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Building the Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library: From HTML to SQL and Beyond

The presentation explores the development of the Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library for Peace, detailing its evolution from HTML-based web solutions to contemporary SQL applications. Initially founded with 300 donated books, the library has grown to over 3,500, focusing on multiculturalism and diversity. Key discussions include past web display solutions, the transition to server-side SQL, and the innovative use of the X-Layer in Aleph. Insights from catalog librarians on OPAC item records are also shared, emphasizing accessibility, metadata richness, and the importance of a user-friendly interface.

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Building the Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library: From HTML to SQL and Beyond

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Presentation Overview • PART I (Dennis) Description of the Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library for Peace, previous Web display solutions, finding Mike • PART II (Michael) Former SQL solution, discussion of X-Server solution, evaluation of the final product • PART III (Marianne) A catalog librarian’s notes on preparing item records in the OPAC, with a little help from our friends at SUNY-OLIS

  2. PART I Description of the Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library for Peace; previous Web display solutions; finding Michael

  3. The Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library for Peace

  4. The Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library for Peace • Books donated by BSC professors Dr. Geraldine Bard and Dr. Betty Cappella in 2000 • In memory of Dr. Bard’s mother, Cecilia • Initial donation about 300 books; now 3,508 • Ongoing collection, with several hundred books added each year in 2-3 “lots” • Themes of multiculturalism and diversity, divided into children and adult categories

  5. The Cecilia Bard Multicultural Library for Peace • Because located throughout the library, a condition of the donation was that: “Books will be given a virtual space on a Web page devoted to the collection” • How do we provide the required “virtual space”?

  6. Solution #1: Good Ol’ HTML 2000-2003, a list of “Bard Books” was prepared by a librarian, and hand-coded by a student assistant for publication to the Web page:

  7. Solution #1: Good Ol’ HTML Looked fine, but was labor-intensive.

  8. Solution #2: SQL • As collection size grew, we were eager for an automated solution • We reached out to Andrew Perry at OLIS for help • His server-side SQL solution worked wonderfully from 2003-2008 (more on that later from Mike)

  9. Solution #2: SQL

  10. Solution #3: ??? • In 2008, changes to SUNY/OLIS customization policy present an opportunity • Submitted a Footprints for a read-only Oracle account • Maureen Zajkowski suggested using something called the “X-Layer” in Aleph • Michael Curtis is reputed to be the go-to guy on the X-Layer

  11. PART II Former SQL solution in more detail; discussion of X-Server solution; evaluation of the final product

  12. BardCollection Project requirements • Narrow scope, only Bard collectionitems • Emphasizebrowsing, notsearching • Various topic/audience categories are used • Collection changes: refresh or update

  13. Reviewing the Situation • The past process • SUNYConnect server side • SQL query & extraction of data • Based on 'internal note', tab3 on Aleph item • Metadata based on z15, basic title, author, pub date

  14. Reviewing the Situation • Possible X-Server process • Buffalo State server side • Aleph CCL query • Can't match 'internal note' but can search other fields • Subject, other MaRC fields • Collection code, some other item fields • Metadata extracted from complete MaRC record • Usually more metadata than z15 table

  15. How It Works • Small set of files loaded on Buffalo server: • PHP scripts to • talk to Aleph server • pull & process data • CSS file to add style to HTML • A blank book cover file

  16. How It Works • PHP script “bard.php” is the main Web page • User selects search terms from menu or types in a search box

  17. How It Works • After the ‘display’ button is clicked, a properly formed CCL search is inserted in the URL

  18. How It Works • When bard.php has a CCL request, in the ‘background’ it pulls data from Aleph x-server

  19. How It Works • Two x-server requests from Buffalo to Aleph are required to pull item data • “Find” runs a search • http://saranac.sunyconnect.suny.edu:4380/X?op=find&base=bsc01&request=WSU%3D%22Bard%20children%20Russian%22 • “Present” gets a set of item data • http://saranac.sunyconnect.suny.edu:4380/X?op=present&set_no=001157&set_entry=000000001-000000005&format=marc

  20. How It Works • Aleph x-server returns MaRC XML (yuck!) • Catalogers: notice MaRC field numbers, indicators, and subfields in XML elements (and you thought you didn’t understand XML!)

  21. How It Works • PHP script “search.php” chews up XML and spits out HTML • “pagination.class.php” paginates results

  22. How It Works • Final product • Simple/browsable interface • Always up-to-date • Access to SUNYConnect server not required • Rich metadata • Local styling using CSS • PHP could be customized by the library http://library.buffalostate.edu/collections/bard.php

  23. PART III A catalog librarian’s notes on preparing item records in the OPAC, with a little help from our friends at SUNY-OLIS

  24. SQL Solution

  25. X-Layer Solution

  26. DEMONSTRATION

  27. THANK YOU Any questions?

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