[CODE4LIB] Job: Head Of Library Technology at Radford University
John P. McConnell Library at Radford University seeks a collaborative, user- centered Head of Library Technology to provide leadership to a highly committed and outstanding technology department. The Head of Library Technology brings vision and expertise to planning, developing, implementing and maintaining robust information technology supporting the library's mission. The position administers and supervises the department and manages library technology budgets and purchases. Required Qualifications: * Master's degree in Information Science, Information Technology, Library Science, or related field * At least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in information technology management and supervision of staff; * Extensive IT administration and management experience in libraries, and on a diverse variety of IT platforms; * Extensive experience with integrated library systems, networking, server management and the programming essential to a technologically robust library; * Excellent oral and written communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to facilitate technical communication among a variety of stakeholders; * Demonstrated success in collaborative project management in applying innovative technologies to enhance library services; * Enthusiasm and deep understanding of the role and possibilities of technology in teaching, learning, and research pursuits. Preferred Qualifications: * ALA-accredited Master's degree; * Broad range of experience and expertise in a wide variety of library technologies including: operating systems, web design and management, scripting, enterprise databases, content management systems, digital asset repositories design and management; * Demonstrated ability to prepare successful grant proposals for technology projects; * IT degree. The Head of Library Technology position is full-time and holds rank as a professional faculty member. Librarians at Radford University are not tenure-track. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. All applicants must apply online at http://jobs.radford.edu to be considered for the position. Radford University is a comprehensive, state-supported institution focused on providing outstanding academic programs in a student-centered environment. The university is well known for its strong faculty/student bonds and innovative use of technology in the learning environment. Radford is located by the New River in the scenic mountains of Southwest Virginia, 40 miles from Roanoke. All new hires to Radford University are subject to E-Verify to verify employment eligibility. Radford University is an EO/AA employer committed to diversity. Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6389/
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
Shaun Ellis sha...@princeton.edu * Myth #1 : GitHub creates a barrier to entry. That's a fact, not a myth. Myself, I won't give GitHub my full legal name and I suspect there are others who won't. So, we're not welcome there and if we lie to register, all our work would be subject to deletion at an arbitrary future point. There's a couple of other things in the terms which aren't simple, too. [...] * Myth #4 : GitHub is monopolizing open source software development. ... to its unfortunate centralizing of so much free/open source software on one platform.) Convergence is not always a bad thing. GitHub provides a great, free service with lots of helpful collaboration tools beyond version control. It's natural that people would flock there, despite having lots of other options. Whether or not it's a deliberate monopolising attempt, I don't think that's the full reason. It's not only natural effect. There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. Use github if you like. Just don't expect everyone to do so. Hope that explains, -- MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op. http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer. In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/
Re: [CODE4LIB] Fuseki and other SPARQL servers
Thanks everyone for the info. This soothed my apprehensions of running Fuseki in a production environment. Ethan On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 4:05 PM, Ross Singer rossfsin...@gmail.com wrote: I'll add that the LARQ plugin for Fuseki (which adds Lucene indexes) is pretty awesome, as well. -Ross. On Feb 20, 2013, at 3:57 PM, John Fereira ja...@cornell.edu wrote: If forgot about that. That issue was created quite awhile ago and I hadn't check on it in a long time. I've found that Jetty has worked fine in our production environment so far. As I wrote earlier, I have it connecting to a jena SDB that is used for a semantic web application (VIVO) that was developed here. Although we have the semantic web application running on a different server than the SDB database I found the performance was fairly significantly improved by having the Fuseki server running on the same machine as the SDB. -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 2:52 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Fuseki and other SPARQL servers Hi Hugh, I have investigated the possibility of deploying Fuseki as a war in Tomcat ( https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/JENA-201) because I wasn't sure how the default Jetty container would respond in production, but since you aren't having any problems with that deployment, I may go ahead and do that. Ethan On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 2:39 PM, Hugh Cayless philomou...@gmail.com wrote: Hi Ethan! We've been using Jena/Fuseki in papyri.info for about a year now, iirc. We started with Mulgara, but switched. It's running in its own Jetty container in our system, but I've had no performance issues with it whatever. Best, Hugh On Feb 20, 2013, at 14:31 , Ethan Gruber ewg4x...@gmail.com wrote: Hi all, I have been playing around with Fuseki ( http://jena.apache.org/documentation/serving_data/index.html) for a few months to get my feet wet with accessing and querying RDF. I quite like it. I find it well documented and easy to set up. We will soon deploy a SPARQL server in a production environment, and I would like to know if others on the list have experience with Fuseki in production, or have other recommendations. Mulgara is off the table as it inexplicably conflicts with other apps installed in Tomcat. Thanks, Ethan
Re: [CODE4LIB] Providing Search Across PDFs
As far as the google custom search solution, I'd add that sometimes it yields weird results : for instance, we indexed a site and for a given search term, google says about 16 results (we have 10 hits displayed on the page) and when we click on page 2, it says about 12 results (showing the two remaining hits). Ok, it says about, but it's a bit strange anyway that the system is not able to compute the proper number of hits upfront (it occurs while using labels refinement.) On the other hand, it's super easy to set up... Le 20/02/2013 20:33, Nathan Tallman a écrit : @Jason and @Michele: I'd rather stay away from a Google solution. The reason being that they don't index everything. Our sitemap is submitted nightly and out of about 6000 URLs only 1500 are indexed. I can't make sure Google indexes the PDFs or be sure that they always will. (If I'm misunderstanding this, please let me know.) @Péter: The VuFind solution I mentioned is very similar to what you use here. It uses Aperture (although soon to use Tika instead) to grab the full-text and shoves everything inside a solr index. The import is managed through a PHP script the crawls every URL on the sitemap. The only part I don't have is removing deleted, adding new, and updating changed webpages/files. I'm not sure how to rework the script to use a list of new files rather than the sitemap, but everything is on the same server so that should work. On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 12:53 PM, Nathan Tallman ntall...@gmail.com wrote: My institution is looking for ways to provide search across PDFs through our website. Specifically, PDFs linked from finding aids. Ideally searching within a collection's PDFs or possibly across all PDFs linked from all finding aids. We do not have a CMS or a digital repository. A digital repository is on the horizon, but it's a ways out and we need to offer the search sooner. I've looked into Swish-e but haven't had much luck getting anything off the ground. One way we know we can do this through our discovery layer VuFind, using it's ability to full-text index a website based on a sitemap (which would includes PDFs linked from finding aids). Facets could be created for collections, and we may be able to create a search box on the finding aid nav that searches specifically that collection. But, I'm not sure how scalable that solution is. The indexing agent cannot discern when a page was updated, so it has to re-scrape, everything, every-night. The impetus collection is going to have about over 1000 PDFs. And that's to start. Creating the index will start to take a long, long time. Does anyone have any ideas or know of any useful tools for this project? Doesn't have to be perfect, quick and dirty may work. (The OCR's dirty anyway :-) Thanks, Nathan -- signature *Julien Gibert* Agence Bibliographique de l'Enseignement Supérieur 227, avenue Professeur Jean Louis Viala 34193 Montpellier cedex 5 Tél : 33 (0)4 67 54 84 07 Fax : 33 (0)4 67 54 84 14
[CODE4LIB] Full Legal Names on the Web, was GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
@Shaun, That is really interesting. I never looked at Github that way. I jumped on the github bandwagon for purely selfish, web-culture reasons and for the purpose of having a code portfolio (even if I'm a little embarrassed by it). This split topic I'd like to see maybe in another thread is about giving full legal names to web services. If anyone watched the PS4 reveal last night, you might have noticed that PS4 is giving up gamertags (read: aliases) for full names to easily integrate with other social platforms. Even though I'm late to the game, for the last year I've been using solely my full name as username (where I can get it) so, frankly, I grab it before any of the other Michael Schofield's can. Sorry for the digression, Michael ns4lib.com, etc. -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of MJ Ray Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 9:35 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry) Shaun Ellis sha...@princeton.edu * Myth #1 : GitHub creates a barrier to entry. That's a fact, not a myth. Myself, I won't give GitHub my full legal name and I suspect there are others who won't. So, we're not welcome there and if we lie to register, all our work would be subject to deletion at an arbitrary future point. There's a couple of other things in the terms which aren't simple, too. [...] * Myth #4 : GitHub is monopolizing open source software development. ... to its unfortunate centralizing of so much free/open source software on one platform.) Convergence is not always a bad thing. GitHub provides a great, free service with lots of helpful collaboration tools beyond version control. It's natural that people would flock there, despite having lots of other options. Whether or not it's a deliberate monopolising attempt, I don't think that's the full reason. It's not only natural effect. There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. Use github if you like. Just don't expect everyone to do so. Hope that explains, -- MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op. http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer. In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/
Re: [CODE4LIB] Providing Search Across PDFs
On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 2:33 PM, Nathan Tallman ntall...@gmail.com wrote: @Péter: The VuFind solution I mentioned is very similar to what you use here. It uses Aperture (although soon to use Tika instead) to grab the full-text and shoves everything inside a solr index. The import is managed through a PHP script the crawls every URL on the sitemap. The only part I don't have is removing deleted, adding new, and updating changed webpages/files. I'm not sure how to rework the script to use a list of new files rather than the sitemap, but everything is on the same server so that should work. Nathan, A first step could be to record a timestamp of when a particular URL is fetched. Then modify your PHP script to send an If-Modified-Since header with the request. Assuming the target server adheres to basic HTTP behavior, you'll get a 304 response and therefore know you don't have to re-index that particular item. (As an aside, could Google be ignoring items in your sitemap that it thinks haven't changed?) Maybe I'm misunderstanding though. The sitemap you mention has links to html pages which then link to the PDFs? So you have to parse the HTML to get the PDF URL? In that case, it still seems like recording the last-fetched timestamps for the PDF URLs would be an option. I know next to nothing about VuFind, so maybe the fetching mechanism isn't exposed in a way to make this possible. I'm surprised it's not already baked in, frankly. One other thing that's confusing is the notion of over 1000 PDFs taking a long, long time. Even on fairly milquetoast hardware, I'd expect solr to be capable of extracting and indexing 1000 PDF documents in 20-30 minutes. --jay
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
If you read my email, I don't tell anyone what to use, but simply attempt to clear up some fallacies. Distributed version control is new to many, and I want to make sure that folks are getting accurate information from this list. Unfortunately, this statement is not accurate either: // There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. // GitHub's API allows you to easily export issues if you want to move them somewhere else: http://developer.github.com/v3/issues/ Pull-requests are used by repository hosting platforms to make it easier to suggest patches. GitHub and BitBucket both use the pattern, and I don't understand what you mean by it being a closed tool. If you're concerned about barriers to entry, suggesting a patch using only git or mercurial can be done, but I wouldn't say it's easy. ... and what Devon said. -Shaun On 2/21/13 9:34 AM, MJ Ray wrote: Shaun Ellis sha...@princeton.edu * Myth #1 : GitHub creates a barrier to entry. That's a fact, not a myth. Myself, I won't give GitHub my full legal name and I suspect there are others who won't. So, we're not welcome there and if we lie to register, all our work would be subject to deletion at an arbitrary future point. There's a couple of other things in the terms which aren't simple, too. [...] * Myth #4 : GitHub is monopolizing open source software development. ... to its unfortunate centralizing of so much free/open source software on one platform.) Convergence is not always a bad thing. GitHub provides a great, free service with lots of helpful collaboration tools beyond version control. It's natural that people would flock there, despite having lots of other options. Whether or not it's a deliberate monopolising attempt, I don't think that's the full reason. It's not only natural effect. There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. Use github if you like. Just don't expect everyone to do so. Hope that explains,
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
