Judy Njoroge
ILS655 Assignment-Digital Library Project Review Paper 01
July 17, 2011.
iCONN
Connecticut’s Re-Search Engine
http://www.iconn.org
Background
iCONN began in 2000 following a recommendation in the fall of 1999 for a digital library by the then
Lieutenant Governor M. Jodi Rell. The funding for the purchase of licensed information databases for
Connecticut’s libraries, schools and colleges was provided by the Connecticut General Assembly.
iCONN is part of the Connecticut Education Network and is a joint project of the Connecticut State
Library and the Department of Higher Education. The project is administered by the Connecticut State
Library under the auspices of the Commission for Educational Technology and the Connecticut Digital
Library Advisory Board (CDLAB).
Funding
iCONN is funded by the Connecticut General Assembly and by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum
and Library Services (IMLS). In 2001 for example, iCONN received $451, 109 from IMLS under the
grants to State library agencies meant to promote access to learning and information resources for all
types of libraries for individuals of all ages (IMLS, n.d.). The total budget for iCONN for the FY 2011 is
$2,027,838 (iCONN, 2010).
Mission and goals
iCONN’s mission is to provide all students, faculty and residents with online access to essential library
and information resources. Its goals are:

To ensure universal access to a core level of library and information resources for every resident
of Connecticut through their public library, school, college, and from home.

To help provide necessary information resources to every school in Connecticut so that all
students are prepared to function in an information society.
1

To provide information resources to the increasing number of students taking advantage of online courses at Connecticut's colleges and universities.

To support the information needs of all Connecticut citizens.
Project importance/rationale
Through iCONN, a core level of information resources including secured access to licensed databases is
available to every citizen in Connecticut and specialized research information is available to college
students and faculty.
iCONN has helped save funds for many institutions in Connecticut. A September 2005 press release
stated that “With a $2 million annual investment by the state, schools, libraries and colleges save the over
$20 million it would cost if they were to purchase these databases individually.” The estimated savings
realized by state’s libraries and municipalities by obtaining the resources through iCONN instead of
through individual libraries would be $26, 833,083 the financial year 2011 (iCONN, 2010).
The usage figures also speak of the relevance of the resources. For example, by September 2005,
Connecticut residents had conducted over 30 million searches in iCONN since its inception in 2001. For
the FY2009 there were over 9 million views of items on iCONN databases and over 16 million searches
done on iCONN while in FY 2010 the number of views declined to slightly over 8 million.
Authorized users
iCONN databases are categorized into two for usage purposes: databases licensed to public and school
libraries and databases licensed to college libraries.
Authorized users for databases licensed to public and school libraries are:
1. All persons holding a valid library card from one of the Connecticut public libraries (the 195
Connecticut Public Libraries and their branches, the Connecticut State Library, the Middletown
Library Service Center, the Willimantic Library Service Center, and the Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped.)
2. Onsite users within the public libraries in Connecticut
3. Onsite users within the public and private schools in Connecticut (except HeritageQuest Online)
4. Onsite users within the six Regional Education Service Centers of Connecticut
2
5. Onsite users within the four regional library network offices of Connecticut (Bibliomation,
LEAP, Library Connection and LION)
6. Onsite users at agencies of the three branches of the State of Connecticut
7. Onsite users at libraries in Connecticut museums, historical societies and hospitals
8. Distance learners enrolled in classes offered, taught and managed at a Connecticut location of a
Connecticut college or university.
9. All persons whose computer's IP address is determined to originate from within the state of
Connecticut.
Authorized users for databases licensed to college libraries are:
1. All students officially registered as full or part-time students in any public or private college or
university in Connecticut.
2. All faculty, teaching staff, administrators and employed staff in any public or private college or
university in Connecticut.
3. Any of the groups above at any location in the world, with appropriate authentication.
4. Onsite users within the public and private colleges and universities in Connecticut.
5. Distance learners enrolled in classes offered, taught and managed at a Connecticut location of a
Connecticut college or university.
Organizations of resources
iCONN’s main page is organized into three sections.
a) An “About iCONN” tab that contains general information, help & technical support (for
users
and
for
librarians),
directories,
reQuest…for
librarians,
downloadable
audiobooks…for librarians and training for librarians.
b)
The second section is a summary of the contents: articles, newspapers, health and
science, business, history and genealogy, Informe!, and request. Clicking on “…and
much more” takes one to the comprehensive listing of the contents called “What you can
search on iCONN.”
c) At the right hand corner is the log in screen where one enters their Connecticut library
card number to access the resources. Guest log in is also available as for an IP address in
a Connecticut location.
3
The resources in iCONN are divided into those meant specifically for librarians (including: technical
support, directories, request and downloadable audiobooks) and the resources meant for the users (both
general information and help and technical support).
The resources are meant for individual of all ages and range from those appropriate for children (boasts of
being kid safe on its main page), those for general public interested in day to day information, to those
used by researchers in colleges.
Collections/databases
Clicking the “…and much more” link on the main page or the “general information” tab from “about
iCONN” page takes one to a listing of “What you can search in iCONN” The collection is in two main
categories i.e. general information and specialized information.
The general information includes databases like: Kids InfoBits; InfoTrack Junior Edition; InfoTrac
Student Edition; Academic OneFile, PowerSearch, General Reference Center Gold, Informe!, and
newspapers(Christian Science monitor, Hartford Courant, London Times and New York times.)There are
also E-Reference Books, reQuest –the Statewide Library Catalog, books and authors, free e-books and
downloadable audio books.
The specialized information is divided into broad subject areas of: history, biography and genealogy;
education; business and law; and health and science.
iCONN has four digital collections: Connecticut History Online(CHO); Connecticut State Library’s
Digital Collections; Newspapers of Connecticut; and Treasures of Connecticut Libraries.
The metadata standards used by iCONN are MARC and HTML. On reQuest, the statewide library
catalog uses MARC standard and each result item can be displayed in either, labeled, MARC or Card
formats. MARC records for e-books are also available for libraries to download. iCONN also provides
HTML search widgets that can be copied onto web pages to search iCONN directly from ones own
website.
Service Features
Onsite access occurs automatically from all licensed institutions that have registered their IP address with
iCONN. Remote access is enabled when an authorized user enters his/her library card number in the login
4
screen. Some institutions may offer access to iCONN through a “proxy server” which is accessible from
their home page.
iCONN’s search interface has two options : “Find articles” and “Find books, DVDs and more in CT
libraries.”
The find articles option has a simple and an advanced search. Most of the databases can be cross searched
while others can only be searched individually The advanced search allows limiting of results by
document type, publication date and whether they are full text, peer-reviewed or documents with images.
The find books, DVDs and more in CT libraries option allows one to do a search for either books,
movies, audio books, music, magazines/journals or a combined search. The results show libraries holding
the items and the distance from the zip code of the searcher’s location. Through this interface users can
place holds in their local library or place an ILL request to a participating library.
iCONN provides options for users to suggest improvements and report a problem which are great
feedback and evaluation tools. It also gives users options of contacting their local libraries or call iCONN
directly and also refers users to the online help feature.
iCONN is administered by the Connecticut State Library office in Middletown, CT. Recent changes
including new additions and resources that have been removed are well documented. The most current
changes as of July 16, 2011 were reported in June 2011. Updates are done regularly for example
searching the Connecticut digital collections on July 16, 2011 at 5.00 a.m. showed that the collection had
“137, 576 articles updated as recently as July 16, 2011.” (iCONN, 2011) Though I doubted if this was
actually true unless someone was updating the collections overnight.
Technology
The four digital collections on iCONN i.e. Connecticut History Online (CHO); Connecticut State
Library’s Digital Collections; Newspapers of Connecticut; and Treasures of Connecticut Libraries are
created using the CONTENTdm software and can be searched either individually from each collection’s
separate interface or collectively from one interface on the Gale INFOTRAC platform.
The other article databases on iCONN can be searched using the Gale PowerSearch (see appendix 1) or
the INFOTRAC (see appendix 2) platforms.
5
Ingram Digital hosts the downloadable audiobooks collection on their CoreSource platform.
iCONN Strengths and Weaknesses
In an evaluation of the Persus Digital Library, Marchionini (2002) states that any Digital library success is
aided by:

