The University Libraries Introduce OpenRoom, an Online Room Reservation Scheduling Software

On November 9, 2009, the University Libraries released an upgraded version of OpenRoom, an online Web-based reservation software utility designed by Libraries’ personnel to aid with the management of study rooms in Bracken Library. An enhancement to this upgrade is that its source code can be shared with other organizations interested in using it.

OpenRoom offers many customizable features, such as themes for changing the look and feel of the interface, form customization for changing the type of information users must submit, and even flexibility for specifying the way users log into the system. If a feature is not available in OpenRoom, its modular design makes it easy to plug in a custom-made component.

Through the optimization of the code and the prominent use of AJAX—a set of popular Web development techniques—OpenRoom offers a fast load time and requires fewer page refreshes, providing its users with a faster and less confusing online reservation utility.

OpenRoom is configured to allow students and faculty to make reservations during the current year for the coming year. The OpenRoom system has many controls, including the earliest date a reservation can be made (e.g. 01/01/10) and the latest date a reservation can be made (e.g. 05/04/10.)

The first version of the software was originally introduced in early January 2008 to make it easier for students and faculty to reserve spaces in Bracken Library for study groups, meetings, and classes. Since its introduction, more than 3,500 users have made more than 22,000 reservations using the system, and that number is growing.

The University Libraries invite others who are interested to license this software for scheduling space and other resources. There is no cost to non-profit organizations. Please contact Bradley D. Faust, Assistant Dean for Library Information Technology Services, BFaust@bsu.edu, 765-285-8032.

If you have technical questions regarding OpenRoom, contact Robert L. Seaton, Web Development Analyst, RLSeaton@bsu.edu, 765-285-8032.

Ball State University Libraries' Emerging Media Technologies

The landscape of educational technology is constantly and quickly evolving, and the University Libraries are fully invested in adapting to the fast-paced emergence of new media in order to provide our students and faculty with state-of-the-art information channels into the rich resources and products provided and produced by the University Libraries.

As the information hub of the university, the Libraries are continually re-imagining our services and collections to discover new ways to serve as the integrated information nexus for teaching, learning, and research in a future that demands a robust, physical library with relevant collections, user-centered services, and cutting-edge technologies as well as a widely-accessible library without walls available 24/7/365 from virtual worlds, online classrooms, and computer desktops.

The University Libraries have maximized a number of emerging media formats and technologies designed to increase student and faculty opportunities for knowledge discovery, synthesis, and creation:

· Second Life — The Libraries are working in partnership with the Center for Middletown Studies to create virtual archives of text, photographs, audio, and video to be made available in Second Life. Ball State University is establishing a more substantive presence in Second Life, and the University Libraries continue to develop content and services for the expanded user population in the virtual world.
· Blogs/RSS Feeds — The Libraries currently maintain nine blogs/RSS feed publications designed to inform students and faculty about collections, services, and library programs.
· Intensive Multimedia Computing — The Libraries have installed a pod of high-performance PC and Mac stations that are equipped with specialized features and software applications for data analysis, gaming, video editing, and animation rendering. Software includes Adobe Production Premium Creative Suite 3, Adobe Design Premium Creative Suite 3, and Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 8.0, and more.
· e-Books — The Libraries provide access to over 10,000 electronic books, including hundreds of reference titles.
· e-Journals — The Libraries provide access to over 13,258 full-text e-journals and their archives, and nearly 200 academic databases; almost all of these resources are accessible from off-campus, too.
· Mobile Library Project — The Libraries developed and support an icon-based Web site for mobile devices such as BlackBerry and other small screen smart devices that allow users to search the Libraries’ catalog and access electronic journal content.
· Online Communities/Social Networking — The Libraries maintain profiles in Facebook and MySpace, providing updated blogs as well as links to the Libraries’ services, online tutorials, subject guides, and more.
· Video Audio Streaming — The Libraries offer video and audio streaming of several collections in the Digital Media Repository (DMR), including World War II films and Middletown oral histories. An upcoming project with the University’s Teleplex Services will include the addition of thousands of streaming videos to the DMR.
· Wireless Internet Access — Building on the University’s extensive wireless infrastructure, the Libraries offer free wireless printing as a corollary service for students and faculty.
· Interactive Tutorials — The Libraries’ Informational Services unit offers a number of interactive tutorials on library collections, services, databases, and technologies.

