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{\huge\bf Proposal for an MIT Libraries Interface on Project Athena}

\vspace*{.5in}

Scott Brandt

Anne LaVin

Sandy Maxfield

\today

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\section{Introduction}

An ad hoc working group composed of Anne LaVin (Project Athena), Sandy
Maxfield and Scott Brandt (MIT Libraries) was formed in October of
1990 to explore functional components of an ``Athena interface'' which
would allow access to MIT Libraries services. This proposal builds on
previous work done by Rich Hines (Libraries) and Candy Schwartz
(Simmons) in creating a generic prototype interface for network users.

The group met with David Ferriero (Libraries) early in October to
discuss considerations related to the interface. It was agreed that
the group would explore interface function possibilities which took
into account access to Barton and help documents, eventual access to
other databases or catalogs, what an ``on-line reference'' system
might look like, and how e-mail and other systems could be used.

The group discussed the importance of maintaining a design which could
accommodate both Athena and ``non-Athena'' access.  However, since
most of the Athena ``building blocks'' necessary to support the
proposed services are already in place and easily integratable, we
recommend starting with the Athena-based systems.

\section{Project Athena ``Building Blocks''}

The Athena services that the proposed Library services will be built
from include:

\begin{description}

 \item[dash/menu interface] Two versions of a user interface to the
proposed Library services are proposed: one, window-based and designed
to be used from Athena workstations running X windows, will use the
``Athena Dashboard,'' {\em dash}, and is described in detail in 
section 4; the second, designed to be used over dialup, will be a
set hierarchical menus similar to Athena's On-Line Help system.

 \item[On-Line Consulting] The OLC system is the basis for both
Athena's Consulting system and the new On-Line TA service for courses.
It allows a group of question-answerers to manage a queue of user
questions, sorted by topic.  It uses the zephyr notification system
(see below) to notify users and consultants of the status of the
question, etc.  It allows a user to ask a question at any time,
regardless of whether any consultants are currently running the
answering software; questions may be answered interactively if both
the user and consultant are logged in at the same time, or via
electronic mail if not. The OLC system also allows the creation of a
``stock answer'' database which can be searched separately.


 \item[electronic mail] Electronic mail, ``e-mail'' allows users both
of the Athena system and users on any host connected to MITNet (with
the appropriate software) to communicate individually or with mailing
lists.

 \item[discuss] An electronic networked conferencing system, discuss
allows groups of users to converse in on-line ``meetings'' organized by
topic.  The access to any discuss meeting can be controlled with
lists, so it can be used for private discussions as well as a public
forum.  Mailing lists can feed into discuss meetings.

 \item[zephyr] Zephyr is an notification system that allows Athena
users to locate and send messages in the form of pop-up windows (if
running in a windowed environment) or text overlaid on the screen (if
dialed in).  Messages can be sent either to a single user, or to
groups of users.

 \item[network connectivity] All Athena workstations are on MITNet,
and can thus communicate both with other MITNet hosts and hosts
outside MIT.  Athena also allows users to dial into their accounts
through the MIT Modem Pool and a set of dialup machines.

\end{description}


\section{Proposed Library Services}


The outline below illustrates the range of library services that we
propose to make available through the Libraries menu on Athena.  The
proposed services are arranged in six menu categories based on the
type of user interaction and the underlying support process.  Some of
the services are already available through Athena, some replicate
services that are available through other channels, and some are
projections of electronic services which are in various stages of
planning.  The Libraries menu can be implemented in phases, adding
services as they are developed.

\begin{tiny}
\begin{center}
\begin{verbatim}

MIT LIBRARIES
 
1.   NEWS AND INFORMATION
 
     1.   LIBRARY NEWS
 
          * Updates on library services and systems.
 
     2.   LIBRARY INFORMATION
 
          * Basic information about the MIT Libraries such as hours, locations, services, etc.
 
     3.   LIBRARY HELP
 
           * General help, tutorials on library systems, and library pathfinders.
 
             1.   Look at Answers Database
             2.   How to Search Barton
             3.   How to Search Dialog
             4.   Pathfinder for Psychology
             5.   Pathfinder for Technical Reports
          
2.   BARTON, MIT LIBRARIES CATALOG
 
     * Search Barton, the MIT Libraries catalog, or browse the new books list.
 
     1.   BARTON
     2.   NEW BOOKS LIST
 
3.   LIBRARY FORMS
 
     * Forms to request library services or make suggestions.
 
     1.   MICROREPRODUCTION LAB ORDER
          * Order a photocopy of material in the MIT Libraries.
     2.   INTERLIBRARY BORROWING REQUEST
          * Request material not in MIT Libraries.
     3.   SUGGESTED PURCHASE FORM
          * Suggest material for the MIT Libraries to purchase.
     4.   COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS
          * Make comments or suggestions about the MIT Libraries.
 
4.   ON-LINE REFERENCE SERVICE
 
     * Get a quick fact, help identifying an elusive citation, a on-line literature 
       search, or information on a topic.
       
     1.   ASK A LIBRARIAN
     2.   LOOK AT ANSWERS DATABASE
     
5.   DATABASES
 
     * Access to a variety of databases.
 
     1.   MEDLINE ON DIALOG
          * Medline database of medical literature, available through Dialog network node.
     2.   TABLE OF CONTENTS
           * Table of contents of journals available on NEARNET
 
6.   OTHER LIBRARIES
 
     1.   BOSTON LIBRARY CONSORTIUM SERIALS LIST
          * List of serials owned by Boston area research libraries.
     2.   LIBRARY CATALOGS
          * Connect to library catalogs on the InterNet.

