The document discusses how the open source content management system Joomla can be used to rethink a library's web presence, providing an overview of what Joomla is and the benefits it offers for managing content without coding knowledge. It covers the basic concepts of how Joomla organizes information through sections, categories and articles and uses templates and modules to lay out content, as well as demonstrating Joomla functionality through some sample library websites built with it.

1. Clean Out the Cobwebs:
Rethinking Your Web Presence with Joomla CMS
Mark A. Smith – LiSUG Conference October 2008 - SUNY IT – Utica NY

2. Apologies In Advance.

3. What I’ll Try & Cover
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What is a Content Management System?
Why a CMS Might Be an Option for Your Library
What is Needed to Run Joomla?
A “Look-see” At Joomla Driven Library Sites
Basic Concepts that Form the System
Tour of Administrative Module
Time Permitting: Demos of Site & Content
Creation

4. A Quick Peek
Joomla
Out of The Box

5. Joomla: Not Your Father’s
Website
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Content Management System (CMS)
Both Website & Repository
 Database Driven
 Modular – Extensible – Plug & Play
 Template Design Structure
 Administrative Backend Managed
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6. Show Me What You Mean
A Couple More
Mystery Site - Made With Joomla
Scholes Library – A very modest implementation
built with sweat equity and much trial and error

7. Why Is Joomla An Option For You?
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Open Source and Free (Active User Community)
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Easy to Keep Your Content Fresh
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Archives All of Your Content (text, images,
links, etc)
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No Programming or Coding Required .. No
HTML, CSS, XML, CFM, etc.
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Easy WYSIWYG & Distributable Editing

8. More Good’ness
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Change Design Elements & Templates Instantly
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Embedded Relational, Hierarchical Linking
Structure for Content
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Administrative Backend Organizes & Monitors
Content (including Statistics)
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Portable (exportable database)

9. … And More
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Templates Do All The Work (but html/css editable
from within the admin module)
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Multiple Media Format Friendly
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Highly Customizable at Every Level (from item to
site-wide)
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User Accounting (if you want to go there)
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.. And more

10. And The Fun Part
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Extensible Web Apps Plug-ins for 2.0’ness
 Polls,
Blogs, RSS feeds, Search, Contacts,
Breadcrumbs, Popularity, Page Delivery, etc.
Out of the Box
 Other
Functionality - Calendars, wikis, image
galleries, media players, editors, forums, etc.
Widely developed & easily added

11. In A Nutshell
The System Provides
an End-User & Content Creator
Environment that is:
Familiar, Flexible & Customizable

12. Look What You Could Do

13. Sounds Good! What Do I Need?
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A minimally cooperative IT department OR your
own server
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MYSQL and PHP
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Joomla Software: versions for Win Server and Unix
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Time to Experiment (learning curve to initially
customize the structure)
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A Plan to Rethink Your Content & Nav. Structure

14. Got $6.95
A message from our sponsor (kidding):
The Evil Outsourcing Option:
Could Try Bluehost or Another Hosting Service
& You Are Up & Running Without Any IT Guys
Proof of Concept Approach

15. OK. How Does the Thing Work?
The Basics
1.
Organizing the Information
2.
Layout: Template / Module Positions
3.
Functionality: Modules-Components-Extensions
4.
Navigation - Menus

16. 1. Organization
Hierarchical Organization
Sections
Categories .. may have multiple categories under a section
Articles .. may have multiple articles under a category
Section
Category
Article
Departments
Reference
Circulation
Borr.
Policies
Staff
Getting
Lib. Card
Ask A
Libn
Staff

17. 2. Layouts Ruled By Templates
Your “Look” is governed by Templates.
Templates contain a map of “module positions”
that identify where you might wish to position
content
Templates can be built, borrowed, purchased, stolen,
etc. And they are editable (HTML,CSS)
Scholes Module Map

18. 3. Functionality
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Modules-Components-Extensions … Oh My!
banners, contacts, polls, blogs, RSS feeds, breadcrumbs, popularity, page
delivery, calendars, wikis, image galleries, newsflash, ratings, media players,
editors, forums, stats, related items, etc.
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Joomla comes with a great deal of functionality
right out of the box.
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Other extensions are widely available (many free)
A Limited Set For Our Library
Bluehost – Out of the Box

19. 4. Navigation
All Done with “Menus”
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A robust function within Admin
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Menus utilize your Sections, Categories, & Articles
structure that automates menus that are logical.
(ie. a menu of all your categories)
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The most powerful & frustrating concept/feature
in Joomla. I initially found it difficult to wrap my
head around this.

20. Under the Hood
A Look at Scholes Joomla Admin.
Sections / Categories / Articles
 Menus
 Front Page Manager
 Media Manager .. etc
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21. Joomla May Not Be For You ..
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If you lack IT Support to Install and Maintian
Server. (You won’t need server access or much help from
them.)
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If your site design must exactly/closely match a
campus design (but could build your own template)
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If you are easily frustrated by a learning curve.
(However, much simpler than Aleph. And once the layout is
done ..its a snap to maintain).
.

22. What Are Other Libraries Doing
With Joomla?
Joomla in Libraries
Community / Showcase

23. Do We Have Time?
Demos/Tutorials
Overview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3UgF9y2C3k
Modules
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaPcsRRULTc
Menus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvjVkze3fTs

24. Materials & Resources
Presentation Materials, Links & Joomla
Resources available at
http://lisug08joomla.wordpress.com/
Demo Account: (login: lisug/sunyla) - will self-destruct 11/1/08
Questions?

26. Playtime
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What do you want to see?
Change Templates (same content)
Add an RSS Feed
Download and add a template/module
Create a Poll
Build a Section/Category