Introduction: LIS Your Way

It seems these days are all about the web, and it is very difficult to imagine where we would be without it. Not only are our work days now spent online for much of the time, but the network tags along on our cell phones and iPods wherever we go. LIS recognizes the increasing importance of web-based services, and the 2008-09 academic year has seen us invest heavily in online services to improve access to LIS resources and data via the web. This work fits with what we know is a strong move toward unmediated services … things that people can do for themselves without assistance or intervention. It also increasingly leads into the rise not only of these services digitally via the network, but via the mobile network to handheld devices.

The launch of a new web service seems somewhat commonplace these days as more and more of our lives transition online, but the aggregate total of new web services shows a strong commitment by LIS and our staff to opening up the power of the network to the Luther community. Below are some of the new and improved services now available from LIS via the network:

  • Receive text messages directly from Magnus, our online catalog.
  • Archon is our new archives collections database providing descriptions of our archival collections.
  • Our discovery services tool Encore has been upgraded to version 2.0 bringing the ability for users to login with their Norse Key, community tagging of library resources, integrated image search provided by Yahoo!, and other improvements.
  • A new web interface to Datatel allows employees new convenience and ease of use. Previously access was only available via dedicated client software (available only for Microsoft Windows-based computers).
  • Atomic Learning now provides online training materials on a wide variety of software tools.
  • VPN service came to Luther this year via the web. This service allows Norse Key holders to authenticate to Luther’s network to access network based resources such as file shares, websites, and other tools normally not available off-campus.
  • Reason is Luther’s new campus web content management system. The system, originally developed by Carleton College, brings a new level of usability to web publishing and is in the process of being deployed across the campus. This new service should revolutionize how Luther departments and teams publish and share information via the web.
  • Norse Key holders can now Reset Their Norse Keys via the web provided they have supplied security questions to allow for verification. Password resets have been one of the top calls to our Help Desk, and now users will be able to handle this task themselves 24/7 as the need arises.
  • Labstats provides real-time data on Luther’s computer labs, allowing faculty and students to view available seats and to track usage of resources of time. LIS can also review software and use of our lab infrastructure to guide better resource management.
  • Norsecard Status and History allows community members to now view their CBORD transactions (meal and other purchases) via the web. This has been a long-requested feature for students and employees alike.
  • my.luther Update Your Profile allows students to view their demographic/academic profile and to update their emergency contact information, the new federal ethnicity questions, and off-campus address for students not living on campus.
  • my.luther Web Time Entry allows student employees to enter their time card information via the web streamlining the process for all involved. We hope to introduce this process for other hourly employees.
  • The site supporting LIS’ Auction of used technology equipment was signficantly upgraded.
  • Luther’s Facilities Services group coordinated with LIS to launch an Online Work Request System provided by SchoolDude. Any community member can now easily submit work requests online 24/7 to Facilities.
  • We completed deployment of Norse Apps, including the cutover to our new online calendaring system Norse Calendar now bringing integrated calendaring to everyone in the Luther community, a significant expansion over our previous system.
  • Our LIS Technology Help Desk website has been completely revamped and migrated into our Library and Information Services site.

This list omits many smaller upgrades and enhancements to LIS network-based services, and much of the previous year’s work to deploy new foundations for web services at Luther. As we look forward to 2009-10, LIS will continue to deliver as many services as possible via real-time and via the network, bringing the depth and breadth of available information services to the Luther community.

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