Optimizing the online catalog: experiences at WSU

Abstract

In February 2008 the OPAC Redesign and Evaluation Team at Wichita State University Libraries was charged to investigate options to improve the online catalog to provide better access for all library users. This presentation will outline the needs perceived by the WSU Libraries, along with the options considered to enhance the catalog and the reasons behind choosing or rejecting those options. The actual implementation of these changes will also be discussed. While many aspects of this presentation will be most useful to ExLibris Voyager customers (the integrated library system used by the WSU Libraries), such as the discussions of optimizing settings built-in to the Voyager ILS, and ideas developed and shared by other Voyager customers, this presentation aim to transcend vendor by discussing wider-issues that will affect most libraries. It also gives a glimpse to two OPAC redesign related projects at WSU: 3D Dynamic Maps and Faculty Author website. These programs tried to optimize the OPAC and improve user access by integrating external programming to the OPAC and linking voyager data to external websites.