Repository Aggregator Website
There is a lot of repository related information available to the people who are running repositories or are involved in repository related projects. This information is supplied by a range of sources. this piece of work will investigate using an aggregator website and repository related widgets to help repository administrators manage the flow of repository related information.
Aims and Objectives
The objectives of the aggregator website are to:
- Produce a demonstrator website that can be shown to some members of the repository community to gauge whether they would find such a service useful. Then, make the service available as a public beta offering while plans are made to develop the site further.
- Create a customizable and personalisable solution that can adapt to the wide range of information that a user might like to aggregate.
- Specifically ensure the service can aggregate with RSS feeds from relevant blogs, the Intute Repository Search service, information from the RSP site including support contacts. Statistics from OpenDOAR and ROAR, Sherpa RoMEO and JULIET, brief explanations of key topics, persistent aggregated search of sources like google scholar and technorati, subject based collection details from IESR, descriptions of useful repository software, e.g. IRstats, feedforward, sword client, manakin and RSS feeds from relevant repositories.
- Create focus groups in a structured way to help manage the feeback from the user community at all stages of development.
- Specific development requirements include the consideration of the Netvides Universal Widget API, Netvibes Universe, an authentication system, cross browser compatibility
Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes
A beta phase aggregator website that makes it easier for repository administrators to keep up to date with repository related information
- Approximately 12 widgets relevant to repository administrators utilising information sources that are already available. these widgets will be compatible with a range of aggregatr sites such as iGoogle and Netvibes.
- Focus groups to steer the development of the widgets and to discuss the final outputs.
Technical standards used
Netvibes Universal Widget API