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

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

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

Overview
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Database Driven Websites
Dynamic Web Pages
Content Management Systems

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

Why DB Driven? (part 2)
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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

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

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

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

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

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

Applications We Built
1.
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Content Management System
Find Articles
Courses
Search / Browse Resources
Questions and Comments System
Change Requests

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anatomy of a Page
Body Template
Body File
Common Elements

Page Properties 1
More

Page Properties 2
More

Edit Page

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

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

Demo Other Sites

Title
Consistency

Demo Statistics

Demo Link Check

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

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

2. Find Articles
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Why?
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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

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

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

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

Demo Find Articles

Demo (gathering)

Demo Find Article Results

Demo Full Text

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

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

3. Courses
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Features / Capabilities
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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

3. Courses
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Roles and Responsibilities
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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

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

Demo Courses

Demo Select

Demo Course Page

Demo Reserves

3. Courses
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Demonstration (back-end)

Demo Courses Admin

Demo Courses Admin 2

3. Courses
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System Architecture
Web Server
• IIS
• Cold Fusion
Database Server
• Microsoft SQL
Voyager Catalog
• Oracle DB
Web applications have access to catalog data in real time

Courses Availability
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Open source software: http://sourceforge.net/projects/libcb

4. Search / Browse Resources
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Why?
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Catalog difficult to use
Catalog user interface not customizable
Catalog not task oriented
• Complex “set limits” screen
• Boolean searching is not intuitive

4. Search / Browse Resources
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Features / Capabilities
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Search box and browsable list available for multiple resources
Usability tested interface, customized to the needs of our users
Consistent design across all resource types and applications in the site
Scheduled export of catalog records

4. Search / Browse Resources
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Roles and Responsibilities
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Automated system
Content group reviews record displays
Design group maintains site style guidelines

4. Search / Browse Resources
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Demonstration
Find
Videos/DVDs
Popular Reading
Collection
Find eJournals Find Databases

Demo Videos

Demo Pop Reading

Demo ejournals

Demo DB

4. Search / Browse Resources
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System Architecture
Web Server
• IIS
• Cold Fusion
Database Server
• Microsoft SQL
Voyager Catalog
• Oracle DB
To improve performance,
Cold Fusion scheduled tasks copy catalog data at regular intervals.

5. Questions and Comments System
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Why?
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Users were required to understand our organization in order to ask a question or make a comment.
Some contact points went to a single individual and could get delayed or lost.

5. Questions and Comments System
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Features / Capabilities
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Database-driven help desk application
Knowledgeable staff member reads and forwards each piece of correspondence
QCs stored in a database with metadata (date, history)
Statistics gathering is possible

5. Questions and Comments System
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Roles and Responsibilities
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Reference Librarian responsible for triage
All staff responsible for responding to
Questions and Comments

5. Questions and Comments System
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Demonstration

5. Questions and Comments System
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System Architecture
Web Server
• IIS
• Cold Fusion
Email Server
• SMTP
Database Server
• Microsoft SQL
Email is used to notify staff of new QCs and to respond to patrons.

6. Change Request System
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Why?
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Library staff were emailing the web development group directly
Newest requests were trumping more difficult outstanding requests
No evaluation of the requests was taking place

6. Change Request System
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Features / Capabilities
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Change request form
Change request queue for viewing status of all requests
Urgent request awareness tool
View history of past requests and resolutions
Print lists designed for weekly review

6. Change Request System
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Roles and Responsibilities
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Staff submit requests and track progress through system
Comments from the public can be converted to change requests by any staff member
Web development group evaluates and implements changes

6. Change Request System
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Demonstration
Change
Request Form
Outstanding
Queue
Completed
Queue
Urgent
Queue

Demo CR Form

Demo CR List 1

Demo CR List 2

6. Change Request System
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System Architecture
Web Server
• IIS
• Cold Fusion
Database Server
• Microsoft SQL
Change Requests are stored and updated in the database.

Others Features
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Chat system
Offline
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Catalog
ILLiad
News system
Help/FAQ system

Harnessing the Potential of
Database Driven Websites
David Lindahl
Web Initiatives Manager
River Campus Libraries
University of Rochester dlindahl@library.rochester.edu