Issues and Considerations in Building an Intranet

Intranets and Internal Library CommunicationsTriangle Research Libraries Network

May 3, 2006

Overview

UNC Health Sciences Library Context

Content Access Infrastructure Information Architecture Adoption

HSL Data Structure

File server

Files organized by

department and groups

Standard and

department- specific

subdirectories

Multiple PC file formats

Identified Information Access Issues

Staff often cannot find documents or find them easily

Multiple document versions; most current document is not always clear

Staff sometimes cannot access documents (permissions)

HSL Baseline Intranet pages

HSL’s Process Intranet Planning Task Force Initial Purpose: To enable (HSL) staff to find the

most current and most frequently needed forms, documents, policies, procedures, reports and other documents in an easy and timely manner.

Needs Assessment (SILS project)

Content Scope –

Decision: start with most used admin and statistical data File formats

Decision: leverage native formats Creation and maintenance

Staff roles Procedures and workflows

Communication, collaboration and other tools e.g. Blogs, Wikis, RSS, chat

Decision: yes, details to be determined

Access

Eligibility Authorization/authentication Levels of access/restriction Access protocols

e.g. http(s), (s)ftp, vpn

Security

Infrastructure Servers

File/print, Web, database, CMS Content management and

constituent applications Plone/Zope/Python ColdFusion/Contribute Wiki HTML templates

Information Architecture

Organizational facets e.g. departments, tasks, other

Linking between independently developed content

Adoption

How / Does Intranet become first stop for internal information? Involve staff in planning &

development Make it irresistable Incorporate into staff/library

workflows Keep it current and relevant

Next … Intranet Examples

Duke – David Chandek-Stark NCSU – May Chang, Angie Ballard UNC-Chapel Hill Academic Affairs

Library – Debra Hanken-Kurtz

Questions?

Contact informationBarrie E. HayesHead, Application Development ServicesHealth Sciences LibraryUNC-Chapel Hillbarrie_hayes@unc.edu