Conference papers

Digital issues II

Developing a Judicial Virtual Library: a Case Study

Aladin Rahemtula

Supreme court librarian, Supreme Court Library of Queensland

Rebecca Cook, Samantha Wrigley Librarians - Technical Services Division, Supreme Court Library of Queensland

Abstract

This paper will outline the establishment of the Judicial Virtual Library (JVL) by the Supreme Court Library of Queensland. The JVL is a single gateway, for the sole use of Queensland Judges and their staff, which provides direct access to relevant information products and services. The paper takes the form of a case study detailing the Library's experience of implementing this new online service. Issues discussed include: the genesis of the project; development of an interface design concept; integration of relevant content from the Library and external sources; hardware and software requirements; utilization of a focus group during the establishment phase; and subsequent client surveys to assess the utility of the service. It will conclude by outlining the future directions of the service.

Introduction

The Judicial Virtual Library (JVL) is a single gateway through which users can quickly and easily access information services from their desktop. It was launched in May 2000 and is a secure web-based environment administered by the Supreme Court Library for the use of Queensland Judges. In the near future, access to the service will also be extended to the Stipendiary Magistrates.

Before detailing the development of the JVL, this paper will briefly discuss the concept of a 'virtual library' and the genesis of the JVL project at the Supreme Court Library.

Digital libraries

In recent times the terms 'digital library', 'virtual library', 'online library' and even 'cybrary', have been used, often interchangeably, to describe a variety of electronic information sources and services. While computer science literature may focus more narrowly upon the digital library as a database of machine-readable documents, librarians more frequently define the digital library as an organization which provides information services in electronic form.[1] In the latter case the digital library is simply a new form of library, adapting to meet the information needs of a new environment.

Even within library literature the terms 'digital library' and 'virtual library' have been used to describe structures as vast as the World Wide web and as humble as a local PC-based personal collection, to connote libraries which exist totally in 'virtual' space and those which simply complement their traditional print-based collection with selected web-based services.[2] These multiple meanings demonstrate the variety of ways that libraries are responding to the rapid development of information technology and its consequential effects upon the creation, collection, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information.

The Supreme Court Library is continually challenged to provide the Courts with effective and cost-efficient access to source material in a fast-changing publishing environment. A key concern is identifying the right balance of print and electronic (CD-ROM and online) products which will ensure that our information services are easy to use, stable, and provide a range of material appropriate to the users' needs. Assuming that such a balance can be found, the Library must also ensure that this range of material can be utilized in a seamless manner. The Library has implemented a number of networking and web-based technology projects in order to meet this challenge. For example, in 1999/2000 the Library launched its new web-based catalogue (INNOPAC) and also introduced a number of new services, including full text Queensland judgements, on the Courts/Library website, which is designed and maintained by the library.

The Judicial Virtual Library

The introduction of the new online services mentioned above was enthusiastically received by the Judiciary, and the Library recognized an opportunity to establish a web-based service specifically for the Judges and their staff. At the time, the Judges had access to an intranet maintained by the Department of Justice for the use of its departmental officers, including Crown Law and the Director of Public Prosecutions. However, there were concerns raised about the Judiciary utilizing a network under the control of the Department of Justice, which could lead to potential conflicts of interest.

The JVL addresses this concern because it is maintained by the Supreme Court Library which is an independent statutory authority with the primary mission of providing information services to the Courts. Secondly, the Library is administered by a committee which is chaired by a Supreme Court Judge. Thus, control of the service rests with its primary users, the Judiciary.

Key benefits of the JVL service are:

• provision of an integrated information service through a single desktop access point for Judges throughout Queensland;
• creation of a secure environment through which the Judges can share internal documentation (Reports etc.);
• ability for Library to refine existing online services for a specific user group (approximately 65 Judges);
• opportunity for the Library to publish information services specifically created for the Judges in a web-based format.

A secondary function of the JVL is to lay a foundation throughout the Judiciary for the digital library concept although, at this time, it is certainly not a 'virtual' alternative to the Library's extensive paper-based collection. The range of print sources held by the Library, including valuable historical archives, are not yet replicated in online products.

Once the concept of the JVL had been formulated, a project team was convened. A literature survey was conducted which identified two similar services, one administered by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (Washington) and one administered by the New Zealand Department of Courts.[3] The background information supplied by these organizations was interesting, but as each service was designed for a specific user group, and for a unique technical environment, they were not directly comparable. It was difficult to research similar services as they are generally delivered via a secure intranet which is not accessible to the outside world.

Following the initial research, the project team undertook a number of phases throughout the establishment of the JVL, as detailed below.

Case study

Evaluation phase

The evaluation phase of the project, which ran concurrently with the design phase, consisted of determining the most effective technical structure to deliver the web-based JVL service.

