1. A Proposal for the
Revitalization of the
CMC Library
Cover photo: Wladyslaw, Creative Commons License
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Consulting Inc.
2. Overview …
The KLAP Consulting Team
Opportunities to improve the CMC Library web presence
Introduction to “HistoryPin” and how it can be used to
broaden the reach of the CMC Library
KLAP Consulting’s recommended approach
Conclusion
Consulting Inc.
3. What does the CMC
Library need…
Make the library
collection more
accessible
Remain sensitive
to the financial
pressures facing
the Museum
Corporation
Consulting Inc.
Enhance the
visitor’s
experience,
attract new
visitors and
remain relevant
4. What is currently
offered …
Content and Ease of Navigation
The Catalogue
Social Media Presence
Consulting Inc.
5. In other words…
The website contains excellent information…
… but we can help users by
improving the way it is laid out
The collection is rich and varied...
… but hidden from view
Consulting Inc.
6. Some options…
Update the web catalogue to
allow social tagging
http://www.buckleyplanet.com
Develop online courses based on
library materials
http://teaching.concordia.ca/resources/teachinghandbook-and-course-outline-guide/
Consulting Inc.
7. What we propose…
Re-design the library webpages to improve navigation and create a
dedicated online presence, including…
Consolidated library web pages
Plain language and an accessible interface
Proven design elements (photos, video clips, pleasing colours,
video tours)
An “Ask a Librarian” interface
Prominent highlighting of library materials that relate to current
Museum exhibits and blogs
Cross-promotion of library materials on existing Museum social
media streams
A “virtual bulletin board”
And…
Consulting Inc.
10. Why use…
“New audiences […] breathing new life into your
collection”
“Not-for-profit and copyright safe”
Consulting Inc.
(Libraries, Archives and Museums
http://www.historypin.com/community/lams/)
16. Stakeholders
Users: Members of the public and CMC Library staff
Project Sponsor and Internal Working Group:
Head of Library Services
Museum Volunteer Executive
Representative of CMC Corporate Systems
KLAP Project Manager
Outreach Working Group
Consulting Inc.
17. KLAP’s Role
Implementing the Website Revitalization Project in collaboration
with our partners:
•
Design agency
•
Internal Working Group
•
CMC Library Staff
Consulting Inc.
18. Step – by – Step
Project Network Diagram
Consulting Inc.
19. Are We There Yet?
Milestones
Start-up & Planning
• Project Charter
• User Research Report
• Approved Project Plan
• Contract with Design Agency
Launch
• Website goes Live
Web Development
• Approved web design mock-up
Post-Launch
• User research report
HistoryPin
• 500 Pins to be placed on new website
Closure
• Source files for website
Testing
• Finalized website
Training
• User manual
Before we begin, I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and the other members of the KLAP Consulting TeamMy name is Patrick McLean, and to my left are Kelly Sirett, ArouceWasty and Leah Jones, and we are the principal members of KLAP Consulting.The team you see before you has some 45 Years of combined experience in the areas of project management, communications, web design, public relations, document management and historical research. We formed KLAP Consulting because we recognized that there was a need for a firm that could take a client and user-centred approach to project management, in which varied stakeholders work collaboratively to achieve the project aims, and the client is left with all the knowledge and skills needed to maintain the deliverables going forward. The proposal we will lay out for you today is in keeping with this philosophy.To that end:I will briefly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the existing CMC web presence, as well as some of the opportunities for improvements we have considered.My colleague Kelly and I will then discuss what we believe to be the CMC’s optimal solutionThen my colleagues Arouce and Leah will outline our recommended approach for implementing the solution we have in mind
To make the collection accessible to internal and external users, including professional researchers, museum staff, students, and a national and worldwide audience hungry to learn more about Canada’s rich cultural heritage.To “… enhance the visitor’s experience, attract new visitors and remain relevant…” by bringing the library website up to the standard of the primary CMC website.To remain sensitive to the ongoing financial pressures facing the CMC Corporation.We feel that we have a solution that will fulfill each of these needs.But, let’s first review the library’s existing web offerings
We have examined three aspects of your existing web offerings in detail. These are content and ease of navigation, the catalogue, and the social media presence. Ease of navigation:The site contains a great deal of useful information and some attractive graphic elements (e.g. banner artwork), but…The library lacks its own distinct web presence (for instance, a dedicated welcome page).There are few elements to draw users in (the link from the very popular museum page is ambiguous and there is little content that really highlights the jewels in the collection).Users can’t get all the key information they need from one web page Catalogue:Offers good search options and ready access to the collection, as well as useful additions like bibliographies…butUsers aren’t given the opportunity to engage with the catalogue through social tagging, or comments Social Media Presence:The library pages feature links to the museum Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube pages… butThe library itself is largely invisible on those pages. For instance, a Facebook entry on Metis artist Bob Boyer does not link to books on Boyer found in the library collection.
