Repository End User Image Tool Functional Specifications
Searching the RepositoryThe Central Digital Repository will have a search interface where users can look for individual or sets of images in the Library's collections, and view thumbnail and larger versions of the images along with their descriptive metadata. Users must be able to select images from the results display singly or in groups, or from a page displaying full information for an image, for "collection" – capture for use in a tool to create presentations for use in the classroom or create online electronic image reserves. A checkbox or a "Collection" icon will bring up a menu with options to collect an image with or without accompanying descriptive metadata. Collector and Presentation Building ToolsThe Collector and Presentation Building Tools are one or more stand-alone desktop applications that can are installed on a user's desktop or laptop but can interact with the Repository via a network connection. After items have been collected from the Repository, collected item are separated into different tabs/panes by high-level type (image, text, audio, etc.) for review. The Collector Tool will allow the user to save collected images of any or all types into a named persistent set, select newly collected images to add into previously existing saved sets, or delete images from previously existing saved sets. The first version of these tools will be limited to image use. Once a set iscreated, users can sort the images via a drag-and-drop interface. For lecture and reserve set planning, blanks can be inserted into the order, and an image can be placed into the order multiple times (e.g., image can appear multiple times in a set). The order can be changed at a later time. The ability to apply a sort order, such as creator, title, place, or date is highly desirable, but may not be implemented in the first version. Presentation ExportThere are two planned uses for this tool: the creation of Lecture Presentations for use in the classroom, and the creation of web-based Electronic Image Reserves for courses. For a Lecture Presentation, the user will select background and font colors, customize metadata that accompanies the image(s), including the option to include no metadata with the image(s). This includes exporting all metadata elements, selectively including metadata elements, or adding custom annotations. The lecture will have basic forward and backward navigation. The ability to create single or double projected presentations (where two digital projectors are available) with independent navigation is highly desirable, but may not be implemented in the first version.The presentation files can be saved to a local drive or a network location, and can be delivered from the local drive or over the network, but must be delivered in a setting where there is a network connection because the images and delivery tools are stored remotely. The presentation should be deliverable through standard web browsers, cross-platform. The ability to zoom and pan in the larger images will be supported by an Image Resizer applet launched over the network. For Electronic Image Reserves, the user can select background and font colors, customize metadata that accompanies the image(s), including the option to include no metadata with the image(s). This includes exporting all metadata elements, selectively including metadata elements, or adding custom annotations. The viewer will be able to navigate forward and backward through screens of thumbnail images. The reserve files can be saved to a local drive or a network location, and can be delivered from the local drive or over the network, but must be delivered in a setting where there is a network connection because the images and delivery tools are stored remotely. The presentation should be deliverable through standard web browsers, cross-platform. The ability to zoom and pan in the larger images will be supported by an Image Resizer applet launched over the network. February 20, 2004 |
