TAG | resource tagging
I know that I said that I would not dwell or try to explain why I didn’t post for two months, but there is a valid reason. That reason? FindDatabases.
At the Pollak Library there has long been a movement afoot to get rid of the /v Metalib interface, better known around our parts as Databases By Subject. There has also been a desire to make the full listing of all our databases, called Databases a-z, more usable. With over 200 databases, the current page can be overwhelming unless the user knows exactly what database they are looking for, and even then it can take an eternity to scroll all the way through the list.
There was a design prototype that enhanced the functionality of the Databases A-Z page by incorporating some of the features from the Metalib native interface. This prototype, which never left the development server, had the full listing of databases with a subject box on the left. When a user clicked Education, all of the non-edu. databases would fall off the list. This design was the foundation we used when designing the new FindDatabases page.
The new page presents multiple ways for users to find databases. First off, they can scroll the full list until they find the one they are looking for, or they can click on the alphabet bar above the listing to jump down to the letter they are looking for. They can also click on the subject name on the side bar to refine the list of databases, and they can refine it further by clicking on the resource type. But, they really cool thing about the project is the resource tagging.
What we did was create a back end interface that allowed librarians to tag databases with words or concepts that would help students find a database that contained articles on the word or concept. For example, if I knew that GEOBase had articles on Global Warming, then I could tag that database with that term. Students arrive on the FindDatabases page, search or browse through the tag cloud for the topic they are interested in, and list of databases that contain information on the topic will appear on the left. We also provide a listing of subjects or majors that cover that topic. So, on the same global warming search, they might see a link to GEOBase, as well as a subject links to environmental studies and geography.
This is still in beta, and we aren’t promoting it too much yet. But, we are going to start testing soon, and we are going to open up tagging to students. That should be interesting. I will post a video soon showing how it works.