In deciding how to proceed, we wanted a solution which would bring the material out of the library and to put it out on the web in a way which is relevant to the public and to the communities in which they live. At the same time, we were keenly aware that the CMC Library operates in a cost conscious environment. With those considerations in mind, the KLAP team looked at various options for improving the library’s web presence. In particular, we considered: Updating the web catalogue to allow social tagging. In so doing, we felt that we could drive interest in the collection while the resulting plain-language descriptions would allow easier searching by the public. Of course, the downside of this approach is that tags can be slow and inappropriate tags applied by users could generate negative publicity since the catalogue resides entirely within the library environment. There are also potential cost implications should the catalogue system need to be reconfigured to accommodate tags. Developing online courses based on library materialsThis option was appealing in that it would likely attract significant attention while also building on the Museum’s existing school programs. On the other hand, it would involve a significant commitment of staff time and money, and would likely take some time to implement.
While we believe that both these options are viable, and should ultimately form part of a comprehensive library strategy, what we would like to recommend to you today is A re-design the library webpages to improve navigation and create a dedicated online presence ----------- This would include: Consolidating library webpages so that visitors can get a content overview from as few attractive, accessible and plain-language web pages as possible Application of proven design elements (photos, video clips, pleasing colours, video tours) to improve the user experience.An “Ask a Librarian” interface so that users can seek online assistance during service hours.More prominent highlighting of new acquisitions and rare books.Prominent highlighting of library materials that relate to current Museum exhibits and blogs.Greater promotion of library materials on existing Museum social media streams.And a “virtual bulletin board” on which library updates will be provided, and on which the public can post comments and suggestions.To drive users to this site, and to bring the library collection to a broader audience, we will also implement a unique HistoryPin interface.Which my colleague Kelly will tell you all about.
This slide depicts the steps in the development of the new Library Website.We start off of course with Start-Up and Planning whereby the Project Working Group (PWG) described by Leah will approve the project plan provided by KLAP. KLAP consulting will also conduct user research to get a better idea of what the library’s target user group would like in the new library website.Following this step is the Web development phase. Here the working group will be involved in the evaluation of each copy-deck version and webpage iteration provided by the design agency, and will give the final approval of the webpage design.The HistoryPin step involves the population of the HistoryPin content, and will be done simultaneously with the Web Development step. Here, our staff will work in collaboration with the CMC Library staff to scan and add content to the CMC Library’s HistoryPin. Selection of the content will be under the authority of the CMC Library Staff.Testing of course will be done to ensure the website and all its contents are fully functional and then we will proceed to launch the new library website.Since KLAP consulting values teamwork, we will continue working with the CMC Library staff by providing training of the various social media components, such as HistoryPin. In order to further empower the Library Staff, a user and maintenance manual will also be created for library staff to consult and use. In the Post-Launch, KLAP will follow-up with the CMC Library and conduct a user satisfaction survey a month after the launch of the new website to determine the level of user engagement with the new website.As Leah had mentioned, we are committed to working together as a team on this project. The Project Working Group and CMC Library staff will be involved throughout the life of this project. We want to ensure that this new website is developed with your ideas and input.
Here we have highlighted the milestones for each step of the project. Again approval of the project plan and web design mock-up is given by the Project Working Group.KLAP will provide user research reports for surveys done at the beginning of the project and at its end after the website goes live.As mentioned before, KLAP will provide a user manual for library staff to consult and use. Leah will discuss more about this and other risk management strategies next.
