, so there is a construction theme to our site which I find appropriate.

LG: There's a convergence - it brings it all together, the physical and the electronic...

KR: Right, the location and the site. It's pretty neat.

I actually thought to write

Submitted by hafr on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 03:57.

I actually thought to write things on my own personal center, but not as good as you have written. Anyway thanks for sharing such valuable material.
Retail jobs in Alaska

The clarity in your post is

Submitted by thomson on Mon, 01/10/2011 - 04:14.

The clarity in your post is simply spectacular and I can assume you are an expert on this field. Thanks a million and please keep up the fabulous work. Thanks a lot once again.
Regards,
vizag web designing

we are using new tools to

Submitted by sidkof on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 14:31.

we are using new tools to create a calendar, for example, Drupal and other features that allow you to exploit. One of the specific objectives is to redesign our intranet at home. We want to create the social characteristics of our staff and allows them to share documents, so our staff can remote control center to share information across shifts.
Projector Lamps

Thanks for sharing nice

Submitted by sidkof on Wed, 02/03/2010 - 15:47.

Thanks for sharing nice things. I actually thought to write things on my own personal center, but not as good as you have written. Anyway thanks for sharing such valuable material. Your site I have bookmarked.
loose diamonds

hgftj tjr Louis Vuitton has

Submitted by good on Sun, 01/24/2010 - 10:29.

hgftj tjr Louis Vuitton has partnered with artist Camille Scherrer to present the new “eluxury : Art. Fashion and Architecture” book.

Think of it as a remote

Submitted by sidkof on Wed, 01/13/2010 - 14:05.

Think of it as a remote reference center. You, the public can contact us via email or IM and get your question answered. Kara can talk more about this and our new website that uses Drupal since she personally hand-codes it.
Online Dating

mba programEnhance your

Submitted by ps19854 on Wed, 01/13/2010 - 00:58.

mba programEnhance your career with an online MBA degree. You can select an MBA degree program in many subjects including business, science and technology.

I think that some thesis

Submitted by arconame44 on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 07:55.

I think that some thesis writing services or dissertation writing service would hire you to do such kind of good enough dissertation international just about this good post.

hadi bakalım kolay gelsin

Submitted by digi on Tue, 01/05/2010 - 19:41.

hadi bakalım kolay gelsin olurmu olmazmı dedik ama no conmet atıyoruz postu siliyorusnuz

chat olsada koduk olmasada bakalım neler olucak hadi hayırlısı

bedava müzik dinle oldumuki şimdi silmeyin sakın ugraşıyoruz okadar

liseli kızlar liselilerle sohbet chat felan filan teşekkürler

It's an amazing system that

Submitted by hol56 on Tue, 01/05/2010 - 17:50.

It's an amazing system that let's you do just about anything, let's you make the site look exactly how you want it to, and it's easy to use. We have an enhanced news section, RSS feeds, a robust featured events section, services and resources section, general library announcements. free online games

Always people do really know

Submitted by GraceYJ28 on Sun, 01/03/2010 - 09:49.

Always people do really know the proper way to create the essay writer paper. But if you are not experienced writer, you will have to find the good essay buy service to order your custom essay writing with the goal not to get a bad mark.

Do you want to get resume

Submitted by Kirsten25 on Thu, 12/31/2009 - 08:41.

Do you want to get resume company, that fit the area of study you prefer?. You can count on our resume writers, as you trust yourself. Thanks because this is the useful knowledge

Turbo Jam Pennysmart: Get

Submitted by vickyse on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 11:34.

Turbo Jam
Pennysmart: Get cheapest mobile phones, security camera and spy equipment Pennysmart.co.uk provide you gadgets like dual sim card cell phone, camera mobile phone, gaming systems and many more at low cost with 12 month warranty.

A use full blog & also use

Submitted by akeebo on Wed, 01/06/2010 - 01:52.

A use full blog & also use full posts.

Business Reporting

It's an amazing system that

Submitted by kal on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 01:55.

ards are used to create

Submitted by sidkof on Fri, 12/25/2009 - 07:03.

ards are used to create distinctions in, for instance, terminology. Some terms may be recognizable to librarians but are unfamiliar to everyday patrons. We also learned distinctions between borrowing — which is for in-person materials — and research — which is using online resources. Patrons alerted us to these distinctions via card sorts and we implemented them on our new site. So, now we have these two sections.
Best Remortgage

Some terms may be

Submitted by sidkof on Thu, 12/24/2009 - 15:00.

Some terms may be recognizable to librarians but are unfamiliar to everyday patrons. We also learned distinctions between borrowing — which is for in-person materials — and research — which is using online resources. Patrons alerted us to these distinctions via card sorts and we implemented them on our new site. So, now we have these two sections.
Road Trip Planner
towe Ski

LibGig is the premier site

Submitted by sidkof on Wed, 12/23/2009 - 11:58.

LibGig is the premier site about careers and community for the wide world. Military Librarianship" is the second editorial of a new LibGig series, Career Profiles.applying for a job is not enough job seekers should be doing their \. 2009 Library Management Institute Summer Conference: Managing Today's ...
carti drept

Some terms may be

Submitted by sidkof on Wed, 12/23/2009 - 06:49.

We use Library Help which

Submitted by sidkof on Mon, 12/21/2009 - 13:51.

We use Library Help which offers a queuing service alert. It usually responds in a matter of seconds. All our public service staff is on detail, logged in and ready to answer reference queries when at their desk
Stock Market Performance

The library board met

Submitted by sidkof on Sun, 12/20/2009 - 17:56.

