Data Warehousing our Library data Our Dashboard

1. Data Warehousing our Library dataOur Dashboard One interface to rule them all... 2013 Ball State University Ball State University Libraries

2. Our environment • University Library • 800,000+ physical assets • 5 levels + 2 branch libraries • Multiple departments fulfilling dozens of services • Dedicated technology department

3. Where are we now? • “Factories” with informative “widgets” • Custom Reporting to answer detailed questions

4. Why we built...and why you should, too! • Our Dean • We are collecting some amazing statistics • What we don’t know, can hurt us • Anecdotes and estimating can mislead • Save time (i.e., $$$!) • Share & democratize information • Get money / funding

5. How is this possible? Techniques / tools brought together • PHP • CSS / CSS3 • Databases / Publically available APIs • MySQL • MSSQL • Facebook • Google Analytics • JavaScript • jQuery& jQueryUI

6. DB Structure (in progress)(beyond factory-specific tables) • factories (name, anyone_access, has_reporting, has_data_entry, default_color) • widgets (factory, description, anyone_access) • user_factory_permissions (factory, user, can_view_all_widgets, view_reports, data_entry) • user_factory_preferences (factory, user, order, show_or_not, show_on_load, color) • user_widget_permissions (widget, user) • user_widget_preferences (widget, user, order, show) • user_widget_favorites (user, widget, timestamp) WARNING Overkill Proceed only if you like LEFT OUTER JOINs!

7. First Attempt • PHP Code: • echo “<div class=‘factory’>”;echo "<h3>DMR Factory</h3>"; include(“dmrPieces.php”); echo "</div>"; wash...rinse...repeat...or write a function • Drawback • Output (most likely) will wait until final factory completes (in sequence)

8. Picking up the pieces (files) • Each factory has its own • Query to find significant figure(s) • Output the content in HTML chunks • Metric • Description • Long description, tables, and/or graphs • Help • Timestamp for how current the metric / widget is • Basic layout:<div class=‘widget’> <h1>[Metric]</h1> <div class=‘brief’>Description</div> <div class=‘extra_info’>Long description</div></div> • The rest is ‘formatting’ handled by CSS

9. Take two – AJAX via jQuery • The simplest form • jQuery code:$.get(“someFactoryPieces.php“, function(widgets) { $(".someFactory").html(widgets);}); • Advantages: • Factories are displayed ASAP • Graceful failure

10. Challenges • Knowing what to feature • Adoption – YMMV • Training / education • A widget for everything is overwhelming • Explaining caveats; what exactly is being counted? • Managing user permissions with fine granularity • Speed / System Performance • Initial investment (time/resources) • Data migration

11. Insights / Tips for success • Ensure top-down managerial interest, need, and involvement (across-the-board if possible) • Seek out what is important to your organization • “Good help” is hard to [write]...but important • Invite others “in charge” of factories to create the metrics • Patience • Timestamp your data

12. Questions And/or further show and tell!