‘Formulating user requirements for Europe’s cultural heritage portals‘.
This is the topic and subtitle of a paper I am currently writing for ELAG 2008 Conference ‘Rethinking the Library’
It starts off explaining why libraries and other cultural institutions are ‘putting the shoe on the other foot’ and – as a result – are paying more and more attention to the needs and wishes of their users.
Next it explains how The European Library and Europeana – two of Europe’s most important cultural heritage portals –try to reflect the user demands in the services they (will) provide. Some of the main topics of debate such as personalization and API are also briefly addressed.
In short, the paper shows how users are also becoming kings in cultural heritage websites.
More details will follow soon. For the time being, please consider a visit to The European Library and Europeana. Starting today, the latter offers much more information about various topics. For instance, it now includes information about the usability testing done on the demo-version of Europeana.
Information about the Conference:
ELAG, the European Library Automation Group, brings together once a year people involved in library automation in the leading European libraries and information centres. The organization counts 450 members in 27 countries all over Europe. In the last few years over 100 colleagues attended the seminars each year.” (taken from their website)
The conference takes place 14-16 April 2008, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
You can find the full agenda at http://library.wur.nl/elag2008/
