Notes on the Meeting of January 10, 2006
1:30 - 3:30 pm, DC 1568
Present: Chris Gray (recorder), Esther Millar, Bill Oldfield, Marina Wan (facilitator), Charles Woods
Regrets: Christy Branston, Linda Hastings
- Minutes of meeting December 14, 2005
Accepted without change.
- Business Arising
#5 Marina has held off on linking to the UW Connect bookmarklet page.
- LibWebReview minutes
#5 Bill gave an update on progress on the project for TRELLIS linked location maps and stack range signs. The application is largely ready to go. Marian Davies is adapting floor plans from Facilities.
- Agenda review
Items were added for PNG graphics file format, Image maps for navigation, and Around the Table.
- Links to eResources and "connect from home"
Chris presented a solution to the problem with Contribute and Go script URLs using binary encoding of URLs into URL safe characters. It was agreed that a less opaque solution would be preferable. Chris will investigate removing 'http://' from redirect URLs and URL encoding '://' as alternates.
Chris also presented what's been learned from recent work on eReserves about integrating dispersed Web applications and databases. The technology underlying access to and management of eResources can probably be used to ease staff burden and improve user experience. This should be kept in mind as issues with SFX and ERM are advanced both locally and at the TUG and OCUL level.
- WebOps membership
WebOps has a core continuing membership and has added new members on occasion. WebOps wants both to keep the group a reasonable size and allow flexibility when new members would be helpful. It is not thought necessary at this point to frame a specific membership policy but to consider new members case by case.
Some requests to join may come from staff not knowing how best to bring their concerns to the attention of WebOps. This is the purpose of the webmain-l mailing list. Marina will draft a message to be sent out to remind Web maintainers that they can use the list to make their voices heard.
- PNG graphics file format
PNG is a file format gaining attention and some are confused as to how this changes Web design practice that traditionally relies on the JPEG and GIF formats. PNG is an open standard meant to replace the GIF format, since GIF uses a proprietary compression scheme and Unisys is asserting its IP rights over the compression algorithms. Many standard graphics packages and browsers can now handle PNGs, but some older software may have difficulty.
- Image maps for navigation
Eva Dodsworth has asked about using image maps for a navigation scheme tying geographically related documents to a map. Image maps cannot be done using Contribute, but can probably be done using Dreamweaver as an external editor. It was decided that Eva could go ahead and Esther will arrange to give Eva permission to use DW as an external editor. Eva should be made aware that there is an accessibility issue with image maps and alternative access should be provided to the documents.
- Meeting time for the term
It was agreed to move WebOps meetings to Tuesday afternoons for this term to accomodate Chris sitting in on a Wed afternoon class. Meeting time will be reviewed at the end of the term.
- Around the table
Bill briefly presented some new Web applications that are nearing completion. Library floor plans and a stacks database will be used to provide a finding aid for patrons and maintain range end signs for staff. A TUG-wide database of Government Publications electronic documents will provide organized user access.
Charles noted that a request from Carol Stephenson is being processed to provide Web site space on the library's server for the Waterloo-Wellington Health Libraries Network. He also recommended the recent issue of Walt Crawford's Cites and Insights for an interesting discussion of "Library 2.0".
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September 20, 2007
