As a beginner coder, I generally assume that if something goes wrong it’s my code. While it’s true that a website needs to be coded in such a way that it’s interoperable, sometimes the problem originates in the browser. This may seem obvious to any web programmer, but it wasn’t to me, mostly because the assumption really is, “I’m not an expert, so the mistake must be something in my code.”
Font-size Chrome Bug
In my case, I was having issues with font sizes, and this is such a basic part of CSS that it never occurred to me that it was a browser issue. Lo and behold, it turns out the current version of Chrome (17.0.963.79) rounds font-sizes to the nearest whole number, and I was doing calculations based on Chrome. Because of this bug, the site I was formatting looked very different.
For example, say I have:
h2 { font-size: 1.2em; }
h3 { font-size: 1.17em; }
While these differences are so small you can barely tell in the example, you can imagine that on an entire website, it has a pretty big effect especially if it’s a base font size. In the end, I filed a Chrome bug report and it’s being looked at.
Sometimes it’s a Mystery
In our website’s book banner, there is a little styling trick in order to make it look nicer. What really got me was that it was using absolute positioning (which generally I avoid). However, if you make it relative, it no longer does what it’s supposed to.
Have something like this in the CSS:
span {
position: absolute;
top: 1em;
left: 1em;
border: 10px solid transparent;
border-right: 10px solid blue;
}
span+span {
position: relative;
left: 2em;
}
the HTML should then have an empty block: <span></span><span></span>
Result:
If you want to play with it, it’s on jsfiddle
So far, I haven’t found an answer, so I’ve simply recoded it to make it work in the new layout. Now the strange thing is that it works on MAC, but breaks using the same browsers on Windows.
This week, I started creating a WordPress theme for our website, and in doing so, spent a lot of time reading on making a website accessible for persons with disabilities. While we do have legislation stating that all university websites need to be accessible by next year (?) (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)), our university and library take pride in being accessible. For some reason though, our website is not all that accessible.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Now on version 2.0, most government and public organizations are being held accountable in being compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The guidelines divides up the requirements into three levels: A, AA, AAA. While the guidelines themselves are a little hard to decipher, w3 provides a customizable quick reference to break the guidelines down into a more readable document.
The Design
When it comes to the general design of the website, it’s actually fairly simple.
Order and use of elements should make sense even in text only (1.3)
Minimum contrast (1.4.3)
Text resize up to 200% in the browser without lost functionality (1.4.4)
Keyboard accessible and easy to navigate (2.1, 2.4.1, 2.4.5) – have different ways to get to your content
Make your site predictable (3.2)
Provide error identification, suggestions, and instructions (3.3)
Make it compatible with assistive technologies (4.1)
The bottom line: your website should work (and make sense) even without JavaScript and CSS, and in text-only mode.
The Difficult Part: Making A/V Content Accessible
I don’t think a lot of people realize that designing a website to be accessible is not the hard part. The hard part in an organization is making sure that the content posted on the website is accessible. In particular, audio/visual elements should have text alternatives, whether that be closed captions, alt text or transcripts.
In order to ensure that content is also accessible, web developers need to work with other staff whether inside their own department or in the greater institution to educate staff who are creating content, because even something as simple as images need text alternatives.
At a college or university, best to contact the accessibility centre/unit on campus to work with them. They might already have the tools or know-how to make a/v content accessible.
Making a WordPress Accessible Theme
So, why reinvent the wheel? That’s what I thought anyway, but there are some issues with using an existing theme and modifying it. I wanted one that was in HTML5/CSS3, and then I later discovered that it should also be using the WordPress Settings API (which was difficult because it was only added in 2.7 so not everyone is using it).
Long story short, I didn’t find any, but then in looking through the files, it turns out the built-in/sample WordPress theme TwentyEleven fits all of these requirements! They do not tout that the theme is accessible, but many of the elements are present in the theme.
I will be posting more once the theme is done (or mostly done anyway) with more details on any changes I will have to make, but I’m thinking they will be very few if any.
A Few Tools
You can find a rather extensive list of tools for evaluating accessibility on the w3c website, but one of the most useful I found was: WAVE, which provides different views of a webpage with alerts and errors (there is also a browser plugin version). There are also a number of good colour contrast checkers browser plugins.
This is another assignment, this time from Planning and Design class. Our assignment was essentially to redesign a space. I decided to do a minimal, practical redesign for the Education Library. Although I did send the library a copy, the project reflects my personal views and was not commissioned by UBC Library, etc. (insert usual disclaimer). Finally, please note that the letter introducing the report and appendices are only available in the full report (which if you want a copy/see, you’ll have to e-mail me) as it is a long enough post already without them and the appendices include some copyrighted photos.
If you find the report too long to read, check out the presentation design board that I made instead (or do both!):
[gigya id=”prezi_e2ye1qzc2yju” width=”650″ height=”500″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” src=”http://prezi.com/bin/preziloader.swf” allowfullscreen=”true” allowscriptaccess=”always” flashvars=”prezi_id=e2ye1qzc2yju&lock_to_path=0&color=ffffff&autoplay=no&autohide_ctrls=0″] Education Library Redesign on Prezi
Purpose & Goals
This report makes recommendations for changes to the University of British Columbia (UBC) Education Library in order to provide greater access and a better environment for its users. The proposal was encouraged by the demands and comments by various users. While users are primarily Faculty of Education students (undergraduate and graduate), users include any person who walks into the library including faculty, community users, and staff. While community users frequently include alumni and working professionals, recently, there has been an increase of families with children using the library, especially on weekends, and such usage is likely to continue to increase with the expansion of housing on and near the university campus.
