going where they are: developing an im reference service & catalog widgets in facebook
TRANSCRIPT
Going where they are: Developing an IM reference service & Catalog Widgets in Facebook
Debbie Herman & Susan Slaga
Central Connecticut State University
Starting a new IM/Chat Service at CCSU Offer a local more personalized service in
addition to the InfoAnytime Chat Service Needed to offer a more up to date reference
service for students who IM regularly Had to deal with resistance from some senior
staff members Students are using IM already Benefits of an IM/Chat service
Challenges for IM Reference
We wanted an IM service that was… Easy and familiar for students Flexible Relatively easy for staff to learn Low cost
The solution
AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) Meebo
Meebo
Creating a Meebo Me Widget
Code<!-- Beginning of meebo me widget code.
Want to talk with visitors on your page? Go to http://www.meebome.com/ and get your widget! --> <embed src="http://widget.meebo.com/mm.swf?tFHbfiohgU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="190" height="275"></embed>
The Result
AIM Status Indicators
AIM Presence Serviceshttp://developer.aim.com/presenceMain.jsp
Online Status Indicatorhttp://www.onlinestatus.org/
<td> <a href="aim:GoIM?screenname=debbieatlibrary"><img src="http://big.oscar.aol.com/debbieatlibrary?on_url=http://library.ccsu.edu/images/chat_status_on.gif&off_url=http://library.ccsu.edu/images/chat_status_off.gif" border="0" class="underline"> Debbie Herman</a> </td><td class="norm">debbieatlibrary</td>
Meebo Link Code Example
<a href="#" onClick="popup('widget.meebo.com/mm.swf?aiWjUjHhvB', 'Meebo', 300, 300); return false"> Click here</a> to chat or leave an offline message.
Code<!-- Beginning of meebo me widget code.
Want to talk with visitors on your page? Go to http://www.meebome.com/ and get your widget! --> <embed src="http://widget.meebo.com/mm.swf?tFHbfiohgU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="190" height="275"></embed>
Training
Read article Zuho, MLIS, Fu, Mark Love, MS, Scott Norwood, MLIS, and Karla Massia, MA. "Applying RUSA Guidelines in the Analysis of Chat Reference Transcripts." College & Undergraduate Libraries 13.1 (2006): 75-88. to view examples of transcripts and applying RUSA guidelines
Practicing with each other Remembering to log on and off
Promotion
Table tents and pens Campus Listservs Announcements to classes Facebook flyer
Facebook Facts
Made API available to developers in May 2007
PHP5 is the official development platform 5,000+ applications developed to date 100 new applications daily More than half of Facebook users are
outside of college
Steps involved in creating a FB app
Need access to a web server with PHP running Install FB developer application Review docs available at http://developers.facebook.com/ Get familiar with FBML (Facebook markup
language) In the Developer Application, generate an API
key for your app
FB Developer Application
Useful Documentation for FB Library Developers Anatomy of a Facebook Application
http://developers.facebook.com/anatomy.php FB Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Application
(includes a sample app.)http://developers.facebook.com/step_by_step.php
Ryerson Library’s FB Application http://www.ryerson.ca/library/iii/facebook.html
Facebook Groups: FacebookAppsForLibraries, Library 2.0 Interest Group, Facebook Developers
Burritt Library Outpost on FB
appinclude.php & dashboard.php code snippets<-- FROM appinclude.php -->$appapikey = 'PUT_YOUR_API_KEY_HERE';$appsecret = 'PUT_YOUR_SECRET_KEY_HERE';
$appcallbackurl = 'http://www.YOURSERVER.com/APP_DIRECTORY/'; $appInternalURL = 'http://apps.facebook.com/CANVAS_PAGE_URL/';
<-- FROM dashboard.php -->
<fb:dashboard> <fb:action href="index.php">Main</fb:action> <?php /*insert your other pages here */ ?> <fb:help href="help.php" title="Need help">Help</fb:help></fb:dashboard>
index.php code snippet<?php// includesrequire_once 'appinclude.php';require 'dashboard.php';
?><div style="padding: 20px;"> <!-- Image for the header ---> <img src="<? echo $appcallbackurl; ?>banner-new3a.gif" /> <br /> <h2>Hello <fb:name firstnameonly="true" uid="<?=$user?>" useyou="false"/>, Welcome to the Burritt Library on Facebook.</h2> <br /> <hr /> <br/> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"> <tr><td valign="top"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"> <tr> <th>External Links</th> </tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://library.ccsu.edu" target="_new"> <li> Library Home Page</li></a></td> </tr><tr><td><a href="http://library.ccsu.edu/help/aska" target="_new"><li>Ask-A-Librarian</li></a></td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="http://www.consuls.org" target="_new"> <li>Library Catalog (CONSULS)</li> </a></td> </tr>
Submitting Your FB Application
Submit your app via the FB developer application
Need a minimum of 5 people using your app in order to submit
Applications MUST utilize the FB platform Caveat regarding library catalog search
widgets and ToS
FB App Submission Page
Questions?
Debbie Herman, CCSU Digital Resources Librarian, [email protected]; 860-832-2084; AIM: debbieatlibrary
Susan Slaga, CCSU Assistant Reference Librarian, [email protected];860-832-2095; AIM: sjs642