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
SFU Library Open Data API
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
City of Surrey Open Data Program
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.
Smartphone Geolocation
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
Maker Mobile
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
Developments and Opportunities in Legal Data
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
Google Fusion Tables
Scott Robarts
- Community Table with data, allowing quick publishing
- can put it into a google map
- can export into webpage
- will automatically add geolocation information for you if you add address
- constraint: just one table
Maker Education & Teach the Web
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
Privacy of the Library Internet
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?)
Breakout Session Notes
All of the breakout session notes should be linked from the DataCamp webpage later, but for now, here are the links I’ve gathered:
