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Montana State University (MSU) Library - Digital Labs

Below you'll find a sample list of our experiments and trials with digital media and applications. It's an example of our research and development initiatives. Please have a look and kick the tires.

Beta Projects

"Historical Photos Walking Tour App" - a mobile app for a walking tour of the Montana State University campus using images from the MSU Historical Photos Digital Collection

"BookMeUp" - a book suggestion tool with a hat tip to reader's advisory
"BookMeUp" uses the Amazon Product Advertising API to suggest related books to read based on a user's location and/or search query.
This app is built with php, javascript, and html and optimized for mobile environments. Other APIs used for data sources include: MapFast from OCLC, the Worldcat Search API, and the Open Library Cover Image API.
MSU Library Mobile Web Site
A mobile version of the MSU Library Web Site; a web app built with the jQuery mobile framework.
Beta site: MSU Library Mobile Web Site
Subject Map for Montana State University Library
Browse the MSU collection using Library of Congress Subject Headings. This interactive map shows you the arrangement of our stacks on each floor. Uses Flash and HMTL to make it go.
Set your Terms, Master your Searches
A mashup of the top related terms for a query according to the Yahoo Search Index. This is a proof of concept app. We are using it internally to build a loose, natural language search index for our article database search. It could be a candidate for a public app as a "Term Recommendation" engine. Would like to build off concept to help students work out better terms for searching library resources. Need to find more sources for related terms from Google or Wikipedia search indices and work with public services staff to refine. Built with PHP, HTML and Javascript.
"Linked People" - a revisioning of the staff directory with linked data
The "Linked People" project focuses on one of our greatest library resources: library personnel. Most libraries have staff directory information published on the web, yet most of this data is trapped in local silos, PDFs, or unstructured HTML markup. With this in mind, the library informatics team at our academic library set a goal of remaking our people pages by connecting the local staff database to the Linked Open Data (LOD) cloud. In pursuing linked data integration for library staff, we have realized two primary use cases: improving the search engine optimization (SEO) for people pages and creating research network graphs. With this project, we focus on the linked data workflows and ontology expressions needed to create new search and browse visualizations.
Feed Me Some Worldcat
Run a search on Worldcat - Get an Opensearch feed for your feedreader. Sit back and get updates on Worldcat topics. What is a feed? Learn more about feeds from this video.
MSU Digital Collections in Flickr
Selected photographs and papers from the Montana State University Library Special Collections are now available on Montana State University Library's Photostream at Flickr.com.
Library Lifestream
Watch the social web activity at the library. As our staff members, bookmark, tweet, listen and blog - the results are recorded here.
iPhone/SmartPhone View of MSU Digital Initiatives Flickr Stream
An experiment where the most recent photos uploaded to Flickr by MSU Digital Initiatives are "mashed up" to create a mobile app. Uses the Flickr feed service API, jQuery, PHP, and good old xHTML to make it happen.
Mobile view of MSU blog feed
An experiment where the most recent entries from the MSU blog are "mashed up" to work in a mobile environment. Uses the Google Ajax Feed API, jQuery, and good old xHTML to make it happen.
Journal Table of Contents (TOC) Service
An attempt to aggregate academic journal table of contents listings tailored for specific university departmental interests. Uses the Google Ajax Feed API, javascript, RSS or Atom feeds, and PHP to make it go.
Google Gadgets for Montana State University Library
A range of applications you can add to your personalized Google homepage, Blackboard, or any other Web page. Uses XML, Google gadgets API, javascript and HMTL to make it go.
New Yorker Fiction Podcast Mashup (iTunes compatible)
A mashup or remix of a podcast feed of contemporary authors reading and discussing short stories. Uses RSS or Atom feeds and PHP to make it go. Code is available and could be used as template for displaying podcast feeds.

Widgets and Tools

This section of the Montana State University Library Web site lists a variety of widgets that you may find useful while conducting research.

What is a widget?    
Widgets bring the Library Web services to you. They include Web applications, simple add-ons for your Web browser, and other shortcuts that make researching a little easier. If you would like to learn more about widgets, read this Newsweek article on the topic.
How do I get started?
Each of the widgets we've listed on our site includes a description and installation instructions. Click on a widget below to learn more.

LibX Toolbar for Montana State University Library

A Web browser add-on that allows you to search and cite Montana State University resources.

Google Gadgets for Montana State University Library

A range of applications you can add to your personalized Google homepage, Blackboard, or any other Web page.

Facebook App for Montana State University Library

An application you add to your Facebook account that allows you to search the Montana State University Library resources from within Facebook.

Catalog Search Plug-in for Montana State University Library

A Web browser add-on that allows you to search the Montana State University Library catalog.

Journalist Search Plug-in for Montana State University Library

A Web browser add-on that allows you to search the Montana State University journals collection.

Video Search Plug-in for Montana State University Library

A Web browser add-on that allows you to search the Montana State University Library video collection.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) Search Plug-in for Montana State University Library

A Web browser add-on that allows you to search for Theses and Dissertations from Montana State University.

Collection 10 Search Plug-in for Montana State University Library

A Web browser add-on that allows you to search the James Willard Schultz "Photographs of American Indians" collection.