Core Competency N
The following statement and submitted evidence show my competency in evaluating programs and services on specified criteria.
The evaluation of projects or services is often perceived as secondary to the main purpose. However, evaluation, both as a continuous process or as a periodical activity, assures the responsiveness of the system to users’ needs and provides the base for the assessment of its effectiveness. The expectations of the effectiveness of systems and services are usually based on the patterns and trends observed through the use of traditional resources... MORE>>
The evidence documents are presented in iPaper format, which requires ADOBE FLASH PLAYER. Clicking on [PDF] link will open the same documents in ADOBE ACROBAT READER.
Evidence 1 :: Colorado Digitalization Project [PDF]
This case study was written as an assignment in the Digitalization and Digital Preservation class, Spring of 2006, and show my competency in evaluating programs on specified criteria.
In the fall of 1998, the Colorado State Library received a grant to develop an operational framework for the Colorado Digitalization Project (CDP), and Colorado’s Historic Newspaper Collection is one of projects executed under that grant. The main rationale for the digitalization of the newspapers was the long expressed need of users to find a more efficient way to research newspapers than rolling through the microfilms or leafing through the crumbling originals. The duplicates of existing microfilms stored in the Colorado State Archives were then sent to the OCLC Preservation facilities to scan the films. Images were then given to Olive Software Inc. which then used their Olive ActivePaper Platform to distill them into XML format. This particular format enables the full text search of the text, but at the same time preserves the visual context of the published page. Based on the project report, database material and other project document available on the internet paper presents the technical execution of the project, content and capability of the database, development of the user interface and post project analysis. The main insight about the project management was the importance of careful reconnaissance work before forming the initial work plan. However, the project planned ahead for the time when the grant would end, and through the careful planning and outreach programs, the project was able to sustain itself and actively add content to their database.
Evidence 2 :: Comparison of Library Catalogs: Riverside City Public Library and Riverside Community College District Library [PDF]
This paper was written an an assignment in the Beginning Cataloging and Classification class, Fall 2006, and shows my competency in evaluating services on specified criteria.
Searching through various on-line public access catalogs (OPACs) could be quite a learning experience. The OPAC system/interface vendors as well as individual library systems have their own ideas about what is the more user-friendly way to conduct a search or to display results. The paper analyses OPACS of the Riverside County Public Library System and Riverside Community College District LAMP (Library Access to Monographs and Periodicals) and compares their pros and cons in terms of interface, search options and display of retrieved information. Using basic and then power search, the same query was performed on each database. The retrieved results and searching experience was then analyzed and compared. The interfaces of two catalogs are not that much different, but the amount of information and search options vary considerably. In regard to the record information, the catalog of Riverside Public Library System was much better integrated into the Internet and enabled expanded connections to other catalogs, while searches on LAMP catalog executed very fast and displayed records in a clear and conventional manner. However, considering different environments and users that the two libraries serve, each catalog was quite well suited for its intended purpose.
This web site was developed to satisfy the graduation requirements for
the School for Library and Information Science at San Jose State University California
Text, design, and digital imaging by Vlasta Radan