Code4LibBC Day 1: Lightning Talks Part 1

The first morning of Code4LibBC is all about lightning talks. Here’s part 1.

Adapt, integrate, collaborate: Applying lessons from Battlestart Galactica to academic libraries

Gordon Coleman

job talk, part of the interview process
imagine a future where challenges in acquisitions and serials is solved with one system
Acquisition Systems in 2024: Discovery/ERM/KB/LR/proxy fusion initiator; file format modulator; intergalactic title list synchronizer; DRM proximity alaert; vendor & aggregatetor content option tracking radar; FAST integration hyperdrive
choosing an ebook, know exactly which vendors have it with typical options, shared collection world where available open access or from another library through ILL
why aren’t we there?
explosion of electronic formats
the simple past: decision collections; order in acquisitions; make available by cataloguing; maintenance under loans
simple linear flow, things were passed along, and each module existed in ILS
confusing present: ebook workflow diagram shows how much libraries struggle to acquire, make discoverable, with multiple systems and tools
decisions in one unit affect others; collaboration between units
how do you pass the information about an electronic resource?
need to synchronize records even across different tools
need to be able to adapt with new workflow, tools, system and tool integration, collaboration
needs to be about the user and their needs* solving the technology problem is only 10% of the problem; the other 90% are the people and organization
Slides in PDF

Dan Gillean and Jesus Garcia Crespo

Background:
MOMA was using archivematica and DAM/TMS, but needed to connect the two with relationships, analytics, etc.; also thinking about FRBR
RFP in 2013: 32 functional requirements, and 9 use cases
two main chunks with analysis/prototyping, developments
transformed use cases to UX flowcharts
DRMC stack: building on atom, archivematic, and built and HTTP API
decided to use angular.js
created context browser using d3
connected such that nodes can be created and edited
digital object browser: allows viewing of technical data and compare multiple objects
fixity checking, constantly running and reports
data graphs
artwork browse and search which is keyed to types of objects
what’s next? rebrand, abstract MoMA-specific code, open source angularJS app, public demo, API documentation; find dev partners

Trevor Smith, George Villavicencio, Glen Greely

did Sierra Upgrade last year; dealt with IT a lot
University has music stores was using paper, but needed something better
not uncommon because AV/classroom support was also on the ILS system
project: equipment, lockers, and keys
didn’t want to overpromise, and built as necessary
bought license, set up with basics with barcodes etc.
biggest problem was time, doing it off the side of desk
work was done piecemeal
barriers & challenges: considered no direct benefit to library; training; ILS not tied to payment system (and didn’t want to connect them)
rescoped to lockers and keys
barcodes on a sheet for lockers
results: music department with
results at library: sharpened skills, looked at templates, automate assignment of barcodes, added calculators and other equipments
results IT: on the radar
results students: had similar experience as before but added can see it online, can renew lockers
lessons learned: only build the granularity that you need,
libraries are not the only ones loaning stuff; go make friends

Joyce Wong

facilitated UX session of sampler workshop
take small bites, part of design methods to clarify objectives, evaluate what works
focus on actionables, research questions, who needs persuading, collaborate, apply results multiple ways
process: stakeholders, design study instrument, review and test run, recruit test subjects, analyze and share, do as little as needed, don’t be afraid to change (food is good for domestic but not international students)
don’t be afraid to change
methods: analytics, surveys, obeservational, interviews’focus groups, photo diaries, participatory design
interviews/focus groups: set subject for success, get them to do something, empathy, define terms, open questions moving to specifics, don’t invite speculation
visuals: camera on their heads, photos of spaces and what works or doesn’t, recorded sessions of tasks
tools for analysis: tell a story, group viewing, affinity grouping (patterns, key phrases), 4-5 is really enough
to ponder: task testing of discovery layer, card sort: labelling; what are you really testing? testing collections, think like librarians, the tool?
Templates for workshop

Galen Charlton

Ada initative had a library campaign; librarians did very well in contributing
techniques to encourage funds; Galen proposed to do a bit of coding (“the easy way out”)
problem statement: cats occupy librarians’ laps but they are not front-and-center in our catalogs
this is sad but we can haz happy. we can add animated cats to our catalog, and also do something just a bit more serious, like exposing unAPI and supporting the Ada Initiative
the unAPI pulls details and builds export files using JavaScript
built using jQuery, jQuery UI, built plugin
inserted cat using simple animation related functions (zIndex, append, animate)
exposing unAPI by inspecting to find unapi server, grab supported formats, then make widgets
not just for Koha, works in Evergreen too, and lets one inject a bit of JavaScript
where to find it: Github under GPL 2+
adding it to Koha: add to the opacuserjs system preference
adding it to Evergren, override the opac/parts/js.tt2 template and add appropriate code