Presentation for KohaCon 2018 examining the potential of integrating open source library guides from SubjectsPlus with Koha

1. Leveraging Open Source
Library Guides:
Integrating Koha and
SubjectsPlus

2. Overview
▪ What is SubjectsPlus?
▪ Displaying content from Koha in
SubjectsPlus
▪ Displaying content from SubjectsPlus in
Koha
▪ Discussion and Brainstorm
2

3. 1.
What is
SubjectsPlus?
Open Source Library Guides and
Content Management System

4. Out-of-the-Box Features
▪ Research Guides: drag and drop content
boxes, tabbed divisions
▪ Staff List/Directory
▪ Resource List: A-Z databases and more
▪ Frequently Asked Questions
▪ Feedback/Talkback system
▪ Video management: organize and display
videos uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo
4

5. 5

6. Features Requiring
Setup/Customization
▪ Responsive CSS design – requires CSS
coding to customize
▪ Installer & updater
▪ API
▪ “Pluslet” system
6

7. Development Status
▪ Primary development team:
University of Miami Libraries
Andrew Darby, project lead
▪ General Roadmap:
1. “SPLux” – improve theming, nicer
default theme
2. “SPGuts” – rehaul underlying
architecture, likely move to JS
framework
7

8. Where to Find SubjectsPlus
▪ Info - http://subjectsplus.com/
▪ Wiki -
http://subjectsplus.com/wiki2/index.php?t
itle=Main_Page
▪ GitHub -
https://github.com/subjectsplus/Subjects
Plus
8

9. “
My only tip would be to try to install
the codebase via Git, if possible.
There might be some short term pain,
but it will make updating less painful.
9
Andrew Darby

10. 2.
Koha →
SubjectsPlus

11. 11

12. Configuration for
linking to Koha
▪ Open String:
https://yourOPAC.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-
search.pl?idx=su&q=
▪ Open String Keyword:
https://yourOPAC.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-
search.pl?q=
▪ OpenStringCallNumber:
https://yourOPAC.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-
search.pl?idx=callnum&q=
▪ Open String Bib:
https://yourOPAC.org/ cgi-bin/koha/opac-
detail.pl?biblionumber=
12

13. RSS Pluslet →
Display Search or Public List Feed
1. Navigate to a public list or configure a
search with all parameters in Koha’s OPAC
2. Copy the RSS feed URL
3. Click and drag the RSS
Pluslet into a guide
4. Paste the URL, adjust
settings, and save
13

14. 14
RSS Feed from
Search
RSS Feed from
Public List
Additional CSS styling in the
theme would improve the
appearance of feeds

15. Ideas for Further Development
▪ Create customizable Pluslets for Koha
libraries
□ Catalog Search
□ Koha RSS Feeds
□ Course Reserves Display
▪ Basic guidelines available in the
SubjectsPlus wiki
15

16. 3.
SubjectsPlus →
Koha

17. Why Display SP content in Koha?
▪ Consistent branding and styling
▪ Streamlined user experience
▪ Authentication pathways
17

18. SubjectsPlus API
▪ Unique API security key available in the
site configuration page
▪ Queries can be output as XML or JSON
▪ What can be queried
□ Guides
□ Databases (aka resources)
□ Staff
□ Talkback
18

19. Koha: Local Use system preference to display databases via SP API
19

20. 20

21. Linking Course Guides
in Course Reserves
▪ Use public note field to
embed guide URL
21

22. Ideas for Further Development
▪ Plugins for SubjectsPlus users
□ Create pages from SP API
□ Guides Search
□ Additional field(s) in Course Reserves
to make cross-linking easier
□ Display course guide content with
Course Reserves
22

23. Discussion &
Brainstorm
Other ideas for further development
and thoughts on SubjectsPlus and
Koha integrations?
23

24. 24
Thanks!
Any questions?
▪ Myka Kennedy Stephens
▪ mkstephens@lancasterseminary.edu
▪ https://mission-information.org
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