Meeting Minutes for the User Interface Task Group
October 7, 2008: 10:00-12:00
McKeldin Library Room 7113

Present: Lenore England (UMUC), Janet Evander (ITD), Heidi Hanson (ITD), Sean Henry (FSU), Tierney Lyons (HS/HSL), Linda Seguin (UMBC, recorder), Cindy Todd (UMCP), Laura Wrubel (ITD)

1) Topic: Auto complete in Research Port journals list – Wrubel

• Wrubel has implemented the feature in UMCP’s instance of Research Port. 
• When the user begins typing in the search box, it offers a clickable list of titles that include what the user has typed.  The list changes dynamically as the user types.
• The list of suggested titles only includes titles active in the Knowledge Base.
• “More results…” language at the bottom of the box appears to be a hyperlink because of the font color, but it is only there to inform the user that there are other matching titles beyond what is visible.  Group suggested changing the color.
• Search boxes at the top and bottom of results lists are a local customization.  There is some trouble with this, because when one types into the bottom box, the auto complete list pops up with the top box.
• The feature works with both “Starts with” and “Contains” though the latter is a bit slower to catch up.
• The user must click on the selected entry.  It does not appear to function using the keyboard only (i.e. arrow down and enter).
• This would be an all (campuses) or nothing implementation.
• Next steps: Wrubel will do a little more work on it, and then UITG will send a call for feedback out to the COI.

2) Topic: Renew all/Renew selected – Hanson

• Hanson has implemented the feature in the Test catalog, but pointed out the difficulty of testing it in the Test, which is old enough that many loaned items have become “lost” and thus unrenewable.
• Checkboxes have been added next to each loaned item on the user’s account.  The user can either click the check boxes and click “renew selected” or simply click “renew all.”
  • There was some discussion about whether there should be a “select all” and then “renew” rather than one button to “renew all” because
    • users might do it by accident
    • it would be more consistent with the saved items screens
  • However, the group determined that it would not be important enough to slow down implementation of the overall feature.
• The results screen lists “items which were not renewed” and “items which were renewed”. 
  • The group felt that this was already an improvement over current functionality, as it is much clearer than finding the item with the new due date in the list of loans.
  • Currently, the column “Reason for non-renewal” is blank.  The group discussed how much effort should be put into getting this to display.  Would the messages make sense if they were visible?  Would a generic message about why things don’t renew at the top of the screen be just as good?
  • The items that were successfully renewed could potentially be off the screen, beneath all of the failed renewals.  Is there some messaging that could be added to the top of the screen to clue users in?
• Hanson requested screen design advice from the group on how “renew selected” and “renew all” should appear at the top of the loaned items screen, as well as wording of some other messages.
• Next steps: Hanson will make a few more changes and then UITG will ask for testing assistance from RSTG.

3) Topic: Authorities in the catalog – Seguin

• Seguin demonstrated some of the features discussed on the UITG Authorities Wiki page:  http://www.itd.umd.edu/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=UserInterface.AuthoritiesInPAC
  • The group preferred the “i” button alone versus the hyperlinked text, e.g. “MeSH Authority Record” which tends to overshadow the actual headings in the browse list.
  • Keyword searching – A keyword search on one of the unused terms in the authority record retrieves bib records that contain the preferred term (see wiki for examples).  The group felt that they would need a larger database to be able to test the feature, particularly for results that would look like false drops.  The feature is implemented in the MIT catalog and seems to be working well.  http://library.mit.edu/F/
  • Seguin pointed out that there are some problems with name-title headings, of particular importance for musical works.  The keyword function is not retrieving them (though it works in MIT catalog) and name- titles that are not strung together in the bib record (100/240) do not link to authority records.  It should be possible to make it work, but it will require some effort.
  • It was necessary to make some changes to the way series titles are indexed in order to make linking and cross referencing work properly.
  • Broader and narrower terms display on the authority records when those headings appear somewhere in the bibliographic database.
• Next steps:
  • Seguin will further investigate problems with name-title entries.
  • Seguin will ask to have more bib records added to the database to facilitate testing.
  • Hanson will work on authority record screen to try to implement suggestions from 2006 discussions.
  • Hanson will remove “MeSH Authority Record” wording from screens.
  • Group should look at Search Shortcuts screens to see if they would remove any options or change wording.  Seguin will add reminder to wiki page.

4) Topic: Nov. 4 meeting – Todd
The Nov. 4 meeting was cancelled.

5) Topic:Agenda for Dec. meeting – Todd

• Renew all/Renew selected follow up – Hanson
• Authorities follow up – Seguin/Hanson
• Licensing on Find It menus – Wrubel
• Summary holdings on Full View of record - Hanson

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