The propositions and goals of the redesign are based on observations and interactions with users while taking into account the constraints on staff, budget, space, and technology. Some of the common requests and complaints include:
not enough computer workstations,
lack of express use station with Internet access,
lack of quiet study (that is actually quiet), and
confusing layout of materials.
Other recommendations are based on observations rather than direct comments from users. The goals of the redesign focus on making better use of the existing space and thus, recommendations are made to fulfill the following goals:
create defined spaces with a clear purpose to each space within the library,
increase navigation, access, and use by consolidating collections,
maximize the use of natural lighting, and
meet users’ needs.
Benefits
Meeting users’ needs and providing for library users are core to the vision and mission of the library. Meeting the redesign goals will assist in moving the Education library towards fulfilling the goals of the library’s strategic plan, particularly in providing excellent access, service, and an open, inclusive environment. The redesign goals are beneficial to both library patrons and staff.
Creating defined spaces:
provides a clear purpose to a space,
decreases amount of noise in quiet study areas, and
delineates which areas noise is allowed versus quiet study.
Increasing navigation, access, and use by consolidating collections:
allow for better wayfinding and greater efficiency for both patrons and staff,
Overall, library users’ satisfaction and library use should both increase.
Constraints & Solutions
The recommendations have been written based on current constraints, including:
lack of funding,
minimal staff resources,
technology determined by central library IT, and
use of the existing space.
To work around these restrictions, the recommendations are based on minimizing spending and contract or outsourcing by reusing furniture and equipment where possible (see Appendix A, Budget Summary), and employing the time of staff. As well, changes of higher priority are presented, while some aspects of the library work well and should not be changed, such as:
carpet, shelving, and other furniture are durable, mostly wood or neutral colours, and help to absorb sound,
lighting, which is bright and diffused, and
shades are already installed to control natural lighting for times when sunlight might be too glaring or hot.
Keeping interruptions to access and services for patrons was also an important consideration in creating the recommendations.
The Redesign
Defining Spaces
The library is primarily used by students (undergraduate and graduate) to work or study individually, work or study in groups, read, eat, and socialize. It is important for students and other users to know which areas are appropriate for which activities. However, the current layout of the library confuses readers as spaces are diffused and spread out. In particular, group study areas are next to or in the same space as quiet study areas, such as in the Course Reserve Area, which has study carrels next to the copiers, and the Lower Level Area, which has workstations in study carrels in the group study area (see original floor plans in Appendix B). Noise also becomes a major issue as the upper level is open to the lower level (see Appendix B Redesigned Upper Level), thus allowing sounds from the group study area on the lower level to disturb the quiet study on the upper level. The lack of defined spaces also causes problems for staff as they cannot take action if there are complaints about patrons that are, in fact, using the space appropriately.
In order to create defined spaces of which users can understand the purpose without needing signage, similar types of furniture should be used in a single area. The Lower Level Area should have all large tables removed with only study carrels (with or without computers). Similarly, the study carrels in the Course Reserve Area and Workstations area should be removed. To encourage group work in the Workstations Area, the reference collection should be moved to make more room for group tables, and the computers currently in carrels would be on long tables and spaced, allowing multiple people to work on a single computer (see Appendix B Redesigned Upper Level). To minimize the costs of new furniture, the existing furniture can simply be moved around (see Appendix A for details). While signage can be used to assist in the use of the spaces, the type of furniture and their layout would be enough to signal to users which areas are for quiet study and which areas are for group work.
Reading areas would likewise be defined by the use of reading chairs, but would be placed next to windows in order to maximize the use of natural lighting, such as in the Journals Stairway Area and the Lower Level CCBC Area. The one major change needed is to shift the CCBC collection away from the window to allow more space for the reading chairs to create a ‘cozier’ space (see Appendix B Redesigned Lower Level). The reading areas are also purposely kept near non-circulating collections that patrons may want to read while in the library.
Consolidating Collections
In addition to creating defined spaces, consolidating collections will assist in providing a more intuitive layout for better wayfinding, navigation, access, use, and efficiency. Mainly, patrons have difficulty finding new journal issues as the display is in the Course Reserves Area, and not clearly visible, while the rest of the journals are in the upper level stacks area. It is highly recommended to move the journal display next to the journal stacks area. Furthermore, the reference and historical collections should be moved to the Course Reserve Area for greater security (behind another security gate) as well as to have all the smaller collections in a single area (see Appendix B Floor Plans). With this setup, only the books, videos, journals, and CCBC collection will be outside of the Course Reserve Area, providing a simpler layout and possibly decreasing the number of directional questions.
Increasing Access
Further to defining space and consolidating collections, other changes can be made to increase access and use to the library, its collections, and resources. For example, one of the most common concerns patrons seem to have is the number of computer workstations for use, especially for the purposes of printing. Therefore, it is recommended that one of the standing height computers be changed to an express station for printing and quick use. As well, two additional computers can be added on the Lower Level for quiet work.
One way to increase access and better navigation is to improve flow of pedestrian traffic. For example, notices are currently taped on the security gate as well as put on signs in various places. If patrons stop to read the notices, the entrance and exit may be blocked. Thus, the purchase of an announcement board is highly recommended to be placed in the small niche area next to the security gates (see Appendix A and B for details). Similarly, a book display currently sits in the niche (where patrons are unlikely to want to stop to read), another book display is currently next to computers (preventing student use of the table space), and a third book display is in a trophy case (which makes the books inaccessible). Purchasing a new book display will not only allow greater accessibility to books, but will also enhance the use of the space and encourage patrons to stop and read (see Appendix A for details).
