MyLibrary@NCState: A Personalized Interface To A Library
Eric Lease Morgan, North Carolina State University

Abstract:
The presentation describes an extensible model for implementing a user-centered, customizable interface to a library's collection of information resources. This model, called MyLibrary, integrates principles of librarianship (collection, organization, dissemination, and evaluation) with globally networked computing resources creating a dynamic, customer-driven front-end to any library's set of materials. The model supports a framework for libraries to provide enhanced access to local and remote sets of data, information, and knowledge. At the same, the model does not overwhelm its users with too much information because the users control exactly how much information is displayed to them at any given time. The model is active and not passive; direct human interaction, computer mediated guidance and communication technologies, as well as current awareness services all play indispensable roles in this system.

About the speaker:
Eric has been a librarian at the NCSU Libraries since the summer of 1991. Previously, he was a medical librarian at the Catawba-Wateree AHEC Library in Lancaster, SC for 3 years. He has a BA in Philosophy from Bethany College, Bethany, WV (1982), and an MIS from Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (1987).

Eric considers himself a librarian first and a computer user second. His professional goal is to discover new ways to use computers to improve library and knowledge services. To these ends, he has created many information services using the popular (and even less popular) Internet and computing protocols. Applied research and development has included investigations in traditional library science, digital libraries, information retrieval, and human-computer interaction. Some of his more successful implementations have been the Mr. Serials Process, Index Morganagus, the Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts, email.cgi, and MyLibrary@NCState. In his spare time, he has been seen folding defective floppy disks into intricate origami flora and fauna.

Bringing Innovative Web Technologies to Library Settings - May 17, 2000