Building a collection development CMS on a shoe‐string
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830610652149 |
| Pages | 115-125 |
| Date | 01 January 2006 |
| Published date | 01 January 2006 |
| Author | Regina Beach,Miqueas Dial |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
THEME ARTICLE
Building a collection development
CMS on a shoe-string
Regina Beach and Miqueas Dial
Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Texas, USA
Abstract
Purpose – To discuss why a content management system (CMS) for collection development is
necessary in a distance education environment, restructuring technical services in preparation for a
CMS implementation, and the actual building of a prototype.
Design/methodology/approach – The article outlines the planning and processes necessary in
designing and building a CMS from scratch using existing resources and putting them to effective use.
Findings – While development and completion of the CMS database was accomplished in a timely
fashion, implementation in the library has been slow because of negotiating security issues.
Practical implications – A resource for any academic library considering developing their own
CMS in house.
Originality/value – Content management systems are becoming common at large universities with
resources to obtain the software “out of the box” and with full time computer support staffs implement
them. However, content management systems are much less common in the small university
environment. Creating one for managing library collection development is unique.
Keywords Content management,Collections development, Academiclibraries
Paper type Case study
Introduction – a statement of the problem
It was becoming increasingly important – at many levels – that collection
development efforts needed to change at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK),
a small comprehensive university of approximately 5,000 students in South Texas.
There was limited participation and cooperation by teaching faculty at the Kingsville
campus and virtually none by the faculty at the System Center in San Antonio.
Additionally, changes were needed in the library’s technical services department that
would more fully embrace technology and better support student and faculty needs in
the twenty-first century.
Much thought was devoted to find a solution to these problems. The primary author
participates in many library oriented listservs, and content management sys tems
(CMS) had been a discussion topic on a few. In this article, the authors describe the
need for a collection development CMS, necessary changes in library technical services,
and the process in developing a working prototype.
Content management systems allow anyone with authorization to enter information
onto a web page without knowledge of hypertext markup language (HTML) for
purposes of updating a web site. Also, information may be entered on a web page form
for sharing or distribution. All of this may be done at any time of the day or night at the
user’s convenience. The more this model was considered, the more it seemed the
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
Building a CMS
on a shoe-string
115
Received 1 September 2005
Revised 1 November 2005
Accepted 15 November 2005
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 24 No. 1, 2006
pp. 115-125
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/07378830610652149
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