Creating Interactive Course Assignment Pages The OSU Libraries ICAP Project Coalition for Networked Information Fall 2007 Task Force Meeting Kim Griggs, Jane Nichols, Margaret Mellinger

ICAP Starting Points Provide clear path for course resources. Transparent link between faculty and OSU Libraries course pages.

ICAPs: Connecting Students to Libraries To help students more easily access quality library information, we developed the Interactive Course Assignment Pages (ICAPs). ICAPs are dynamic web pages that integrate Web 2.0 features, chat and RSS feeds, etc. with traditional library content, such as catalogs and article databases.

ICAP Project Goals Connect students with quality library information when and where they need it for course assignments. Enable librarians to combine traditional library resources with Web 2.0 features in easily created and maintained web pages. Collaborate with faculty to contribute to and promote use of librarian created web pages.

ICAP Project Strategies Determine approach Get people with the right skill sets Use an agile development cycle

ICAP Examples English Composition ICAP –Includes facebook badge, del.icio.us tags along with style guides and writing resources, links to useful websites, and tips on finding information Business Graduate Class –Includes chat box, custom Search engine, librarian and instructor information, lots of images and course related content. Introduction to Forestry –Content driven page in single column layout. Includes librarian and instructor information,lots of resources for the class assignment.

ICAP Publishing System: For and By Librarians Librarians have enough to do and maintaining static HTML pages is tedious and time consuming. OSU Libraries developed the ICAP Tool, which enables librarians to easily create, manage, and publish ICAPs. The ICAP tool provides libraries with a content management system librarians can access through a web browser.

ICAP Screenshots file://localhost/Users/Kim/Desktop/workflo w.htmlfile://localhost/Users/Kim/Desktop/workflo w.html

Initial feedback, assessment and analysis Converted Librarians –Initial Push-back, fear of change, lack of trust in technology –Responding to feedback built acceptance –Explosion of use. 50 plus pages in use. –Real excitement about pages. Satisfied Students –Positive feedback –Telling their Profs about them –Statistics show high usage Faculty Buy-In –Increased collaboration –Promoting use in classroom –Asking for more!

Lessons learned People need time to adopt new software. Incorporating usability testing and training throughout the development facilitated communication and feedback. Built capacity, both for the team and the librarians who use the new tool. Learned about/how to employ software development practices in the library setting. Energy and excitement about a project is critical to it's success.

Open source release available for download:

Image credits ARendle's photos. Secret garden gate open.