VLE Library integration at the University of Ulster

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VLE - Library integration at the University of
Ulster

• Alan Masson
• University of Ulster
• JISC DiVLE 4i Project
• Partners Athens, Talis, WebCT

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Opportunities for VLE - Library integration

• VLE course (module) area - a natural library
  gateway
• Within the course area, the users ID and course
  ID are known (detailed profile available)
• Additional course metadata may be available
  (Department, School, Campus) - IF derived from
  course database
• VLE organisation model normally closed
  (programme, course, unit)
• Potential for single sign-on

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Why integrating learning resources isnt enough!
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Integrating to library resources or the library
experience
Library
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Course to Resource Single Sign-On

• Integration of Athens DA with UU VLE (WebCT)

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Benefits of integrated WebCT - Library
authentication

• Reduce number of access credentials
• Effectively pre-authenticates WebCT users to
  Library systems and resources - users ready to
  go
• Reduces user education
• Simplifies existing helpdesk issue
• Promotes user awareness of available services

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UU Athens DA implementation

• Current model
• WebCT - authentication role
• LDAP - authorisation role
• Athens LAA local authentication assertion model
• Live - semester two 2002-03
• Fully LDAP AA 2003-04

UU WebCT login
WebCT Auth.
LDAP
Athens LAA
Valid UU user?
Yes Athens credentials provided
No No action
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Institutional VLE - Library integration

• Contextual links to a range of Library services
  and resources based on learner / course profile
  information.

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UU Library requirements

• Engagement with Library staff identified
  requirements
• for three tiers of library links within VLE
  course areas
• Institutional (library homepage)
• Subject guides
• Module Resources (Talislist)
• In addition
• Library resources - gateway to further
  contextualised library services.

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UU Library Integration Schematic
UU myWebCT Home Area
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Module Resources (TalisList)

• Talislist adopted by Library as Resource List
  Management tool (UU - Talis LMS user)
• 4i Project outcome - substantial proportion of
  current UU modules have Talislist hosted resource
  lists
• Technical, cultural and semantic issues
  surrounding the creation and maintenance of very
  large numbers of such resource lists investigated

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Subject Guide pages

• Organised on Faculty / School basis
• Managed by Subject Librarians
• Broader perspective than module resource lists -
  useful for student research purposes
• Provide some contextual support for modules not
  active in Talislist

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Library Services

• Library Service Point offers dynamic links to
• Main Library Website and Catalogue (generic)
• My Module Resource List (module-specific)
• Library Information Services for My Faculty
  (faculty-specific for module)
• My Electronic Information Services (Athens)
  (person-specific)
• New additions to the Library in My Subject
  (school-specific for module)
• Past exam papers for this module
  (module-specific)
• My Library Account (person-specific)

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Questions / Useful Links

• UU 4i Project
• http//www.ulst.ac.uk/library/4i/
• Athens UK HE Access Management service
• http//www.athens.ac.uk
• Talislist
• http//www.talis.co.uk/products/lms/talislist.htm
• WebCT
• http//www.webct.com

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Examining barriers to interoperability
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Inter-operability constraints of current approach

• Library integration achieved at course
• level. Implications of this include
• Managed at the designer level - difficult to
  deploy on institutional basis
• Changes must be done at the course level (1000s
  of courses..)
• If exported to another institution - links still
  point to UU library LSP

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Benefits of meta-data facilitated VLE- Library
integration

• Defined and managed at sys level - library can
  define integration institutionally
• A number of integration strategies can be defined
  and implemented centrally
• Course export issue avoided as integration
  parameter defined as the course instance is
  deployed (not part of Content Package manifest)

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Questions / Useful Links

• UU 4i Project
• http//www.ulst.ac.uk/library/4i/
• Athens UK HE Access Management service
• http//www.athens.ac.uk
• Talislist
• http//www.talis.co.uk/products/lms/talislist.htm
• WebCT
• http//www.webct.com

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