Also, as a side note (and of interest to some) you *can* add pull requests to your repo: https://gist.github.com/piscisaureus/3342247 On 2013-02-21, at 10:29 AM, Shaun Ellis sha...@princeton.edu wrote: If you read my email, I don't tell anyone what to use, but simply attempt to clear up some fallacies. Distributed version control is new to many, and I want to make sure that folks are getting accurate information from this list. Unfortunately, this statement is not accurate either: // There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. // GitHub's API allows you to easily export issues if you want to move them somewhere else: http://developer.github.com/v3/issues/ Pull-requests are used by repository hosting platforms to make it easier to suggest patches. GitHub and BitBucket both use the pattern, and I don't understand what you mean by it being a closed tool. If you're concerned about barriers to entry, suggesting a patch using only git or mercurial can be done, but I wouldn't say it's easy. ... and what Devon said. -Shaun On 2/21/13 9:34 AM, MJ Ray wrote: Shaun Ellis sha...@princeton.edu * Myth #1 : GitHub creates a barrier to entry. That's a fact, not a myth. Myself, I won't give GitHub my full legal name and I suspect there are others who won't. So, we're not welcome there and if we lie to register, all our work would be subject to deletion at an arbitrary future point. There's a couple of other things in the terms which aren't simple, too. [...] * Myth #4 : GitHub is monopolizing open source software development. ... to its unfortunate centralizing of so much free/open source software on one platform.) Convergence is not always a bad thing. GitHub provides a great, free service with lots of helpful collaboration tools beyond version control. It's natural that people would flock there, despite having lots of other options. Whether or not it's a deliberate monopolising attempt, I don't think that's the full reason. It's not only natural effect. There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. Use github if you like. Just don't expect everyone to do so. Hope that explains,
Re: [CODE4LIB] Question on CONTENTdm and Linked Data
Thanks, both of those give me a much better idea. I know I had used CONTENTdm data with a Google map almost 2 years ago for a class project but that involved extracting the data from the admin end into an excel table, so these show marked improvement. On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 9:27 PM, Chad Nelson chadbnel...@gmail.com wrote: Hi Matt, The largest hurdle you would face with linked data and ContentDM are the inconsistently persistent URLs (to say nothing of the application specific jankyness in the url). When an item is added to a collection in ContentDM, it is assigned an ID which is used in the URL, ie http://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ajc/id/805/ . However, if at a later point, you make a change to that item, say updating the OCR text, the item is given a new ID, and thus is accessed at a new URL. However, the old URL does not redirect to the new one, it just dead ends, ironically at an error page with a 200 HTTP request status header! Wreaks havoc on search engines or any other system that relies on persistent URLs, as a Linked data system *may* want to do. :( That said, ContentDM 6 does have an API through which you can get data about any record. It's a little inconsistent, and the docs aren't amazing, but you can get most everything out of it that you'd want. So, if you had coordinates where and image was taken stored in a metadata field, you could use the API to get them and push that onto a Google map. So if you have a collection that is static, you probably don't have to worry about the URL borking feature they have included. More about the ContentDM API: http://www.contentdm.org/help6/custom/customize2f.asp Hope that helps and good luck. Chad On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 5:25 PM, Matthew Sherman matt.r.sher...@gmail.comwrote: Hello Code4Lib, I was wondering if anyone has had success in using digital data or resources that are stored in CONTENTdm in any linked data projects. I have tried utilizing CONTENTdm data for a small Google Map in the past and found it quite difficult to use. At the same time I have not used CONTENTdm in over a year so I do not know if they have made it easier to exact and utilize information from the system. I am working on an interview presentation and one of the parts I am trying to tackle involves working a set of data into a user friendly system related to a specific topic, possibly using a map. I know these folks have CONTENTdm currently so I was wondering if I would be able to present a way to work with the existing system or if I should be saying that to make this project work they need to put it into a different CMS. Any insight folks have had working with linked data in CONTENTdm would be quite welcome. Thanks. Matt Sherman
[CODE4LIB] Job: Project Manager at University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin
The Office of the Vice-President for Research supports the President's vision of UCD becoming a research intensive university by building an environment that supports and attracts world class research, enhances UCD's research reputation and builds confidence in UCD as a destination for quality research investment. UCD has developed an internationally competitive research system by creating a continuum across science, engineering, humanities, business and the arts through key interdisciplinary programmes that are underpinned by fundamental research and scholarship. These programmes partner with over 350 companies, voluntary bodies and government to address national research priorities and to generate new knowledge. The outputs of academic research are often thought to be academic publications however the societal contribution of university research extends beyond academic publishing. UCD has identified the need to capture and comprehensively convey the full extent of outputs from its research activities by further development of its knowledge-management infrastructure for research. The university now seeks to develop a technology system to extend the range of capture of research outputs for storage in, and retrieval from, the UCD research repository and integrate it with other University systems in a manner that will: • Create and build up a comprehensive corpus of academic research outputs over the course of an individual's academic career. • Provide for the documentation of all research outputs (e.g., patents, methods/protocols, designs, maps, recordings, music, exhibitions, performances, policies, diagnostics, tools, scales, devices, etc. as well as engagement activities that transfer and share knowledge and ideas with public audiences. • Provide for the retrieval, analysis and reporting of selections, groupings and subsets of the qualitative and quantitative data in different ways and combinations over time. • Allow for the allocation of measures in the future such as may be determined to be relevant to evaluation of societal impact of these activities. UCD is seeking a Project Manager to lead the development of this project in Phase 1 and guide the design of the technology system and university wide processes envisaged as key outputs of the project this year. **Salary: **€55,000 per annum **Principal Duties and Responsibilities** Although the post holder may be asked to take on other responsibilities as required to support the growth and development of the project, the Project Manager will be primarily responsible for the following functions: • Establish and implement the governance structures of the project to ensure best practise in engagement and decision making within the university operating environment. • Develop strategic understanding and build the knowledge of stakeholders by providing synthesis of the state of the art in this field through consultation with experts and exemplars of best practise in education, medicine , industry, libraries and government in Europe and internationally. • Work with key staff and experts to develop and produce an overarching strategic five year maturity framework and roadmap for the development of UCD's research knowledge management infrastructure which will deliver key university objectives and meet the needs of its constituencies nationally and internationally. The roadmap will encompass people, process and technology streams and associated deliverables. • Establish effective working relationships and feedback mechanisms with key influencers and decision makers in UCD to ensure that initiatives are in line with strategic plans and that they are implementable within key departments e.g. UCD Research, Communications, Library, I.T. services, Management Services Unit, Colleges/Schools, Research Centres, Institutes and major programmes. • Develop and provide the programme plan for 2013 with supporting project plans; take responsibility for the management, implementation and deliverables of the programme plan for 2013 including the design and implementation of measures of success and key performance indicators. • Play a leading role in developing and implementing feasible project plans and facilitate the priorities and sequencing of the work through the Steering and Technical groups. • Maintain a risks register and continuous improvements log, provide regular reporting and maintain all the programme and project documentation in line with best practise project management methodologies. • Work with key stakeholders to identify potential sources of funding and investment for the ongoing development of UCD's research knowledge management infrastructure in European programmes and support the development of partnerships and collaborative funding bids in this area. • Perform specified data analysis and studies to support strategic decision making under the direction of the RMS and reporting manager. **Selection criteria**
[CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and encouragement. :) Thank you - Cindy
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
Hey Cindy, Welcome! Glad to see your question here, we like new people. Here at NC State we've set up a (mostly semi-working) system for requesting backup using LibraryH3lp webchat. Basically we have a staff webpage that has a chat box in it. If you type something in the box, say Backup! or jkgfasdkl;, that message will get broadcast to everyone who's logged into their backup help account in Pidgin. Recently we've also been experimenting with canned messages that you can broadcast just by clicking on a button in the web browser. You could theoretically set this up for -- and distinguish -- separate service points by having a different queue for each service point. The backup people would see where the request was coming from based on the name of the queue. And you could set up each backup account to only monitor requests from the appropriate service points. If you're not familiar with LibraryH3lp, it's a very lightweight (and inexpensive) library patron chat system. We use it for our patron IM as well as several internal staff purposes. I'm sure there's lots of LH3 users on code4lib, so if you're not familiar with it, but interested in exploring it, you'll be bound to get opinions. There are also other similar services that people might recommend as well. Good luck! This sounds like a good -- but definitely solvable -- problem. Andreas Orphanides NCSU Libraries On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 10:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.edu wrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and encouragement. :) Thank you - Cindy
Re: [CODE4LIB] Question on CONTENTdm and Linked Data
Hi, - Original Message - Hi Matt, The largest hurdle you would face with linked data and ContentDM are the inconsistently persistent URLs (to say nothing of the application specific jankyness in the url). When an item is added to a collection in ContentDM, it is assigned an ID which is used in the URL, ie http://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ajc/id/805 . However, if at a later point, you make a change to that item, say updating the OCR text, the item is given a new ID, and thus is accessed at a new URL. This is not correct -- an item's ID (in CONTENTdm terms, its 'pointer') remains the same after an update to the item using the tools provided as part of CONTENTdm. However, the old URL does not redirect to the new one, it just dead ends, ironically at an error page with a 200 HTTP request status header! Wreaks havoc on search engines or any other system that relies on persistent URLs, as a Linked data system *may* want to do. :( That said, ContentDM 6 does have an API through which you can get data about any record. It's a little inconsistent, and the docs aren't amazing, but you can get most everything out of it that you'd want. So, if you had coordinates where and image was taken stored in a metadata field, you could use the API to get them and push that onto a Google map. So if you have a collection that is static, you probably don't have to worry about the URL borking feature they have included. More about the ContentDM API: http://www.contentdm.org/help6/custom/customize2f.asp Dumping the data using the web-services API into LOD representations is definitely the way to go. CONTENTdm out of the box has no capacity to act as an LOD provider. Mark
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
For something like this I would go the hardware route. A walkie-talkie on a charging stand at each service point. The walkie-talkies would always be on and tuned to the same channel. That way the staff person is not tied to the PC itself, they can grab the walkie-talkie and still do what they need to do - like head to the stacks or look for that reserve material. No phone number to remember. This solution could help with other issues, like security and system/network outages. +1 for LibraryH3lp - we use it and like it here. Cheers, Paul +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Paul R Butler Assistant Systems Librarian Simpson Library University of Mary Washington 1801 College Avenue Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540.654.1756 libraries.umw.edu Sent from the mighty Dell Vostro 230. -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Andreas Orphanides Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 11:09 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions Hey Cindy, Welcome! Glad to see your question here, we like new people. Here at NC State we've set up a (mostly semi-working) system for requesting backup using LibraryH3lp webchat. Basically we have a staff webpage that has a chat box in it. If you type something in the box, say Backup! or jkgfasdkl;, that message will get broadcast to everyone who's logged into their backup help account in Pidgin. Recently we've also been experimenting with canned messages that you can broadcast just by clicking on a button in the web browser. You could theoretically set this up for -- and distinguish -- separate service points by having a different queue for each service point. The backup people would see where the request was coming from based on the name of the queue. And you could set up each backup account to only monitor requests from the appropriate service points. If you're not familiar with LibraryH3lp, it's a very lightweight (and inexpensive) library patron chat system. We use it for our patron IM as well as several internal staff purposes. I'm sure there's lots of LH3 users on code4lib, so if you're not familiar with it, but interested in exploring it, you'll be bound to get opinions. There are also other similar services that people might recommend as well. Good luck! This sounds like a good -- but definitely solvable -- problem. Andreas Orphanides NCSU Libraries On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 10:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.edu wrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and encouragement. :) Thank you - Cindy
[CODE4LIB] Job: Outreach and Assessment Librarian at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
**Come work with us!** The UTC Library seeks a motivated, creative, and user-focused professional to fill our new Outreach and Assessment Librarian position at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (UTC). The librarian in this position will plan, develop, and implement outreach and assessment-related programs and services that support the Library's research collections, services, and facilities. This is an ideal opportunity for a professional interested in working in a busy mid-sized academic library focused on providing user-centered services in a dynamic, transparent, and flexible environment. And did we mention we are moving into a new $48 million building in the Spring of 2014? Full application instructions for the position of Outreach and Assessment Librarian can be found [here](http://www.lib.utc.edu/doc/outreach-and- assessment-librarian.pdf). Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6397/
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
