Integrated Library Systems, or ILSes, are, in its essence, tracking software. ILSes allow libraries to automate tracking items in the catalog, including acquisition, check-outs, patrons who have borrowed, bills paid, etc (Integrated Library System, 2016). It started in the 1990s for tracking printed materials (Yang, 2013. P. 1). As it has evolved, ILSes have developed functions to track electronic materials as well as print. A major benefit of ILSes is that they are shareable. Since most ILSes are available online, libraries can share their collections with each other. This is especially beneficial for small libraries without the staff to do large amounts of cataloging and tracking. While ILSes are useful and are an important element of library management, they do have limitations. For example, "managing electronic resources is difficult in the current ILS" (Yang, 2013. p. 1). Additionally, "Some of the other challenges come from Resource Description and Access (RDA) and the inadequate OPAC of an ILS...adding a discovery tool alongside the library’s OPAC can be confusing when added to already fragmented library collections and resources" (Yang, 2013. p. 1). The hope for the next generation of ILSes is that they eliminate these difficulties.
I feel that ILSes are integral to library services, but agree that the difficulties of creating fragmented & difficult to search collections. Ideally (in my mind) A library would be able to catalog/display/use all items in the collection--including online resources--from one location. A simple interface that allows patrons & staff to search and manage any form material from one page. I realize that might be unrealistic (and possibly unwieldy. I don't know what it would look like), though.
HCI is how we use the technology we use, from computers and smart phones to printers. “The International Standards Organization defines usability as “the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.” From a software development perspective, usability is a quality attribute and therefore must be balanced with other quality attributes in each software product” (Moreno, et al. 2013. P. 100).
Good HCI design is important because, if the HCI doesn't work, it won't be used. “The aim of HCI research is to improve the interaction between users and computing devices in the sense that this interaction should become more user-friendly and better adapted to the needs and capabilities of the users and the capabilities of the device.” (Ebert, et al, 2012. P. 121) And if it can't be used, then the user can't be satisfied. The user is “the most important part of the machine interaction process.” (Gupta, 2012. p. 1736)
I think that most sites/programs, etc. have both positives and negatives when it comes to HCI, and the balance of the good and bad depends on the user. For example, Pinterest is a social bookmarking site that’s popular with millions. It is entirely graphic: users share pictures that link to pages they want to share/save. To view others’ pins, users either browse the pictures on their feed or search by keyword to browse pins related to a specific subject. Either way, users scroll through pages of pictures to find what they need. While this is functional and, for most people, highly usable, I find it difficult to navigate because the pictures don’t line up in even rows and columns.
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| I need linear! |
Another site with both pluses and minuses is Amazon.com. The search is functional, and you can find what you're looking for--especially if you know what department to select--but I find the front page to be cluttered and overwhelming. Although the page has useful features like recommendations and "similar items," I would have an easier time if the graphics were less prominent (do you notice a theme with me and graphics?). It also has too many ads, and many are for things I'm just not interested in.
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| Books? Yes! Dash buttons? Meh. |
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| Men's shirts? More dash buttons? Ugh. Music is good, though. |
Ebert, A, Gershon, N. D., & van der Veer, G. C. (2012). Human-computer interaction_Introduction and overview. Kunstliche Intelligenz, 26(2), 121-126.
Gupta, R. (2012). Human computer interaction: A modern overview. International Journal of Computer Technology and Applications, 3(5), 1736-1740.
Integrated library system. (2016, August 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 17, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Integrated_library_system&oldid=732993655
Moreno, A. M., Seffah, A., Capilla, R., & Sanchez-Segura, M.-I. (2013). HCI practices for building usable software. Computer, 46(4)
Yang, S. (2013). From integrated library systems to library management services: Time for change? Library Hi Tech News, 30(2), 1-8.
