LibX Preconference

LibX is a popular browser plugin for Firefox and Internet Explorer that has been adopted and customized by hundreds of libraries. Through its intuitive configuration interface, LibX can be customized by librarians even without programming skills. LibX can give libraries a presence on web pages to which they would not have access otherwise, allowing them to contextualize those web pages in a manner that is useful to and relevant for their users. As libraries compete with other online resources, extending the library's presence onto those sites becomes crucial. LibX 2.0 will provide a community platform for the development, sharing, and deployment of applications that will facilitate this presence.

This preconference is targeted at developers who wish to use the LibX 2.0 platform to extend the reach of their services, or who wish to provide existing services in new contexts.

First, we'll give an under-the-hood overview of how LibX works internally and how it maintains its configuration information. We'll briefly review how maintainers build and configure editions using the LibX Edition Builder.

Second, we'll present our architecture that allows the creation and publication of LibApps. LibApps are applications composed by librarians using modules that are created by developers. It is much like assembling a piece of furniture from parts, with a given set of modules the librarian will be able to create a new service to integrate into their users' LibX edition. We'll present the abstractions that explain how such applications are created and published.

Third, we'll demonstrate a number of LibApps and show in detail how they are developed.

Lastly, we'll provide a collaborative space for participants to brainstorm about LibApps, and to develop and deploy a LibApp of their own.

We envision a minimum number of 10 participants and a maximum number of 25.

• Godmar Back (Virginia Tech)
• LibX Team members