We're excited to announce the publication of the fifth issue of the
Code4Lib Journal. Check out our 1 year anniversary issue! And with the
upcoming Code4Lib conference, don't forget to scroll down to the bottom
for Noel Peden's special report on what it takes to get good conference
video.
http://journal.code4lib.org/
Here's the table of contents:
‡biblios: An Open Source Cataloging Editor -
http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/657
Chris Catalfo
‡biblios is an open source cataloging editor designed to allow
libraries to perform copy and original cataloging in a web based
environment. ‡biblios allows users to search for, edit, and save
bibliographic records in the MARC21/MARCXML formats. It also allows
users to send records directly to integrated library systems such as
the Koha ILS. Where most MARC editors are part of an integrated
library system (and therefore require logging in), ‡biblios allows
users to catalog with an open source standalone system available
anywhere via a web browser. Unlike other cataloging editors, it
offers an attractive user interface for searching, saving and
editing cataloging records. This article describes the system
architecture and design of ‡biblios.
User-Centred Design and Agile Development: Rebuilding the Swedish
National Union Catalogue - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/561
Henrik Lindström and Martin Malmsten
With a new generation of OPACs emerging that attempt to address
longstanding shortcomings, how do we make sure that we do not lose
ground again in the future? This article suggests a combination of
iterative development and user-centred design as a way to develop
systems that will meet the constantly changing expectations of users
by providing both functionality and usability. It gives a short
introduction to iterative software development and user-centred
design. A case study of the development of the new version of LIBRIS
(http://libris.kb.se), the Swedish National Union Catalogue, is used
as an example of how these methodologies can benefit from each other
in practice.
Reaching Users Through Facebook: A Guide to Implementing Facebook
Athenaeum - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/490
Wayne Graham
Facebook Athenaeum is an open source application that integrates
library resources directly into the Facebook website. Facebook is
one of the single most-visited websites in the world, and its
popularity among college-aged students provides a unique opportunity
for libraries to redefine how they interact with students. This
article walks you through the deployment Facebook Athenaeum, and
discusses some of the usage trends and pitfalls of deploying
applications using the Facebook API.
Affinity Strings: Enterprise Data for Resource Recommendations -
http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/501
Cody Hanson, Shane Nackerud, and Kristi Jensen
The University of Minnesota Libraries have created a MyLibrary
portal, with databases and e-journals targeted to users, based on
their affiliations. The University’s enterprise authentication
system provides an “affinity string”, now used to personalize the
MyLibrary portal. This affinity string automates discovery of a
user’s relationship to the University–describing a user’s academic
department and degree program or position at the University.
Affinity strings also provide the Libraries with an anonymized view
of resource usage, allowing data collection that respects users’
privacy and lays the groundwork for automated recommendation of
relevant resources based on the practices and habits of their peers.
Identifying FRBR Work-Level Data in MARC Bibliographic Records for
Manifestations of Moving Images - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/775
Kelley McGrath and Lynne Bisko
The library metadata community is dealing with the challenge of
implementing the conceptual model, Functional Requirements for
Bibliographic Records (FRBR). In response, the Online Audiovisual
Catalogers (OLAC) created a task force to study the issues related
to creating and using FRBR-based work-level records for moving
images. This article presents one part of the task force’s work: it
looks at the feasibility of creating provisional FRBR work-level
records for moving images by extracting data from existing
manifestation-level bibliographic records. Using a sample of 941
MARC records, a subgroup of the task force conducted a pilot project
to look at five characteristics of moving image works. Here they
discuss their methodology; analysis; selected results for two
elements, original date (year) and director name; and
conclude with some suggested changes to MARC coding and current
cataloging policy.
Rasmuson Library DVD Browser: Fun with Screen Scraping and Drupal -
http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/469
Ilana Kingsley and Mark Morlino
The DVD Browser is a simple application that lets library patrons
browse movie covers, titles, and reviews. It works by screen
scraping the the Rasmuson Library catalog for DVD movies and dumps
the data into a Drupal MySQL database. This paper describes the
process of setting up the DVD Browser.
Reviving Digital Projects - http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/685
Dianne Dietrich, Jennifer Doty, Jen Green and Nicole Scholtz
What do you do when you are in charge of assessing and reviving an
abandoned digital project you had no part in creating or
implementing? This article will talk about the unique challenges and
issues involved in such a project, drawing from a specific example
at the University of Michigan Library. We contended with unfamiliar
software, limited technical documentation, proprietary file formats
and platform migration, and will discuss how we approached each of
these specific technical issues. After reviving our project and
reflecting on our process, we put together a list of guidelines that
we feel will help assist others who may find themselves in similar
situations.
Generating Metadata on a Shoestring sans Programmer, with Our Good
Friend, Excel (or Any Spreadsheet) -
http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/535
Jill Strass
How to use Excel to generate metadata for any encoded filename or
identifier for any digital object whose attributes can be expressed
in an abbreviated form.
SPECIAL REPORT: Creating Conference Video -
http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/555
Noel F. Peden
Capturing video at a conference is easy. Doing it so the product is
useful is another matter. Many subtle problems come into play so
that video and audio obtained can be used to create a final product.
This article discusses what the author learned in the two years of
shooting and editing video for Code4Lib conference.
COLUMN: We Love Open Source Software. No, You Can’t Have Our Code -
http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/527
Dale Askey
Librarians are among the strongest proponents of open source
software. Paradoxically, libraries are also among the least likely
to actively contribute their code to open source projects. This
article identifies and discusses six main reasons this dichotomy
exists and offers ways to get around them.
--
Emily Lynema
Systems Librarian for Digital Projects
Information Technology, NCSU Libraries
919-513-8031
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