I second Paul's suggestion. All due respect to the institution you work for, but this doesn't sound like a problem best solved with software. If I'm the backup help, and I'm talking with a colleague in their office, or making another pot of coffee, I won't get your notice on my computer until I go back to my desk. Do you have some kind of library-wide intercom system? Maybe something that could generate a gentle tone, that would largely go undetected by your patrons, but is a recognizable by the staff? Then again, I don't work in a library, either. Mark On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 8:20 AM, Paul Butler (pbutler3) pbutl...@umw.eduwrote: For something like this I would go the hardware route. A walkie-talkie on a charging stand at each service point. The walkie-talkies would always be on and tuned to the same channel. That way the staff person is not tied to the PC itself, they can grab the walkie-talkie and still do what they need to do - like head to the stacks or look for that reserve material. No phone number to remember. This solution could help with other issues, like security and system/network outages. +1 for LibraryH3lp - we use it and like it here. Cheers, Paul +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Paul R Butler Assistant Systems Librarian Simpson Library University of Mary Washington 1801 College Avenue Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540.654.1756 libraries.umw.edu Sent from the mighty Dell Vostro 230. -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Andreas Orphanides Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 11:09 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions Hey Cindy, Welcome! Glad to see your question here, we like new people. Here at NC State we've set up a (mostly semi-working) system for requesting backup using LibraryH3lp webchat. Basically we have a staff webpage that has a chat box in it. If you type something in the box, say Backup! or jkgfasdkl;, that message will get broadcast to everyone who's logged into their backup help account in Pidgin. Recently we've also been experimenting with canned messages that you can broadcast just by clicking on a button in the web browser. You could theoretically set this up for -- and distinguish -- separate service points by having a different queue for each service point. The backup people would see where the request was coming from based on the name of the queue. And you could set up each backup account to only monitor requests from the appropriate service points. If you're not familiar with LibraryH3lp, it's a very lightweight (and inexpensive) library patron chat system. We use it for our patron IM as well as several internal staff purposes. I'm sure there's lots of LH3 users on code4lib, so if you're not familiar with it, but interested in exploring it, you'll be bound to get opinions. There are also other similar services that people might recommend as well. Good luck! This sounds like a good -- but definitely solvable -- problem. Andreas Orphanides NCSU Libraries On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 10:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.edu wrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
On Feb 21, 2013, at 11:20 AM, Paul Butler (pbutler3) wrote: For something like this I would go the hardware route. A walkie-talkie on a charging stand at each service point. The walkie-talkies would always be on and tuned to the same channel. That way the staff person is not tied to the PC itself, they can grab the walkie-talkie and still do what they need to do - like head to the stacks or look for that reserve material. No phone number to remember. This solution could help with other issues, like security and system/network outages. I admit, I've never worked as a librarian, but I did work at a computer help desk during undergrad. We had a policy of trying our best *not* to go into the computer labs, because if you did, you'd get 6+ people who suddenly had questions they wanted to ask ... but couldn't have been bothered to actually go to the office to ask. When I first started, someone who went to go add paper to a printer might not come back for 30+ minutes. (I realize that this policy likely won't work for a library, though) Our follow-up policy was not the answer questions in the labs, and make them go to the office so they don't cut in line if there were people queued up. ... so I completely agree about needing something that's not fixed to a single location. If you can make it beep on demand, that's even better. (oops, sorry, I've got to go, I've been summoned back to the desk) If you're going to do something that's computer-based, I'd be inclined to think about some sort of phone app, or even part of a more comprehensive tool to assist in other things that you might need while you're in the stacks trying to help someone. -Joe
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
There was an article on this topic in issue 2 of the code4lib journal - I tried to get it done here but got shot down by systems, but it seems simple and might be what you need: http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/45 -- Ellen Knowlton Wilson Instructional Services Librarian Room 250, University Library University of South Alabama 5901 USA Drive North Mobile, AL 36688 (251) 460-6045 Please note new email address: ewil...@southalabama.edu On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 9:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.eduwrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and encouragement. :) Thank you - Cindy
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
Thank you for your warm welcome, encouragement and ideas. I'd like to respond to some of the suggestions while this topic is still fresh, so to speak. Walkie-talkies, we did try this route. Not as easy and straight-forward as one would wish. There were battery problems (needed coverage from 8:30a-12mid), staff putting them down and losing them, sound interference, even disability (I am deaf, me + walkie talkie = bad idea), and reluctance to have to carry one around. Intercom, we do have one and have considered a ping only to encounter complaints from readers. It is a library that is supposedly quiet after all... we only use this to announce that the library will close in 15 minutes, then 5, then.. closed! We even scheduled backups to the backup. Staffed a person to sit at a desk behind the service points. But there's always work that takes folks back to their main workstations. Now about the workstations -- we're a large staff, about 50/60 so they're seated broadly in two different libraries which means they are away from service points. So, we can't holler for help like a cashier did when I was in Joann's Fabrics yesterday. I was impressed at how easily it was for her to just yell, need second cashier! when a lined formed. I do wish it was that simple for us. So, I started thinking -- why can't we create some sort of floating message 'ping' -- like those 'netflix' ads that somehow open as a second page when you're surfing the web. and how likely would it be that there are 50 staff members away from their computers/workstations when someone 'pings' for help electronically? Right? I'm so happy and encouraged to see such responses. Thank you!! Cindy -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Karen Coyle Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 11:33 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions Cindy, Welcome! I think your situation in your library is a very common one, most likely more common than being a coder in the sense of creating new software or adding functionality to existing software. In fact, in every office I have been in, including ones not in libraries, many people who didn't start their careers with computer science in mind are the ones maintaining systems, creating reports, running queries. In the library world I think we have an obligation to provide as much support and encouragement as possible for library employees who perform these tasks. As you imply, oftentimes these employees (librarians by MLS or not) have been kind of thrown into the job and have few places where they can go to ask questions, get needed training, or have a shoulder to cry on. The code4lib list and the two related IRC channels (both on the freenode network), #code4lib and #libtechwomen are good places to start. If you need help setting up IRC, contact me off-list and I will do my best to walk you through it. Also, there may be similar lists specifically addressing the library management software in your institution, and the experts in that particular system probably hang out there. kc On 2/21/13 7:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy wrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a
[CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
On 2/21/13 9:00 AM, Joe Hourcle wrote: We had a policy of trying our best *not* to go into the computer labs, because if you did, you'd get 6+ people who suddenly had questions they wanted to ask ... but couldn't have been bothered to actually go to the office to ask. When I first started, someone who went to go add paper to a printer might not come back for 30+ minutes. OMG, this is like a formula for non-service. There was an era where libraries were taking over computer services because the computer service folks had no idea what the word service meant. If people in the labs have that many questions, that's a need that must be filled for them to learn what they are there trying to learn. Avoiding them is a terrible solution. But this is the case also in libraries. At my local public library, the reference desk is on the 2nd floor and I almost never seen any patrons there, just bored reference librarians. This doesn't mean that folks all over the library don't have questions they'd like to ask, but getting to the reference desk takes effort. I did a blog post where I said that I want the library to be like the Apple store (oh, and I want the library to have Apple's $bazillions) -- with people who can answer the questions mingling with the people who might have questions. Some science museums do this, with roving Explainers among the exhibits. *sigh* What we couldn't do if we had the $$ and the imagination. kc (I realize that this policy likely won't work for a library, though) Our follow-up policy was not the answer questions in the labs, and make them go to the office so they don't cut in line if there were people queued up. ... so I completely agree about needing something that's not fixed to a single location. If you can make it beep on demand, that's even better. (oops, sorry, I've got to go, I've been summoned back to the desk) If you're going to do something that's computer-based, I'd be inclined to think about some sort of phone app, or even part of a more comprehensive tool to assist in other things that you might need while you're in the stacks trying to help someone. -Joe -- Karen Coyle kco...@kcoyle.net http://kcoyle.net ph: 1-510-540-7596 m: 1-510-435-8234 skype: kcoylenet
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
with regards to Class extending Object, should this error be possible? error: clone() has protected access in Object Class.clone(); ^ Of course this sort of nit-picking is absolutely not constructive. I'm just saying that if you're teaching the Object Oriented programming paradigm, there are better choices than Java. Java is a really difficult language for the beginner. How many professional Java programmers can work without an IDE? Compare that to the same metric for any scripting language. -Justin. P.S. error: clone() has protected access in Object System.out.println(Class.clone().toString()); ^ On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:45 AM, Ethan Gruber ewg4x...@gmail.com wrote: Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
Hi Cindy, I am a newbie to the list as well. Our staff man the libraries single service point and librarians take turns working on call reference. When the desk staff get an reference question that requires a librarian's expertise, they page the librarian on call through a simple computer program loaded on the service desk computers. The pager software allows you to set basic default messages, as well as to send a customized message. The pagers were not very expensive and have sufficient range to cover our library so we are not tied to one location. We have had the system for 5 years and only had to replace one of our pagers. We looked at a few companies, but finally purchased a basic system from LRS, http://pager.net/long-range-systems/pc-paging-nu/ Robin Robin R. Sewell Coord of Emerg Tech Medical Sciences Library Texas AM University rsewell...@library.tamu.edu Robin -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Greenspun, Cindy Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 11:19 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions Thank you!! This looks promising! I'll take a look into this to see if this will work for us. Cindy -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ellen Wilson Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:12 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions There was an article on this topic in issue 2 of the code4lib journal - I tried to get it done here but got shot down by systems, but it seems simple and might be what you need: http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/45 -- Ellen Knowlton Wilson Instructional Services Librarian Room 250, University Library University of South Alabama 5901 USA Drive North Mobile, AL 36688 (251) 460-6045 Please note new email address: ewil...@southalabama.edu On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 9:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.eduwrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and encouragement. :) Thank you - Cindy
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
Concur. I think everyone should just switch to APL [0], then we'll all suffer equally. [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APL_(programming_language) On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:53 PM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.eduwrote: Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
Actually, I'm finding this thread very enlightening. I've only had a little java experience, but always assumed it was the ur-implementation of OO principles. Now, I've had that assumption corrected. Thanks, …adam On Feb 21, 2013, at 12:53 PM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.edu wrote: Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin This communication is a confidential and proprietary business communication. It is intended solely for the use of the designated recipient(s). If this communication is received in error, please contact the sender and delete this communication.
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
Ian, I have to caution against taking the attitude we only code in what we already know. Of course you are going to be able to hit the ground running faster in what you are expert in. Putting on the blinders is a great way to become irrelevant in the technology sphere. If you want to be a better coder, there is no better way than to learn a new language, and actually do a project in it. The insights you find in doing this will make you a better coder when your go back to doing whatever it was you were doing before. -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:53 AM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.eduwrote: Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
This ... saddens me. We can have evermore threads which hit the daily post limit about the community and how everyone feels. But a thread about programming language strength/weakness has to be shut down. I think it's time to change the name. I'm completely serious. /dev On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:45 PM, Ethan Gruber ewg4x...@gmail.com wrote: Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin -- Sent from my GMail account.
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
Once again, these are not “fallacies”: they are disagreements. When you say that GitHub is not team-centered, it's not a disagreement; it's simply false. If you say I don't agree with the way GitHub implements the concept of teams, then that is a disagreement. You said the first, but perhaps you meant the second. -Shaun
Re: [CODE4LIB] Full Legal Names on the Web, was GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
Michael Schofield mschofi...@nova.edu [...] This split topic I'd like to see maybe in another thread is about giving full legal names to web services. If anyone watched the PS4 reveal last night, you might have noticed that PS4 is giving up gamertags (read: aliases) for full names to easily integrate with other social platforms. [...] Anyone know how they're going to handle namespace collisions, and the various sexual and racial harrassment that will happen in some games once you can make assumptions about people from their full names? Hopefully, they only need be names and not legal full names. This might amuse some of you: I'm not even the first (or in the first ten) calling themselves MJ Ray on one popular web service - the ones before me are a diverse bunch, too; and I namespace-collided with myself at least twice while I was both staff for different departments and a student at an expanding university - the user database required full names and required them to be unique... oops! I don't think that's the case any longer... ;-) Regards, -- MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op. http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer. In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
An open tool is Internet email: I can send an email from my provider (ucop.edu) to yours (princeton.edu). A closed tool is github, where I need a github account to send you a pull request. An open tool would be one where I can send a pull request bitbucket to github. (Obviously, bitbucket is as closed as github in this regard.) best, Erik Sent from my free software system http://fsf.org/. Uhh… That's a different definition of closed system than I'm used to seeing. It's more akin to having a closed-source e-mail client vs. an open-source one. The protocol (git) is open. I can push, pull, merge, fork, and do everything I need to do with a repository without ever visiting GitHub -- even pushing and pulling to/from pull requests. I can send you a patch that you can apply on your Bitbucket repo without needing to touch GitHub. I can even do multiple origins so that I can pull from GitHub but push to Bitbucket, and vice versa. So while the tool may technically be closed-source, the protocol--the equivalent to SMTP, IMAP, and POP in your example--is wide open. Heck, even Richard Stallman gives GitHub a pass: I use the term SaaS for services that do your computing for you, but not for services that do only communication. Thus, gmail.com is not SaaS. Wordpress is not SaaS. Github is not SaaS, or perhaps only in trivial ways. (https://mayfirst.org/lowdown/august-2011/richard-m-stallman-lectures-free-software-west-bank) GitHub makes a lot of things about using git collaboratively *easier*, but I can do everything I need to on a collaborative project without ever visiting the GitHub page itself, provided I don't want to look at the issue tracker or wiki. The Pull Request button is just a shortcut to merging two remote origins. If you wanted to make a system where you can send pull requests to GitHub and Bitbucket, you can and nobody will stop you. See also: http://gitlab.org.
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
Devon: I don't think anyone is asking you to accommodate them in your choice of tools or even approve of what they see as barriers. This conversation started because of an understanding that the poetry folks *do want* to accommodate others' needs and preferences. Taking that assumption in hand, I don't think it's useful to dictate what counts as legitimate barriers for other people. Their participation will be prevented to the same extent whatever we think of their reasons. That aside, I can think off-hand of a handful of reasons, near-and-dear to FOSS, why a project contributor might not want identifying information associated with their commits, and why the project coordinators might want to make sure they don't have to. I might be contributing in my personal time, but concerned that my employer would try to make copyright claims if they could trace the code back to me. I might be contributing to security projects like Tor or Whisper Systems, which has been known to cause trouble at US borders for some people. Or, I might live under an oppressive government which would object even more strongly to my choice of project. These issues matter to a lot of us. - Tom On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 7:10 AM, Devon dec...@gmail.com wrote: If you're not willing to provide even your name to make use of a free service, then I dare say you are erecting your own barriers. Such is your choice, of course, but I don't think others need to be compelled to accommodate the barriers you create for yourself. And just because the terms of use are not unconditional, or perfectly to your liking, does not mean you're not welcome to use it. You are. /dev On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 9:34 AM, MJ Ray m...@phonecoop.coop wrote: Shaun Ellis sha...@princeton.edu * Myth #1 : GitHub creates a barrier to entry. That's a fact, not a myth. Myself, I won't give GitHub my full legal name and I suspect there are others who won't. So, we're not welcome there and if we lie to register, all our work would be subject to deletion at an arbitrary future point. There's a couple of other things in the terms which aren't simple, too. [...] * Myth #4 : GitHub is monopolizing open source software development. ... to its unfortunate centralizing of so much free/open source software on one platform.) Convergence is not always a bad thing. GitHub provides a great, free service with lots of helpful collaboration tools beyond version control. It's natural that people would flock there, despite having lots of other options. Whether or not it's a deliberate monopolising attempt, I don't think that's the full reason. It's not only natural effect. There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. Use github if you like. Just don't expect everyone to do so. Hope that explains, -- MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op. http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer. In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/ -- Sent from my GMail account.
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
I was just curious, so I threw the same thing into C#. class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { Console.WriteLine(Hi from foo); } } class Bar : Foo { public static void sayHello2() { hi(); } public static new void hi() { Console.WriteLine(Hi from bar); } } class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { Bar.sayHello(); Bar.sayHello2(); Console.ReadLine(); } } Result is similar: Hi from foo Hi from bar. The C# compiler actually throws an error if you try to make a static class extend another class. ( i.e., static class Bar : Foo ). Static references are really a nice way to get around OO in the first place though. Of course I use them as well, when I want to introduce more procedural type methods into my code, or when I truly need something at the CLASS level, rather than the OBJECT level. Although using static methods can occasionally provide very small performance boosts, I would guess static methods also reduces the ability to use reflection to examine code introduced or created during runtime. That said, it's hard for me to get too excited about the lack of the ability for a static class to extend another static class and throw strongly typed classes out the window for Javascript's hash implementation. And I have spent a lot of time trying to get Javascript to feel more object-oriented, copying a child classes hash from the parent and then adding new items (happen to be functions) to it and using Prototype as well. Either way, there are different models for everyone and perhaps every project. But, I did learn something about Java (and then C#) from this thread. Mark / UF -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Benjamin Armintor Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 1:22 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? If this thread is just code nerdery: You can't override static methods in Java. It looks like you can because there's a generous search for statically bound names (if B extends A, and A defines static a(), B.a() works), but it's not the overriding mechanism because if you try to refer to super in an overriding implementation, the compiler stops you (it's not bound). This also suggests that classes are not objects, but that the reflection API cheats a little to make them appear to be so. I always thought Javascript both had primitives and was more functional than OO, given the Prototype inheritance stuff, the fact that objects are really hashes, and the fact that constructors are functions. Ruby, though: totally OO. Except when it's not. - Ben On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 1:00 PM, Adam Wead aw...@rockhall.org wrote: Actually, I'm finding this thread very enlightening. I've only had a little java experience, but always assumed it was the ur-implementation of OO principles. Now, I've had that assumption corrected. Thanks, ...adam On Feb 21, 2013, at 12:53 PM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.edu wrote: Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello();
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
This seems like a good application for text messaging -- as long as all librarians have smartphones, which they surely would at Yale :-) Cheers, Cab Vinton Sanbornton Public Library
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
you really derailed me . . . i might be able to help with the javascript ypu're messing with though . . . maybe . . . mj
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
On Feb 21, 2013, at 2:28 PM, Cab Vinton wrote: This seems like a good application for text messaging -- as long as all librarians have smartphones, which they surely would at Yale :-) The problem is that you'd have to have it dynamically generate the list of who to text based on who's currently on duty. Otherwise, you have it harassing people on their days off, when they're home sick, etc. -Joe
[CODE4LIB] Recall: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
Jay, Michael would like to recall the message, [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?.
[CODE4LIB] Project Ride Share Breakout Google Group created
Hi everybody. On the Wednesday breakout sessions in Chicago, we had a breakout that was titled Project Rideshare Board, which was about trying to come up with a solution to help libraries find cross-institutional development partners; advertise specs, needs and membership; and foster learning opportunities for new roles, languages, or responsibilities (project manager, development, etc.). Here's the summary of the breakout (btw, if you attended, please add your name!): http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/2013_project_rideshare_breakout And here's the Google Group where we'll test the whole viability of the concept by trying to create the rideshare board. The groups is by no means limited to those that attended the breakout, so please join if you're interested in pushing this forward! Thanks, -Ross.
Re: [CODE4LIB] back to minorities question, seeking guidance
Tim, This too has been sitting in my inbox, and I've been trying to find time to respond. I have to say that I love your questions. Now that Karen has piped up, I'll follow suit. I've addressed each of your questions below to the best of my ability. *For those of you who came into this community and at some point went through a MSLS or MSIS program I am wondering if there are things I could try to do that might have an impact on better aligning the ratio of men to women in code4lib and the technology end of the field in general to that in the general population?* I have to say that I felt really lucky to have some very smart professors teaching me. More importantly, that they were women (specifically Kristin Chaffin and Catherine Blake who are no longer there, and Diane Kelly who happily is still there). I enjoyed having them to look to as examples, it made me feel like what I wanted to do was obtainable. Looking back I realize that the only male I took classes with on the IS side of SILS was Dr. Losee. That being said, when I looked around the room in my IS classes, the majority of the folks were men. And encouraging men at that -- I was lucky enough to graduate with some amazing men. I think being in a space that had a strong female presence (professors) and an encouraging male presence (my classmates) made me feel less conspicuous as one of just a few females in my class. I wonder if the same would have been true if I had taken classes made up mostly of females. I also agree with what Karen said *If anyone says 'I guess I don't get it' or 'I think this is a stupid question, but...' then your response will make a huge difference.* I think that's the moment to step up and say, *'lots of people don't get it right away'* or *'i'm sure lots of people have that question'*. Sometimes people just need a cheerleader. *Was there a moment of clarity? A person who said or modeled the right thing? A project that helped uncover a skill you didn't know you had?* Again I really think my professors pointing out to me that I was doing a great job and encouraging me to do more was what made me move forward -- Catherine Blake taught me Database II and encouraged me to take the programming class with Kristin Chaffin because she thought I was doing so well with databases. I did, and Kristin opened up a world that I had only dabbled in -- and she too encouraged me to do more. I appreciated that and don't know if I would have done it had it not been for them. *And, I am not just interested in what I can do through one class, but also what the curriculum and school could do more holistically.* So I'm of the mind -- and this is something that almost stopped me from going to SILS in the first place -- that the school should be handing out an MLIS. I wasted a lot of time taking classes that I didn't necessarily need. I wish I could have focused more on classes I loved, but because I had to decide between an IS and an LS (and couldn't) I ended up taking all the required classes for both degrees. If I hadn't been forced into a choice, I would have had more time to focus on the things that it turns out I loved -- databases, programming, and systems administration. That's just my two cents. Hope that helps, Rosalyn On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:43 AM, Karen Coyle li...@kcoyle.net wrote: Timothy, This has been sitting in my in-box as I try to come up with a reply. I went through library school before coding was an issue, although I did do some statistical work on computers (punch cards). But for me the moment was simply being given a task with the assumption that I would be up to it. I also suggest group work, with students selecting their own groups, or opting to work alone. Group work can be less intimidating than having to ask questions in front of an entire class, especially if the class is coed, and especially if it has a few know it alls who like to one-up everyone else. It's the class dynamic (and how you handle it) that is more important than the content of the class for encouraging women. And it is also the hardest thing to get right. ;-) Pay close attention to your students and what they are telling you about how comfortable they feel in the class. If anyone says I guess I don't get it or I think this is a stupid question, but... then your response will make a huge difference. And don't let the class fall prey to the know it alls. They are absolute poison in the learning environment. Good luck! kc On 2/14/13 8:34 AM, Shearer, Timothy J wrote: Hi Folks, I'm teaching systems analysis at SILS (UNC CH) this semester. Though the course is required for the IS degree, it's not required for the LS degree. However, the majority of my students this semester are LS. And the vast majority are women. Apropos of the part of the thread that dealt with numbers: For those of you who came into this community and at some point went through a MSLS or MSIS program I am
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
I feel that this is true. However, the more languages I learn, the more I find myself doing embarrassing things like trying to update a JavaScript file and then realizing I'm actually writing in PHP or C++. If only my brain had an automatic language gearshift. Genny Engel Sonoma County Library gen...@sonoma.lib.ca.us 707 545-0831 x1581 www.sonomalibrary.org -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Justin Coyne Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 9:59 AM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Ian, I have to caution against taking the attitude we only code in what we already know. Of course you are going to be able to hit the ground running faster in what you are expert in. Putting on the blinders is a great way to become irrelevant in the technology sphere. If you want to be a better coder, there is no better way than to learn a new language, and actually do a project in it. The insights you find in doing this will make you a better coder when your go back to doing whatever it was you were doing before. -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:53 AM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.eduwrote: Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
As far as the poetry goes, not my thing, so I don't have a comment on what is actually used. The thread appeared to fork onto a discussion about github use more generally. My apologies to all if it is still tightly coupled to the poetry thing. The rest of my comments assume the more general conversation. MJ Ray had specific complaints - choosing not to have an account at all, for ANY project. There are no doubt projects for which github is not appropriate - all the examples you gave. There are countless more, however, where it is a perfectly reasonable option. Choosing not to have an account to participate in ANY project - no matter how trivial - is an individual's choice. They certainly should not be coerced into getting one. While no one has explicitly said accommodate me, it is implied in their communications. The very nature of the original conversation was people refuse to use github or feel the barriers imposed are too high and therefore want others to make different choices - to accommodate their choices. As far as the poetry thing goes, if the participants are comfortable with that accommodation, then all is well and fine. Like Jonathan, I think it was a mistake to post at all. /dev On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 1:44 PM, Tom Johnson johnson.tom+code4...@gmail.com wrote: Devon: I don't think anyone is asking you to accommodate them in your choice of tools or even approve of what they see as barriers. This conversation started because of an understanding that the poetry folks *do want* to accommodate others' needs and preferences. Taking that assumption in hand, I don't think it's useful to dictate what counts as legitimate barriers for other people. Their participation will be prevented to the same extent whatever we think of their reasons. That aside, I can think off-hand of a handful of reasons, near-and-dear to FOSS, why a project contributor might not want identifying information associated with their commits, and why the project coordinators might want to make sure they don't have to. I might be contributing in my personal time, but concerned that my employer would try to make copyright claims if they could trace the code back to me. I might be contributing to security projects like Tor or Whisper Systems, which has been known to cause trouble at US borders for some people. Or, I might live under an oppressive government which would object even more strongly to my choice of project. These issues matter to a lot of us. - Tom On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 7:10 AM, Devon dec...@gmail.com wrote: If you're not willing to provide even your name to make use of a free service, then I dare say you are erecting your own barriers. Such is your choice, of course, but I don't think others need to be compelled to accommodate the barriers you create for yourself. And just because the terms of use are not unconditional, or perfectly to your liking, does not mean you're not welcome to use it. You are. /dev On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 9:34 AM, MJ Ray m...@phonecoop.coop wrote: Shaun Ellis sha...@princeton.edu * Myth #1 : GitHub creates a barrier to entry. That's a fact, not a myth. Myself, I won't give GitHub my full legal name and I suspect there are others who won't. So, we're not welcome there and if we lie to register, all our work would be subject to deletion at an arbitrary future point. There's a couple of other things in the terms which aren't simple, too. [...] * Myth #4 : GitHub is monopolizing open source software development. ... to its unfortunate centralizing of so much free/open source software on one platform.) Convergence is not always a bad thing. GitHub provides a great, free service with lots of helpful collaboration tools beyond version control. It's natural that people would flock there, despite having lots of other options. Whether or not it's a deliberate monopolising attempt, I don't think that's the full reason. It's not only natural effect. There's a sneaky lock-in effect of having one open tool (git hosting) which is fairly easy to move in and out and interoperate with, linked to other closed tools (such as their issues tracker and their non-git pull requests system) which are harder to move out or interoperate. Use github if you like. Just don't expect everyone to do so. Hope that explains, -- MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op. http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer. In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/ -- Sent from my GMail account. -- Sent from my GMail account.
