What is CommonSpot?

CommonSpot is a Content Management System (CMS) from PaperThin. CMS supports the creation, management, distribution, publishing, and discovery of web content. The key features of CommonSpot include:

• Enables a variety of technical and non technical staff to create, edit, manage and publish content, including text and AV materials.
• Separates content from design, ensuring consistency in design, preservation of brand identity, and making it easier to reuse content.
• Enables the implementation of a common set of rules, processes, and workflows that ensure a coherent, validated website appearance.
• Allows content production without programming and design experience.
• Facilitates better content security.
• Controls who is allowed to publish to the website, and who is allowed to see what content.

Who are involved in the current CUL planning efforts?

Currently, there are several CommonSpot-based web development projects in progress.   The implementations are distributed and the application management is coordinated by DLIT. 

The 1st phase CUL CommonSpot Implementation Group addressed the following issues during January-June 2005:

1. Installation - Clients, application server, and hardware requirements. Installation is Completed.
2. Training needs for different CUL user groups - Webmasters, web designers, web programmers, content developers, and system administrators.
3. Initial and ongoing technical support structure for CUL (including ColdFusion) Technical Support Subgroup Recommendations.
4. Site development - Developing new sites with CommonSpot vs migrating existing CUL websites to CommonSpot (developing a decision making matrix) Interim Report of CommonSpot Site Subgroup  & Proposed Pilot Sites.
5. Cost estimates for implementation and technical support .
6. Identification of other implementation issues that need to be addressed in future forums - potentially by different groups (such as web archiving, statistics gathering, etc.)

The Group has reported the results of the planning process and recommendations for streamlining CommonSpot implementation to the LMT in June 2005.  CUL CommonSpot Implemenation Group, Phase I Report

The CUL CommonSpot Implementation Group (Phase II) oversaw the pilot implementations and shared information about the outcomes of the pilot effort.  The group included Carla Demello, Joanne Leary, Maureen Morris, Howard Raskin, Oya Rieger (Coordinator), and Nathan Rupp.  The goal of the group was to collaborate in these early learning efforts and to continue identifying training and technical support needs for CUL implementations.  In addition, the Group coordinated orientation and show & tell sessions.  The pilot projects included web sites for Associated Science and Technology Libraries (ASTech), Mann Library, Public Services Administration for CUL, and Library Technical Services.  The March 2006 assessment of the group includes recommendations about the future implementation.

How was CommonSpot chosen for CUL?

Spearheaded by the newly formed Office of Web Communication, in Spring 2004, a campus-wide committee representing several Cornell units created an RFP to select a campus-wide web content management system for Cornell. The Library participated in the evaluation team to identify a common solution for effective management of web content. After evaluating several systems and inviting a few vendors to the campus, during Fall 2004 CommonSpot was chosen for a campus-wide implementation. CUL partnered with CIT, the College of Engineering, the ILR School, and the Office of Web Communication in raising the funds to license the CommonSpot Content Management System (CMS).