Some areas of the library are currently also underused, but the most likely reason is because they are cluttered with furniture. To increase use and access, unused furniture should be removed, such as the locker and shelving in the Journals Stairway Area, and the extra reading chairs in the Lower Level CCBC Area (see Appendix A and B for details). Staff should also make sure not to put portable furniture, such as book carts, in patron used areas. In particular, the Journals Stairway Area is rather narrow, and though optional, it is highly recommended to change the new issues display to a slat wall display for optimal space usage, and easy access (see Appendix A for details). Ideally, users will feel welcome and comfortable using any of the spaces for reading and studying.
Implementation – User Input & Assessment
When implementing any redesign, users should have input into the recommendations as the mission and vision of the library are focused on providing for and supporting users. Current recommendations have been made based on patron feedback, however, further user input should be gathered to ensure that the redesign is aligned with users’ priorities. Different methods can be used to collect data, such as surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Considering the constraints on resources and time, surveys are recommended for easier scoring and taking up less staff time to facilitate.
Based on user input, recommendations can be added or changed to better address patrons’ needs and priorities. The study should include questions on access, use of resources, use of space, and navigation, such that a similar study can be conducted afterwards with some of the same questions to compare with pre-design answers to measure whether the goals of the project are achieved.
In addition, should the project prove to be successful, the assessment can be used as proof to administration and potential donors to the library to fund further improvements and a larger redesign project.
Possible Further Improvements
As the changes presented take current constraints into consideration, many possible further improvements are recommended in the longer term, particularly with more funding. While not an exhaustive list, possible further improvements include:
Purchase of new chairs that are more ergonomic with adjustable seat and height in a neutral colour, such as black, that match redesigned library branches (such as UBC Law Library) and do not distract patrons’ attention (which may be the case with the current strong colours of red and green) (see Appendix C).
Ensure computers, especially mice and keyboards, in the quiet study areas are near silent, and purchasing replacements if necessary (see Appendix C).
Paint cement walls to remove the ‘cement bunker’ feel.
Consultation will be needed for improvements that require more expert advice and analysis, such as:
improving temperature control,
minimizing noise from the stairway, and
improving the colour scheme.
Currently, the colour scheme uses the additive primary colours of red, green, and blue. However, design colour theory is based on the traditional red, yellow, blue subtractive primaries model.In addition, psychological primary colours suggest that red and green are antagonistic to each other and should not be used together as the human visual system does not respond well to both at the same time.3 As the library already uses a fair amount of neutral and wood colours, the existing blues can be added to with other blues to create a calm and comfortable mood.4 The resulting scheme, may look similar to the following:5
Blue may also be a good choice as it is the UBC school colour. Nevertheless, the particular blues need to be carefully chosen as not to create a cold or depressing colour scheme.6
Future Outlook
Ultimately, the redesign and its goals are to assist the library in fulfilling its mission and vision. While there are many restrictions currently preventing a full redesign, many improvements can still be made to the Education Library with minimal investment. The success of the project should be measured through the use of assessment tools before and after changes, and if successful, the library can garner support from administration and donors to make further augmentations or a full redesign. The space is somewhat flexible and should be planned to accommodate changing and future user demographics and needs, particularly due to rapid growth in technology and campus housing, which may bring more families into the Education library. Thus, more planning should be completed in order to ensure alignment with the strategic plan in the years to come.
Works Cited Endnotes
Note (Sep 2018): All the links appear to be broken. The sites still work but lead to 404s. 1. Chase, C. & Hiltz, S. (2011). Lighting [Class handout]. LIBR 578, School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 2. Tuberman, L. (2008). Color theory. http://leontuberman.hubpages.com/hub/Color-Theory 3. Foster, M. (1897). A text book of physiology. California: Macmillan. 4. Chan, F. & Rocheleau, N. (2011). Colour theory [Class handout]. LIBR 578, School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 5. Indigosilver. (2011). Indigosilver2. ColorSchemer Gallery. http://www.colorschemer.com/schemes/viewscheme.php?id=7373 6. Tuberman, L. (2008). Color characteristics. http://leontuberman.hubpages.com/hub/Color-Characteristics
I’ve been meaning to post this for a while now, especially with all the presentations on Koha and Evergreen at Access 2011. This is a copy of the final assignment from the library automation and systems class (from March 2011), which I did with a partner, so about half was written by someone else. Please note that we were not using the newest versions of either ILS and while we had access to the administrative panel, we focused on a user view (patron & staff), which means that some of the options we say ‘do not exist’ may simply be a matter of an admin setting we did not change (as it was a test server for the entire class). Many of these issues may have been fixed by now, and I actually know for a fact that one of the bugs I reported was fixed. Nevertheless, I thought this piece might be useful for those either working on or looking at these ILSs.
Traditionally, libraries have purchased integrated library systems (ILSs) from vendors who make proprietary software. However, open source ILSs have become much more popular in recent years, with a number of major systems and several companies offering support (Breeding, 2009). Our task was to compare two of these systems: Koha (Bywaters version 3.03) and Evergreen (version 1.6.1.2), specifically the circulation module both through the staff client and the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). A number of techniques were used in the evaluation and comparison process. Our main strategy was direct examination; we performed an operation in one system and then the other, which immediately highlighted any differences. We also consulted the systems’ documentation materials, read users’ reviews, and, at times, turned to listservs and bug reports. Our findings are laid out in a combination of narrative, charts, screen captures, and bulleted lists. For each section, we have attempted to select the medium that provides the most clarity for the user.
