LibX is an open source browser extension (project site: http://www.libx.org/) that pushes access to a library’s e-resources and services out to users wherever they are on the Internet (e.g. Amazon, Wikipedia, etc.). Once installed in Firefox or Chrome, LibX appears as a button in the upper-right corner of a user's browser window (http://screencast.com/t/BNuItuTGhWd) and its functionality includes: a search box for library resources, links to library services, dynamic links back to targeted library holdings’ information for citations and books found on freely web sites, and a “reload current page with EZ Proxy” option for easy off-campus authentication. In Fall 2012, University of Connecticut (UConn) Libraries unveiled their instance of LibX along with homegrown user guides and instructional materials as well as targeted marketing and promotion efforts such as ad campaigns, short promotional videos, flash drives, and a "How Has LibX Helped You" contest. For the contest, people were invited to submit a 100 word statement about how LibX helped them. The goal is to promote LibX, but also gain insight on how LibX is being used and what features users of LibX found most helpful. This presentation will describe the successes and challenges of UConn's LibX implementation and promotion, as well as an analysis LibX usage as self-reported by users.

1. NASIG 2013
LibX: The Small but Mighty Button for E­Resource Discovery and Access
Galadriel Chilton and Joelle Thomas
University of Connecticut
Presentation Abstract
LibX is an open source browser extension (project site: http://www.libx.org/) that pushes access
to a library’s e­resources and services out to users wherever they are on the Internet (e.g.
Amazon, Wikipedia, etc.). Once installed in Firefox or Chrome, LibX appears as a button in the
upper­right corner of a user's browser window (http://screencast.com/t/BNuItuTGhWd) and its
functionality includes: a search box for library resources, links to library services, dynamic links
back to targeted library holdings’ information for citations and books found on freely web sites,
and a “reload current page with EZ Proxy” option for easy off­campus authentication. In Fall
2012, University of Connecticut (UConn) Libraries unveiled their instance of LibX along with
homegrown user guides and instructional materials as well as targeted marketing and promotion
efforts such as ad campaigns, short promotional videos, flash drives, and a "How Has LibX
Helped You" contest. For the contest, people were invited to submit a 100 word statement about
how LibX helped them. The goal is to promote LibX, but also gain insight on how LibX is being
used and what features users of LibX found most helpful. This presentation will describe the
successes and challenges of UConn's LibX implementation and promotion, as well as an
analysis LibX usage as self­reported by users.
Presentation Outline
Slides Presentation Notes
Who are we, where did we come from, and
what are we going to talk about?

2. Demo other features of LibX?
Now that you have an idea of what is LibX,
we’d like you to join us on a short adventure of
why we perceive LibX to be an important tool
for libraries to implement, how we went about
our implementation, and the trials and
tribulations encountered along the way.
[Joelle]
One of the challenges libraries face after
spending millions of dollars on subscribing
and purchasing access to databases and
e­journals is figuring out how to extend
access to users in their native online habitat.
Our refering statistics show that this native
online habitat for a significant number of our
users is NOT ­­ despite all of our agonizing
over link placement and top level links ­­ the
library’s website.
January 2012 through May 2013:
Where were users when the clicked and
generated and Open URL menu?
January 2012 through May 2013:
Where were users when they accessed
SpringerLink e­journals?
[Statistics courtesy of Springer]
January 2012 through May 2013
And how did users get to JSTOR?
[Statistics courtesy of JSTOR]
So clearly, if want users to access library
resources, we need to step away from the
home page and determine other methods of
providing and authenticating access to paid
content...

3. [Galadriel]
...Because we want to meet users’
expectations of providing access to the
information that they need for their work ­ with
the goal of facilitating successful achievement
of their aspirations.
Philosophical Underpinnings
In his February 7 keynote address at the
LYRASIS eGathering, president and founder
of The Harwood Institute, Rich Harwood
named four steps required of everyone in the
library for libraries to turn outward and be
relevant instead of just stating that we are
relevant or defending relevance.
1. Reflect Users Aspirations (
When talking to your uses ­­­ could you speak
to them about their aspirations as people and
experiences (not programmatically/budgetary)
in their language could you look in their eyes
and do it? Would they believe us? Do we
understand our communities?
2. Creation of conditions for community to
work and possibility. Create/support space
for conversations, collaboration, community
to occur.
3. Impact and enduring belief. Help in the
creation of trust and belief in self and self as
part of bigger picture
4. Be a part of the narratives that help us
make sense of where we’ve been, where we
are, where we can go. Narratives help us
place ourselves and determine where we can
and need to go.
Citation:
Harwood, R. (2013, February). LYRASIS
eGathering Keynote Address. Symposium
conducted at the LYRASIS eGathering, online.
Harwood Institute:
http://www.theharwoodinstitute.org/about/abo
ut­rich­harwood/