Re: [CODE4LIB] back to minorities question, seeking guidance
Like Rosy, I've been sitting on this wondering what to say, and am now following Karen, even though I wish I had more in the way of anthropological or statistical insight... Anyway. I recommend reading Unlocking the Clubhouse, which sheds a lot of light on the sometimes-subtle factors that disincentivize women's study of programming. I'd familiarize yourself with Boston Python Workshop, Railsbridge, and Hacker School -- not just their curricula but what they do to build inclusive cultures (notably Hacker School's explicit social rules: http://marthakelly.github.com/blog/2012/06/04/hacker-school-day-one/ ). The one time I TAed at Boston Python Workshop, I found the things that had the most visible positive impact on students' engagement and confidence were: 1) Naming impostor syndrome when it arose. Telling people it was a real thing with a name and they were not the only ones to experience it. (People's eyes got really wide over this one.) 2) Modeling fallibility: making it normal and okay to not know everything, to need to ask someone else or Google it. Making it clear you don't have to be omniscient to be a real technologist. (Students' relief over this was so strong it was painful to see.) I'd read http://geekfeminism.org/2012/05/21/how-i-got-50-women-speakers-at-my-tech-conference/. Then I'd try to be very aware of who speaks up in class, and whether you might be unintentionally encouraging some people more than others or allowing some to dominate, and keep in mind that people's silence may have more to do with confidence than competence. And I'd try to avoid reinventing the wheel. The Ada Initiative has done some of this work. So has GeekFeminism. So has Open Hatch. Lastly there's really no substitute for building a real thing that works, is there? Getting that high? Do what you can to give your students quick wins, not only so that they get that high, but so that they can build a self-image of themselves as capable of this stuff (which they may need to persevere as the material gets more challenging throughout the semester...) Andromeda On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 11:34 AM, Shearer, Timothy J tshea...@email.unc.edu wrote: Hi Folks, I'm teaching systems analysis at SILS (UNC CH) this semester. Though the course is required for the IS degree, it's not required for the LS degree. However, the majority of my students this semester are LS. And the vast majority are women. Apropos of the part of the thread that dealt with numbers: For those of you who came into this community and at some point went through a MSLS or MSIS program I am wondering if there are things I could try to do that might have an impact on better aligning the ratio of men to women in code4lib and the technology end of the field in general to that in the general population? Was there a moment of clarity? A person who said or modeled the right thing? A project that helped uncover a skill you didn't know you had? And, I am not just interested in what I can do through one class, but also what the curriculum and school could do more holistically. Thanks, Tim
Re: [CODE4LIB] PHP YAZ
Hi, in the PHP Black Book you can find some usage examples. http://www.amazon.com/PHP-Black-Book-Peter-Moulding/dp/1588800539 It was quite long time ago when I played with YAZ on Windows, I don't remember any troubles. Have you got installation problem? Péter ps. Warning: PHP Black Book is outdated in lots of aspects, it discussed PHP 4.x, so be careful if you want to try the code axamples. 2013/2/21 Stephen Marks steve.ma...@utoronto.ca: I've done it before, but it's been a while. What problem are you having particularly? s On Feb-20-2013 1:57 PM, Brent Ferguson wrote: Is there anyone that has experience working with PHP and YAZ on a Windows Box... Have a few questions to help clarify what is needed to get up and running... Brent Ferguson, MLS Web Developer / Reference Librarian - Elkhart Public Library http://www.myepl.org/epl -- Stephen Marks Digital Preservation Librarian Scholars Portal Ontario Council of University Libraries step...@scholarsportal.info 416.946.0300 Fearlessness is better than a faint heart for any man who puts his nose out of doors. The length of my life and the day of my death were fated long ago. --Skírnismál -- Péter Király software developer Europeana - http://europeana.eu eXtensible Catalog - http://eXtensibleCatalog.org
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
Justin, I certainly agree that to become a better coder, it's good to experiment with many languages and applications. I'm not advocating that any given shop should always rule out a project in a new (to them) language. What I'm saying is that the context of what you already know and what your environment supports is an equally important part of the conversation when choosing a language to develop in. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Justin Coyne Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:59 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Ian, I have to caution against taking the attitude we only code in what we already know. Of course you are going to be able to hit the ground running faster in what you are expert in. Putting on the blinders is a great way to become irrelevant in the technology sphere. If you want to be a better coder, there is no better way than to learn a new language, and actually do a project in it. The insights you find in doing this will make you a better coder when your go back to doing whatever it was you were doing before. -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:53 AM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.eduwrote: Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin
[CODE4LIB] eXtensible Catalog Drupal Toolkit 1.3
Dear List, I happily announce, that after several months of development the eXtensible Catalog Drupal Toolkit 1.3 is just released. The eXtensible Catalog Drupal Toolkit is the front end of eXtensible Catalog (XC) built on Drupal content management system. It contains a set of 25 Drupal modules, a custom theme, and installation profile, and a customized Apache Solr search engine. XC is a discovery interface built on FRBR and RDA-like metadata structure. The release has a primary focus on data integrity, namely being able to successfully process record updates on a schedule basis. This includes new additions, updates and deletions of records. This release includes some Solr integrity fixes submitted by Kyushu University. The installation process for release 1.3 has also been reworked to include an implementation option using Drush that makes the installation substantially easier. If you have drush, the whole installation is only 4 steps. We also created a custom Solr package wich is pre-configured to the needs of the Drupal Toolkit. You can find the installation instructions and release notes here: http://drupal.org/project/xc_installation. I hope you will find it usefull. Now we are working hard on creating the first stable release of the Drupal 7 version. Any comments, suggestion and feedback are more than useful. You can find all the project's issue tracker here: http://extensiblecatalog.lib.rochester.edu:8080/browse/DRUPAL. The eXtensible Catalog project's website is available at http://eXtensibleCatalog.org Best wishes, Péter -- Péter Király software developer Europeana - http://europeana.eu eXtensible Catalog - http://eXtensibleCatalog.org
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:47 AM, Joe Hourcle onei...@grace.nascom.nasa.gov wrote: The problem is that you'd have to have it dynamically generate the list of who to text based on who's currently on duty. If an app/service is generating the messages, it can take a parameter that allows people to check in/out for purposes of receiving messages. So if you forgot to check out, a bookmark in your smartphone would allow you to turn off future messages. If it's an on/off toggle switch rather than having to specify whether you're in or out, neither the librarian at the desk nor the staff receiving the messages needs to do anything more onerous than click on an icon. Total skills required to put the service together: ability to author a simple web page that can interpret a few parameters and send email (i.e. just use the SMS email gateway) kyle
[CODE4LIB] Job: Software Engineer—Application Development at TeachingBooks.net
TeachingBooks.net, a provider of digital multimedia resources for K-12 education, is hiring a software engineer to build and integrate new web applications into our established infrastructure. We need a programmer who enjoys working with data, solving programming problems related to database relations, and is willing to improve and modify existing code. Individuals who enjoy imagining new user applications for a growing dataset of materials that are curated by content specialists are encouraged to apply. Your primary responsibility will be to engineer Perl programming solutions to data problems. You will be an indispensable member of a team that includes the Lead of Research Development, one off-site programmer, and two off-site designers. As the primary in-house programmer, you will frequently be a first responder and support for the other departments in the company. PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES: * Implementing new programming solutions for online company services. * Using the web and mobile devices as delivery platforms for database services. * Creating code solutions that take into consideration diverse users' needs on many platforms (frequently older end-user software). * Reading, editing, and improving legacy code. * Creating HTML/CSS pages with team members from other departments. * Working with web APIs to build new services. Bug testing software with a high degree of accuracy. NECESSARY SKILLS: * Ability (or willing to learn) to efficiently program in Perl (5, not 6). C, C+, or Objective-C also useful for work on mobile. * Good understanding of writing SQL on MySQL server. * Proven ability to generate HTML/CSS web pages. * Desire to learn new skills as projects require. * Previous experience with Subversion desirable. * Ability to work independently while staying in contact with other team members. * This is a good entry-level position for a recent graduate or someone looking to break into software engineering from a related line of work. Position is full-time with competitive salary and benefits, including health insurance. The office is in downtown Madison, Wisconsin, along Lake Mendota. Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6402/
[CODE4LIB] Job: Unicorn/Symphony Systems Librarian at Progressive Technology Federal Systems
Progressive Technology Federal Systems (PTFS) is seeking a self-motivated, innovative systems librarian to help a traditional paper-bound U.S. Federal government library move into a 21st century e-learning site. The successful candidate will guide the Public Services and Technical Services staff of this library to become a complete repository for e-content, combining commercial e-products with government-developed databases. The website needs to be revamped to be the single-entry portal for the library community to locate and retrieve the e-content they need. The library will continue to maintain a small MARC-based print collection, so the existing Symphony ILS will serve as the backbone for the collection's descriptive and inventory needs. The successful candidate will be able to make HTML changes to the Symphony OPAC to allow for external resources to be searched and results displayed appropriately. Position located in the Washington DC metro area. The candidate should have experience covering: -Established systems librarian experienced with a Unicorn or Symphony system (including maintaining back-ups, running systems administration utilities, creating and modifying reports, customization and coding of the OPAC interface and coordinating vendor support from SirsiDynix) -Diagnose and solve problems relating to the OPAC, cataloging, circulation, serials control, acquisition, self-check interface modules -Experience establishing automated workflows using the Symphony system -Perform annual inventory -Perform upgrades of ILS software (in conjunction with SirsiDynix staff where required) -Customize OPAC interface by performing in-house coding -Support self-checkout equipment -Maintain library electronic interfaces on both public website and intranet -Update, compose and create content in electronic format assuring accuracy and proper display. -Perform coding to create html files, create and enhance the experience of the library's digital assets and customize the library's intranet presence using SharePoint -Familiarity with RFID systems and tagging -Work with the library's database service providers to customize their interface -Create and maintain digital repositories -Compile and distribute reports on the metrics/statistics for all of the library's services. -Troubleshoot problems with staff computers and public-access workstations in library reading room -Test new media and library applications as necessary. -Coordinate with staff and vendors to resolve difficulties that cannot be resolved in-house -Develop monthly status reports -Assist library patrons in the use of all digital resources, self-check equipment and library equipment. -Maintain and create documentation related to all duties **Requirements:** Specific requirements for the position include: -Working knowledge of the UNIX operating system -At least 4 years demonstrated experience supporting web technologies such as HTML, XML and CSS -At least 2 years demonstrated experience creating and coding Unix shell scripts -Ability to use Photoshop -At least 2 years hands-on experience developing sites using SharePoint -Ability to use the OCLC bibliographic utility and online authority files -At least 4 years hands-on experience trouble-shooting computer hardware and networks -At least 4 years hands-on experience creating and coding web accessible electronic interfaces -for databases using advanced technologies -Must stay abreast of new library focused technologies and be able to recommend a better system than Symphony, if a better system can be found -Four years post-MLS library experience **Education:** MS Library/Information Science Required. **Security Clearance Required**: None Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6403/
Re: [CODE4LIB] back to minorities question, seeking guidance
Tim, I'll jump in with, from a curriculum standpoint, making sure there are a variety of class levels offered. When I went through my graduate program there was assistance for people who'd never used email, attached documents, created Powerpoints--basic level stuff that was taught by myself and other GAs on a 1-on-1 usually, and there were classes for people who were already systems administrators/programmers/etc. The only mid-level class offered during my tenure was a course on database design and XML. It has proved the most useful class I took. While I imagine the curriculum has changed in the past few years at my alma mater, identifying and having regular offerings for different levels of familiarity would be important to me were I considering programs again. Abigail -- Abigail Goben Assistant Information Services Librarian and Assistant Professor University of Illinois at Chicago Library of the Health Sciences - Chicago (M/C 763) 1750 W. Polk Street Chicago, Illinois 60612 312.996.8292
[CODE4LIB] Drummers?
Please pardon the list-jacking and cross-posting. Marc Fields Bad Data is planning a performance at the ACRL Conference in Indianapolis, at the Lyrasis Reception on the evening of April 11th. The band is comprised of library-connected musicians. We've had some changes in ensemble membership since the showing during the 2011 Philadelphia ACRL conference. We are currently seeking a drummer / percussionist (and possibly a keyboard player) for the Indy show. Contact me directly for details if you're able (e.g. you actually play the drums are going to Indy for ACRL) are interested in being part of this. I guarantee fun for all. * Joe Lucia University Librarian Villanova University 610-519-4290
[CODE4LIB] Looking for Print Management Software
Hi All, We are looking for a print management software that will not take too much work from IT dept. We wanted to track/limit no. of copies the students use. Thanks, Jay Dela Cruz
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
OK, this is embarrassing but our solution was buying a pair of walkie talkies. On the back end, we have a schedule of who is the backup person and they carry the other walkie talkie around with them and don't leave the building during their backup hour. But they can be in their office, in the stacks, wherever. 1940s tech FTW. Of course, building an app would be more fun. But in the meantime, this costs about $30. Jenny Reiswig UC San Diego On Feb 21, 2013, at 11:28 AM, Kyle Banerjee kyle.baner...@gmail.com wrote: At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. The low tech way to achieve this would be to just have a shortcut pinned to the windows task bar that triggers a web service. A variable passed along in the URL would indicate your location which would be transmitted in a canned email to everyone. For added reach, the web service could ping peoples' cell phones. Any of your local systems people should be able to whip this in less than an hour. Regarding the windows messaging service suggestion, that doesn't seem like an improvement on email (also, those types of messages are frequently blocked). kyle
Re: [CODE4LIB] Full Legal Names on the Web, was GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
It took me a minute to find this--remembering it from when it made the rounds a few years ago. Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names. It's a useful reality check for anyone who thinks they can find and record someone's real name. http://www.kalzumeus.com/2010/06/17/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-names/ Perhaps PS4 should consider using VIAF. :) - Tom On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 10:36 AM, MJ Ray m...@phonecoop.coop wrote: Michael Schofield mschofi...@nova.edu [...] This split topic I'd like to see maybe in another thread is about giving full legal names to web services. If anyone watched the PS4 reveal last night, you might have noticed that PS4 is giving up gamertags (read: aliases) for full names to easily integrate with other social platforms. [...] Anyone know how they're going to handle namespace collisions, and the various sexual and racial harrassment that will happen in some games once you can make assumptions about people from their full names? Hopefully, they only need be names and not legal full names. This might amuse some of you: I'm not even the first (or in the first ten) calling themselves MJ Ray on one popular web service - the ones before me are a diverse bunch, too; and I namespace-collided with myself at least twice while I was both staff for different departments and a student at an expanding university - the user database required full names and required them to be unique... oops! I don't think that's the case any longer... ;-) Regards, -- MJ Ray (slef), member of www.software.coop, a for-more-than-profit co-op. http://koha-community.org supporter, web and library systems developer. In My Opinion Only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html Available for hire (including development) at http://www.software.coop/
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
If you're not willing to provide even your name to make use of a free service, then I dare say you are erecting your own barriers. Such is your choice, of course, but I don't think others need to be compelled to accommodate the barriers you create for yourself. And just because the terms of use are not unconditional, or perfectly to your liking, does not mean you're not welcome to use it. You are. To all the people complaining about the Code4Lib 2014 conference being unwelcoming because of our new No Clothes Policy, I say you are wrong. We are entitled to enact our own conditions of entry, and if you are unwilling to front up naked then you are just erecting your own barriers. The conference is open and welcome to all - I hope to see you there. :-p A different post mentioned namespace collisions - I actually don't suffer from this, and because of my unique name I sometimes prefer not to hand it over in certain circumstances (but GitHub wouldn't worry me). David
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 2:44 PM, David Friggens frigg...@waikato.ac.nzwrote: To all the people complaining about the Code4Lib 2014 conference being unwelcoming because of our new No Clothes Policy, I say you are wrong. We are entitled to enact our own conditions of entry, and if you are unwilling to front up naked then you are just erecting your own barriers. The conference is open and welcome to all - I hope to see you there. Actually many organizations have exactly this policy. Though none that I've heard of care about coding in libraries... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg5sRDJtqNc#t=4m42s
Re: [CODE4LIB] back to minorities question, seeking guidance
On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 8:34 AM, Shearer, Timothy J tshea...@email.unc.eduwrote: Hi Folks, I'm teaching systems analysis at SILS (UNC CH) this semester. Though the course is required for the IS degree, it's not required for the LS degree. However, the majority of my students this semester are LS. And the vast majority are women. Apropos of the part of the thread that dealt with numbers: For those of you who came into this community and at some point went through a MSLS or MSIS program I am wondering if there are things I could try to do that might have an impact on better aligning the ratio of men to women in code4lib and the technology end of the field in general to that in the general population? Was there a moment of clarity? A person who said or modeled the right thing? A project that helped uncover a skill you didn't know you had? And, I am not just interested in what I can do through one class, but also what the curriculum and school could do more holistically. I am de-lurking to say I also really appreciate these questions. I am not a coder or a systems person or anything else like that officially (though I do seem to spend a lot of time on the web committees) -- I'm an academic reference librarian, who has the distinction of being the technical one in my dept. because I am unafraid of my computer. My experience is most of the MLIS's I graduated with -- and me, too -- needed a basic background in CS stuff that we did not have (network administration, simple web programming, basic database stuff), but were also mostly interested in how to be practical in the real library world with it. And so I think the most important set of skills to have is a basic understanding of what underlies the applications we use every day, and what those things do -- and how to approach learning more about things if you need to (I'm not going to remember, say, PHP if you teach it to me in class -- but I may well remember what it is and what it can do and how to recognize it in the wild). The other important issue that I see a lot of when working with librarians is not having a good sense of what's *possible* -- say the tradeoffs between security and flexibility, or making something look pretty versus it being user-editable, etc. (And remember that often means what is possible even though you might be working in a government or academic environment with its own rules -- for instance, the only way I could get away with setting up a server is to do it at home!) Also this may not be as true of students, but many public services folks in the library world may for instance have learned HTML 15 years ago when it was a thing to write your own webpages by hand: but they haven't kept up with web technology over time. So their understanding may be hazy. So: though I wrote faux SQL in my databases class, and that was a necessary and important thing to learn, it would have been more interesting for me to learn how an ILS works, generally. Or what the parts are of a basic digital repository -- even if I didn't get down in to learning the programming language they were written in. Etc. I think for me, I might have ended up on a more technical path than I'm on if it had been more clear to me how technical projects interacted with the aspects of librarianship (reference, collection development, etc) that I loved and figured out more easily. I'll just second what Abigal said too, there are tons of different levels in the MLIS program. I'd poll your class at the outset to see where they are and teach accordingly. And yeah, I don't think many people realize how good technical work can be an approach more than specific knowledge: the instinct for when to google something. -- Phoebe -- * I use this address for lists; send personal messages to phoebe.ayers at gmail.com *
Re: [CODE4LIB] GitHub Myths (was thanks and poetry)
Don't you mean I hope to see all of you there. On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 2:44 PM, David Friggens frigg...@waikato.ac.nz wrote: If you're not willing to provide even your name to make use of a free service, then I dare say you are erecting your own barriers. Such is your choice, of course, but I don't think others need to be compelled to accommodate the barriers you create for yourself. And just because the terms of use are not unconditional, or perfectly to your liking, does not mean you're not welcome to use it. You are. To all the people complaining about the Code4Lib 2014 conference being unwelcoming because of our new No Clothes Policy, I say you are wrong. We are entitled to enact our own conditions of entry, and if you are unwilling to front up naked then you are just erecting your own barriers. The conference is open and welcome to all - I hope to see you there. :-p A different post mentioned namespace collisions - I actually don't suffer from this, and because of my unique name I sometimes prefer not to hand it over in certain circumstances (but GitHub wouldn't worry me). David -- Cary Gordon The Cherry Hill Company http://chillco.com
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
I wrote a little app in PHP to address this exact problem. I wrote it to work the the LibraryH3lp webchat service, but the code could probably be adapted to another context. You can download the source code and instructions here: http://shirley.alptown.com/SOS_Button.zip Best wishes, Shirley Lincicum On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 7:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.eduwrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and encouragement. :) Thank you - Cindy
Re: [CODE4LIB] back to minorities question, seeking guidance
I didn't spot this when Tim first posted it, but this question jumped out at me now: A person who said or modeled the right thing? Around the time I was applying to library school, a friend told me Since you love foreign languages and are interested in computers, you might enjoy programming. This was just the right thing to say, because he was connecting it to something that I consider myself talented at (languages), rather than something I don't (math). Also, he suggested it as something I'd enjoy or find satisfying, just on its own. In a library curriculum, you could tie technology topics to technical services/metadata/cataloging topics, which is something students are likely to see as necessary and comparatively unintimidating. That also seems like a realistic model of how a lot of librarians get into coding in the workplace. I don't know if any of the links Andromeda suggested address this, but I see more effort put into getting young women into coding/CS and the high school/college level, and less effort put into reaching out to women who are already in careers. (At least in the context of, say, the Grace Hopper Conference which I've attended a few times--that might be because all the adults there are sort of by definition already in technical careers.) I think some good encouragement could help people realize that while there are some professions you probably can't enter after a certain age, like professional football player or boy band singer, coder is *not *one of those. There isn't some single Rubicon you cross either; you can hop from HTML to CSS to PHP to SQL to Java, and a lot of people have already taken a few of those steps. On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 8:34 AM, Shearer, Timothy J tshea...@email.unc.eduwrote: Hi Folks, I'm teaching systems analysis at SILS (UNC CH) this semester. Though the course is required for the IS degree, it's not required for the LS degree. However, the majority of my students this semester are LS. And the vast majority are women. Apropos of the part of the thread that dealt with numbers: For those of you who came into this community and at some point went through a MSLS or MSIS program I am wondering if there are things I could try to do that might have an impact on better aligning the ratio of men to women in code4lib and the technology end of the field in general to that in the general population? Was there a moment of clarity? A person who said or modeled the right thing? A project that helped uncover a skill you didn't know you had? And, I am not just interested in what I can do through one class, but also what the curriculum and school could do more holistically. Thanks, Tim
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