We considered several possible approaches to the division of work, and ultimately decided that we would each be responsible for roughly half the circulation modules. This meant that each of us had the opportunity to explore both systems in depth. The remainder of the project was divided up fairly informally, but with an eye to maintaining balanced contributions.
2. Which Version of Koha?
The recent division of Koha into two development streams, ByWaterSolutions and LibLime (PTFS), is a complex and controversial piece of recent history. Tensions exist between the major support companies in the United States and Europe (Hellman, 2010), and both lines have their supporters. However, the ByWater release seems to have gained more acceptance within the Koha community (Leonard, 2010). The ByWater website’s links point back to the original Koha community, whereas LibLime’s directs the user to the koha.org site.
In addition, a large-scale survey of libraries in 2010 showed significantly more user satisfaction from libraries using the ByWater release, particularly in the area of customer support (Breeding, 2011). According to recent postings to a library listserv (Krischel, T., February 17, 2011 [Web4Lib list]), LibLime’s release of Koha is not “uptodate” [sic]. Finally, Liblime has recently released a clients-only version of Koha. Though legal, this move raises serious questions about their commitment to the principles of open source software (Hadro, 2009). For these reasons, we chose to use the ByWater version of Koha in this analysis.
3. Observations and Findings
Below is a detailed discussion of our observations and findings for each functional area.
3.1 Patron Maintenance
3.1.1 Searching for Patrons
The patron search function is easy to use in both systems. Both handle partial inputs in searchable fields. However, where Evergreen uses ‘begins with’ searching, Koha uses a ‘contains’ and retrieves partial matches. In Evergreen, it is also easier for the user to see what fields are being searched and allows the user to use a single field or a combination of fields(see Figure 1). In comparison, according to the message on the search interface, Koha searches patron card number and name fields. This is consistent with the 3.2 documentation (as of March 12, 2011, and not mentioned in the 3.0 documentation). However, partial email matches also produce results (see Figure 2). This is not made transparent, and it is unclear to the user what fields are being searched as the search in actuality includes not only email, but also other names and user ID (Cormack, 2011).
Figure 1 – Evergreen Patrons Search Form and Results (list of all patrons with email beginning with ‘g’)
Both systems display results with the most basic patron information, and allow sorting of results. Evergreen also allows customization of the results display and easy access to further patron details while still in the search screen (see Figure 3). It provides a button to return to the search form with the existing search still filled in. In comparison, Koha only has basic patron information display, a non-customizable results list, and no option to return to the search results (although the browser’s back button works).
Figure 2 – Koha Patrons Search and Results (list of all patrons with email containing ‘example’)Figure 3 – Evergreen Search Results Patron View and Customization Menu
At first glance, the only feature unique to Koha is the option to browse for patrons by last name. However, as Evergreen searches fields using ‘begins with’, to produce a result similar to that provided by Koha’s ‘browse by last name’ feature, the user would enter, for example, ‘A’ in the last name field, whereby Evergreen will list all patrons with a last name starting with ‘A’.
3.1.2 Adding Patrons
Adding patrons is fairly easy and straightforward. Both systems have the function available either directly from the main menu (see Figure 5) or from the main ‘Patron’ screen. The major difference here is that Koha forces the user to choose the user group to which the patron will be added. This might appear beneficial; however, the list of user groups may become unwieldy if it becomes very long, particularly because they are not automatically grouped when necessary.
Evergreen Sections and Fields
Koha Sections and Fields
User Identification
Barcode
Username
Password
Names (First, Middle, Last, Suffix, Alias)
Date of Birth
Juvenile?
Primary Identification
OPAC Login
Username
Password
Patron Identity
Salutation
Names (Surname, First, Initials, Other)
Date of Birth; Sex
Additional Attributes and Identifiers
Driver’s License
Favourite ColourPrevious Systems ID
Surveys
Customized by admin
Contact Info
Email Address
Phone (Day, Evening, Cell)
Home Library
Contact
Phone (home, work, cell)
Email (home, work)
Fax
Alternate Contact
Names, Address, and Phone
Addresses
add as many as needed
Main Address
1 address
Alternate Address
1 address
Groups and Permissions
Profile GroupAccount Expiration Date
Internet Access Level
Active? Barred?
Set as Family Account?
Claims Returned Count
Alert Message
Library Management
Card Number
Library
Category; Sort 1, 2
Library Set-up
Registration Date
Expiration Date
OPAC note
Circulation note
Statistical Categories
Customized by admin
Patron Account Flags
Gone no Address?
Debarred?
Lost Card?
Finish
View Summary
Save User; Clone User
Cancel
End Options
Save
Cancel
Messaging Preferences
Hold Notification (set elsewhere)
Patron Messaging Preferences
Item Checkout; DUE; Check-in
Hold Filled; Advance Notice
Figure 4 – Patron Record Sections and Fields Comparison
The form itself is structured differently in the two systems. Whereas Koha has one long form, Evergreen has broken fields into sections and requires the user to select a specific section before entering the information (see Figure 5). The forms are organized a little differently as well. Koha separates the patron names, contact information, and address from their library identification (e.g. barcode number). Evergreen combines name and barcode into a single section for user identification, storing contact information and addresses separately. Other parts of the patron record also vary with the system (see Figure 4). While Koha allows more customization for general messaging (Evergreen only allows customization of hold notices only), Evergreen provides more flexibility by allowing more than two addresses. It is difficult to make a categorical statement about which is better, as it greatly depends on the needs of the organization. A nice feature of the Evergreen form is that required fields are not only marked red, but also automatically turn white when valid text is entered into a field (see Figure 5).
