Reading List Application Requirements Document

Target release	Go live
Document status	DRAFT
Document owner	David Walker
Designer	David Walker
Developers	David Walker; Tyler
QA

Goals

Create a reading list application to better support reserves and learning management system integration with Alma / Primo.

Background and strategic fit

Alma's reading list functionality – mostly used in support of reserves – is pretty limited and clumsy. This application will provide a better interface to that capability within Alma, as well as integration points into campus learning management systems in an effort to increase usage of library resources for instructional material.

This integration will make it easier for instructors to adopt library resources in favor of course packs and expensive text books, reducing costs to students (in support of the AL$ initiative). Developing this as an open source application will save the CSU money.

Assumptions

Chancellor's Office will lead development and host the application
We will build application in PHP 5.6 (or maybe PHP 7.1?)
- Will use Symfony 3.1 as framework
- Will use Twig as the templating language
- Will use Bootstrap 4 (or maybe Foundation 6?) for CSS, front-end framework
- We will use APIs to interact with Alma and Primo
  - Saving all data to Alma's reading lists
Will use Shibboleth for authentication (perhaps some alternative for San Diego)
Will use LTI as the primary method of integration to the learning management system
Taskforce member institutions will provide initial testing, QA, feedback from faculty.

Requirements

#	Title	User Story	Importance	Notes
1	Add resources to list from Primo search	Instructor can search Primo to find books and articles to make part of the reading list.	Primary	Physical materials discovered via this search will need to alert library staff to place item on reserve or purchase item. Links to e-resources that expire will need to directed to library staff to place item on e-reserve or else users will wind-up at dead-end or ILL.
2	Add resources to list from manual entry	Instructor can manually add resources through a web form	Primary	Metadata should be sufficient to identify the resource via an openURL or with a direct link Instructor may enter a direct link to a subscription resources, so will need to add proxy link Should support databases as well as typical book, article, video, etc.
3	Add resource to list from already saved resources	Instructor may elect to copy an existing list or add resources they have previously discovered to a new list.	Primary	This is relatively simple by-product of the above requirements.
4	Add resources by exporting from Primo	Instructor may already have items saved or discovered via Primo. This feature would allow them to export the item to the reading list.	Secondary	Not critical for initial release Will likely have to hack this into Primo using AngularJS
5	Organize and manage list	Instructor should be able to organize the list into sections (e.g., by week or assignment) and add, order, and delete resources within each section. Instructor will also need to annotate each item.	Primary	This should be drag-and-drop Accessibility alternative a must
6	Add same list to multiple courses	Instructor may elect to use the same reading list in multiple courses, and so we need to distinguish users from each course	Secondary	Could get away with a single course to list assignment in the beginning
7	Instructor and co-instructor roles	Instructor has ability to invite co-instructor or librarian(s) to be able to edit the reading list	Secondary	Not critical for initial release Secondary roles should be able to recommend resources, which may be primary purpose of librarian role.
8	Sharing	Instructor can elect to make their list public, allowing other users of the system to see and adopt their list	Secondary	Not critical for initial release
9	Usage reports	Instructor can view how many and which users have viewed each item in the reading list	Secondary	Not critical for initial release Export stats in CSV Secondary roles (librarian, co-instructor) should be able to view this too Overview of all usage

User interaction and design

Questions

Below is a list of questions to be addressed as a result of this requirements document:

Question	Outcome
What should we call this application?
Should the instructor start their interaction with the system outside the LMS?
How best to expire, roll-over courses from term to term?
How much local branding should we support?
Can we create tasks in Alma for reserves and purchase?

Not Doing

Will not support uploading files, due to legal and security concerns