It strikes me from a couple of people's comments -- and from some of my own experiences -- that there's more going on here than just implementation. The right implementation is important for adoption, of course, but for a backup system to be helpful it needs to encourage compliance -- including things like having the backup folks available for monitoring, remembering to sign in / turn on walkie talkie / charge batteries, etc. This is definitely the place where we struggle. We have BOTH an IM-based beckon-help system AND walkie talkies for intra- and inter-departmental help requests. But it's very easy to not log into pidgin, to forget that there's a chat widget on the staff dashboard where you can page help, to not pick up the radio at the beginning of a shift. Does anyone have any ideas about how to make this stuff more natural and automatic? Are there lessons we can learn from the retail world that will help us monitor service points better? Also, on some level, the most low-tech solutions can be effective. Right now the paging system that's had the best track records is this: one of those hardware store doorbells with a battery-operated button that signals a remote chime. The button sits on the reference desk and we mash it if the line starts growing. People in the reference office hear it and come out to help. The biggest technological hurdle for this system is that the button is at the very edge of its transmission range, so sometimes mashing on the button doesn't actually signal the chime. This solution doesn't meet your dedicated staff subset requirement, but I wonder if there's something that simple that would work. Anyway, right now I'm just letting my thoughts spin wildly. But this is an interesting and practical problem that I'd love to hear more solutions to! Andreas Orphanides NCSU Libraries On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 10:33 PM, Shirley Lincicum shirley.linci...@gmail.com wrote: I wrote a little app in PHP to address this exact problem. I wrote it to work the the LibraryH3lp webchat service, but the code could probably be adapted to another context. You can download the source code and instructions here: http://shirley.alptown.com/SOS_Button.zip Best wishes, Shirley Lincicum On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 7:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.eduwrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am, not a librarian, nor a coder. I write to this listserv seeking suggestions, ideas and encouragement. :) Thank you - Cindy
[CODE4LIB] Job: Digital Assets Specialist at Reed College
Reed College, one of the country's leading private liberal arts colleges invites applications for the position of Digital Assets Specialist. This is a .75 FTE, regular position reporting to the Digital Assets Librarian. The digital assets specialist provides support for building and maintaining collections of digital materials in the campus digital asset management system. Primary duties include digitizing and processing digital materials for upload to the digital asset management system, creating original metadata to facilitate retrieval for items, and ensuring adherence to established data and digitizing standards. Position provides technical support and training for students, faculty, and staff. We seek collegial and energetic candidates who welcome the opportunity to play a role in providing library services in an intensely academic community. Minimum qualifications: Bachelor's degree and minimum of two years of library or information management experience; or any combination of education and experience that provides the desired knowledge, abilities, and skills, required to perform the job. Prior experience with digital asset management systems, metadata standards, and digital materials workflow strongly preferred. Attention to detail a must. Desirable qualifications: Knowledge of digital best practices for various media (images, text, multimedia). Demonstrated knowledge of visual resource metadata, cataloging, and controlled vocabularies. Experience with CONTENTdm, Mac and PC platforms, and OCR. Excellent communication skills, including experience creating documentation. Familiarity with copyright and fair use policies in an academic environment. To apply, please submit a letter of introduction discussing your qualifications, along with your resume or curriculum vitae, a list of three professional references and a completed Reed Application for Employment form (original or scanned) via email to: library-applicat...@reed.edu. Equal Opportunity Employer Classification: Digital Assets Specialist Salary Range: minimum $18.90/hour Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6405/
[CODE4LIB] Job: Metadata Librarian/Special Collections at Georgetown University
Reporting to the Head of Metadata Services, the Metadata Librarian will work collaboratively with other Metadata Librarian(s) and Metadata Specialists to support the discovery of and access to Library acquired materials in a variety of languages and formats, special collections and digital content through metadata creation, analysis, enrichment, and maintenance according to local and national cataloging and metadata standards. The Librarian ensures timely access to our entitlements through accurate description of resources; participates in the evaluation of the effectiveness of metadata and performs necessary maintenance tasks on both MARC and non-MARC metadata to ensure its accuracy and continued resource discovery and access for the Georgetown University community; serves as a resource; and collaborates with others as needed to accomplish the goals of the Unit, Department, and Library. Primary responsibility is the original and complex metadata creation for special collections/rare books/digital collections in a variety of subject areas and languages, creating metadata according to nationally accepted standards including descriptive cataloging rules found in the Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials and Books [DCRM(B)]. In cataloging rare books, uses related standards, such as the RBMS genre terms thesauri and AMREMM (Descriptive Cataloging of Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Manuscripts). Also describes digital resources using the appropriate metadata schema (preservation, access, description, etc.) to support the Georgetown University Library's digital collections. Metadata is provided within the digital library systems and/or within OCLC for inclusion in the local system. Support and serve as a resource to colleagues on metadata issues and practices for special and digital collections. The incumbent will also coordinate quality control projects for non-MARC metadata from digital collections; provide comprehensive and accurate resource description and subject analysis; serve as a resource person for resolving metadata problems; lead the Library's efforts to coordinate best practices in developing a holistic approach to metadata practices in support of improving and increasing the discoverability of the local and unique digital collections; provide input into the Library's overall success with the Library's discovery strategy; participate in cooperative metadata endeavors such as NACO; provide metadata consultation, design, and development services to facilitate the use of digital and analog information for research and education; assist Unit Head to develop and coordinate appropriate strategies for organizing and providing access to and enabling discovery of information; collaborating closely with staff in Technical Services, Special Collections, the Gelardin New Media Center, and Library Information Technology to enhance access to the Library's collections. Qualifications: * Masters in Library/Information Science from an ALA accredited university required. Additional training or certification in working with rare books or special collections is preferred. * Minimum 2 years of professional metadata creation experience in an academic or research library, and a minimum of two years professional experience creating metadata for rare and special collections are required. * Demonstrated knowledge of MARC and non-MARC metadata formats, standards and schema, such as Dublin Core, METS, EAD, TEI, MODS and AAT * Working knowledge of special collections and rare book metadata standards including Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials and Books (DCRM(B)), Descriptive Cataloging of Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Manuscripts (AMREMM), and RBMS (Rare Books and Manuscripts Section) genre terms strongly preferred * Working knowledge of descriptive bibliography and issues specific to rare materials required * Working knowledge of current metadata standards such as FRBR, Resource Description and Access (RDA), Program for Cooperative Cataloging/Library of Congress Policy Statements, Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), Library of Congress Classification (LCC), and other emerging standards required * Proficiency using computer applications (Windows desktop, word processing, e-mail and internet resources and tools) required * Experience with a national bibliographic utility such as OCLC required * Experience with a local online system such as Innovative Interfaces preferred * Knowledge of issues and current trends in metadata cataloging standards and practices * Knowledge of discovery tools and metadata practices supporting discovery, specifically in a library context * Awareness of current issues and trends in metadata and digital library development * Knowledge of preservation metadata schemas and practices * Knowledge of current and emerging approaches for digital preservation * Demonstrated programming skill and
[CODE4LIB] Job: Archivist/Curator of Manuscripts at Northern Illinois University
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES Regional History Center University Archives Archivist/Curator of Manuscripts Anticipated: April 1, 2013 Position Type: Supportive Professional Staff Term of Appointment: Twelve-month, full-time Reports to: Director of Regional History Center and University Archivist Position Description: See http://www.ulib.niu.edu/aboutus/employment.cfm Summary of Job Responsibilities: The Regional History Center is a multifaceted research center containing three related sets of historical records available to researchers: Regional Collections, University Archives, and Local Government Records. The Center's goal is to acquire, preserve, and make available to the public the most significant historical records of the northern Illinois region. The job will entail reference work including staffing the reference desk, processing and writing inventories for manuscript collections, performing field work and donor relations, providing technical support for automated information systems, managing preservation of and creating of best practice solutions for the acquisition, ingest, and storage of electronic and digital born records, and help with archival bibliographic instruction. Required Qualifications: Archival reference skills, processing manuscript collections, experience in donor relations, field work and collections development, experience in automated information systems, archival bibliographic instruction experience, work with the director and Library, University-wide, and Center's director in finding best practice solution for the acquisitions, ingest, and storage of electronic records, and the ability to maintain dialog with faculty and staff to promote and schedule archives instruction. Educational requirements include a master's degree in history, political science, library science, or related field and two years library experience with emphasis in reference and archival processing. Application: To be considered for an interview, send letter of interest, resume, and thename/address/phone number/e-mail address of three professional references: Kathy Sherman, Administrative Assistant Archivist/Curator Search, University Libraries Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 Email: ksher...@niu.edu Review of applications will begin March 13, 2013; applications accepted until position is filled. Northern Illinois University is an AA/EEO institution. A state-mandated pre-employment criminal background check is required. Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6407/
[CODE4LIB] Job: Senior Developer to work on Open Access to ‘Big Knowledge’ at National ICT Australia
We are looking for someone to join our technical team at NICTA to work on our distributed search system, the Lens. The Lens provides a free 'Innovation Cartography' service to the general public, allowing related innovation data to be discovered and shared easily by anyone. Over the coming year we will be adding many terabytes of new data, including global patents, scientific literature, business and legal information. Your initial work in this role will focus on improving and replacing our current data transform and import systems. These systems must accommodate a variety of different data formats and also be fast enough to process very large data sets. You will be a vital factor in our future capability to provide massive amounts of data for public use. Although your initial role is concentrated on data processing and importing, you will also be an integral part of the wider development team. We share tasks and knowledge around the team so you'll get to work with others and on other parts of the system. You'll be encouraged to learn, innovate and continually make the high performance, distributed systems which make up the Lens even more awesome. **Your responsibilities:** * Develop high performance, deployable software for importing massive textual data sets * Develop high performance, deployable software for transforming those data sets between different data formats and making those data sets accessible for high-use, public-access data services. **You will need the following in your skills toolkit:** * XML parsing techniques and frameworks - StAX, SAX, DOM. * Java and in particular concurrent/multi-core processing. * Experience in distributed systems, from design through to deployment/administration. * Robust scripting - especially using bash, ruby or python. * Good knowledge of Linux development/administration - including utilities such ssh, scp, rsync, grep, find, tar, awk etc * Specific technologies: * Lucene and/or Solr * Amazon EC2 * Tomcat * MySQL * Cutting edge OCR at large scale (highly regarded) * Patent data knowledge (highly regarded) **About The Lens: Cambia and NICTA** _Our goal is to greatly enhance the public good by creating an open and inclusive innovation system, which melds many disparate information sources, dramatically expanding the availability and discoverability of human knowledge. We think of it as 'Innovation Cartography', maps which allow us to discover otherwise unreachable knowledge._ _Working on the Lens is a Lifestyle choice. Flexible work hours and a casual, friendly environment in exchange for passion and dedication. Our team is small, highly productive, open- minded about solutions and focused on delivering high-impact public goods._ **NICTA (National ICT Australia Ltd)** is Australia's Information and Communications Technology Research Centre of Excellence. NICTA develops technologies that generate economic, social and environmental benefits for Australia. NICTA collaborates with industry on joint projects, creates new companies, and provides new talent to the ICT sector through a NICTA-enhanced PhD program. With four laboratories around Australia and over 700 people, NICTA is the largest organisation in Australia dedicated to ICT research. NICTA is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Australian Research Council through the ICT Centre of Excellence Program. NICTA is also funded and supported by the Australian Capital Territory, the New South Wales and Victorian Governments, the Australian National University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Melbourne, the University of Queensland, the University of Sydney, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology and Monash University. **Cambia** is a globally prominent not-for-profit social enterprise and the leading provider of free patent and intellectual property search and analysis. Cambia's mission is the democratization of problem solving using science and technology. Cambia is the founding partner of the Lens, together with NICTA (National ICT Australia) and QUT (Queensland University of Technology). Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6410/
