Hi



Tameside Libraries manages and maintains the Tameside ‘Local groups and Organisations Database’, which contains the details of around 900 groups and organisations in the Tameside area. The database was previously hosted using Vubis (our library management system). This relied upon marc cataloguing to input the data to the database. Earlier this year, in conjunction with Tameside Council’s web team, we developed and launched our new web based version http://whatson.tameside.gov.uk/CommunityGroup/Index 



The new database is part of the Tameside council events calendar "What's On in Tameside" and groups are now able to submit their individual events for inclusion and link these to their group details.



Our new database is much easier to edit and manage (running reports is easy) and displays information more neatly. customers can now register groups themselves online. We are also able to give editing rights to existing groups by asking them to register an account. All information comes to us for moderation before being published onto the live version.



The "groups" section of the Events Calendar is fully managed by Libraries Information Service staff. All groups are contacted once a year to ensure their information is still correct, and we actively seek out new organisations to include in the database. The "Events" half is managed and validated by TMBC Events and Communications department.



 There is still further development work required before the project is complete, such as location searching, and automatic update reports via email, but it is significantly easier to use for both staff and customers than the previous version was. 



We are particularly pleased with the joint working with the IT Department on this project to develop a system that addressed the needs of both our customers and ourselves. They went to great lengths to consult and gain a thorough understanding of the whole process. 



One final point. This also marks a significant milestone for us, in the acknowledgement of our important role in the provision of information to our community. Previously there have been several other databases providing similar data, some belonging to other Council departments, others community organisations. For various reasons (typically around short term funding of projects, or reliance on an individual) most of these other databases have ceased to be supported or updated. Our database is now acknowledged as the "official" list of Tameside groups. We host all publicly available data for the Council and Tameside 3rd Sector Coalition, (the development agency for voluntary and community groups in the area). 



For further information please contact myself or Stephanie Booth: [log in to unmask]

  



Karen Heathcote

Information Services Librarian

Tameside Libraries Information Service

Central Library

Old St

Ashton-under-Lyne

OL6 7SG

Tel 0161 342 2031

Fax 0161 330 4762



Community Services

Cultural and Customer Services

Libraries Service Unit

 

Email disclaimer is http://www.tameside.gov.uk/emdis.htm 







-----Original Message-----

From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries

[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Philip Jones

Sent: 08 December 2010 15:38

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Request for info on Community Information Databases





Dear All



I would be most grateful if anyone would be willing to share their experience of Community Information Databases. At the moment we, as a Library Service, host and curate a Community Information Database called Peoplelink. It's on the Talis Engage platform and is linked to via our Library website as well as an older people's information website called www.opin.org.uk. The link is here should anyone like to take a look:



http://coventry.talis.com/engage/



Do any other Library Services provide a similar community database, and if so is it through a normal website, an LMS-supplier created website such as Talis Engage or some other way? 



If your Library Service does provide a community information database, who inputs the data and checks its accuracy? Is it staff, or do the groups and organisations on it take responsibility for keeping their own information up to date?



If your Library Service doesn't provide this service themselves, is it done by another part of the Local Authority instead, perhaps a webteam or communications team?



I will of course summarise any (anonymised) responses for the list.



Kind regards



Phil Jones



ICT & Information Coordinator

Coventry Libraries and Information Services

Floor 2, West Orchards House

28-34 Corporation Street

Coventry

CV1 1GF



Tel:  024 7683 2329

Fax: 024 7683 2470



Visit us at www.coventry.gov.uk/libraries



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