This looks like a great set of pre-conferences - especially since they are
built around Solr.

Robert



On 11/13/09 11:25 AM, "Bess Sadler" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hey, how about this? I've been discussing this off list with Erik and
> Naomi and this is what we came up with (I also added it to the wiki):
> 
> This is a proposal for several pre-conference sessions that would fit
> together nicely for people interested in implementing a next-gen
> catalog system.
> 
> 1. Morning session - solr white belt
> Instructor: Bess Sadler (anyone else want to join me?)
> The journey of solr mastery begins with installation. We will then
> proceed to data types, indexing, querying, and inner harmony. You will
> leave this session with enough information to start running a solr
> service with your own data.
> 
> 2. Morning session - solr black belt
> Instructors: Erik Hatcher (and Naomi Dushay? she has offered to help,
> if that's of interest)
> Amaze your friends with your ability to combine boolean and weighted
> searching. Confound your enemies with your mastery of the secrets of
> dismax. Leave slow queries in the dust as you performance tune solr
> within an inch of its life. [We should probably add more specific
> advanced topics here... suggestions welcome]
> 
> 3. Afternoon session - Blacklight
> Instructors: Naomi Dushay, Jessie Keck, and Bess Sadler
> Apply your solr skills to running Blacklight as a front end for your
> library catalog, institutional repository, or anything you can index
> into solr. We'll cover installation, source control with git, local
> modifications, test driving development, and writing object-specific
> behaviors. You'll leave this workshop ready to revolutionize discovery
> at your library. Solr white belts or black belts are welcome.
> 
> And then anyone else who had a topic that built on solr (e.g.,
> vufind?) could add it in the afternoon. Obviously I'm biased, but I
> really do think the topic of implementing a next gen catalog is meaty
> enough for a half day and I know people are asking me about it and
> eager to attend such a thing.
> 
> What do you think, folks?
> 
> Bess
> 
> On 12-Nov-09, at 4:10 PM, Gabriel Farrell wrote:
> 
>> On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 02:47:42PM +0000, Jodi Schneider wrote:
>>> If you'd be up for it Erik, I'd envision a basic session in the
>>> morning.
>>> Some of us (like me) have never gotten Solr up and running.
>>> 
>>> Then the afternoon could break off for an advanced session.
>>> 
>>> Though I like Bess's idea, too! Would that be suitable for a
>>> conference
>>> breakout? Not sure I'd want to pit it against Solr advanced session!
>> 
>> The preconfs should be as inclusive as possible, but I'm wondering if
>> the Solr session might be more beneficial if we dive into the
>> particulars right off the bat in the morning.  There are only a few
>> steps to get Solr up and running -- it's in the configuration for our
>> custom needs that the advice of a certain Mr. Hatcher can really be
>> helpful.
>> 
>> You're right, though, that the NGC thing sounds more like a BOF
>> session.
>> I'd support that in order to attend a full preconf day of Solr.
>> 
>> 
>> Gabriel
> 
> Elizabeth (Bess) Sadler
> Chief Architect for the Online Library Environment
> Box 400129
> Alderman Library
> University of Virginia
> Charlottesville, VA 22904
> 
> [log in to unmask]
> (434) 243-2305
> 

**********************************
Robert H. McDonald
Associate Dean for Library Technologies
Associate Director, Data to Insight Center-Pervasive Technology Institute
Frye Leadership Institute Fellow 2009
Indiana University
Herman B Wells Library 234
1320 East 10th Street
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: 812-856-4834
Email: [log in to unmask]
Skype/GTalk: rhmcdonald
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