Chasing a Moving Chasing a Moving TargetTarget

Using the CMS in an Evolving Web Using the CMS in an Evolving Web Environment Environment

Carrie M. Macfarlane and Bryan P. CarsonCarrie M. Macfarlane and Bryan P. CarsonMiddlebury College Library & Information ServicesMiddlebury College Library & Information Services

NERCOMP Annual ConferenceNERCOMP Annual ConferenceMarch 21, 2006March 21, 2006

Copyright Carrie M. Macfarlane and Bryan P. Carson 2006. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Copyright Carrie M. Macfarlane and Bryan P. Carson 2006. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the authors.the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the authors.

IntroductionIntroduction

• Is there a net gain from using a Is there a net gain from using a content management system content management system (CMS)?(CMS)?

• Staff training exposes relevant Staff training exposes relevant issuesissues

• Why us?Why us?• Training modelTraining model• What works well, what doesn’t?What works well, what doesn’t?

Middlebury Libraries’ CMSMiddlebury Libraries’ CMS• Microsoft Content Management ServerMicrosoft Content Management Server• LargeLarge

– Middlebury Libraries’ sub-site Middlebury Libraries’ sub-site • ComplexComplex

– connected pagesconnected pages– ““redirect with blurb” document templateredirect with blurb” document template– master listsmaster lists

• Constantly changingConstantly changing

Screenshot: lis/libScreenshot: lis/libScreenshot: redirect with blurbScreenshot: redirect with blurb

Screenshot: title listScreenshot: title list

Training: A ChallengeTraining: A Challenge

• Easy mechanics at the document Easy mechanics at the document levellevel – pasting into templatepasting into template– toolbartoolbar

• HoweverHowever– large, complex, changing environmentlarge, complex, changing environment– librarians’ time constraintslibrarians’ time constraints– content and information architecture content and information architecture

(IA) (IA)

Our Training ModelOur Training Model

• HowHow– one-on-oneone-on-one– groupgroup

• WhatWhat– learn vocabulary and roleslearn vocabulary and roles– create simple static pagescreate simple static pages– use more advanced templatesuse more advanced templates– understand more complex functionalitiesunderstand more complex functionalities

Benefits of Training Benefits of Training ModelModel

• CarrieCarrie– One-on-oneOne-on-one

• task-oriented, as-neededtask-oriented, as-needed• effective learning modeleffective learning model• time-savertime-saver

– GroupGroup• reinforcesreinforces• broadens scopebroadens scope

• BryanBryan– uncover unanticipated issuesuncover unanticipated issues– establish communication with content providers establish communication with content providers

(CPs)(CPs)

Drawbacks of Training Drawbacks of Training ModelModel

• Not scalableNot scalable– more than one or two new CPs would require more than one or two new CPs would require

too much of trainer’s timetoo much of trainer’s time– staff without web experience need more time to staff without web experience need more time to

learn “big picture” conceptslearn “big picture” concepts– some staff may never learn the intricacies of a some staff may never learn the intricacies of a

CMS CMS • DisclaimerDisclaimer

– your CMS might be configured differentlyyour CMS might be configured differently– your CMS might not have to be your institution’s your CMS might not have to be your institution’s

main web presencemain web presence– in such cases, training might require less timein such cases, training might require less time

© 2006 Macfarlane and Carson

The Libraries’ CMS is The Libraries’ CMS is complicated and the complicated and the

training is time-intensive. training is time-intensive.

Is it all worthwhile?Is it all worthwhile?

What’s Easy?What’s Easy?

• CarrieCarrie– mechanics at the document level mechanics at the document level – maintaining good Information maintaining good Information

Architecture (IA) Architecture (IA) – sharing contentsharing content

• BryanBryan– assuring consistent IAassuring consistent IA– troubleshootingtroubleshooting– automatic global content updatesautomatic global content updates

What’s Difficult?What’s Difficult?

• CarrieCarrie– vocabularyvocabulary– quirkiness with editing tool quirkiness with editing tool – lack of access to HTMLlack of access to HTML– different from a static web page different from a static web page

(elements are stored in a database)(elements are stored in a database)

What’s Difficult?What’s Difficult?

• BryanBryan– inconsistency of Microsoft’s own inconsistency of Microsoft’s own

terminologyterminology– current implementation doesn’t always current implementation doesn’t always

mesh with some librarians’ concept of a mesh with some librarians’ concept of a web presenceweb presence

– organizational structure (who’s in organizational structure (who’s in charge?)charge?)

Is it all worthwhile?Is it all worthwhile?

• Yes, because advanced featuresYes, because advanced features– improve search functionimprove search function– facilitate navigation (findability)facilitate navigation (findability)– enable content sharingenable content sharing– save timesave time

• But there is room for But there is room for improvement inimprovement in– technical implementationtechnical implementation– organizational structureorganizational structure

Improvements to this Improvements to this ModelModel

• Web Librarian ComponentWeb Librarian Component– full-timefull-time– empowered to ensure new content is CMS-ready empowered to ensure new content is CMS-ready – proactively plan for the future of the Library siteproactively plan for the future of the Library site

• Student Worker ComponentStudent Worker Component– faster and less expensive (leverage the faster and less expensive (leverage the

technology)technology)– workflow: librarians submit content, Web workflow: librarians submit content, Web

Librarian sets up IA, students input contentLibrarian sets up IA, students input content– institutional memory maintained by Web institutional memory maintained by Web

LibrarianLibrarian

© 2006 Macfarlane and Carson

ConclusionsConclusions

• CMS is complicated but worthwhileCMS is complicated but worthwhile• Group training does not replace need Group training does not replace need

for individualized trainingfor individualized training• Librarians can’t do it aloneLibrarians can’t do it alone

– need technical supportneed technical support

• Web Services can’t do it aloneWeb Services can’t do it alone– need feedback to provide appropriate need feedback to provide appropriate

supportsupport

• Intermediary must be well integratedIntermediary must be well integrated

© 2006 Macfarlane and Carson

The EndThe End

• Carrie M. MacfarlaneCarrie M. Macfarlanecmacfarl@middlebury.edu cmacfarl@middlebury.edu

• Bryan P. CarsonBryan P. Carsonbcarson@middlebury.edubcarson@middlebury.edu

Screenshot: lis/libScreenshot: lis/lib

Screenshot: “redirect with Screenshot: “redirect with blurb” dissectionblurb” dissection

Screenshot: Title listScreenshot: Title list