Integrating Library Resources into Desire2Learn A presentation and demo to the University of Wisconsin and Ohio State October 26, 2005 Shirley Bower, Susan Mee, Jonathan Jiras Rochester Institute of Technology

Agenda 1.Big picture (Shirley Bower) 2.Demo (Sue Mee) 3.Technical Details (Jon Jiras) 4.Questions / Discussion

Historical Perspective Courseware Progression: FirstClass  Blackboard  Prometheus  Desire2Learn Distance Learning Courses  Campus, Distance, Blended Pilot Project  Every Course with Course Shell History of Strong Library Involvement: Evaluation  Vendor Training  Implementation  Faculty Workshops

The Challenges Duplicate Prometheus Features: Separate Reserve Module – integration of electronic reserve material into course outline or syllabus by Library staff Online request form for faculty to request electronic reserves “Widget-like” generic library information in every course Administrative access available for Library Meet Faculty Expectations for Integration Short Implementation Timeframe

The Solution – Simple but Eloquent Modular Web Based Application Is not a widget – avoids limitations of widgets Link from main navigation bar of D2L – available from every screen All the features of Prometheus + MORE Integration of all reserves + customized library resources Added to default course shell – appears in all courses myLibrary link branded for RIT’s myCourses

myLibrary Link – Added Benefits Sits completely outside of D2L Links to existing systems – pages on web server, III reserve module Does not require library staff to edit course shells or duplicate processing Decreased reserve processing by at least 25% Encourages librarians to participate in the success of D2L Customizes the library experience for users Makes the library and library resources important D2L assets Easy migration from quarter to quarter

Three types of content 1) Course specific - reserve material 2) College or Program specific - contact info, database lists, subject guides, website lists 3) Neither (common to all courses, colleges, and programs) - research tools, library account, books tab

Views Student Faculty Distance Learner

Similar to an OpenURL link server Takes a URL parameter and returns related links

Software ColdFusion and Windows Internet Information Server Can also be done in PHP, ASP, or other middleware Not a database driven application All logic resides in cold fusion pages Very simple application Took 70 hours of programming 3 or 4 meetings with Sue

Customizing the Nav Bar

CourseNum={OrgUnitCode}&Role={RoleID}

Customizing the Nav Bar

Available variables (pg. 65) {OrgUnitId} {OrgUnitName} {OrgUnitCode} {OrgUnitPath} {OrgId} {OrgName} {UserId} {UserName} {OrgDefinedId} {FirstName} {LastName} {External } {Internal } {RoleId} {RoleCode}

Variables we are sending {OrgUnitCode} {RoleId}

Variables we can’t send {OrgUnitName} {FirstName} {LastName}

Variables we can’t send {OrgUnitName} {FirstName} {LastName} Not URL Encoded

Course numbers at RIT is college 22 is program 101 is course number 70 is section is quarter

Course specific (reserves) Uses ODBC connection to the ILS (Millennium III) RIT is an Oracle III site SQL script pulls reserve items ColdFusion page generates links to catalog

College/Program Specific (contact info, find articles, subject guides, select websites) HTML fragment files (find articles example) databases_01.htm  01 – College of buisness databases_06.htm  06 – College of Applied Science and Tech. databases_0607.htm  0607 – Packaging Sciences databases_0619.htm  0619 – Hospitality Service databases_0627.htm  0627 – Instructional Technology databases_0635.htm  0635 – Health Systems Administration databases_0640.htm  0640 – Reserve Officer Training

College/Program Specific (contact info, find articles, subject guides, select websites) Logic (find articles example)

College/Program Specific (contact info, find articles, subject guides, select websites) Fragment file example Engineering Databases Patent Databases

College/Program Specific (contact info, find articles, subject guides, select websites) Fragment file example Engineering Databases Patent Databases

Propagating the Link D2L administrator Added to Default Nav Bar Made it appear across all existing shells Occasional tweak

Maintenance Links are to web pages that list resources by discipline – not to the resources themselves. Bibliographers update web pages (as they always have). Minor tweaks/troubleshooting

Statistics General D2L stats Spring (15 pilot courses) Summer (light load) Fall (3,422 courses) myLibrary link stats avg. 300 hits per week 3% have removed the link

Future Development Bibliographers develop new web pages to support more programs. May develop this into a database driven application (like University of Rochester’s Course Reserves and Resources Management System). Integrate with additional courseware packages ERM implementation Content Management System URL Encoded versions of variables

More information Mee, Susan (2005, August). Bringing the Library to You: Integrating Library Resources into Online Classrooms. Presentation, video and handout for the 2nd International Desire2Learn Users Conference ( ), Madison, WI.

Contact Information Shirley Bower – Digital Assets Team Manager Susan Mee – Distance and Online Learning Librarian Jonathan Jiras – Library Software Specialist