customizing contentdm web templates

1. Customizing CONTENTdm Web Templates WiLSWorld Conference July 26, 2007

2. Krystyna K. Matusiak 2

3. Krystyna K. Matusiak 3 CONTENTdm software (version 3.3) purchased in July 2002 Primarily digital image management software Two html templates results.html item_viewer.html Used for the first UWM Libraries’ digitization project: Milwaukee Repertory Theater Photographic History at: http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/milrep/index.htm Several upgrades of the software 3.3?3.5?3.8(JPEG2000) ?4.0(OCR Extension)?4.1?4.2 Changes in the scripting language: PHP introduced with 4.0 Increased complexity of the customization process Maintaining customized collections Updating previously customized collections Updating custom queries in the static html pages

4. 4 UWM Libraries’ Digital Collections http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/digilib/ 12 collections created since the initiation of the digitization program Over 23,000 digital objects on the CONTENTdm server Primarily image collections Three monograph collections built using OCR Extension Map collection built using JPEG2000 A combination of static html pages and customized CONTENTdm templates Default CONTENTdm templates are customized for across collection searching Each collection has a unique design and customized CONTENTdm templates Introductory static html pages: index.html and about.html CONTENTdm Custom Queries and Results tool used to provide multiple access points and link static html pages to CONTENTdm

5. 5 Change the default CONTENTdm templates To support your institution’s publishing role To indicate ownership and authorship To increase your institution’s visibility To promote unique institutional resources To assist users in resource discovery To create a sense of orientation Unedited CONTENTdm header

6. Krystyna K. Matusiak 6 Digital collections are new phenomena There is relatively little research on user expectations and understanding of digital collections It is not clear whether users form distinct mental models of digital collections Digital collections co-exist and compete for user’s attention with a multitude of other resources on the Web Increased user expectations for digital collections created by libraries and cultural heritage institutions Quality and authority of digital collections – libraries perceived as authorities in organizing knowledge Google-like ease of resource discovery and navigation

7. Krystyna K. Matusiak 7 Difficult to characterize users in the online environment Digital collections are likely to serve Traditional and new users Expert and novice users Provide multiple access points to accommodate a variety of users and their different search styles Simple keyword search box for quick resource discovery Browsing pathways To inform novice users about the content of the collection To assist inexperienced seekers in resource discovery To demonstrate subject categories

8. 8 CONTENTdm provides a set of default templates Default templates can be customized to provide a unique graphic identity for your institution A custom interface can be created for each CONTENTdm collection on your server Two customization methods Scripted method – relies on scripts in the default Web templates that pass the collection alias in the CISROOT variable, e.g. UWM Photo Collection – alias: uwmphoto http://collections.lib.uwm.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/uwmphoto Cities Around the World – alias: catw http://collections.lib.uwm.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/catw Duplication method – involves copying the /cdm4 directory and renaming it Wisconsin Demo – CONTENTdm http://custom.contentdmdemo.com/cdm-p9003wisconsin/browse.php * For more info see Customizing Multiple Collections (PDF) http://www.dimema.com/help4/custom/custom_coll.pdf

9. Krystyna K. Matusiak 9 Out of the box interface Customized interface

10. 10 First steps Need access to /docs/cdm4 directory Make backup copies of all files that you plan to modify Create a header image (optional) dlheader.gif dimensions: 53 x 720 px Files that need to be modified

11. cdm4/client/STY_global_style.php Global style can be edited to change color, font, and layout Color changes

12. 12 cdm4/client/STY_global_style.php

13. 13 cdm4/client/STY_global_style.php Color changes to the FORM variable (Advanced Search; Preferences)

14. 14 cdm4/client/LOC_global.php Edit the localization file to: Change the site’s title ("L_SITE_TITLE", "UWM Libraries Digital Collections") Add your e-mail address for contact info ("L_EMAIL_ADDRESS", "digilib@uwm.edu") Change menu capitalization (optional) ("L_ABOUT_US", "About") ("L_HOME", "Home") Define new variables define("L_UWM_LIB", "UWM Libraries"); define("L_DIGIT_COLLECTIONS", "Digital Collections"); define("L_ORDER_IMAGES", "Order Images");

