A tale of binary bricks and mortar: building a virtual library

Abstract

PurposeTo provide a technical and practical analysis of the interactive floor plan developed by and for the law library at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.Design/methodology/approachThe different steps in the development process are described, from original idea to conclusion.FindingsThough some steps in the process are described fairly technically and detailed, the paper is by no means a step‐by‐step guide to developing similar applications, it briefly touches the principles and concepts that make the application work.Originality/valueThis paper describes the conception and development of a new type of library application. A truly interactive floor plan, unlike traditional static floor plans found on most web sites, was developed to create an actual virtual library. The concepts and techniques described in this paper could prove useful for other libraries wanting to create a similar application.