MINUTES OF THE UIAS USER SERVICES TASK FORCE MEETING

14 October 1998, WestEd, Seal Beach

PRESENT: Paul Adalian, Bill Budge, Rod Hersberger, LaVonne Jacobsen, James Koga, Marvin Pollard, Pat Robles, Steve Sottong

1. Introduction and Welcome:

Additional agenda items: Grant opportunities, Liaisons to Database TF, Web
Design assumptions (accessiblity, different browsers, html standards),
sample approaches to database selection advice: CSULA, UCSD Data
base Advisor, Cal Poly SLO Data Genie & My Library
Progress notes: proximity searching and phrase searching available soon in
the Union Catalog. Marking for mail, download or print not yet available.

2. Main Selection Screen Revision Based on Last Meeting
Group discussed how each library might want to customize the
choices on these screens - geographically near libraries, default to own
catalog and most heavily used database, etc. Topic areas will be equally
customizable. Additional revisions and suggestions from others will be
discussed under agenda item 5.

3. UIAS Navigational Chart: An Overview of the System

Paul distributed a draft "UIAS Navigation Chart" (in the style of a site
map) constructed from real and dummy screen dumps. The Nav chart shows
projected relationship of the main menu to resources, e.g.: topic areas,
simple and advanced search, broadcast search menu, tutorial/information
competence screens, context-sensitive help, and ill screens.
Chart begins at the database menu, not gateway screen.

4. Sub-Committee Reports

Search Screen Paul & LaVonne
Design preferences for simple and advanced search screens were discussed
with Marvin. Draft screens not available yet.

ILL
No report yet.

Semantics Judith & James
James distributed team recommendations for language on the top logo and
basic search screens. For each function, the report lists one "choice"
and several alternatives. Group generally agreed with their choices with
some exceptions: "Meta Search" seems too advanced; the use of
"order/ordering" in ILL contexts might confuse faculty who expect to
recommend new titles ("request" was the most preferred). During the
"results display" discussion, many of these recommendations were
incorporated and some new language introduced.

Record Displays LaVonne & Pat

We reviewed draft pages for browse lists, short records and full records.
The group endorsed the principle of using "wrap around" citations rather
than space-consuming vertical tables (see Chico for example). Tables
will appear without borders. Book and article entries will continue to
have the title first (although call numbers and urls will appear before
titles for catalog records). Sort and limit functions will be at the
bottom of the page.

Overview/Site Map/Virtual Tour Paul

Virtual tour begins on the main menu page - as user rolls mouse over
various parts, may either click on an information link or have a pop-up
with an explanation. Will incorporate canned searches and a tutorial
where the amswers can be e-mailed to the faculty member who asked them to
complete the tutorial.

Information Competence Paul

Report basically embodied in the Navigation Chart. Context sensitive
examples: at the full record -- how to interpret the record, how to find
the record, sample citation form (can do the same as with ill form - fill
in the blanks for them).

No reports yet for the following 3:

Flow/Process/Tree Pat, Judith,LaVonne
Specific Database Features
Topic areas
Internet Sites

5. Making Some Concrete Decisions and Getting Some Good Pages Up:

Using the UIAS Navigational Chart as a Starting Point.
RESULTS displays -- browse (scan) screen, short (brief)
records and full (long) record displays were worked over in great detail.
Steve agreed to keep notes on the decisions and to create new draft
display pages. Semantics notes: exit choice from results screens will be
"start over," url label will be "World Wide Web."

SEARCH screen, simple -- fewer choices, only: A, T, S browse, general
keyword. Link to Advanced search screen, help/info comp.
Note to TF: in July, we had listed simple limiting (by date).

SEARCH screen, advanced -- reviewed thoughts from July - especially the
ability to add more search boxes (choice of and, or, not) as is done in

Grateful Med.

MAIN MENU/DATABASE SELECTION: Reviewed comments & suggestions from Chico,
CSU LA, and Bakersfield that would improve the clarity of the screen.
Paul took the detailed notes and will work on a new draft.

Marvin noted that "cookie" capability will be added to the system on
10/15/98 - enabling improved authentication. Discussion about
authentication showed that the group generally prefers authentication upon
selecting a CSU only resources or service - for easy access to library
catalogs - rather than the guest login approach at the Gateway page.

SEMANTICS notes: TF continues to grapple with the best language for
Broadcast searching (search multiple databases/Meta Search/...) and for

ILL Office (library jargon, not used in all libraries but neither is
document delivery). Thinking about alternatives.

6. Will the November COLD Meeting Show UIAS?

No, their agenda is already full.

7. Dates and Developing a Planning Calendar

Marvin and Rod stated that the timelines are about as they have been -
servers will be delivered to individual campuses in the next several
weeks. Aiming to have all campuses ready for fall 1999.

The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, November 17th, at
San Francisco. Scheduled to be at the end of CLA in Oakland. Draft pages
and/or team reports due by November 11th.

Tasks: Steve will work on results displays with help from Pat & LaVonne.
Paul will work on Main menu redesign and advanced search
Bill will work on a sample Business topic area/info comp sample
Pat and ???(help, folks) will look at ILL screens from the user
perspective.

8. Other Agenda Items

Grants: This group should take advantage of our close relationship to
Info Comp initiatives and apply for some funding to support our info comp
aspects. There may also be an opportunity for FIPSE money.

DataBase TF: The database TF would like to work closely with the user
services TF on indexing and display issues. Steve, Pat and LaVonne will
join the DB TF as associates and act as liaisons from our group.

Meeting adjourned with a few pending agenda items.

Reporter: LaVonne Jacobsen <lavonne@sfsu.edu>

Return to User Services Documents Page