[Eril-l] Database A-Z list options

[Smith, Kelly]

We’re using Libguides A-Z functionality and we like it very much. http://libguides.eku.edu/az.php

Its main strength is the seamless integration with individual guides – when we make changes to a database name, description, or URL, it automatically updates in all of the individual guides. It also populates a subject-specific Database tab on the individual subject portals (example: http://libguides.eku.edu/sb.php?subject_id=403). You can easily integrate locally created icons as a visual clue to the type of database it is. It has a “best bets” option for each subject so that if there is a long list of databases attached, the most important ones rise to the top. You can also run usage analytics.

I can’t really think of any weaknesses.

When we first implemented, we had a really long list of database types/icons, and the screen looked really cluttered. So we took a step back and simplified, which required going back and re-thinking. I wish we had started more simply.

It does what we need it to do, but we’ve requested one enhancement... You can see on our page that we’ve implemented a ‘Database status’ update box that is driven by the Status Management feature in LibAnswers – it is used to publicize known problems, downtime, etc. We wish that the Status Management functionality lived in the Libguides A-Z list rather than LibAnswers. Every time we have an announcement about a particular database, we have to manually create a “Product” in Status Management, and then delete that product when the problem is resolved. It would be much easier to have some status feature in the A-Z attached to each resource that we could choose a status, enter a note, and it would appear in the A-Z list as well as LibAnswers.

Kelly Smith
Coordinator of Collections and Discovery
Eastern Kentucky University Libraries
kelly.smith2 at eku.edu<mailto:kelly.smith2 at eku.edu> | Research Guides<http://libguides.eku.edu/prf.php?account_id=300>



From: Eril-l [mailto:eril-l-bounces at lists.eril-l.org] On Behalf Of Katherine Collins
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2016 1:54 PM
To: eril-l at lists.eril-l.org
Subject: [Eril-l] Database A-Z list options

Hi all-
We presently have Metalib for displaying our A-Z database list, but are starting to investigate other options. What are others using to display your list of databases?
Do you like it the tool you're using?
What are the strengths/weaknesses?
What do you wish you’d known before implementing?
What do you wish it did that it doesn’t do?

All feedback is very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Katy

--
Katherine Collins
Manager of Electronic Resources
Brandeis University Library and Technology Services
415 South Street
Waltham, MA 02454
phone 781-736-4731


--
Katherine Collins
Manager of Electronic Resources
Brandeis University Library and Technology Services
415 South Street
Waltham, MA 02454
phone 781-736-4731
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