One very useful function that both systems have is notification of possible duplicate records based on first and last names. However, when a possible duplicate record is identified in Koha, a bug allows the patron record to be added without a card number (bug reported).
Additional features:
Evergreen
Login and password automatically generated if left blank
Can clone users with automatic grouping and shared address
Koha
Login and password automatically generated if left blank
Figure 5 – Evergreen User Editor (Menu option, Form categories, Dynamic Validation and Birthdate)
General error handling in the patron form for the two systems is fairly similar. If the user tries to save without filling in all the required fields or entering valid information, a fairly standard error message appears. Both systems’ error messages list all the required or invalid fields (see Figure 6). They serve their purpose, but could use some improvement. One simple improvement would be to provide a definition of a valid entry (which Evergreen does to some extent, see Figure 6); for example, telling the user that a date must be in the format MM/DD/YYYY, or a name field must only use the characters A-Z and a-z.
Figure 6 – Evergreen Example Error MessageKoha Example Error Message
Field validation also seems minimal. Koha allows alphanumeric and symbol entry in the name field, which seems unusual. It may not have any validation beyond requiring an entry. Evergreen, in contrast, only permits letters in name fields (see Figure 5). Both have format validation for dates, but does not restrict the range of the date, allowing card expiration date to be earlier than registration/current date, and future birth dates. In Evergreen, an error message does pop up when first entered and after saving if the birth date is invalid or a future date, but the user can still re-enter a future date and save it (see Figure 5). No authority lists seem to exist in either system as any text can be entered into ‘Country’ for example. As a consequence, more advanced validation is also not present, such as no postal code format validation based on country. In short, error messages and field validation could be improved in both systems, but particularly in Koha.
3.1.3 Updating Patron Records
Evergreen is more complicated than Koha when the user wants to edit a patron’s information. The patron must first be found through the search, their information retrieved, and ‘Edit’ clicked on. The Koha interface has an edit option directly next to each patron in its search results lists. Nevertheless, both systems provide good consistency by providing the same form used when adding a new patron. There is one difference: when viewing patron details in Koha, the user can choose to edit only one section of the patron record. This is handy for the user, as this prevents the user from having to scroll through a long form. However, since these small sections are only accessible through the patron details, whether it is an increased convenience is debatable.
3.1.4 PIN Resets
PIN resets are slightly unintuitive and problematic in Koha. Although a staff member can manually change a PIN when editing a patron’s records, random password generation is available only by clicking the ‘Change Password’ in the patron details view. Koha also has no function for the patron to reset their own password, and there is no evidence that this function has been implemented even in the latest (3.2) version. In comparison, Evergreen has a ‘Reset’ button next to the password field when editing a patron record, and the OPAC has a “Forgot your password” link with a short pop-up form that will then send an email to the patron.
3.2 Check-in/out
The check-in/check-out module is highly accessible and supported by ample documentation in both Evergreen and Koha. It is an option on the default home page for both systems, although its position at the top centre of the screen makes it somewhat more visible in Koha.
The systems follow the same basic sequence of steps for circulating items: 1) identify patron; 2) identify item; 3) check item in/out; 4) print receipt (optional). While Koha allows you to search for patrons by name, email or barcode only, Evergreen allows you to enter a phone number or postal code as well. However, in Evergreen, a different keyboard shortcut is used depending on whether you are searching by barcode or by last name. The comparative simplicity of Koha’s interface makes it more user friendly in this area.
Checking an item out requires entering its barcode. At this point, the user also has the option of manually overriding the standard due date. In Evergreen, the date must be entered in YYYY/MM/DD format. Unless it is manually reset after checking out the item, this custom due date is applied to all subsequent items in the patron’s check-out session.
Koha’s custom due date feature appears more user friendly at first – it includes a drop-down calendar, for instance. A check box in the custom date area is labelled ‘Remember for session’, implying that settings will default to standard if it is left unchecked. However, here there is a glaring error: unless changed back manually, the custom due date remains in effect for the duration of the session, even if this box is left unchecked. Koha 3.0 also does not require any validation for setting custom due dates (see Figure 7, which shows a due date well in the past). This is clearly a problem, though it is fixed in Release 3.2.2. (Nighswonger, 2010).
In both systems, warnings and/or error messages pop up when the user attempts to check out an item to a patron who has fines or has exceeded the maximum number of items on loan. The specifics of these settings can be adjusted in the Administration area.
Since libraries accept book returns even when closed, an important feature of circulation modules is the ability to ‘roll back’ the due date of an item as it is checked in. This function is provided by both Evergreen and Koha, but is more straightforward in the latter system. Koha’s ‘dropbox mode’ can be programmed to automatically roll back the date according to a preset pattern – it ‘knows’ when the library was last open. In Evergreen, the user must enter the date manually.
Figure 7 – Renew Items in Koha Staff Client (Custom Due Date)
The overall functionality of the two systems is very comparable for the check-in/out module, though Evergreen offers better support for federated libraries. Koha’s ‘Independent Branches’ function allows for basic sharing of material and patrons to be turned on or off, but is less flexible than Evergreen and does not have more nuanced separation features: either every branch set its own policy, or all branches share a single group of settings. In contrast, Evergreen offers finely granulated levels of access. However, Koha’s well-designed interface makes it a better choice here unless users are working at a large, federated library system with multiple branches.
