Hi All, 

Thank you all for your excellent replies. 

After sitting down with folks, listening to their current workflow, and future goals, I think we will likely move this type of collection to our existing archive. Short term goals are to have them back up the data on the lone workstation with the DB on it, start moving transcriptions out of MS Word documents to a more sustainable format (likely TEI XML), and use Google Docs as a convenient way to share flat files between themselves and outside researches. 

As for the other collection, I am still waiting for that meeting. So far it has gotten several stakeholders across campus excited about future projects. 

Cheers, Paul
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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:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Matthew Zimmerman
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2012 1:37 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Putting several small databases online.

Aside from the technical considerations, just be sure you really want to host these and can promise long term support. At a previous job we started hosting databases and as each of us moved on to different institutions there was no one left to maintain the dbs. I still get a call ever six months or so from a professor at an institution I left four years ago when she has a problem ;-) 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Chad Benjamin Nelson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 10:41:21 AM
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Putting several small databases online. 

Hi Paul, 

If you're comfortable with php, which it sounds like you are, I'd recommend the cakephp framework. It's lightweight and fairly easy to get started with. The Tutorial provides a nice introduction to getting started and quickly building a simple CRUD app like you are talking about. 

It doesn't come with as much built in as Drupal, but it does mean there is a lot less to worry about and so you can get your barebones site up pretty quickly. There are also quite a few plugins available to help you build up a site quickly without writing too much custom code. 

Hope that helps, 

Chad 

Chad Nelson
Web Services Programmer
University Library
Georgia State University 

e: [log in to unmask]
t: 404 413 2771
My Calendar 

________________________________________
From: Code for Libraries [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Tomas Saorin [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 8:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Putting several small databases online. 

Drupal and Views fit for your needings, and it may also work as a framework for php-mysql apps. 

Enviado desde mi iPad 

El 27/06/2012, a las 14:03, "Richard, Joel M" <[log in to unmask]> escribió: 

> I agree with Clinton. Above all else, security is important and you want something that handles credentials properly. Chances are, your sites are getting "scanned" by potential hackers every day and you may not know it. They don't try to hack in because of who you are, only because you are there. 
> 
> I also second the idea of using Drupal to do this. It comes out of the box with a lot of the features you listed, plus some. 
> 
> Besides, I'll bet you a pint of your favorite beer that once this data 
> is online, your users will want to do more with it. Having a flexible 
> foundation is not a bad thing. :)
> 
> --Joel
> 
> 
> Joel Richard
> Lead Web Developer, Web Services Department Smithsonian Institution 
> Libraries | http://library.si.edu/
> (202) 633-1706 | [log in to unmask]
> 
> 
> On Jun 26, 2012, at 11:50 PM, Clinton Boyda wrote: 
> 
>> There are other methods of putting data online, like Google's spreadsheet etc. 
>> 
>> I just wanted to point out, the "simplicity" of putting a small database online can require a professional skill set. Security permissions need to be set correctly, and a database is very rarely store on the same server as a webpage because of these reasons. It might really be time to call a programmer just so that all your project works as you expected :) 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> Clinton Boyda 
>> 
>> Econolution Inc. 
>> Helping Rural Communities Diversify, Grow & Prosper. 
>> www.townlife.com Community Powered Websites! 
>> 
>> Please consider the environment before printing this email. 
>> 
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>> 
>>> -----Original Message----- 
>>> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of 
>>> Kevin Hawkins 
>>> Sent: June 26, 2012 9:13 PM 
>>> To: [log in to unmask] 
>>> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Putting several small databases online. 
>>> 
>>> If these are working databases used by just a handful of people, not things 
>>> you're trying to preserve for the long run, then for the FileMaker one I would 
>>> consider using FileMaker Pro's built-in "instant web publishing" feature. More 
>>> on this and other options are at: 
>>> 
>>> http://help.filemaker.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7466/~/publishing- 
>>> databases-on-the-web-with-filemaker-pro-and-filemaker-server 
>>> 
>>> I believe MS Access has something similar for using MS SQL Server. 
>>> 
>>> --Kevin 
>>> 
>>> On 6/26/12 5:03 PM, Paul Butler (pbutler3) wrote: 
>>>> Hi All, In the last week the library has been approached by two 
>>>> different departments across campus that have small databases, one 
>>>> FileMaker Pro and one MS Access, that they would like to make 
>>>> available online. The interfaces would be nothing fancy, with a 
>>>> backend that allows for adding/updating/deleting resources. 
>>> 
>>> [. . .] 
>>> 
>>>> I would prefer not to build too much from scratch. I don't think I 
>>>> want/need a full blown repository for either (though I help admin ours 
>>>> and it is due for a complete hardware/software overhaul later this 
>>>> summer< http://archive.umw.edu/>. I am thinking of transitioning it to 
>>>> more of an IR with disparate content.) 
>>>> 
>>>> So, what would you do or have you done? I want something nimble. I 
>>>> would love to build it once and then duplicate it. I get the sense 
>>>> once I start helping folks other departments will come forward.