Related Items Bookshelf -- Virtual Shelf Browse for Tomcat WebVoyage

Tags: intermediate , webvoyage , tomcat , javascript , xsl , java , elympics , browse
Last Updated: Aug 25, 2010 22:50

• Description

  The Related Items Bookshelf is a virtual shelf browsing tool.  Embedded into the bottom of an item's Tomcat WebVoyage record page, it displays a scrollable, virtual bookshelf of the catalog items shelved next to the primary item, in call number order.

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• Author: Maccabee Levine
• Additional author(s):
• Institution: University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
• Year: 2010

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• License: Apache License 2.0
• Short description: Use, modification and distribution of the code are permitted provided the copyright notice, list of conditions and disclaimer appear in all related material.
• Link to terms: Detailed license terms

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• Skill required for using this code:
  Intermediate.  The user should have experience with other WebVoyage customization, i.e. tweaking XSL files according to written instructions, and basic server command-line skills.  The installation guide's target audience is system librarians, and only one small step may require assistance from a Voyager server administrator.

Full Description

The Related Items Bookshelf is a virtual shelf browsing tool.  Embedded into the bottom of an item's Tomcat WebVoyage record page, it displays a scrollable, virtual bookshelf of the catalog items shelved next to the primary item, in call number order.  Books are represented by their cover art where available (by a generated image otherwise), and display their title, author, publication date, availability status and location, as well as links to Google Book Search where applicable.  The user may scroll the shelf in either direction to discover more related items, and can click any item to load its own WebVoyage record page.  This duplicates for a web catalog user the real-world benefit of browsing the library stacks.

The Related Items Bookshelf website has more information on functionality, technical design, and known issues .

State

In Development due to future plans and some known issues, but beta-tested at four institutions and reasonably stable.

Programming language

Java (J2EE) server, HTML/CSS/JS client, minimal XSL for WebVoyage integration.

Software requirements

Server: Voyager 7.1+ with Tomcat WebVoyage.  Client: Firefox 2.0+ or Internet Explorer 7+.  Detailed requirements here.

Screen captures

Author(s) homepage

http://www.uwosh.edu/facstaff/levinem/projects/related-items-bookshelf

Download

Please see the download page for the most recent version and release notes.

Working example

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh catalog -- search for any item with an LC call number and scroll to the bottom of the record page.

Example item page: http://oshlib.wisconsin.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=620466

Using the following Ex Libris open interfaces

Voyager's XML over HTTP web services:

• SearchService
• SearchResultsService
• GetHoldingsService

Release Notes & Known Issues

Please see the website for release notes and known issues.

Installation instructions

The most recent Installation & Administration Guide is linked from the Related Items Bookshelf website Download page, and is included in the Installation Files download.

TO DO list

Solve the Known Issues, refactor the server code to increase reusability by different applications, and implement any popular user suggestions.

Comments

Please provide any feedback on this page or by emailing me directly.  Thanks!