\end{verbatim}
\end{center}
\end{tiny}

The following notes describe each top level menu category in more
detail:

\begin{enumerate}
 \item NEWS AND INFORMATION

     Much of text for the news and information portion of this section
has already been created for {\em Techinfo}.  Library staff would have
to update the information.  The help modules, tutorials, and
pathfinders would be have to be created or adapted from printed
sources by library staff.  

This service would rely on some mechanism to display the text
(comparably to {\em Techinfo} or Athena's {\em On-Line Help}) that would
have to be designed or decided upon.

 \item    BARTON, MIT LIBRARIES CATALOG

     Barton is already accessible from Athena.  Athena users can
connect to Barton and several other libraries three ways:

\begin{itemize}

 \item as a pre-login option (users can simply click on a button on
the screen before logging in to any Athena workstation)

 \item from the {\em dash} menubar

 \item with the command {\em setup library} at the athena\% prompt.

\end{itemize}

Users on non-Athena machines on MITNet can also currently connect to
the machine library.mit.edu to get to Barton and other libraries.

New book lists are included in this menu option because they are a
subset of the catalog.  If they can be derived directly from Barton
this would require programming and regular updates.  If not, the new
book lists could be be text documents created and maintained by
library staff.

The Athena building block used in this service would be the {\bf
network connectivity}, the ability to connect to the barton.mit.edu
machine.

 \item   LIBRARY FORMS

     These are library services currently offered through paper forms.
These on-line request forms would be handled through e-mail.  Templates
for e-mail requests would have to be created and the appropriate
library units would have to integrate e-mail requests into their
workflow.  Access to and training in the use of e-mail would be needed.

These services would be built up of the Athena services {\bf e-mail},
and potentially {\bf discuss} as a request tracking and archiving back
end.

 \item ON-LINE REFERENCE SERVICE

     Using the OLC software, reference staff would receive, track, and
answer reference questions.  This process would have to be integrated
into reference workflow.  Access to Athena workstations or terminals
or computers capable of dialing into Athena, and training on the OLC
software would be needed.  One person would have to monitor the overall
flow of questions.  

This service would use the OLC software which relies in part on {\bf
zephyr, e-mail} for communication and {\bf discuss} for archiving of
questions, and the ability to work on the network in a distributed
fashion.

 \item   DATABASES

     This section would provide gateways to whatever databases the
Libraries make available.  The two examples given are possibilities
that have been discussed.

This service takes advantage of {\bf network connectivity}.

 \item   OTHER LIBRARIES

     This option would allow access to libraries at other sites on the
Internet.  There has been some experimental development on the
library.mit.edu server.

This service takes advantage of {\bf network connectivity}.

\end{enumerate}

\section{Dash Version of the Libraries Menu}

For users that login to a regular Athena workstation, a window-based
version can be provided.  This can be made part of the default {\em
dash} interface through a series of ``pull-down'' hierarchical
menus\footnote{One item not addressed in this report is where,
exactly, the Libraries menu will fit in the standard {\em dash} menu
hierarchy.}.

{\em Dash} was designed as an easy-to-use point and click application
launcher and Athena ``navigator.''  (See figure, below, for a ``screen
dump'' of a portion of a sample Athena screen including the {\em dash}
menus across the top.)  Users can obtain information on a given menu
item by clicking the mouse pointer on the ``?'' icon, launch an
application program by clicking on the name of the program, or can
move onto a sub-menu via the arrow icon.

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\subsection*{Top Level}

This is the top level menu.

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\subsection*{News and Information}

This menu contains two options and one submenu.  

``Library News'' would contain new information on library services and
systems.

``Library Information'' would contain basic information about the MIT
Libraries such as hours, locations, services, etc.


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\subsection*{Library Help}

The ``Library Help'' submenu would contain general help, tutorials on
library systems, and library pathfinders.

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\subsection*{Barton}

This menu would let the user search Barton, or browse the new books list.


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\subsection*{Library Forms}

The menu would let the user fill out on-line forms to request library
services or make suggestions.


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\subsection*{On-Line Reference Service}

This menu would connect the user the ``On-Line Reference Librarian
Service'' to get a quick fact, help identifying an elusive citation,
an on-line literature search, or information on a topic.


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\subsection*{Databases}

This menu would give the user access to a variety of databases.


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\subsection*{Other Libraries}

This menu would give the user access to other libraries available over
the Internet.  The ``Boston Library Consortium Serials List'' would
give a list of serials owned by Boston area research libraries, and
``Other Libraries'' would run a program to connect to other library
catalogs on the Internet.


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\section{Terminal-based Version of the Libraries Menu}

The terminal-based version of the library program for non-dash or
dialup users could be based directly on Athena's On-Line Help facility
(the terminal-based version), which consists of menus from which the
user makes choices.

A sample of a ``screen'' from the system would look like:

\begin{verbatim}

 To choose a topic, type its number and press the Return key.
 Press the '?' key for help.  Press the 'q' key to quit.


   MIT Libraries Top Level Menu

      1* News and Information
      2* Barton
      3* Library Forms
      4* On-Line Reference Service
      5* Databases
      6* Other Libraries

   Number:

\end{verbatim}

The other menus in the hierarchy would look similar, with contents as
discussed in the previous section.

\section{Summary}


This report represents a functional design for the front ends to the
proposed Libraries services.  We have made recommendations for a way
to deploy the services on Athena, using some existing mechanisms.
Because of the hierarchical nature of the menus, each new part of the
system can be put in place as it is developed and as the MIT Libraries
gear up to support it.  We have not attempted to design anything at
the operational level, and have only touched on the Libraries and
Athena support issued for each of the services.

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