The University Libraries’ mission is to serve as a destination for research, learning, and friends. An essential part of fulfilling this objective is for the Libraries to provide a range of technologies through the adaptation and integration of new and evolving forms of multimedia communication and information dissemination.

For more information, contact Matthew C. Shaw, Ball State University Libraries’ Electronic Resources Librarian, MCShaw2@bsu.edu, 765-285-1302.

Adaptive Computer Technology Specialist Presents Program to Libraries’ Personnel on Understanding Blindness

During his freshman year in 1997, Carlos E. Taylor began working at Ball State University’s Adaptive Computer Technology Lab as an assistant. Since that time, he has completed his master’s degree in Information and Communication Sciences.

On Tuesday, March 13, 2007, Carlos took time from his responsibilities as Adaptive Computer Technology Specialist to address the University Libraries’ personnel who were attending the Libraries’ Staff College program. These sessions, which are generally held during winter and spring breaks, are designed to provide ongoing education and training opportunities for the Libraries’ personnel on a variety of work-related topics.

Carlos revealed that he lost his eyesight when he was a child. He shared with program attendees some facts and dispelled some myths about blindness. About 1 million people are blind in the United States and the number grows about 50,000 annually. Carlos agrees with the National Federation for the Blind’s assessment that the real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight; rather, it is the lack of information among the public about blindness.

Carlos addressed some of those misconceptions, such as that people who are blind or have low vision can only work at certain types of jobs or that they have a sixth sense. The definition of legally blind is that the person’s best corrected visual acuity is 20/200 or worse, or the person’s vision field is 20° or less. Some people who are legally blind can see, although they are not able to read signs well. Carlos discussed a few of the useful tools for those with no or low vision, such as money readers, computers that speak words, special readers, Global Positioning Systems, and wristwatches that audibly state the time.

“With the availability of the Internet throughout campus, many newsletters are being published online, and this is great especially for students who are blind because the Internet provides electronic access to publications,” he said.
“With screen readers, refreshable Braille displays, Braille printers, and screen magnification software, students can access a wealth of information through the method that best suits his or her needs.”

These technologies are available at the Adaptive Center in the Robert Bell Building, Rm. 134-G. The lab also offers many hardware and software resources for people who are hearing impaired or for those with learning disabilities or mobility impairment, www.bsu.edu/web/ucs/ucl/act.

Bracken Library provides public workstations that are adjustable height desks with 30”x60” modesty panels that are wheelchair accessible and adaptive workstations with hardware, such as a large trackball mouse, Braille and large print keyboard labels, large key keyboard, and individual headphones. Software includes text magnifiers and screen readers/text synthesizers. Personnel at the Circulation Desk will retrieve materials for persons with visible or invisible disabilities, upon request.

Ball State is proactive when it comes to issues concerning students with disabilities. Carlos mentioned that students' concerns are listened to and acted upon in a timely fashion. The Office of University Compliance at Ball State helps people get equipment they need for research and learning, and they receive some training and assistance to become acclimated to the layout of the campus.

Ball State University offers several services and technologies to assist students who are blind to achieve their goals. For example, the Office of Disabled Student Development can provide a student with note takers for classes, if necessary. The Learning Center can assist by reading exams or provide tutoring sessions. The Adaptive Computer Technology lab assists by making computers accessible by way of a screen reader, which reads text aloud from the computer screen or by providing screen magnification to any on-campus computer.

Campus-wide, signs in Braille are being placed on doors of older buildings to help blind students more easily identify classrooms, offices, restrooms, and other similar spaces. Such signs will be a standard feature for all new campus buildings.

For more information, contact Arthur W. Hafner Ph.D., M.B.A., Ball State University’s Dean of University Libraries, AHafner@bsu.edu, (765) 285-5277.

This newsletter article first appeared in The Library Insider 5(4): 5; April 2007.