15. 15 cdm4/includes/global_header.php Create a customized header Add a reference to your logo /images/dlheader.gif Adjust image dimensions Move the global navigation menu below the image (optional) Add a top navigation menu with local links (optional) * For more info see: Editing the Web Template Files http://www.dimema.com/USC/tutorials/web-files.pdf

16. 16 cdm4/includes/global_footer.php Create a customized footer Add links to your local sites e.g. a link to UWM Libraries’ home page <?=L_MENU_SPACER_3?> <a class="copyright" href="http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries" title="<?=L_ALT_UWM_LIB?>"><?=L_UWM_LIB?> New variables have to be defined in the localization file: cdm4/client/LOC_global.php define("L_UWM_LIB", "UWM Libraries"); define(" L_ALT_UWM_LIB", "UWM Libraries");

17. 17 Entire site Text describing your site can be changed in the following files: Multiple collections index.php serves as a Home page for all collections To create a separate Home page for an individual collection Rename about.php – for samples see http://custom.contentdmdemo.com/index.php or Create static html pages: index.html and about.html and link them in the menu file

18. 18 Customizing Multiple Collections Customization of multiple collections relies on unique collection aliases You must have a custom STY_global_style.php for each customized collection Copy global style, header, and menu file and save them with a collection alias in the file name instead of global Client folder: cdm4/client Includes folder: cdm4/includes

19. 19 UWM Photo Collection http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/uwmphoto/index.html The following files have been copied and renamed http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/uwmphoto/index.html

20. 20 UWM Photo Collection UWM Photo Collection example - collection alias: uwmphoto The following files have been copied and renamed Two static html pages have been created for this collection index.html about.html Browse and Advanced Search on the navigation menu linked to CONTENTdm browse and search templates

21. 21 UWM Photo Collection Editing the Style File cdm4/client/STY_uwmphoto_style.php

22. 22 UWM Photo Collection Advanced Search cdm4/client/STY_uwmphoto_style.php The Advanced Search page limited to the customized collection by editing the variable in the STY_uwmphoto_style.php define("S_CUST_DIR_ALIAS_LIST", "none"); // all: all = all collections; none = only custom collection; UWM Photo Collection Entire Site

23. 23 UWM Photo Collection Editing the Header File cdm4/includes/uwmphoto_header.php Add a reference to your logo images/uwmphotos_header.jpg Adjust image dimensions Delete the search box (optional) Add links to the local sites in the top navigation menu e.g. link to the Archives page <?=L_MENU_SPACER_3?> <a class="genmenu" href="http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/arch/" title="<?=L_ALT_ARCHIVES?>"><?=L_ARCHIVES?></a> L_ALT_ARCHIVES and L_ARCHIVES have to be defined in the localization file

24. 24 UWM Photo Collection Editing the Menu File cdm4/includes/uwmphoto_menu.php Link Home to the static html index page: http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/uwmphoto/index.html <a class="genmenu" href="http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/uwmphoto/index.html" title="<?=L_ALT_HOME?>"><?=L_HOME?></a> Link About to the static about page: http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/uwmphoto/html/about.html <a class="genmenu" href="<?=$dmdir?>http://www.uwm.edu/Library/digilib/uwmphoto/html/about.html<?=custcoll()?>" title="<?=L_ALT_ABOUT_US?>"><?=L_ABOUT_US?>

25. 25 Custom Queries and Results http://collections.lib.uwm.edu/cdm4/cqr/cqr1.php Use Custom Queries and Results tool provided by CONTENTdm to create multiple access points and generate code that can be embedded in your html pages Multiple options for creating search capabilities and browsing pathways A simple hyperlink A text box for entering search words Cities Around the World A page to browse all items in the collection An index box for selecting a search term Terms have to be defined as controlled vocabulary

26. Krystyna K. Matusiak 26 Krystyna K. Matusiak Digital Collections Librarian UW-Milwaukee Libraries kkm@uwm.edu UWM Libraries Digital Collections http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/digilib/