3.3 Renewing Items
Both Koha and Evergreen support consortia in this area, allowing renewal policies to be set on local and on group levels. Also common to both are administrative options to allow staff override of renewals and custom renewal dates. Setting a custom renewal date requires two steps in Evergreen: first renewing the item, then extending the due date. It is possibly to simply extend the due date, but this will not count towards item renewals. Another minor inconvenience is the need to refresh the screen after renewing; the new date doesn’t appear automatically. The number of renewals allowed depends on the item’s Circulation Modifier, which is controlled under in the ‘Local Administration > Circulation Policies’ area. In the test case, the default circulation policy was recently adjusted to allow two renewals for items that do not specify their Circulation Modifier in the ‘Item Details’ area as for many users, it was previously causing problems by not allowing any.
The Koha staff client suffers from slightly more serious usability issues. The renewal function can be found in both the Details and the Check Out sections of the ‘Patron’ screen. In the ‘Check Out’ section, the function appears in multiple places (see Figure 8). The ‘select all | none’ options underneath the ‘Renew’ heading on the ‘Patron’ screen do not appear to do anything –also notice that this column does not contain any check boxes. Furthermore, the dual function of the ‘Renew or Return checked items’ is not ideal from a usability standpoint. During testing, items were appearing as ‘Not Renewable’, but it turns out the culprit was a bug in the circulation modifier rules. This option could be overridden using the check box provided (see Figure 8). However, after renewing, the status of the item reverts to ‘Not Renewable’. The user might therefore easily conclude that the renewal had been unsuccessful. The system would be improved if it provided better user feedback and more informative error messages. Error messages and alerts can be customized in the administration area, and the frustration encountered in this instance shows the importance of doing so. Finally, it would also be useful if Koha offered the option of renewing items from the ‘Item’ screen.
Figure 8 – Check-out Screen in Koha
Renewing from the patron account is a more user-friendly option. In Koha, renewal status and renewal options appear beside checked out items in the patron account area (assuming that online renewal is turned on, which is an administrative option). Renewal status is accompanied by any necessary explanation, for example: ‘Not renewable (on-hold)’ (this particular setting, incidentally, can be adjusted in the administration area).
In Evergreen, the patron renewal interface is very similar to that found in the staff client. However, custom due dates are not an option, which simplifies things. The screen displays the number of renewals remaining, which is more helpful information than the number of renewals used, which is what Koha records. User reports do reveal one glitch: if a hold has been placed on an item, renewing that item will then be disallowed even if the hold in question has been cancelled, unless the item has been checked back in. This is an important point to be aware of.
3.4 Bills, Fines & Payment
Both Koha and Evergreen offer an extensive range of options for billing patrons and accepting payments. Please see Figure 9 (next page) for a detailed comparative summary of features.
Evergreen
Koha
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Overdue fines
Overdue fines can be capped at item price
Overdue rates adjustable according to item type, library branch, etc.
Processing fee for lost items remains on patron account even if material is checked in within the hour
Overdue fees can be set to vary by library, item type, and patron type
Can check ‘Forgive item on return’ or ‘Forgive overdue charges’ before items are scanned, eliminating need to write off bills later
Fines cannot be set to accrue by hour rather than by day (a useful feature for course reserves in academic libraries)
Additional programming needed (cronjob) for fines. Mode function (handles calculation and accrual of fines)
Adding, deleting, and editing bills
Bills’ ‘Full details’ button shows reason for charges
Bills’ ‘Full details’ button shows reason for charges
Only staff at owning library can modify patron’s bill
List of bill types is excessively long and vague; combines charges and credits
Can create manual invoices and manual credit
Payments reversible
Not possible to edit bills directly, unless reversing payment
If bill for a lost item is voided, the item disappears completely from the patron’s account (no record of check out)
Patron cannot pay in OPAC (payment upon self check-out available in later versions)
Bug #705061: cannot void or pay fines from booking reservation overdue fines
Clean, simple interface (particularly in comparison to Evergreen’s pop-up screens)
Options to accept payment or write off fines
Patron cannot pay fines through OPAC
Partial payment not possible, except by using manual credit feature
Staff client: Method and time of payment not shown
Accessing account history
History of fines, payments, and current balance accessible through OPAC and staff client
As mentioned, if bill for a lost item is voided, the item disappears completely from the patron’s account
Patron can view outstanding charges and payments in OPAC
No payment history available in staff client
Figure 9 – Summary of bills, fines, and payment features in Koha and Evergreen
3.5 Holds
3.5.1 Placing/Editing Holds
Adding a hold is easy to do in both systems. Evergreen has an option from the main menu, and Koha has the option from the search results page. Koha has a convenient list of existing holds when placing a hold for a patron, whereas in Evergreen, the user must find the option from the ‘Actions’ menu. Nevertheless, Evergreen as greater flexibility than Koha when placing a hold at specific level (i.e. meta-record, title, volume, copy, see Figure 10). Though this function is not immediately obvious in Evergreen, it is well documented and can be learned quickly. Evergreen hasthe problem in that a held item will show as “Available” until the staff changes the status, and in Koha, this happens some of the time (known bug).
One feature both systems lacked was listing the number of total holds on an item, or the hold place of a patron. Without this feature, patrons may become frustrated if they have to wait a long time and may frequently take up staff time by inquiring about their holds. [I’ve been told this is in both, but it’s not obvious.]
