1. Toby Hanning and Gary Steele
Definitive Databases:
Using the Library Catalogue as a Database A-Z
Toby Hanning and Gary Steele

2. The Problems… Cluttered Layout

3. The Problems… HTML Heavy

4. The Problems… No Space for Value Add

5. The Problems… Not Accessible

6. The Problems… Data Discrepancies

7. Analytics

8. The Project Parameters
Aims
To create a Database A-Z that:
Is easy to use
Is easy to manage
Is consistent
Allows space for value add
Timescale
ASAP
Budget
Enough for the odd cup of coffee
Image: (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

9. ! The Solution Configure Workflows to function as a Database A-Z and
Catalogue each database to
MARC21 standard
Image: (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

10. The Reasoning HTML light – less than 5% of previous code Accessible
Consistent metadata
Time saving
Space for value add
Live look-up
Ability to link to an individual resource page
Image: (CC-PD)

11. The Work Involved… Data Required
245 field to provide title information
246 field(s) to provide variant title information
506 field to provide access information
520 field to provide a description
590 field to build the A-Z (e.g. ‘Database A’)
653 field(s) to build subject lists (e.g. ‘Nursing’)
856 fields to link to:
- The resource
- General usage guidelines
- Help guides (optional)
- Password details (optional)
Image: (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

12. The Work Involved… Controlled Vocab

13. The Work Involved… Access Issues
We checked existing access
methods both on and off campus
to ensure accurate data would
be assigned to the new
catalogue records
Around 20% of e-resources
had issues, ranging from the
wrong access method, to no
access at all
Image: (CC-BY-NC-SA-2.0)

14. The Work Involved… Everything Else
Write a short description for
each database
Identify relevant help guides
Catalogue around 170 databases
Create targeted searches for the
database A-Z and subject listings
Image: (CC-BY-2.0)

15. The Work Involved… Technical Updates
Create a new format policy
for databases
Create a new template
Update the ‘look and feel’
of the OPAC
Build the Database A-Z
web page
Image: (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

16. The Finished Product

17. (Fairly) static data but dynamic code Dynamic data and static code
The New Ethos
(Fairly) static data but dynamic code
Dynamic data and static code

18. Measuring Success 34% increase in page views
26 % increase in unique page views
182% increase in entrances

19. A live demo…

20. Catalogue Format Policy: Format

21. Catalogue Format Policy: Entries

22. Catalogue Format Policy: Variations

23. Catalogue Template: Value at Creation

24. Item Details: Item Location

25. Item Details: Catalogue Record

26. Database Details

27. GCU_custom.css

28. ../Pages_custom/Elib_revD/5.pg

29. ../Elib_revD/DB_Display.pg

30. Pages to HTML

31. Search Form

32. Keywords: Audio Engineering Society elibrary
<form action=" method="post" target="_blank">
<input maxlength="255" name="searchdata1" type="text" value="Audio Engineering Society elibrary">
<input name="format" type="hidden" value="DB">
<input name="sort_by" type="hidden" value="TI">
<input name="user_id" type="hidden" value="WEBSERVER">
<input name="submit" type="submit" value="Search">
</form>

33. AES e-library [electronic resource].

34. Browse By Title

35. “database a” {590} http://193.62.224.60/uhtbin/cgisirsi/x/0/0/57/5
searchdata1="database a" {590}
srchfield1=GENERAL^TITLE^GENERAL^TitleProcessing^Keyword(s)
thesaurus1=GENERAL
search_entries1=GENERAL
search_type1=TITLE
special_proc1=Keyword(s)
match_on=KEYWORD
format=DB
sort_by=TI
user_id=WEBSERVER

36. “database a” {590}

37. Subject Exact Search
searchdata1=Health+key
search_type=exact&S_ICON^SU^SUBJECT^SUBJECTS^^subject=subject
sort_by=TI
format=DB
user_id=WEBSERVER

38. “Health (key)”

39. Link to Individual Database

40. Thank You GCU gcu.ac.uk/findbooks [Library Catalogue]
gcu.ac.uk/library [Database A-Z]
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