[CODE4LIB] Job: Full-Stack Web Developer at National ICT Australia
We are seeking a full-stack web developer to join the development team to work on our patent/scientific search engine. You will be working on expanding the user-facing side of our search system; as well as greenfield collaborative editing and interactive data-exploration systems. We're a small team and expect you to take a proactive role in determining how (and with what) our systems are built. You will work across all the components of our front-end system, comprising mainly: Linux/EC2, Mysql/Lucene, Java/Spring, Javascript/Backbone and HTML/CSS. **Responsibilities:** * Develop highly interactive web-based services for data exploration and collaboration using massive textual data sets from patents and scientific knowledge. **The ideal candidate:** * Is already a full-stack web developer. * Has an excellent knowledge of modern HTML5/CSS3 * Has experience bringing a modern javascript-heavy webapp to production, and knows how to avoid the common pitfalls with complex javascript apps * Is passionate and has well-reasoned opinions about (web)development * Is proactive and is willing to take the lead on design and implementation of systems without micromanagement **Required Skills:** * HTML/CSS. Applied knowledge of HTML5/CSS3 and a deep understanding of CSS inheritance and how to use it to your advantage. * Javascript. Should be familiar with bringing a moderately complex javascript app to production. We use tools like jasmine, selenium, underscore and backbone * Java/JVM. Our current webapp is built around Java / Spring MVC. We're moving some systems to Scala so experience with additional JVM languages is a plus. * Git. We use git for version control. A github account is highly regarded. * Linux. We develop on osx and deploy on linux. Familiarity with the basic tools is required, any administration skills are a bonus. **About The Lens: Cambia, NICTA** _Our goal is to greatly enhance the public good by creating an open and inclusive innovation system, which melds many disparate information sources, dramatically expanding the availability and discoverability of human knowledge. We think of it as 'Innovation Cartography', maps which allow us to discover otherwise unreachable knowledge. Working on the Lens is a Lifestyle choice. Flexible work hours and a casual, friendly environment in exchange for passion and dedication. Our team is small, highly productive, open- minded about solutions and focused on delivering high-impact public goods. We thrive on humor and good coffee, so a creatively tattooed, fedora-wearing, wryly funny code-master barista would be most welcome._ **NICTA** NICTA (National ICT Australia Ltd) is Australia's Information and Communications Technology Research Centre of Excellence. NICTA develops technologies that generate economic, social and environmental benefits for Australia. NICTA collaborates with industry on joint projects, creates new companies, and provides new talent to the ICT sector through a NICTA-enhanced PhD program. With four laboratories around Australia and over 700 people, NICTA is the largest organisation in Australia dedicated to ICT research. NICTA is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Australian Research Council through the ICT Centre of Excellence Program. NICTA is also funded and supported by the Australian Capital Territory, the New South Wales and Victorian Governments, the Australian National University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Melbourne, the University of Queensland, the University of Sydney, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology and Monash University. **Cambia** Cambia is a globally prominent not-for-profit social enterprise and the leading provider of free patent and intellectual property search and analysis. Cambia's mission is the democratization of problem solving using science and technology. Cambia is the founding partner of the Lens, together with NICTA (National ICT Australia) and QUT (Queensland University of Technology). Brought to you by code4lib jobs: http://jobs.code4lib.org/job/6411/
Re: [CODE4LIB] A newbie seeking input/suggestions
I think the last idea with a doorbell is on the right track. Forget tiny notifications on individuals' computers and instead put up a screen in a central spot which you can use as an informal notice board and buzzer, connected perhaps to a webcam or security image so people can see the traffic and know if help is still needed before the alert times out. Just my two cents... It could show tweets or news when not in use/alert mode. I was working on similar software powered by wordpress in 2011, using a full screen web browser on a TV. Heck, thinking about it further, some kind of private twitter might work (e.g. p2 theme of wordpress) so that those responding could let people know... And it might have interesting social purposes too. Just my 2¢, Louis. On Feb 21, 2013 11:01 PM, Andreas Orphanides akorp...@ncsu.edu wrote: It strikes me from a couple of people's comments -- and from some of my own experiences -- that there's more going on here than just implementation. The right implementation is important for adoption, of course, but for a backup system to be helpful it needs to encourage compliance -- including things like having the backup folks available for monitoring, remembering to sign in / turn on walkie talkie / charge batteries, etc. This is definitely the place where we struggle. We have BOTH an IM-based beckon-help system AND walkie talkies for intra- and inter-departmental help requests. But it's very easy to not log into pidgin, to forget that there's a chat widget on the staff dashboard where you can page help, to not pick up the radio at the beginning of a shift. Does anyone have any ideas about how to make this stuff more natural and automatic? Are there lessons we can learn from the retail world that will help us monitor service points better? Also, on some level, the most low-tech solutions can be effective. Right now the paging system that's had the best track records is this: one of those hardware store doorbells with a battery-operated button that signals a remote chime. The button sits on the reference desk and we mash it if the line starts growing. People in the reference office hear it and come out to help. The biggest technological hurdle for this system is that the button is at the very edge of its transmission range, so sometimes mashing on the button doesn't actually signal the chime. This solution doesn't meet your dedicated staff subset requirement, but I wonder if there's something that simple that would work. Anyway, right now I'm just letting my thoughts spin wildly. But this is an interesting and practical problem that I'd love to hear more solutions to! Andreas Orphanides NCSU Libraries On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 10:33 PM, Shirley Lincicum shirley.linci...@gmail.com wrote: I wrote a little app in PHP to address this exact problem. I wrote it to work the the LibraryH3lp webchat service, but the code could probably be adapted to another context. You can download the source code and instructions here: http://shirley.alptown.com/SOS_Button.zip Best wishes, Shirley Lincicum On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 7:57 AM, Greenspun, Cindy cindy.greens...@yale.eduwrote: Hello - I'm a newbie to this listserv. I'm not a librarian, nor am I a coder. I primarily do systems related work with our library management system, run SQL reports as needed and project management. I also work for Access Services and even though I'm considered IT, I'm not in the library IT department. This is a new position in my department and we're still figuring things out as we go along. I work in one of the many libraries at Yale University. In the department I work in, we have three busy service points - two circulation desks and a privileges/registration office. There are about 50/60 staff members and roughly 50+ student employees who rotate at these service points. There are times when there are students who are late reporting to a service point, no-shows, or suddenly there's a long line and only one person at a staffed service desk. At a meeting recently, I was listening to a work leader lament how, if she is the only person there, she is just too busy to make a phone call or send an email asking for help - a common occurrence. After I heard her, I wondered how possible it would be to create some sort of desktop 'app'. One that requires only one click and is smart enough to know its service desk location and is sent to the right folks who could come assist right away, upon demand. These would be on Windows workstations. Recently, I've seen many encouraging responses to the latest 'getting started...' emails and feel motivated to write to this listserv as I'm eager to learn and to try to do this myself. I hope that this will be a simple enough project for me but I'm just not sure where to start or what I should be looking at. So, here I am,
[CODE4LIB] (most) video from the conference are up on Internet Archive
Most of the video from the conference is up on Internet Archive. I say most, as the Tuesday morning video wasn't available. Searching for code4lib 2013 seems to get all the videos: https://archive.org/search.php?query=code4lib%202013page=1 Jason Ronallo is still working on HTML5-ifying stuff and putting it on the wiki. I know there are some duplicates, so I'll go back and remove them. As Jason embeds the videos on the wiki we'll figure out what's missing :) Please email me directly to let me know if there are problems with any of the videos and I'll do my best to fix them. Thanks Francis et al for streaming the conference. (One of the videos starts with you running to get behind the video camera). Cheers, Tara
Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I?
pendantic and ruby go together about as well as brevity and this mailing list class Foo private def bar Calling a private method is foobar end end $ irb 1.9.3p286 :009 Foo.new.bar NoMethodError: private method `bar' called for #Foo:0x007f9e9184b8b8 1.9.3p286 :010 Foo.new.send(:bar) = Calling a private method is foobar They've been saying they're going to remove this in the next version for about 5 years now... On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 9:37 PM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.edu wrote: Justin, I certainly agree that to become a better coder, it's good to experiment with many languages and applications. I'm not advocating that any given shop should always rule out a project in a new (to them) language. What I'm saying is that the context of what you already know and what your environment supports is an equally important part of the conversation when choosing a language to develop in. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Justin Coyne Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:59 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Ian, I have to caution against taking the attitude we only code in what we already know. Of course you are going to be able to hit the ground running faster in what you are expert in. Putting on the blinders is a great way to become irrelevant in the technology sphere. If you want to be a better coder, there is no better way than to learn a new language, and actually do a project in it. The insights you find in doing this will make you a better coder when your go back to doing whatever it was you were doing before. -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:53 AM, Ian Walls iwa...@library.umass.edu wrote: Agreed. Each language has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pick the one that works best for your situation, factoring in not only what the application needs to do, but your and your team's level of experience, and the overall community context in which the project will live. The peculiarities of a given languages truth tables, for example, can easily get washed out of the calculation when you consider what languages you know and what platforms your institution supports. -Ian -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Ethan Gruber Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 12:45 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] You are a *pedantic* coder. So what am I? Look, I'm sure we can list the many ways different languages fail to meet our expectations, but is this really a constructive line of conversation? -1 On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 12:40 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.comwrote: I did misspeak a bit. You can override static methods in Java. My major issue is that there is no getClass() within a static method, so when the static method is being run in the context of the inheriting class it is unaware of its own run context. For example: I want the output to be Hi from bar, but it's Hi from foo: class Foo { public static void sayHello() { hi(); } public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from foo); } } class Bar extends Foo { public static void hi() { System.out.println(Hi from bar); } } class Test { public static void main(String [ ] args) { Bar.sayHello(); } } -Justin On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 11:18 AM, Eric Hellman e...@hellman.net wrote: OK, pedant, tell us why you think methods that can be over-ridden are static. Also, tell us why you think classes in Java are not instances of java.lang.Class On Feb 18, 2013, at 1:39 PM, Justin Coyne jus...@curationexperts.com wrote: To be pedantic, Ruby and JavaScript are more Object Oriented than Java because they don't have primitives and (in Ruby's case) because classes are themselves objects. Unlike Java, both Python and Ruby can properly override of static methods on sub-classes. The Java language made many compromises as it was designed as a bridge to Object Oriented programming for programmers who were used to writing C and C++. -Justin