Figure 10 – Evergreen Place Hold Option at Various Levels
Additional features:
Evergreen
Can change options including notification, start/expiration date, acceptable alternate formats
OPAC:generally same steps and options, but patron only allowed to hold at meta or title level
Editing: staff and patrons may change status, notification, pick-up location, activation and expiration dates, and cancel holds
Koha
Can change options including start/expiration date, select first available or specific copy
OPAC: same steps, except use “Place a Hold”, same options
Editing: staff can edit priority and pick-up location (from item record), both staff and patron can cancel holds (from patron record)
3.5.2 Holds Pull Lists
Evergreen
Selection from main menu (‘Circulation’)
Sortable and print option
Can also list holds ready for pickup
No function for creating a list of holds waiting for copy
Koha
From circulation menu
Refine results by date, sortable (no specific print option, but can do that from browser)
Can also view ‘Holds queue’ for specific branch or all, ‘Holds awaiting pickup’, and ‘Holds ratios’
Both systems are fairly with nice additions such as sortable fields. However, Evergreen seems to have no function to report a list of currently unfulfilled holds (and none of the available documentation suggests this function is in the new version).
3.5.3 Holds Capture
Evergreen
Can be entered by staff when pulls from shelf
If item on hold checked in, staff notified with basic information
Hold slip printed and notification sent out
Can check out an available item that another patron has put on hold with no notification (even if on pull list, notification only if item has hold capture already set)
Koha
Cannot manually change status of item to on hold
If item on hold checked in, staff notified with basic hold/patron information
Confirm (and transfer if necessary) with option to print out slips
If trying to check out item on hold, staff is notified
Hold capturing is definitely much better in Koha, and integrates well with its other functions. In Evergreen, when a patron puts a book on hold, it is not automatically marked as such and an item can be checked out by another patron if the patron takes an item off of the shelf before a staff member pulls it. Although the details are not clear, based on the documentation (2010), Evergreen also seems to send a notice to the patron when the item they placed on hold is checked in, and not when the item is ready for pickup. Clearly, Evergreen can use some improvement, particularly inintegrating their holds function with the rest of the circulation module.
3.6 Changing Status of Items
Evergreen
Search for item and choose status from ‘Actions’ menu
Can mark ‘Damaged’ or ‘Missing’
To change back, item is checked in
Can mark ‘Lost by Patron’ or ‘Claim Returned’ through patron record
Fines are calculated automatically, refunds are not even if an item is found
To unmark these statuses, item is checked in and changes to reshelving
Koha
Search for item and choose ‘Items’
Can mark ‘Lost’ (‘Long overdue’, ‘Lost’, ‘Lost and paid’, ‘Missing’), ‘Damaged’, and/or‘Withdraw’
Change back on same screen
If marked lost while checked out by patron
Fines are calculated automatically including refunds
When unset or checked in, item becomes ‘Available’ once more (no reshelving)
Although the two systems have similar functions, they handle them differently, presumably according to how the functions are integrated with the rest of the system. In both systems, item status can be changed through item search or through patron records. However, whereas Koha always takes the user to the item screen (and fines are calculated automatically based on its previous status), Evergreen gives the user different options depending the view. While Koha gives the user a more consistent interaction, Evergreen is more dynamic. Whether one is better than the other comes down to personal preference in this case. Nevertheless, Koha’s consistency may allow the novice user to learn the system more quickly. Evergreen, with its need for an item to be checked in before its ‘Lost’ status can be removed, is less intuitive.
Koha gives the user more options when marking an item as ‘Lost’, but Evergreen has the added benefit of having a ‘Claim Returned’ status for the patron. Workarounds are possible in Koha, but would need to be noted manually, which would not allow for automatic reports or statistics of the number of items that are claimed to be returned. However, Koha automatically calculates refunds when lost items are returned, which saves time for user and patron.
3.7 Changing Load Period
Figure 11 – Koha Circulation and Fine Rules
Changing the loan period, for example, of DVDs for juvenile/young adult patrons is very easy in Koha. A table in the section ‘Administration > Circulation and Fine Rules’ allows loan periods to be modified according to library, patron type, and item type (see Figure 11). In this case, the user would select the patron category ‘Child’ or ‘Young Adult’ and the item type ‘DVD’. Such a rule might already exist; fortunately, it is also easy to change it. According to the interface instructions, ‘To modify a rule, create a new one with the same patron type and item type’. The new rule will replace the existing one.
Evergreen comes with a set of ‘Circulation Modifiers’. These are categories designed to “control circulation policies on specific groups of items” (Evergreen, 2010). One of the default modifiers is DVD. It is possible to set three different loan durations for a Circulation Modifier: ‘Short’, ‘Normal’, or ‘Long’. This feature is typically used to control the circulation of DVDs on the item level. However, it is also possible to link a loan duration to a particular patron group. The local administration options can be set to allow patrons in the juvenile/YA permission group to take out DVDs for the two-week period and adults for the one-week period for example.
If one had a section of DVDs that were marked specifically for juvenile/YA patrons, another option would be to create a new Circulation Modifier to accommodate this. This too would be done in the administrative section. As in Koha, this can be done on the branch level or across the system. However, Evergreen has more advanced options for consortia; it allows clusters of branches to share settings, whereas Koha either applies one setting to all branches or requires each branch to set a policy independently.
4. Documentation & Help
Documentation for Koha 3.0 is not complete and seems to focus mostly on back-end settings. As the documentation is in a single PDF file, it is not easy to skim through, a little difficult to navigate without a linked table of contents, and has image markings in the wrong places. Novice users may be daunted by the casual use of technical terms and concepts. The Koha 3.2 documentation is much better in comparison. It is more complete, includes screenshots,and appears to be designed more for the end-user. This difference may be attributed to the fact that the 3.0 documentation was a student project, whereas the 3.2 documentation is a continuing community effort. Although Koha 3.2 differs from 3.0 in a few areas, we found its documentation material very helpful in our evaluation and frequently referred to it.
