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HKUL My Library Outlook Addin. CHOI KY & KU KM HKU Libraries. Why we did it?. Starting September 2005, we no longer stamp due dates on books or other materials checked out from the University Libraries. ‘ I have not received any reminder from you. You MUST waive my fine!’. Why developed?.
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HKUL My Library Outlook Addin CHOI KY & KU KM HKU Libraries
Why we did it? Starting September 2005, we no longer stamp due dates on books or other materials checked out from the University Libraries. ‘ I have not received any reminder from you. You MUST waive my fine!’
Why developed? It was a part of the PDA@hand project ; It was a project in Dec 2005 To ‘push’ overdue information/HKUL events to their PDAs/MP3s Why OutLook? Almost ALL PDAs/MP3s use Outlook as an agent for PIM Synchronization.
Development Nov 2002 -- MyLibrary Portal
Development • Oct 2003 – MyLibrary@Hand Circulation record on Palm • Nov 2004 Circulation record on PocketPC (beta) • Nov 2005 MyLibrary Outlook Addin • Oct2006 MyLibrary Outlook Addin
Development • Oct 2006 • Tested Innovative’s ‘My Record Feed’ • it only shows “X Materials due soon" without showing the due date and information of each item • NOT USEFUL!
How to get circulation info? Either • By doing review file periodically ; Cons: not real-time; overloads III server • Mashup (web 2.0 terminology!!!!) Cons: not a formal method to obtain information; it doesn’t work whenever webpac changes
Mashup A Servlet to simulate user’s access to ‘view circulation record’ http://wireless.lib.hku.hk:8080/palmgw/index.jsp?USER=<XXXXX>&PASS=<YYYY>&ACTION=DATEBOOK
Circulation Info is converted to an intermediate record format:
Why ‘hack’ into III system? III is a closed system ; Difficult to get useful information to build apps ; The only ‘interface (API)’ to III’s data is ‘review file’ & PatronAPI ($$$$) ; We want to do more , but how?
FaceBook’s experience Facebook provides an excellent case study here. Facebook becomes famous and hot after they released their API to public; A lot of people (not exactly programmers) have built thousands of apps shared among users; a US$15billion company !
Can Innovative become another Facebook? • YES, if and only if Innovative : • releases APIfreely ; • Opens their System ; • Helps IUG members to develop Apps; • Encourages IUG members to share their Apps;
Further development • It was a 2005 project ; It works on Outlook 2002, 2003, 2007 under Windows .NET framework 1.1 (current version is 3.X) • Rewrite entirely the addin for Outlook 2007 Human resource ? • Recommendations: • Use iCalendar protocol instead • DO NOT miss Mr. LI Yiu-On ’s presentation tomorrow
HKUL MyLibrary Outlook Addin Screen Captures • Installation • MSI package • Features • Calendar Events • Alerts • Supports on variety platforms • Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista (Dot NET Framework 1.1 required) • Microsoft Outlook 2000, XP, 2003, 2007
HKUL My Library Outlook AddinDemonstration on Different Platforms