NEW:  MyContents enhancement in mid-November 2003 -- full-text article linking (when available).

Overview:

The Personalized Library Services Committee (PLS) (also known as the "MyLibrary Committee") is the latest incarnation of a team formed in early 1999.  It built upon efforts of a Mann Library group that had begun to develop and implement a "Virtual Carrel".  The "Virtual Carrel" initiative was a direct response, in part, to requests by users for a more "personalized" library.  

The notion of each member of the Cornell community having their own "virtual carrel" developed into the overall vision of each user having access to their own suite of "MyLibrary" services.  Three MyLibrary services developed by Cornell University Library staff are currently available:  

• MyLinks, which bookmarks Internet resources, including networked resources available from the Library Gateway, and 
• MyUpdates, a current awareness service for new library materials
• MyContents, a journal tables of contents service.  More information about MyContents is available.

A fourth personalized service, MyCatalog, is offered via MyLibrary. MyCatalog allows an individual to save records to their own "bookbag", as well as set search preferences.

Our membership has changed several times, as has our charge. 

Read the September 26, 2002 Cornell Chronicle article about MyContents.

Read the February 10, 2000 Cornell Chronicle article about MyLibrary.

In 2002 and 2003, MARS (the Machine-Assisted  Reference Section of RUSA, the Reference and User Services Association, a division of ALA) selected MyLibrary as an innovative web-based reference service in the category of "Personalized Library Services."  For more information, see their review.

MyLibrary is accessible by members of the Cornell community at:  http://mylibrary.cornell.edu

NOTE:  Guest access to MyLinks is available for individuals who are not members of the Cornell community.  Guests may also use MyContents.

Activities:

• MyLibrary Milestones
• Publicity -- Want to Promote MyLibrary in Your Library?
• Our Publications and Presentations

MyLibrary Milestones:

• January 1999 -- PESWG formed
• January 2000 -- MyLinks launched
• January 2001 -- MyUpdates launched
• January 2002 -- MyContents trial begins, Phase I
• March 2002 -- MyContents trial continues, Phase II
• August 2002 -- MyContents launched
• October 2003 -- MyContents users total 1500+
• December 2003 -- MyContents users total 1600+

Publicity:

We have prepared several promotional MyLibrary items for use in all Cornell libraries.  Currently, we have snazzy bookmarks and a colorful poster.  If you would like copies of any of these to distribute to classes, or display at service points, please contact Angela Horne (akh8@cornell.edu).

Additionally, we are developing materials for instruction staff to use during workshops about MyLibrary. This MyLibrary packet will include: a set of PowerPoint slides as well as an instructor script.

If there are any additional materials you would like to use in your library, please contact Angela Horne (akh8@cornell.edu).

Our Publications and Presentations:

• LITA Forum 2003, Norfolk, Virginia, October 5, 2003. Poster session concerning MyContents.

• NYLA Annual Conference, Poster Session, Saturday, October 26, 2002, Buffalo, New York.

• In 2001, PESWG was awarded a Cornell University Library internal grant to conduct a user study of MyLibrary. We evaluated how well MyLibrary meets current user needs; solicited ideas for enhancements and new services; and evaluated the long-term prospect for personalized services.

• ALA Poster Session, "MyLibrary@Cornell: Two Years of Personalization," 2002 American Library Association Annual Conference in Atlanta. Poster session # VI- 7.  It was presented from 1pm to 2:30pm on Monday June 17 in the exhibit area of the Georgia World Congress Center.  

• "MyContents:  Making a Dream into Reality", Kaleidoscope, April 2002, 2-4

• Long Island Library Resources Council, "MyLibrary: Creating User Interactive Web Sites", October 25, 2000 (held at SUNY Farmingdale)

• Cohen, S., Fereira, J., Horne, A., Kibbee, R., Mistlebauer, H., and Smith, A. (2000, April). MyLibrary: Personalized Electronic Services in the Cornell University Library. D-Lib Magazine , 6 (4). Retrieved March 13, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.dlib.org/dlib/april00/mistlebauer/04mistlebauer.html

• South Central Regional Library Council, MyLibrary Workshop, March 31^st, 2000 (held in Ithaca, New York)

Related Projects / Materials: Library-Related | Commercial | Other MyLibrary Services

These are numerous articles and projects concerning the personalized Internet tools and services.  Selected ones appear below:

Library-Related:

Other MyLibrary Services:  Academic | Commercial

Academic:

Commercial:

MyYahoo! -- http://my.yahoo.com

MyNetscape -- http://mynetscape.com/

Links2Go -- http://www.links2go.com/

Amazon -- http://www.amazon.com/

Excite -- http://www.excite.com

MSN -- http://www.msn.com

Blink -- http://www.blink.com

Charge (Last amended June 2001):  Current | June 2001 | April 1999 | January 1999

Current:

1. To investigate and devise effective means of incorporating personalized library services and access to library information into course management systems.

2. To investigate the adaptability of higher education portals, such as uPortal, for the delivery of personalized library services, including distributed learning applications and services for alumni.

3. To conduct periodic evaluations of the usability and functionality of current personalized library services, to identify additional services of this type, and to serve as a clearinghouse for personalized library services within CUL.

4. To publicize and raise awareness and use of personalized library services (e.g., MyLibrary, MyCatalog.)

Tom Hickerson will serve as LMT liaison, providing support for the committee as needed.

June 2001 Charge:

1.  To merge the current Implementation and Planning teams into one MyLibrary Team.   

2.  To launch a publicity drive to raise awareness and use of MyLibrary.

3.  To research: personalization endeavors such as higher education portals; related library personalization projects; distributed learning applications; and potential MyLibrary services for alumni.

4.  To prepare for fall focus group sessions which will gather feedback about both the usability of the current MyLibrary serivces and the additional services our users desire.

April 1999 Charge:

1.  Create a Current Awareness and Personalized Workspace Fall 1999 implementation group.

2.  Planning Group will continue coming up with ideas, which includes soliciting IRPC and other staff members.  

3.  Validate ideas via a user survey.

4.  Implementation of all ideas will be approved and planned by the LMT and CUL Gateway Committee.

5.  Both of the PES groups will produce minutes / status reports

[NOTE:  Personalized Workspace and Current Awareness will be reviewed by patrons prior to implementation.]

Original Charge (January 1999):

Building on the efforts of a group at Mann Library working to develop and implement a "Virtual Carrel", the Personalized Electronic Services Working Group will envision, test (via user studies), define, develop and implement a set of personalized electronic library services that are linked to the Library Gateway.  These services are intended for Cornell students, faculty and staff.  The group will use Unified Modeling Language to guide the development process.

The Working Group will report through the Library Gateway Committee to the Library Management Team.

Specifically, the Personalized Electronic Library Services Implementation Working Group will:

1.  Envison a set of personalized electronic library services for the use of the students, faculty and staff of Cornell University, using as a starting point the ideas generated in the Library Gateway user study, the Mann Library "Virtual Carrel" group discussions, and discussions of the Faculty Library Board.

2.  Test the desirability of these ideas with the user community.

3. In consultation with the Library Management Team, develop an implementation and ongoing budget and prioritize the services to be implemented.

4.  Implement the services.  At least some services should be ready for use by the start of the Fall 1999 semester.

5.  Use Unified Modeling Language (UML) to guide the software development process and evaluate its effectiveness.

Suggestions Concerning our Activities? 

We are eager to hear your comments and ideas. Please feel free to contact us individually.  You can also reach us by writing to our group list:  peswg-l@gould.mannlib.cornell.edu  We look forward to hearing from you!