Current technical environment

There are three bodies involved, at different levels, in the technical environment of the JVL. These are the Supreme Court Library, the Queensland Courts and the Queensland Government's Department of Justice. Currently the judges' information technology support is provided by courts administration and additional services are provided by the Department of Justice. As an independent body, the library maintains an entirely separate computer environment. The technical challenge of this project was to create a secure area which is accessible from both the library and courts networks. The following model was developed to meet this challenge:

Figure 1: Technical architecture

The JVL is hosted on a dedicated COMPAQ server, utilizing Red Hat Linux 6.1 and Apache webserver, purchased by the library. Access to the JVL is controlled by two firewalls, one administered by the library and one administered by the Department of Justice. Access is limited to judges, their staff, and selected library staff. The library updates the site using Microsoft's Frontpage which is also used to maintain the courts/library websites.

Development phase

The three key issues considered during the development phase were:

• what content will be included on the JVL?
• how should the information be structured and what navigation scheme should be employed?
• what interface design will incorporate a pleasing appearance with ease of use?

Content

Initially, three types of information have been included on the JVL: information which is also available via the courts/library website; information produced by the library which had previously been supplied to Judges in paper format; and access to online databases and indexes produced by third parties. Samples from these three categories are listed below:

The JVL includes general legal internet links which are available via the Courts/Library website, and also features a variety of non-legal sites of interest to the Judiciary. One such site is Arts and Letters Daily[4] which features abstracts of, and links to, a selection of full-text articles from leading international newspapers, magazines and journals. It offers a comprehensive index of links to 28 newspapers and news services, 58 journals, 25 book review sites and 90 other miscellaneous services including reference utilities.

An important activity during the development phase was negotiating with legal publishers with regards to online subscription costing and access issues. JVL currently provides the Judges with access to all online publications produced by Butterworths, CCH, LBC Information Services and LawNow.

One concern which has not yet been fully addressed is the inability to provide Judges with automated logins to online subscriptions, thus dispensing with the need to remember multiple passwords. This is largely due to the fact that Judges' access cannot be authorised by IP address identification as the IP addresses are randomly allocated each time they log onto the network. At present the relevant passwords are listed on the JVL.

Structure and Navigation

Although the Library has provided introductory Internet training sessions, many of the Judges have limited experience with web-based services. Therefore it is important that the structure and navigational scheme of the site are as simple and intuitive as possible. The JVL is hierarchically structured as follows.

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As the JVL is used by a small, defined user group who were given the opportunity to review the proposed category labels and provide feedback, the Library was able to refine the structure to meet their needs. The Library also received feedback in relation to the navigational design, which indicated that simplicity and ease of use was the priority. As a result the JVL utilizes a traditional scanning-column approach, where all menu options appear listed down the left hand side of the screen, usually on a dark background which distinguishes them from the main text of the page. To minimize confusion, text labels are used rather than graphical representations of categories (for example the heading 'Library' is used rather than a picture of a book).

When developing a template for page design, navigational pointers have been included to help the user answer three fundamental questions: Where am I? Where have I been? Where can I go? The key navigational conventions used within the JVL are:

• each page includes a standard identifying header;
• each page includes a link to its parent page and the homepage;
• each page displays the full path from the home page down to the parent of the current page, enabling user to jump to any level in the hierarchy (breadcrumbs scheme);
• each page provides a search function;
• underlined links are used rather than graphical 'buttons' so that clickable options are obvious to users;
• visited links are differentiated from unvisited ones so that users know which pages have been visited and which have yet to be explored; and
• each page includes a link to the site map.

Interface design

During the interface design process, the project team considered website design principles as they applied to both Internet and intranet development.[6] As with the development of any web-based publication, the key design issues relating to user interaction with the site (such as page loading time, general usability and text scannability) were addressed. However, as the JVL is a secure information sharing environment for a defined user group within a workplace, some features of intranet design applied.

The project team endeavored to maintain a seamless and consistent interface within the JVL by utilizing the same basic layout grid, colour scheme and editorial standards on each internal page. The usage of graphics was generally minimized in order to optimize loading time and reduce the possibility of distracting from the main text.

When designing the JVL homepage, the aim was to create an attractive and distinctive entry into the site. To this end, a selection of photographs depicting traditional legal and library images have been arranged in a geometric jigsaw pattern, combing modern design and imagery familiar to the Judiciary. As the JVL service is utilized repetitively by a select group, there is no need to provide text outlining the purpose or benefits of the site as is used on Internet homepages to entice casual browsers.

Review Phase

During the development phase a number of design concepts were formulated. Three website models were then created consisting of a homepage and a sequence of internal pages, incorporating the proposed navigational scheme. A focus group consisting of a panel of Judges was then convened to review the interface design and provide feedback in relation to content selection.

Two of the website models were ultimately selected, based upon the guidelines outlined above, to be presented to the focus group. In addition, each model was presented in a number of different colour schemes. Following a demonstration of the models, the focus group was prompted to provide feedback with reference to the prospective designs, colour schemes, navigation and content options. This process was extremely useful as it allowed the users to directly influence the development of the service, which ultimately maximized the usability of the JVL.

The focus group selected a preferred model (Figure 3)and suggested a number of modifications, all of which were incorporated in the final version (Figure 4)of the site. The suggested design modifications were:

• list the menu options on the homepage in a single column down the left side of the screen rather than positioning them within the geometric jigsaw design;
• organize the material in the Court Publications into two separate categories entitled Internal Documents and Public Documents so as to distinguish between publicly available information and internal documentation, which should be kept confidential;
• remove detailed descriptions of each menu option, as it was decided that these were not necessary because the users were familiar with the menu labels; and
• change background colour of internal pages from white to beige.