The Evergreen 1.6 documentation has fewer images and screenshots, but provides many step-by-step instructions and explains its terms when appropriate. On the whole, the text is better organized and easier to navigate, making good use of numbered and bulleted lists.
Informal support communities, such as listservs and wikis, are readily available for both systems. However, the schism in the Koha community has the potential to cause some confusion among users. LibLime refers users to a new support site, Koha.org, while the older communities are dominated by ByWater users. There is considerable overlap in their coverage, but they are discussing different systems.
5. Conclusions
Koha’s interface is friendlier and more streamlined than that of Evergreen. Modules integrate well with each other, as seen with automatic fine refunds and holds capture. It is generally more intuitive for users, even considering its sub-standard documentation for the 3.0 version since the 3.2 documentation can provide some support for users of earlier versions.As the staff client is web-based, there is also less maintenance needed. The OPAC also has the added features of allowing patron tagging, comments, and reviews. Müller (2011) also did an evaluation of several free and open source software ILS based on software licensing, community, and functionalities for large libraries, and found that Koha was the leader in all three categories and was the only to pass the full evaluation. Nevertheless, Müller advises that Evergreen should also be seriously considered, which may be all the more true with the recent release of Evergreen 2.0.
Evergreen provides more flexibility and functionality for consortia (see Figure12). In addition, our analysis above found a number of features that, though available in both systems, were designed better in Evergreen (PIN resets, for example). Furthermore, its documentation is superior to that of Koha.
Consortial Features
Evergreen 2.0
Koha 3.2
Library Groups
yes
yes
Settings for Groups
yes
Multiple Branch Managements
yes
yes
Floating Collection Management
yes
in development
Granular User Permissions (per library)
yes
Figure12 -Consortial features in Koha and Evergreen (RSCEL & OS-OL, 2010)
Overall, the systems are very comparable. Libraries that belong to consortia may decide that Evergreen is the better option for them; the advantages that it offers in this area will warrant its steeper learning curve. Special libraries and stand-alone branches, on the other hand, might prefer to opt for Koha as it generally has a more intuitive user interface. Ultimately, as is always the case when selecting software, the better choice depends on the needs and requirements of the organization.
Works Cited
Breeding, M. (2009). Chapter 3: Major open source ILS products. Library Technology Guides, 44(8), 16-31. Retrieved March 12, 2011 from http://alatechsource.metapress.com/content/t75710j302n13447/
Breeding, M. (2011, January 27). Perceptions 2010: An international survey of library automation. Library Technology Guides. Retrieved February 19, 2011 fromhttp://www.librarytechnology.org/perceptions2010.pl
Cormack, C. (2011, March 12). Question on Patron Search. Message posted to Koha electronic mailing list, archived at http://lists.katipo.co.nz/pipermail/koha/2011-March/028119.html
Evergreen Community.(2010). Evergreen 1.6 documentation. Retrieved March 12, 2011 from http://docs.evergreen-ils.org/1.6/draft/html/
Hadro, J. (2009, September 22). Liblime’s Enterprise Koha sets off debate. Library Journal.Retrieved February 19, 2011 fromhttp://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/lj/technologyproductsvendors/855795-296/story.csp
Hellman, E. (2010, January 29). Who owns Koha? Retrieved February 17, 2011 from http://go-to-hellman.blogspot.com/2010/01/who-owns-koha.html
Koha Library Software Community.(2011). Documentation. Retrieved March 12, 2011 from http://koha-community.org/documentation/
Leonard, O. (2010). The Nelsonville Public Library chooses ByWater Solutions. Koha Newsletter, 1(2). Retrieved February 17, 2011 from http://koha-community.org/koha-newsletter-volume-1issue-2-february-2010/
Müller, T. (2011). How to choose an free and open source integrated library system. OCLC Systems & Services: International digital library perspectives, 27(1), 57-78. Retrieved March 12, 2011 from http://eprints.rclis.org/bitstream/10760/15387/1/How to choose an open source ILS.pdf
Nighswonger, C. (2010, December 2). Koha 3.2.2 is now available. Retrieved from http://koha-community.org/koha-3-2-2/
RSCEL & OS-OL.(2010). OSLS Feature Comparison Matrix.Open Source Open Libraries. Retrieved March 12, 2011 from http://www.os-ol.org/features
So for LIBR 530, we were to make a mini-subject guide and write up services that we would propose for the use of a specific type of person. To explain, the persona I chose is a computer science faculty member working on the more ‘theoretical’ side of things.
Lack of Literature
It was actually very difficult to find any research done on information behaviours for computer science faculty, especially anything recent and in the library context. I had to extrapolate from other research on scientists or computer science professionals and much of it I actually got from asking people I knew who had either done research or current faculty members.
The Resources
Interestingly, on the flip side, it was not hard at all to find out which resources were the most important ones. As conferences and its proceedings/reports are so important in the field, the big associations have their own publications and digital libraries. Google Scholar is frequently used because it indexes proceedings, reports (including technical reports), and online writings (vs. formal publications) from academic and research sites.
The Services
I don’t feel as if the services are original in any way, but I thought they were the most useful regardless. The hardest part of putting them into place, especially the first two, is the licensing and copyright involved. I wonder if lecture notes database already exist in an academic institution, in which case, it should be fairly easy to simply replicate.
Reflection
Honestly, not my best work. I didn’t spend as much time on it as I would have liked, because I just didn’t have the time to. If I could do it over again, I would have taken more time to research and interview people, possibly even do a mini-study. I probably would have focused on the more application and technology side of computer science as well since that’s where my interest lie or do a completely different subject that I know nothing about.