DataCamp: Lightning Talks

We began the DataCamp day with a few lightning talks. More notes courtesy of Mary Jingle who created a google doc for collaborative notes.

Telling Stories with Library Data

Tami Setala from BC Library Cooperative

libraries are creators and consumers of open data
the challenge is that it’s just data, someone has to give it meaning
the library community has an opportunity, needs to take a leadership role, making data meaningful and providing access to those who might otherwise not
need to catch up and connect with others to make this happen
consider the impact of data and the story it tells, and how it can inform practices
e.g. standard vs. mobile checkouts through OverDrive – consider impact on staff training
e.g. ebooks checked out by subject – consider how this might impact collection development, how it exposes what the community is reading

Calvin Mah from SFU Library

open data movement from government (Vancouver, Toronto, etc.) & academic (e.g. University of Waterloo)
what kind of data can libraries give?
as champions of open data, why can’t we open up our own data?
legally open – can we legally give out? privacy/security concerns?
technically open: machine readable data, open forms: RDF, XML, JSON
focus on technical e.g. what hours library is open
what data is available? courses, book & journal covers, real time equipment status, library hours, patron data (restricted access), course reserves (driving reason), serial costs, library workshops
Library Reserves needed to be integrated with campus Learning Management System (Canvas), so needed to create an API
very basic use by course number, returns JSON with information
Laptop Availability: basic information on number of available laptops
Library Hours: moved hours into database, API feeds main hours front end display, other widgets for summaries, hours list
future use cases
- room booking software,
- desktop/server updates during closed hours,
- shut down machines after hours,
- digital signage
Technical:
- modular,
- drop & play,
- inline documentation,
- test forms generated from documentation,
- language independent (JSON, XML)
check it out at http://api.lib.sfu.ca
Slides

Sean Simpson, GIS Manager, Engineering Department from City of Surrey

Surrey has been doing some open data, mostly spatial (GIS)
part of being open, transparent, accessible, accountable
build open data portals not for public policy literate citizens, but so citizens may become literate in data, visualization, coding and public policy -David Yees (sp?)
many argue can’t do it out of context, but similar argument for libraries in the past
approach: education of staff, create mandated open data policy
adopted open government license, allow use, simply with attribution
start with data already available, analyze FOIA requests (what are people asking for?), request feedback, survey staff
top 10 datasets in general
- crime,
- restaurant inspections,
- permits & licenses,
- service request stats,
- zoning data,
- property tax data,
- locations of public facilities,
- business listings,
- financial transparency data,
- performance metrics
creating data catalogue using CKAN (Comprehensive Knowledge Archive Network)
not just a data portal: not just data, but discovery, allowing visualization tools, maps, apps, mashups, discussion forum, etc.

Mark Jordan from SFU Library

collected data on smartphone
some real data that we can use to visualize
every 10 mins would write location to a file, also emailed daily for backup
ended up with 4384 data points with just date, time, latitude, longitude
uploading to fusion table which allow you to put it into a google map with simple filtering feature
Why? to see what data comes out of phone, see if location tracking is a bad thing, whether collecting can be turned off, what happens
indoor positioning systems track by network connection, so only way to turn off collection is to turn off phone completely

Andrew from Vancouver Hack Space

mobile hack space to do hands on, creative activities e.g. kids’ festival, libraries
great way to make technology accessible, exciting is to provide a space for people to build whatever they want
embed useful skills into creative projects
Vancouver Hack Space: communal workshop supported by paid membership, but not about tool access, it’s about exchange of ideas and working with each other

Sarah Sutherland from CanLII

a lot of open data e.g. Ravellaw.com provide visualization for number of citation of cases and relationships, K Class from Library of Congress
CanLII API http://developer.canlii.org
possibilities: RIS (citation format) converter, common cases, genealogy of supreme court decisions
Suggested use cases: geographic analysis of regulations, combination of provincial and federal laws with municipal data

Scott Robarts

Dethe from Mozilla Foundation & Helen, Mozilla Rep

how Mozilla fits into it: manifesto to keep the web open
foundation has education mandate
webmaker.org suite of tools allowing remix of webpages & videos
Lightbeam: privacy, tracking visualization tool
Web Literacy Standard 1.0 launched
HIVE network: NYC, Chicago, Toronto – umbrella group for learning resources, would like to see one in Vancouver
Openbadges: include pathways

Myron

why should we care about privacy? making the decision for our patrons what tools are being used to access the internet
should also look at mitigating information e.g. adblock on public computers
libraries are looking out for users’ best interest, should think how this might apply in accessing and using the web
where we can control is commercial tracking and agreements
provide “privacy friendly” option
keep plugins up to date, push to https if possible, adblock plus, lightbeam
disconnect (app? plugin?)

All of the breakout session notes should be linked from the DataCamp webpage later, but for now, here are the links I’ve gathered: