Introduction
• Katherine Lynch
• Web developer, Drexel University
Libraries
• Libraries Website, catalog interaction
• Drupal
• Wordpress
What is Drupal?
• Open-source
• Content management system (CMS)
What is Drupal?
• Open-source
• Content management system (CMS)
• Created in 2001
– PHP, database backend
– Continuing development
• http://www.drupal.org
• High profile site users
– Whitehouse.gov
What can it do?
• Edit your site from anywhere
– Sites
– Blogs
– Forums
• Interface with outside sources (RSS, social
networking sites, etc
• Highly customizable internals
• Community support
What can it do?
• Edit your site from anywhere
– Sites
– Blogs
– Forums
• Interface with outside sources (RSS, social
networking sites, etc
• Highly customizable internals
• Community support
What can it do?
• Edit your site from anywhere
– Sites
– Blogs
– Forums
• Interface with outside sources (RSS, social
networking sites, etc
• Highly customizable internals
• Community support
• Theme it any way you want
What can it do?
• Page content
– Appears on any one page, can be used on another
page with Views
– Stories
• Text
• Media
• Feeds/dynamic information
• Blocks
– Static/dynamic information
– Sections of information/navigation native to the
site
Drupal sites
•
•
•
•
•
Universities
Media sites
Blogs
News agencies
Developers
Ubuntu
Linden Lab (developers of Second Life)
Lucas Arts Star Wars – The Old Republic
University of Colorado
Strayer University
Duke University
Stanford University Humanities Center
Reuters Labs
CNN Go
The Onion
What about libraries?
• Catalog interface
• Facilitate searching
– Databases
– Articles
• Building information
– Hours, phone numbers
– Upcoming events (speakers, workshops)
• Connecting students with librarians
– Tutoring
– Consultation
– Reference Questions
What about libraries?
Deliver resources to students.
What about libraries?
How can Drupal help?
NYU Health Sciences Libraries
Simon Fraser University Library
Cowles Library, Drake University
Darien Library
Building Blocks of Drupal
• CCK
• Views
Building Blocks of Drupal
• CCK
– Content Construction Kit
– Classify information in content upon creation
Standard Page create view
Title, body, taxonomy enabled
“Library Staff” create view
Created with CCK
“Library Staff” objects referenced
Created with CCK
Systems Department staff objects
Created with CCK
Systems Department staff objects
Sorted by Library
Subject Librarians Services page
Librarian object embedded in the page
Drexel@BCC Services page
Librarian objects embedded in the page
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views
• Sort and display information
Databases with Views
Environmental Studies, “Recommended” and not
Name, URL, notes, date range, description
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views
– Pages
– Blocks
• Sorting
–
–
–
–
Associated content
Machine data
Hidden content
Build new content (resource links)
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views
– Pages
– Blocks
• Sorting
–
–
–
–
Associated content
Machine data
Hidden content
Build new content (resource links)
• But there is a problem…
Views new view dashboard
WTF?
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views are:
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views are:
– A way of displaying data on pages in Drupal
without having to edit the HTML
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views are:
– A way of displaying data on pages in Drupal
without having to edit the HTML
• Views can:
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views are:
– A way of displaying data on pages in Drupal
without having to edit the HTML
• Views can:
– Dynamically display data using logic built
around facets of the relevant data
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views are:
– A way of displaying data on pages in Drupal
without having to edit the HTML
• Views can:
– Dynamically display data using logic built
around facets of the relevant data
– Expedite content management and updates
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views are:
– A way of displaying data on pages in Drupal
without having to edit the HTML
• Views can:
– Dynamically display data using logic built
around facets of the relevant data
– Expedite content management and updates
– Open up your library’s resources to your
students
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views powered by:
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views powered by:
– Your content’s data
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Views powered by:
– Your content’s data
• Machine-created
– Timestamps
– Authors
• Common facets
– Title
– Content
• Uncommon facets
– CCK
– Taxonomy
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Roles
– Admins
• Content editors
– Librarians
• Developers
– Coders
– Librarians
– Users
• Patrons
– Faculty
– Students
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Roles
– Permissions
– Create/edit
– Delete
• Own or others
– Access
• Certain types
• Certain modules
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Content Types
– Site pages (sections)
• Library services
• Policies
– Chunks of information
• Staff members
• Subscription databases
• Collections
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Taxonomy
– Like tagging in Flickr!
Building Blocks of Drupal
• Taxonomy
– Like tagging in Flickr!
– Further classify information, tells the system
where, when, how to use it.
Building Blocks of Drupal
Communication
• Librarians create the data and tell the
system about it through content types,
taxonomy, roles associated.
Communication
• Librarians create the data and tell the
system about it through content types,
taxonomy, roles associated.
• The student asks the system for what s/he
needs.
Communication
• Librarians create the data and tell the
system about it through content types,
taxonomy, roles associated.
• The student asks the system for what s/he
needs.
• The system delivers data based on what
the content creators have educated them
about.
More features
• Other modules:
– SOPAC
– MARC
– EZProxy
– LDAP
– Biblio
– Bookmarks
– Fivestar rating
– Google Analytics
SOPAC
• Social Online Public Access Catalog
• Uses locum to connect to catalog
• Rich social interaction with catalog
records
– Reviews
– Ratings
– Backpacks
MARC
• Import MARC records as nodes (data
objects) into Drupal.
• Fish4Info library portal
• Recreate the catalog
– Taxonomy
– Types
EZProxy
• Middleware to connect students with
EZProxied data
– Drupal login
– “Access EZProxy” permission
– External script (log in again to EZP)
– CGI script (if already logged in to Drupal)
– Ticket authentication (API)
– Still fairly new, being debugged and
experimented with.
LDAP Integration
• Works with LDAP Provisioning module
• Three-in-one:
– Authentication
– Groups (Drupal roles)
– Data (read/write LDAP data from Drupal)
• Use LDAP authentication to log in, create
Drupal users to help minimize security
threats on students’ data.
Bibliography
• Accepts:
– MARC, XML, EndNote Citations, more
• Creates nodes
– Exports as XML, Endnote, more (not MARC)
• Outputs in many formats
– MLA, APA, Chicago, IEE, more
• Very recent security vulnerability
discovered
More modules
• Bookmarks
– “Favorite” Drupal nodes
• Public or private
• Autopopulate for certain user types
More modules
• Fivestar Rating
– Rate nodes
• Customizable visuals
• Permissions and privacy
More modules
• Google Analytics
– Easily hook GA into your site
– GA options customizable in the Drupal admin
interface
•
•
•
•
Outgoing links
File downloads by type
Allow users to opt out
Restrict by type, page, etc.
In conclusion
• Drupal’s native information architecture is
immediately useful for bringing resources
to students.
In conclusion
• Drupal’s native information architecture is
immediately useful for bringing resources
to students.
• There are already many customizations,
profiles, and modules specifically for
library developers making Drupal sites.
In conclusion
• Drupal’s native information architecture is
immediately useful for bringing resources
to students.
• There are already many customizations,
profiles, and modules specifically for
library developers making Drupal sites.
• And if there isn’t…
In conclusion
• …you can build it!
In conclusion
• …you can build it!
– Drupal is:
• PHP
• A database
• Open source
• Cleanly-written
• Hugely supported by a community of developers
Thank you!
• Resources:
– http://www.lullabot.com/
– http://drupal.org/books/
• Contact me:
– klynch@drexel.edu
– http://www.library.drexel.edu/
– http://www.katherinelynch.org/
– @katelynch on Twitter