Andrew Lewis Practical experiences of planning and delivering

Andrew Lewis Practical experiences of planning and delivering library e-services in The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead UKOLN Public Web Manager’s Event May 2004 www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

About this presentation • Overview of what we have done. • Format: two parts • Electronic library services in RBWM – what we are doing and why • Webwords project. • Things that you might want to know • Practical lessons learnt • Factors that affect the process • Q+A www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Windsor and Maidenhead • The Borough • Population of approximately 140, 000 • Windsor and Maidenhead, plus 14 outlying villages • The Borough is essentially rural Ø 1000 acres of National trust land Ø 5000 acres of Crown Estate Ø 83% of the Borough protected by metropolitan Green Belt. • Legoland Windsor Castle! • Council • Liberal Democrat Controlled since 2003 • Small Unitary Authority • In house IT activity www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Part one e-services www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

e-services? • Library Computers • Web pages • Computers games • Remote access services • Automated self-service • Projects www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Library Computers • Services available • • MS Office, Catalogue, Internet, e-ref, etc Games Authenticated against LMS Internet Access by age range not filtering • • E-services team develop and test Working with Ops team Reliance on IT for builds Monitoring and Statistics • Development www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

• Structuring Web pages • Navigation • Sections follow team responsibilities • Content management based upon this • Format • Part of Borough website! • Simple, low graphics, no frames • Standard Features • Service Information, locations, charges, documents etc • Transactional • • Catalogue/e-reference Book reviews/customer comments form Online joining Consultation www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

RBWM library web pages www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Cross Marketing What children get at library event • Something to do! What parents see • • • Libraries provide activities for my kids and they have children's web pages and I can renew my books out of hours www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Computer Games loader. exe www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Automated Self-Service • Self-issue terminals at: • Windsor Library • Maidenhead Library • Planned for • Datchet self-service library project • Self-renewals by telephone • Using ITIVA system • More accessible than Internet • Pharos print release station • Coin operated printing www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Projects • • Webwords Thames Pilot Smart Card TV CAT Eton Wick dual access ICT suite Datchet Library Maidenhead Library Improvements Mobile Library Connectivity www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Remote access services • Public • • • E-reference on web pages Catalogue Automated telephone renewals Web cam link e-mail and web form for customers • • Shared network drive/teleworking Work. Together Chat Discussion lists • Staff www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Part two webwords project www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

webwords • Demonstration • Keypoints • Background • Lessons Learnt www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

RBWM catalogue (Dynix Web. Pac) Thompson, Shelley http: //www. webwords. org/audio/77. mp 3 www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Darlington Libraries www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Tameside Libraries (GEAC) www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Bridgend (Geac) www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Wandsworth (Dynix IPAC) www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Bournemouth (Talis) www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Webwords for reader development • Allows staff to demonstrate around 500 books in one place • Does not require getting any cassette or CD-players s out! • Can be used anywhere via the web • Simple search interface www. webwords. org www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Key points • Based upon user feedback • Comments from blind people about readers • Allows browsing by hearing those readers • Based upon standards • Standard web protocols (HTTP) • MARC – international catalogue standard • mp 3 – de facto standard for sound files • Cross platform • Will work with almost any system • Dynix, GEAC, TALIS, standalone web pages www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Background • NOF Excellence Fund • Bid in 60 seconds • Previous experience in elderly and housebound library services www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Lessons learnt • What worked well • Simple successful concept that works • Allows shared use • Local control over implementation • Learning points • Some library catalogues are not so accessible • Longer term future depends on content creation www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Summary • Providing good e-services requires: • Planning • • • Knowing what you want to do and why Spending time gazing into the future Establishing good relations with IT The use of project planning Accepting that resources are finite • Luck • Attitudes of individuals • Organisational structure, and infrastructure • Enthusiasm www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries

Andrew Lewis Practical experiences of planning and delivering library e-services in The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead UKOLN Public Web Manager’s Event May 2004 www. rbwm. gov. uk/libraries