Content and Workflow Management for Library Web Sites: Case Studies

Citation

Fourie, I. (2005), "Content and Workflow Management for Library Web Sites: Case Studies", Online Information Review, Vol. 29 No. 6, pp. 683-683. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520510638115

With the growth in web publishing and the need for web‐based services, more library web administrators are realising the need for content management throughout the content life cycle. Yu's collection offers a number of library case studies based on the assumption that web content management (WCM) is a branch of content management (CM), which is still rather new to library websites and needs further exploration. As the editor explains,The ultimate goal of publishing Web content through the use of a WCM system is to automate the entire process of writing and publishing content by integrating easy‐to‐use web authoring tools with a large database of information resources, while ensuring that library users receive well‐managed and current information with a consistent look and feel. Against this background Holly Yu and a number of experts use case studies to share their experiences on practical and applicable web content management solutions.

Chapter 1 explores the increasing demands for user‐centred and customised web functions and how this affects the increasing need for web content management applications. In Chapter 2 tools and methods currently available to libraries are discussed. The role of collaborative software is highlighted. The development of a distributed web publishing system at CSU Sacramento Library is discussed in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 deals with the Indiana University Bloomington Libraries' solution to web content management, while chapter 5 deals with the development and implementation of a quality management tool, namely ScratchPad, which is developed for libraries. There are also chapters on web site maintenance workflow at a medium‐sized university library, the design of a PHP and PostgreSQL content management system, database‐driven web pages using only JavaScript, the development of the Tactical Electric Power Digital Library (TEPDL) and the development of committees to create a web content management system.

The chapters are all well‐written with a fair amount of technical detail. The book also includes a good glossary. Unfortunately, the index is very basic. There are, for example, no page ranges and also no cross‐references.

Content and Workflow Management for Library Web Sites is recommended to all library web administrators. It can also be used as recommended reading for LIM students.