Future plans for the development of the site were also discussed by the focus group.

Figure 3: Preferred model

[image not available]

Figure 4: Final version

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Implementation phase

Following the focus group, the interface design, structure and navigational scheme for the site were finalized. The initial content, which was also discussed during the focus group, was then loaded onto the site.

Site testing

During the testing phase, each page of the site was checked to ensure that all features were functional and consistent with the agreed upon site style and structure. A checklist of questions was prepared to assist with this testing. Such questions included:

• Are all hyperlinks, headings and subheadings formatted consistently?
• Does the standard header and footer appear on every page?
• Are contact details up-to-date?
• Do all images have 'alt' tags?
• Are the Java rollovers on the homepage functioning properly?
• Does the homepage load promptly?
• Are online subscription passwords functioning properly?

During this phase, the site description document which was prepared during the development phase was reviewed and modified to reflect the site as it was implemented. This document consists of a description of the site which includes: how the site will function; hierarchical structure; design conventions; content selection criteria; a record of modifications; and timetable for future development and review. The formulation of a site description document enables the project team to articulate the objectives of the site for future reference, provides a detailed 'style sheet' for in-house publishers, and is a useful record for successive site managers who may not have been involved in the initial development project.

Installation

The installation process involved visiting each judge in their chambers to ensure that they could access the JVL quickly and easily. This included the following tasks:

• setting the JVL as the browser default homepage;
• checking that the connection to the secure webserver was enabled;
• ensuring that browser preferences are compatible with JVL settings; and
• providing a brief tour of the service and answering any queries.

Prior to installation, the Library had conducted a five week series of electronic resource training seminars for Judges and their associates. As two of these seminars provided an introduction to using the Internet and also outlined more advanced searching techniques, they assisted in developing the basic skills required to utilize the web-based JVL service. At this time, the Library staff also discussed the development of the JVL, its function and the types of information and services which would be available.

Following installation, the Library circulated a brief survey to ascertain whether there were any technical problems in relation to accessing the JVL, and to encourage comments and suggestions. Users reported some frustration during occasional downtimes in the services provided by legal publishers. The Library reports these problems to the publishers as they occur. Features of the site which received favourable mentions were:

• internet links index, especially the overseas cases and legislation links;
• online legal publications of Butterworths, CCH, LBC Information Services and LawNow; and
• Arts and Letters Daily site.

Future Directions

The Library envisages a number of opportunities for the future development of the JVL. The primary development of the service will centre on the provision of additional content and services such as:

• access to the Library's extensive collection of approximately 75 CD-ROM databases, including relevant overseas legal material;
• internal documentation (Benchbook);
• information sharing tools (Judicial Bulletin Board);
• full-text current awareness service (currently produced by the Library in print format); and
• access to the Library's legal publications such as Court of Appeal Sentencing Service (including over 1060 criminal sentence appeals dating back to in 1982) and Queensland Legal Indexes (incorporating Queensland Judgments Service, Queensland Current Case Citator, and Queensland Legislation Service).

All future development will proceed in close consultation with the users, and the Library intends to conduct periodic surveys to assess the ongoing relevance and effectiveness of the service. These surveys will be complemented by regular focus group meetings with members of the Judiciary and senior Court personnel. In addition the Library will continue to provide training which focuses upon utilizing the JVL.

Conclusion

The Library has energetically embraced the opportunity to utilize technology to deliver legal research information to the Judiciary in an effective and cost-efficient manner. The web-based JVL service provides the Judiciary with secure and seamless access to a broad spectrum of information, in addition to providing a forum for the sharing of internal documentation. The Supreme Court Library, as the information and research centre for the Courts, will continue to develop services such as the JVL which are adaptive to our rapidly changing information environment.

References

[1] Borgman, Christine, 'What are digital libraries? Competing visions', Information Processing and Mangement, vol. 35, 1999, p. 227-243.

Arms, William, Digital Libraries, Cambridge, MIT Press, 2000.

[2] Clyde, Laurel (Dr), 'The digital library and its relatives: a place for school libraries?', ACCESS, August 2000, p. 21-25.

[3] 'Judiciary's Own Virtual Law Library Opens For Business', The Third Branch, September 1999, p. 5.

McKechnie, Dougal, 'The Virtual Law Library', paper presented at the Sixth AIJA Biennial Court Librarians' Conference, Sydney, Australia, July 2000.

[4] Arts and Letters Daily http://www.cybereditions.com/aldaily/

[5] Nielsen, Jakob, Designing web Usability, Indianapolis, New Riders Publishing, 2000, p. 188.

[6] Queensland Government, 'web Style Manual', 1996.

Lynch, Patrick J. and Horton, Sarah web Style Guide : Basic Design Principles for Creating web Sites, Yale, Yale University Press, 1999.

Head, Alison (Dr), 'Demystifying Intranet Design' ONLINE, July/August 2000, p. 36-42.