Info : Drupal in Libraries (ALA TechSource)

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (formerly called the Idaho State Library) is an organization that helps libraries in Idaho "better serve their clientele," says Web developer Michael Samuelson.

Part of that effort — to help libraries better serve their users — is helping library staff members develop Web sites that "reach out to patrons and provide, essentially, virtual branch[es]," Samuelson notes.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries is doing just that with its "E-Branch in a Box" project, which provides "Drupal-powered Web sites to, mainly, public libraries."

The Commission's E-Branch project is just one of the many aspects presented in "Drupal in Libraries," the fourth issue of Library Technology Reports this year.

Written by Andy Austin and Christopher Harris — both who work for the School Library System of the Genesee Valley BOCES (Board of Educational Cooperative Services) in New York State — the issue features helpful case history examples of Drupal use in libraries. Most of the report, however, is dedicated to a useful and user-friendly how-to guide for libraries interested in utilizing Drupal — and its dedicated developer community — to build dynamic and easy-to-use library Web sites.

"Welcome to a New Paradigm"
In “Drupal in Libraries," Austin and Harris start the report with a discussion of content management systems and identify benefits of using them for "content" organizations.

"Libraries are about content: acquiring it, storing it, indexing it, retrieving it, and presenting it," explain the authors in chapter 1 ("Welcome to a New Paradigm"). "Content management systems help libraries accomplish these tasks on the Web by providing a back-end structure for a Web site so the authors can focus on content."

[Read more..]

Courtesy : Techsource.ala.org