4. [Joelle]
Tom Scheinfeldt; UConn Libraries Spring
Forum, April 23, 2013
If helping users meet their aspirations by
providing access to our rich collections, our
content than we want users to bypass the
library's website all together so that they will
have direct access to collections; our
collections should be findable via Google
and....
"We need to fess up to the fact that our
websites may never be destinations in and of
themselves for the people we want to serve."
Scheinfeldt, T. (2013, April). Perspectives and
Current Trends in Digital Scholarship.
Keynote Address. UConn Libraries Spring
Forum.
http://s.uconn.edu/dhforum
Tom Scheinfeldt
http://s.uconn.edu/dhforum
[Joelle]
So with these big philosophical underpinnings
and goals ­­ One very small, tiny but mighty
way to work towards meeting users in their
native habitat, helping them achieve their
aspirations is via tools, plugins, add­ons, and
APIs like LibX.
[Galadriel]
The problem with LibX is that users have to
know of it’s existence in order to partake in it’s
might.
Thus began our plotting and scheming...
Because implementing LibX aligned with
elements of the UConn Libraries strategic ­
namely improving the visibility of online
resources, this project met the criteria for

5. submitting a UConn Libraries’ Planning Team
Proposal that, if approved, included allocation
of funds for marketing LibX.
Since marketing is key, we submitted a plan
for strategic project funds. Our plan was
approved and we were allocated $3,480.00
for the following marketing efforts:
● UConn Co­Op Gift Certificates for
Promotional Contest Winners
● Daily Campus Ad
● Table Tents for all Dining Hall
Tables
● Bus Ads ­ Two Separate 2­Week Ad
Runs ($255 for the first week, $100 for
each additional week.). First ad: first
two weeks of class. Second ad:
Mid­terms
● Promotional Jump Drives with
Imprint and Digital LibX Toolbar Ad
installed on Drive
● In House development of
informational fliers, etc.
[Bolded marketing efforts were
completed]
[Galadriel & Joelle]
Creating the UConn Libraries’ instance of
LibX....
[Galadriel]
Galadriel configured the first iteration of LibX
in a couple of hours with tearch functionality
for the e­journal locator, Summon, Google
Scholar , the catalog, WorldCat as well as
links to services and help. However,
configuring the search for the cluster of
EBSCO databases took some additional
tweaking ­­ an hour here and there for an
additional couple of days.
A team of five library staff ­ Joelle and
Galadriel as well as the Nursing subject
librarian, Valori Banfi, Phara Bayonne,
librarian at UConn Stamford’s library, and
Jean Nelson, the head of Public
Programming, Marketing &

6. Communications all worked on the LibX
project.
Additionally, UConn’s Library IT department
was very willing to add LibX to the basic
image for library computer stations.
But there were other trials and tribulations ..
[ Joelle ] ­ talks about Chrome and Wikipedia
breakage > what happens when you realize
you have no control whatsoever.
To some extent we were victims of timing;
we'd just rolled the thing out when Chrome
made changes to the way it handles
extensions that caught the LibX creators
off­guard. Installation workarounds popped up
and down, I kept changing the LibGuide
instructions, etc. Finally that all settled down.
Then Wikipedia temporarily removed support
for COinS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:Citat
ion/core#Removing_COINS_metadata LibX
passes COinS info to OpenURL resolvers, so
this killed all LibX functionality on Wikipedia
until COinS was restored. As Chrome's
extension installation changes, we could only
wait for the problem to be fixed.]
We also discovered that before launching the
promotional contest that the rules had to be
reviewed and approved by UConn’s Office of
Compliance and Ethics as well as UConn’s
Office of the General Counsel ­­ excellent
checks and balances steps, but
time­consuming.
Additionally, promotional video production did
not occur as quickly as planned and for a
variety of reasons the following marketing/pr
efforts did not occur:
Despite this, UConn Libraries’ instance of
LibX was live by Fall 2012 = success!

7. [Galadriel & Joelle]
[Galadriel]
So, we missed some of target dates and
marketing efforts, but....
Phara Bayonne and other librarians at UConn
Regional campuses introduced students and
faculty to LibX as part of the library
introduction and instruction sessions.
Valori Banfi integrated a quick LibX demo or
mention in all 29 of her fall and spring nursing
instruction sessions.
In­library demos were also given by Galadriel
and Joelle ­ to their areas as well as at a
library­wide Town Hall meeting.
[Joelle]
While we have absolutely no idea how many
people installed LibX and of those that
installed it, how many are actively using it, we
do know that from the regional campuses:
there were 115 clicks to a screen capture
demo of LibX: s.uconn.edu/demolibx(115
clicks)
And that UConn­wide, there are 129 clicks to
the LibX install site via the UConn short URL
to LibX: s.uconn.edu/libx (129 clicks)
[Galadriel]
In a research workshop attended by 120 grad
and post doc students, Galadriel handed out
flash drives with a short cut to the LibX
libguide and gave a short demo of LibX’s
functionality. [quote slide]
[Joelle]
Entries in the promotional contest included...

8. So we spoke earlier of the grand, noble
philosophical underpinnings of knowing our
users’ aspirations and providing users
access from their native habitat.
While LibX does this, it’s not perfect and just
one tiny, small tool in reaching these goals.
But it’s still mighty!
[Might Mouse Theme Song Video]