The library board met Monday, and Braun asked that the request for money under the Ohio Federal Stimulus Initiative be withdrawn. The request was filed by David Mezack, director of the 10-branch process.
Mortage Insurance Premium

VansHuge range of used vans

Submitted by m123 on Fri, 12/18/2009 - 08:07.

VansHuge range of used vans and new vans. We introduce many money saving ways of buying new and used vans in the uk. We offer easy finance and leasing deals, subject to status, and all major credit cards are accepted

I found so much free

Submitted by filip on Tue, 12/08/2009 - 12:27.

I found so much free Christmas music at ez-tracks.com and managed to download all of it legally [HAPPY]

Newly, the Worthington

Submitted by sidkof on Sun, 12/06/2009 - 19:27.

Newly, the Worthington prefab a signaling of upgrades and innovations, including a new confabulate couple and party networking upgrades, that modify it one of the most forward-thinking collection systems in the state...
California Drug Rehab centers

Nice interview that was.LG

Submitted by mikayl on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 16:17.

Nice interview that was.LG was very clear about the issues and answering each and every query.This kinda sessions must be carried out on a regular basis so we can know what the site is really going into and how individuals are reacting to the changes. GPS Tracker

you are nothing more than an

Submitted by boyy on Tue, 12/01/2009 - 22:22.

you are nothing more than an idiot, geibel, no need to spend more words with youLinks of London, the leading British contemporary jeweller was founded in 1990 by jewellery designer Annoushka Ducas and her husband John Ayton. Excellent craftsmanship, generous tactile forms and the use of the finest materials remain integral to each collection.
links of london store
links of london

"Worthington made a number

Submitted by fj_mintes on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 10:56.

"Worthington made a number of upgrades and innovations" - it's very useful
outline writing

Barcelona apartments - At

Submitted by casta on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00.

Barcelona apartments - At Friendly Rentals, we have a wide selection of holiday apartments and vacation rentals in this exciting city of Spain: from studios for short business stays or couples traveling for a short weekend break, right up to five bedroom apartments for families looking for an exotic holiday.

rent a car gran canaria-The

Submitted by rent a car gran... on Sat, 10/10/2009 - 03:07.

rent a car gran canaria-The article is useful for me. I wonder why there are so less comments on real estate!

Great upgrade of this site

Submitted by rbrammer on Fri, 10/02/2009 - 12:17.

Great upgrade of this site but it has an interesting combination of comments.

PETZL Myo RXP Head Torch

The Library Links community

Submitted by Self Storage on Wed, 09/30/2009 - 08:44.

The Library Links community blogroll is up and running!Thanks to Josh and Chris, who jumped in to be testers and gave me some great feedback. And we already have a couple of other folks who have joined up, so I'm excited.I hope you'll join us, and maybe talk the blogroll up a bit on your site.
Self Storage

Rachat de credit jeux flash

Submitted by Pepsi33 on Sun, 09/27/2009 - 16:44.

Rachat de credit

jeux flash gratuit

Couches pampers et poussettes bebe

Paris sportifs

The total make over of this

Submitted by rbrammer on Sun, 09/27/2009 - 11:39.

The total make over of this site was a brave move, Drupal is centainly a powerfull platform how ever it does require a broad depth of knowledge to produce a useable site. what you have created is of credit to you all.

Sport Tek High performance products for the out door enthusiast including clothing and walking socks

Worthington Libraries, one

Submitted by ricy on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 12:26.

Worthington Libraries, one of the busiest library systems in Ohio, received national recognition when it was named the 2007 Library of the Year by Library Journal magazine and Gale Publishing.
Size 13 shoes

berkel slicers The Ohio

Submitted by lisa on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 14:45.

berkel slicers

The Ohio Library Council offers a search service the board may use.Drushal agreed it was premature to comment on Lubelski’s contributions to the library or to outline what attributes the board may seek in a new director.In other personnel news, Barb Landers took over for Becky Vaeth as full-time manager of the children’s department in the downtown Wooster main library.Vaeth will return to her previous job as children’s librarian, Lubelski said, on a part-time basis.Vaeth had served as an interim manager while the library searched for someone to take her place, Lubelski said, commending Landers, “who came across as a very strong candidate … and (is) well-respected in the community,” in which she has been active with outreach programs.

berkel slicers

one of the busiest library

Submitted by lisa on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 06:55.

one of the busiest library systems in Ohio, received national recognition when it was named the 2007 Library of the Year by Library Journal magazine and Gale Publishing.
Patrons of Worthington Libraries have access to more than 3 million items through a materials-sharing consortium that includes Columbus Metropolitan Library and Southwest Public Libraries. The staff plans more than 1,000 programs and outreach events each year — for everyone from babies to seniors, to teens and business people.Recently, the Worthington made a number of upgrades and innovations, including a new chat service and social networking upgrades, that make it one of the most forward-thinking library systems in the country. I talked with Lisa Fuller, the Community Relations Director and Kara Reuter, the Digital Library Manager about the advancements they made and the goals they have ahead of them.

metal swing set

arlington dentist

Submitted by atulshukla on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 07:12.

arlington dentist

Security System Reviews

Submitted by andye on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 06:13.

Security System Reviews

The article is useful for

Submitted by john.t on Sun, 09/13/2009 - 16:41.

The article is useful for me. I’ll be coming back to your blog.Thanks for sharing this great article! That is very interesting Smile I love reading and I am always searching for informative information like this.

Thanks
Leadership Essay - College Papers