clear missions;

strong leadership and a strong talent pool;

good technical vision and decisions;

quality content and data management;

giving users multiple access alternatives; and

ongoing evaluation effort.
Usefulness and usability are also major evaluation criteria for DLs. The concept of usefulness defines
whether DLs constitute valuable tools for the completion of users’ tasks. This answers the questions of if
DLs support users’ information needs and work. Usability focuses on the effective, efficient and
satisfactory task accomplishment and aims to support a normal and uninterrupted interaction between the
user and the system. Usability attributes include ease of use, terminology, navigation, aesthetic
appearance, learnability (Paptheodorou and Giannis, 2007).
Koohang and Harman (2005) define usability attributes within the context of a digital library as follows:

Effectiveness - accuracy/precision and completeness/totality of task accomplishment.

Learnability - user easily learns how to accomplish tasks.

Flexibility - adaptable to variation and changes in tasks.

Memorability - ability to allow the user to easily remember what has been done.

Error handling - reduced error rate and ease of recovery after errors are made.

Understandability - comprehension of the tasks performed.

Operability - permit the user to operate and control the digital library with ease.

Efficiency - refers to the degree of proficiency users demonstrate when using a digital library.
This proficiency can lead to productivity. The digital library user becomes efficient in using the
digital library system when he or she has gained adequate skills to perform a given task.

