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Why can't it be both? Just because the library has its own Web server (something I would never, ever give up, mostly for Michael's reason #5), that doesn't mean some of the library's content can't be part of the main institutional Web site. That's what we do here. All of the relatively static content--policies, guidelines, "About Us" type information, etc.--lives on the College's Web site, as does content that benefits from being able to draw on other College systems -- e.g., the library staff directory and calendar of events. However, we still run a couple of "specialized library CMSs" on our own Web server for content types that benefit from special handling: Archon for our archival collections, and SubjectsPlus for our subject and course guides. As much as is practical I try to keep a relatively consistent look and feel across all three systems (as well as the library catalog, our public-facing Serials Solutions pages, the IR, etc.), so patrons think of the whole ball of wax as "the library web site" no matter which specific system they're really using. Julia ********************************************* Julia Bauder Social Studies and Data Services Librarian Grinnell College Libraries 1111 Sixth Ave. Grinnell, IA 50112 641-269-4431 On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 8:21 AM, Joshua Welker <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Does anyone have any suggestions as to where the library should or should > not compromise when it comes to using an institutional CMS rather than a > custom library one? We are going through this process right now. Our web > pages are currently all in static HTML and LibGuides. I am wanting to move > to Drupal, and campus IT wants us to move to their Adobe Contribute > platform. AFAIK, Contribute does not allow for any server-side scripting > and does not have any sort of plugin system, and I am very concerned that > Contribute would harm the library's ability to effectively integrate its > online resources into a single web portal (server-side caching, indexes, > scheduled tasks, etc). > > I know the answer to this question is "it depends," but I am hoping others > can share the fruits of their experience. > > Thoughts? > > Josh Welker > Information Technology Librarian > James C. Kirkpatrick Library > University of Central Missouri > Warrensburg, MO 64093 > JCKL 2260 > 660.543.8022 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Jimmy Ghaphery > Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2013 5:49 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides: I don't get it > > I have followed this thread with great interest. In 2011 Erin White and I > researched many of the issues the group has been hitting on, demonstrating > the popularity of LibGuides in ARL libraries, the locus of control outside > of systems' departments, and the state of content policies.[1] > > Our most challenging statement in the article to the library tech > community (which was watered down a bit in the peer review process) was > "The popularity of LibGuides, at its heart a specialized content > management system, also calls into question the vitality and/or > adaptability of local content management system implementations in > libraries." > > One of the biggest challenges I see toward creating a non-commercial > alternative is that the library code community is so dispersed in the > various institutions that it makes it difficult to get away from the > download tar.gz model. Are our institutions ready to collaborate across > themselves such that there could be a shared SaaS model (of anything > really) that libraries could subscribe/contribute to? The barriers here > certainly aren't technological, but more along the lines of policy, > governance, etc. > > As for Research Guides in general, I see a very clear divide in the > public/tech communities not only on platform but more philosophical. From > the tech side once it is all boiled down, heck why do you even need a > third party system; catalog the databases with some type of local genres > and push out an api/xml feeds to various disciplines. From the public side > there is a long lineage of individually curated guides that goes to the > core of value of professionally knowing one's community and serving it. > > [1] https://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital/article/view/1830 > > best, > > Jimmy > > > > On Tue, Aug 13, 2013 at 11:13 AM, Galen Charlton <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > On Tue, Aug 13, 2013 at 6:53 AM, Wilhelmina Randtke <[log in to unmask] > > >wrote: > > > > > There's not a lock-in issue with LibGuides, because it's used to > > > host pathfinders. Those are supposed to be periodically revisited. > > > One of > > the > > > big problems is that librarians will start a guide and never finish, > > > or make one then never maintain it. Periodically deleting > > > everything is a good thing for pathfinders and subject guides, and > > > people should do it anyway. No one's talking about tools for > > > digital archives, which have > > lock > > > in issues and are way more expensive. > > > > > > > Lock-in doesn't have to be absolute to be effective, it just has to > > has raise the bar sufficiently high to make users think twice about > > migrating away. > > > > This applies even if the data to be moved is transitory and constantly > > changing. For example, if a library has been diligently updating their > > pathfinders, but wants to switch platforms, if there were no way to > > export them to load into the successor system, the effort of redoing > > them or doing a lot of copy-and-pasting could be prohibitive. > > > > As a general statement -- and I know that this battle has been > > bitterly fought in the ILS space -- I believe that *all* library > > software services, whether based on F/LOSS software or proprietary > > software, should provide a way for the library to obtain a full dump > > of their data, in an accessible format, at no additional charge. > > > > I see that LibGuides advertises the ability to make local backups of > > individual pages and also provides (via a paid add-on module) an XML > > export function. I don't know if SpringShare will also provide free > > one-time exports on request, but I would hope they do. > > > > Of course, even if one has the data in hand, data migrations can still > > take a lot of time, effort, and expertise. > > > > Regards, > > > > Galen > > -- > > Galen Charlton > > Manager of Implementation > > Equinox Software, Inc. / The Open Source Experts > > email: [log in to unmask] > > direct: +1 770-709-5581 > > cell: +1 404-984-4366 > > skype: gmcharlt > > web: http://www.esilibrary.com/ > > Supporting Koha and Evergreen: http://koha-community.org & > > http://evergreen-ils.org > > > > > > -- > Jimmy Ghaphery > Head, Digital Technologies > VCU Libraries > 804-827-3551 >