1 / 85

Harnessing the Potential of Database Driven Websites

Harnessing the Potential of Database Driven Websites. David Lindahl Web Initiatives Manager River Campus Libraries University of Rochester. Background. Computer Science Xerox PARC Work Practice Study Web Design and Development. Our Organization. University of Rochester

illana-lindsay
Download Presentation

Harnessing the Potential of Database Driven Websites

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Harnessing the Potential of Database Driven Websites David Lindahl Web Initiatives Manager River Campus Libraries University of Rochester

  2. Background • Computer Science • Xerox PARC • Work Practice Study • Web Design and Development

  3. Our Organization • University of Rochester • Annual sponsored research funding over $1 billion • 46 PhD programs • UR Libraries • Over 3 million volumes • $14 million annual budget

  4. Overview • Database Driven Websites • Dynamic Web Pages • Content Management Systems

  5. Why DB Driven? (part 1) • Separate design from content • Build content management tools • Manage content • Enforce consistency • Retention policy • Staff efficiency • Provide data integrity • Content reuse

  6. Why DB Driven? (part 2) • Create a seamless experience • Create a task oriented, activity oriented website • Improve Usability through more flexibility/capability in pages • Customization to users context • Connect to other systems

  7. Database Server File Server Web Server Client How DB Driven Sites Work 6 5 1 4 3 2

  8. Examples of Technologies • Cold Fusion • Microsoft SQL • Active Server Pages • Java, JSP, JavaScript • PERL • Flash • Web Services, SOAP, XML

  9. Library Website Goals • Visually appealing • User-Centered Design • Task-oriented • Infrastructure to support capabilities

  10. What the Libraries Did • Roles and Responsibilities • Web Working Group • Content Groups • Usability Group • Vendor Partnerships • Technology Platforms / Integration

  11. Our Infrastructure • Web Server (Cold Fusion, IIS, Novell) • SQL 2000 Server • Voyager OPAC (Oracle DB) • ILLiad Server • ERA Server • SFX Server

  12. Applications We Built • Content Management System • Find Articles • Courses • Search / Browse Resources • Questions and Comments System • Change Requests

  13. For Each Application • Why? • Features / Capabilities • Roles and Responsibilities • Demonstration • System Architecture

  14. 1. Content Management System • Why? • Site survey • Thousands of files with no inventory • Inconsistency • Staff efficiency • Usability • ADA compliance

  15. 1. Content Management System • Features / Capabilities (part 1) • Staff login / permissions • Web administration • Page level metadata • Edit page button • Automatic backup and restore • Link checking • URL independence / syntax standards

  16. 1. Content Management System • Features / Capabilities (part 2) • Web statistics • Support for multiple designs and sites • Consistency enforcement • Title/link matching • Style sheets • Common elements • Breadcrumbs • ADA compliance

  17. 1. Content Management System • Roles and Responsibilities • Web development group • Design • Development • Administration • ADA • Library staff • Content creation and update • ADA

  18. 1. Content Management System • Demonstration • Staff login • Staff modules • Anatomy of a page • Page properties • Edit page • More staff modules

  19. Staff Login • Login from any page • Permissions determine • available services

  20. Footer (after Staff Login) • Staff Modules • Properties, Edit Page • Logoff • Link Checker • Detailed Last Updated Information

  21. Staff Modules • Staff Module Applications • Page Manager • Site Manager • Feedback • News • Resource Manager • Courses Manager • Printer Transactions • Voyager Link Checking • Return To Site • Logoff More

  22. Anatomy of a Page • Common Header • Common Footer • Other Properties • Title • Background Color • Meta Tags • Page Number

  23. Anatomy of a Page Body Template Body File Common Elements

  24. Page Properties 1 More

  25. Page Properties 2 More

  26. Edit Page

  27. More Staff Modules • Logged In To TestDave Account • No Access To Admin Functionality • Limited Access To Applications • Limited Access To Edit Content

  28. 1. Content Management System • More Demonstration • Other sites in our CMS • Title link enforcement example • Web statistics • Link checking

  29. Demo Other Sites

  30. TitleConsistency

  31. Demo Statistics

  32. Demo Link Check

  33. 1. Content Management System • System Architecture (part 1) http://www.library.rochester.edu/index.cfm?page=12 StyleSheet.cfm Header.cfm Body.cfm Footer.cfm • Web Server • IIS • Cold Fusion Index.cfm File Server • Database Server • Microsoft SQL • Checks System State In DB

  34. Database Server • Microsoft SQL 1. Content Management System • System Architecture (part 2) • Database Tables Contain: • Pages • Users • Permissions • System State • Content (Application Data)

  35. 2. Find Articles • Why? • Finding articles is a big obstacle for undergraduates • Usability testing revealed this issue • Users don’t know what a database is or how to select one • Google can be a lower quality resource

  36. 2. Find Articles • Features / Capabilities • Task oriented pathways to finding articles • Google-like search interface • Integration of vendor technologies • “Hide the technology” • Access from home

  37. 2. Find Articles • Roles and Responsibilities • AJN content group • Task force on meta-search technology • Partnerships with vendors • IT department involvement • ERA Server • SFX Server

  38. 2. Find Articles • Demonstration View Full Text Find Articles Browse Results (Gathering)

  39. Demo Find Articles

  40. Demo (gathering)

  41. Demo Find Article Results

  42. Demo Full Text

  43. Subscription DB Library Web Server ERA Server SFX Server 2. Find Articles • System Architecture

  44. 3. Courses • Why? • Difficulty finding reserves material • Subject guides not effective

  45. 3. Courses • Features / Capabilities • Search interface • Custom web pages of library resources for courses • Includes bibliographer, selected resources, link to the instructor created course page, the syllabus, and the reserves material • Easier for bibliographers • Import from the registrars office

  46. 3. Courses • Roles and Responsibilities • Courses content group • Responsible for features of system • Working with registrars office • Bibliographers are responsible for mapping library resources to specific courses. • Faculty provide the syllabus • Reserves/circ staff for linking

  47. 3. Courses • Demonstration (front end) Find Course Choose Section View Resources Access Syllabus

  48. Demo Courses

  49. Demo Select

More Related