Attitude and Satisfaction - user’s approval, pleasure, happiness, fulfillment, contentment,
agreement, liking, comfort, appreciation, and enjoyment of/with the digital library.
6

Attractiveness - ability to attract and draw user’s attention.
In reviewing iCONN, I found that it met for the most part the success aids by Marchionini and the
usefulness and usability attributes by Paptheodorou & Giannis (2007) and by Koohang & Harman (2005).
iCONN has clearly met its mission of providing all students, faculty and residents with online access to
essential library and information resources. I was impressed by the wealth of resources available on
iCONN. Although I have frequently used the reQUEST statewide catalog in the course of my job as a
cataloger, prior to this assignment, I had not really explored the other resources available to me as a
Connecticut resident or a student. I found so many resources that I can use as a graduate student e.g. on
the Academic OneFile and the PowerSearch databases.
The iCONN staff at the Connecticut State Library have provided great leadership. The administrator and
three coordinators for interlibrary loan, electronic resources, and statewide library catalog have done an
excellent job. Since iCONN has provided a lot of resources and training for librarians state wide, their
collective talent pool has also augmented the services and users can direct questions, comments or report
problems to the iCONN staff or their local libraries.
iCONN is very easy to use. First and foremost, numerous access alternatives are available for the users
either from home using local library ID logon, from licensed institutions using registered IP addresses or
via institutional home pages through proxy servers. The search interfaces both simple and advanced are
very clear and easy to execute for each database or through the cross searching option provided via
PowerSearch. The online help and tutorials are also easy to understand and the step by step instructions
including screen shots make learning and proficiency achievable.
iCONN is constantly monitoring usage and maintains annual usage reports. The different databases are
monitored individually making it easy to weed out those that have lower usage or deciding which ones to
keep in the plight of the current budget crisis.
iCONN also elicits feedback from users with requests for suggestions on improvement and problem
reporting. The iCONN staff has recently carried out vigorous public campaigns asking users to let the
governor know how much they have benefited from the resources as the State library as a whole is being
threatened with closure due to budget constraints.
7
One of the features I found most interesting with the iCONN resources is that search results can be
listened to by downloading MP3s and can also be translated into 11 languages. These make it very
accommodating to people with some disabilities like the blind and persons speaking different languages.
iCONN provides a compelling list of top 10 reasons to use is resources all of which I agree with:
1. Access is FREE  to all Connecticut residents.
2. To be a smarter consumer.
3. To help your children succeed at school and at college.
4. It’s there when you need it  24 hours a day.
5. Access it from home over the Internet or from any public library, school or
college.
6. To save money.
7. To save space  all of the information is on the Internet.
8. You’ve already paid for it  this is your tax dollars at work.
9. To have an up-to-date resource for lifelong learning.
10. It’s kid-safe and ad-free.
Some of the weakness I found on iCONN include:
Navigation from one page to the next on iCONN’s requires one to use the back button on the browser for
the most part. Although the PowerSearch for articles find has a “Return to library” tab that takes one back
to the main page, iCONN does not have a home page tab which is what most people are used to and one
has to use the back button to return to the “home” or main page from other pages or if you luckily
discover, clicking on the iCONN logo does the trick.
I also found the organization of resources wanting. For example the What you can search on iCONN page
under general information does not list all resources and some of iCCON’s valuable resources can only be
viewed either by clicking on the “other useful sites” at the bottom of the page and then going to
“Connecticut resources,” then to “research resources,” then the “Connecticut Digital collections” or after
logging in under “More iCONN content…” on the left hand side then clicking on the “CT Digital
collections.”
8
Conclusion
iCONN is a valuable resource and the wealth of information available go along way in supplementing
what the local public, school, college and university libraries are able to individually provide to their
patrons. It’s my hope that iCONN survives the budget issues and stays for a long time by continuously
upgrading, updating and evaluating its resources, and services.
References
iCONN. (2005). Another huge increase in Use of iCONN, the Connecticut Digital library. Retrieved from
http://www.iconn.org/PressReleaseSept2005.aspx
iCONN. (2011). Connecticut digital collections. Retrieved from
http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/start.do?prodId=SP25&userGroupName=iconn_cdc
iCONN. (2010). Cost benefit: What iCONN saves the state’s libraries and municipalities. Retrieved from
http://www.iconn.org/cost_benefit.pdf
IMLS. (n.d.). Grant search. Retrieved from http://www.imls.gov/results.asp
Koohang, A. & Harman, K. (2005) Usability of digital libraries and their reusable Objects in e-learning
settings. Issues in Information Systems, 6 (2) 272-278. Retrieved from
http://www.iacis.org/iis/2005_IIS/PDFs/Koohang_Harman.pdf
Marchionini, G. (2000). Evaluating digital libraries: A longitudinal and multifaceted View. Library
Trends 49(2), 304. Retrieved from Academic OneFile. Web. 16 July 2011.
Tsakonas, G. & Papatheodorou, C. (2007). Exploring usefulness and usability in the evaluation of open
access digital libraries Retrieved from http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/Courses/e553/Readings/tsakpap-ipm-FinalVersion.pdf.
9
Appendices
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
10