4 The Kids OPAC (KPAC) is a public catalog search that was designed for children
5 and teens. Colorful menu items,large buttons, and simple navigation make this
6 an appealing search interface for kids. Librarians will appreciate the flexible
7 configuration of the KPAC. Librarians can create links to canned search results
8 for kids and can apply these links by branch. The KPAC uses the same infrastructure
9 as the Template Toolkit OPAC (TPAC), the adult catalog search, so you can easily
10 extend the KPAC using the code that already exists in the TPAC. Finally, third
11 party content, such as reader reviews, can be integrated into the KPAC.
16 Two skins, or design interfaces, have been created for the KPAC. The KPAC was
17 designed to run multiple skins on a single web server. A consortium, then, could
18 allow each library system to choose a skin for their patrons.
24 In this skin, the search bar shares the top panel with a playful monster. The
25 search grid appears beneath the search bar. Help and Login links appear in bold
26 colors at the top right of the interface although you can customize these with CSS.
27 After you login, the Login button disappears.
29 image::media/Kids_OPAC2.jpg[Kids_OPAC2]
34 In this skin, the search bar is the focal point of the top panel and is centered
35 on the screen. The search grid appears beneath the search bar. Help and Login
36 links appear at the top right of the interface. You can customize the appearance
37 and position of these links with CSS. After you login, the user name is displayed
38 in the top right corner, and the Login link becomes an option to Logout.
40 image::media/Kids_OPAC1.jpg[Kids_OPAC1]
46 You can search the catalog using only the search bar, the search grid, or the search
47 bar and the collection drop down menu.
50 *Search using the Search Bar*
52 To search the catalog from the home page, enter text into the search bar in the
53 center of the main page, or enter text into the search bar to the right of the
54 results on a results page. Search indices are configurable, but the default search
55 indices include author, title and (key)word.
57 You can use this search bar to search the entire catalog, or, using the configuration
58 files, you can apply a filter so that search queries entered here retrieve records
59 that meet specific criteria, such as child-friendly copy locations or MARC audience
63 *Search using the Grid*
65 From the home page, you can search the catalog by clicking on the grid of icons.
66 An icon search can link to an external web link or to a canned search. For example,
67 the icon, Musical Instruments, could link to the results of a catalog search on
68 the subject heading, Musical instruments.
70 The labels on the grid of icons and the content that they search are configurable
71 by branch. You can use the grid to search the entire catalog, or, using the
72 configuration files, you can apply a filter so that search queries entered here
73 retrieve records associated with specific criteria, such as child-friendly copy
74 locations or MARC audience codes.
77 image::media/Kids_OPAC4.jpg[Kids_OPAC4]
80 You can add multiple layers of icons and searches to your grid:
83 image::media/Kids_OPAC5.jpg[Kids_OPAC5]
87 *Search using the Search Bar and the _Collection_ Drop Down Menu*
89 On the search results page, a search bar and drop down menu appear on the right
90 side of the screen. You can enter a search term and into the search bar and select
91 a collection from the drop down menu to search these configured collections.
92 Configured collections might provide more targeted searching for your audience
93 than a general catalog search. For example, you could create collections by shelving
94 location or by MARC audience code.
97 image::media/Kids_OPAC17.jpg[Kids_OPAC17]
100 Using any search method, the search results display in the center of the screen.
101 Brief information displays beneath each title in the initial search result. The
102 brief information that displays, such as title, author, or publication information,
106 image::media/Kids_OPAC6.jpg[Kids_OPAC6]
109 For full details on a title, click *More Info*. The full details displays the
110 configured fields from the title record and copy information. Click *Show more
111 copies* to display up to fifty results. Use the breadcrumbs at the top to trace
115 image::media/Kids_OPAC7.jpg[Kids_OPAC7]
122 From the search results, click the *Get it!* link to place a hold.
125 image::media/Kids_OPAC11.jpg[Kids_OPAC11]
128 The brief information about the title appears, and, if you have not yet logged in,
129 the *Get It!* panel appears with fields for username and password. Enter the username
130 and password, and select the pick up library. Then click *Submit*. If you have
131 already logged into your account, you need only to select the pick up location,
135 image::media/Kids_OPAC12.jpg[Kids_OPAC12]
138 A confirmation of hold placement appears. You can return to the previous record
139 or to your search results.
142 image::media/Kids_OPAC13.jpg[Kids_OPAC13]
149 You can save items to a temporary list, or, if you are logged in, you can save to
150 a list of your own creation. To save items to a list, click the *Get it* button
151 on the Search Results page.
154 image::media/Kids_OPAC14.jpg[Kids_OPAC14]
157 Select a list in the *Save It!* panel beneath the brief information, and click *Submit*.
160 image::media/Kids_OPAC16.jpg[Kids_OPAC16]
163 A confirmation of the saved item appears. To save the item to a list or to manage
164 the lists, click the *My Lists* link to return to the list management feature in
168 image::media/Kids_OPAC15.jpg[Kids_OPAC15]
175 Third party content, such as reader reviews, can be viewed in the Kids OPAC. The
176 reviews link appears adjacent to the brief information.
178 image::media/Kids_OPAC8.jpg[Kids_OPAC8]
181 Click the Reviews link to view reader reviews from a third party source. The reader
182 reviews open beneath the brief information.
185 image::media/Kids_OPAC9.jpg[Kids_OPAC9]
188 Summaries and reviews from other publications appear in separate tabs beneath the
192 image::media/Kids_OPAC10.jpg[Kids_OPAC10]
197 Configuration files allow you to define labels for canned searches in the icon
198 grid, determine how icons lead users to new pages, and define whether those icons
199 are canned searches or links to external resources. Documentation describing how
200 to use the configruation files is available in the Evergreen respository.