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BC Past Events

This page is an archive of information about older Code4Lib BC events. For recent or upcoming events, check out the main Code4Lib BC page.

Eighth Annual Code4Lib BC Unconference 2021

Thursday, 18 February and Friday, 19 February

Registration is now closed for Code4Lib BC 2021!

Code4Lib BC is different this year. Obviously we won’t be seeing each other in person. Nobody needs to organize hotels or transportation. And probably many of us have conference-zoom fatigue. So we’re going to focus on the basics: get in your comfy clothes at home and share your awesome library ideas with like-minded folks.

What's it all about?

It's a 2-day unconference - a participant-driven meeting bringing together a diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology regardless of their department or background.

This year’s event will feature lightning talks and breakout sessions. Lightning talks are brief, 10-minute presentations on topics related to library technologies. Breakout sessions are an opportunity to bring participants together in an ad hoc fashion for a short, yet sustained period of problem solving, software development and fun. Sadly (or gladly), all of the coffee, tea, and snacks will be provided by your kitchen. Whether you’re just getting your library-IT feet wet or if you’re a grizzled, salty dog, Code4Lib BC is a great opportunity to share with the community!

  • What's included: online platform and bubbling ideas.
  • What's NOT included: a conference room, uncomfortable chairs, a laptop, food, your ideas and enthusiasm.
  • What to bring: a comfy chair or couch, a laptop, food, your ideas and enthusiasm.
  • Code of Conduct: As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment.

Lightning Talk and Breakout Session Ideas

Is there a neat project you've been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss? Share your ideas in our Lightning Talks.

Schedule

Please note that all times are PST (Vancouver, Canada). This time zone converter may be useful.

Day 1

8:30 Virtual venue opens
9:00 Welcome and announcements
9:15 Lightning talks
10:30 Break
10:45 Lightning talks (continued)
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Breakout sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout sessions (continued)
4:00 Breakout reports
5:00 Social event

Day 2

8:30 Virtual venue opens
9:00 Welcome and announcements
9:15 Lightning talks
10:30 Break
10:45 Lightning talks (continued)
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Breakout sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout sessions (continued)
4:00 Breakout reports
5:00 Social event???

Sponsors

While Code4Lib BC no longer solicits sponsorship, we want to acknowledge the continued administrative and fiscal support from the BC Libraries Cooperative.

2021 Organizers

  • Trevor Smith
  • George Villavicencio
  • Lindsay Russell
  • Kristina Long

Comments or questions? Get in touch with Trevor Smith at smitht7@douglascollege.ca.

Seventh Annual Code4Lib BC Unconference 2019

  • Thursday, 28 November and Friday, 29 November

This year's Code4Lib BC will be held on the North Shore of Metro Vancouver, and jointly hosted by West Vancouver Memorial Library and Capilano University. The Thursday events will be held at the West Vancouver Memorial Library. Friday's activities will be held at Capilano University's main campus.

What's it all about?

It's a 2-day unconference - a participant-driven meeting bringing together a diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology regardless of their department or background.

The event will feature lightning talks, breakout sessions, with coffee, tea and snacks provided. Lightning talks are brief presentations which are typically 10 minutes in length on topics related to library technologies. Breakout sessions are an opportunity to bring participants together in an ad hoc fashion for a short, yet sustained period of problem solving, software development and fun. If there is a neat project you're been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss, Code4Lib BC is a great opportunity to share with the community!

  • What's included: wifi, power, coffee/snacks, lunches, prizes.
  • What's NOT included/what to bring: a laptop, dinner, your ideas and enthusiasm.
  • Code of Conduct: As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment.

Lightning Talk and Breakout Session Ideas

Is there a neat project you've been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss?

Food/Transportation

Do you have dietary restrictions? Let us know when you register.

Accommodations

  • Lonsdale Hotel: Rates start at $159.50/night (non-refundable) or $206.25/night (refundable).

Schedule

Day 1

8:30 Doors open
9:00 Welcome and announcements
9:15 Lightning talks
10:30 Break
10:45 Lightning talks (continued)
12:00 Lunch (provided)
1:00 Breakout sessions
  • The Lab Learning Space at WVML - Andrea Tartaglio / Patricia Lesku
  • Implementing values - Cynthia Ng
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout sessions (continued)
  • Blended learning in libraries - Erol Olcay
  • Intranets
4:00 Breakout reports
5:00 Social event

Day 2

8:30 Doors open
9:00 Announcements
9:15 Lightning talks
10:30 Break
10:45 Lightning talks (continued)
12:00 Lunch (provided)
  • Wraps: Chicken Caesar; Hummus and Veggie; Mediterranean Beef and Feta; Italian Milano; California Chicken and Tuna Salad; Egg Salad
  • Mediterranean Pita Chip Platter
1:00 Breakout sessions
  • Web archiving - Dana McFarland
  • Project management - Trevor Smith
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout sessions (continued)
  • Establishing a code club for adults/seniors - Dethe Elza
  • Who wants to host Code4Lib BC in 2020?
4:00 Breakout reports
5:00 Meet up at Coach House Lounge

Sponsors

While Code4Lib BC no longer solicits sponsorship, we want to acknowledge the contributions of:

as well as continued administrative and fiscal support from the BC Libraries Cooperative.

Organizers

  • Kevin Brash
  • Michel Castagné
  • Glen Greenly
  • Maryann Kempthorne
  • Patricia Lesku
  • Jennifer O'Donnell
  • Fiacre O'Duinn
  • Andrea Tartaglio

Sixth Annual Code4lib BC Unconference 2018

Save the dates!

  • Thursday, 29 November and Friday, 30 November

This year's C4LBC will be held in Nanaimo, BC, and jointly hosted by the University of Vancouver Island and Vancouver Island Regional Library. Again! The Thursday events will be held in downtown Nanaimo at VIRL's Harbourfront Branch. Friday's activities will be held the the VIU campus. This year's organisers are trying hard to make everything as easy as possible for mainlanders travelling to the island, so stay tuned for details on transportation, accommodations, and much more.

Registration is now open!

What's it all about?

It's a 2-day unconference - a participant-driven meeting bringing together a diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology regardless of their department or background.

The event will feature lightning talks, breakout sessions, with coffee, tea and snacks provided. Lightning talks are brief presentations which are typically 10 minutes in length on topics related to library technologies. Breakout sessions are an opportunity to bring participants together in an ad hoc fashion for a short, yet sustained period of problem solving, software development and fun. If there is a neat project you're been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss, Code4Lib BC is a great opportunity to share with the community!

What's included: wifi, power, coffee/snacks, lunches, prizes, limited transportation from downtown Nanaimo to VIU campus.

What's NOT included/what to bring: a laptop, dinner, your ideas and enthusiasm.

Hashtag: #c4lbc

Code of Conduct: As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment.

Sponsors

While Code4libBC no longer solicits sponsorship, we want to acknowledge the contributions by our hosts:

as well as continued administrative and fiscal support from the BC Libraries Cooperative.

Lightning Talk Proposals and Breakout Suggestions

Is there a neat project you've been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss?

Submit your lightning talk/breakout suggestion

See what's already been submitted

Food/Transportation

Do you have dietary restrictions? Let us know when you register.

Are you traveling from Victoria or the Lower Mainland? Are you interested in sharing transportation? Please contact:

  • carpool from Victoria to Nanaimo please contact Charles Hogg at charles.hogg@leg.bc.ca.
  • carpool from Lower Mainland to Nanaimo please contact James Fournie at jfournie@vcc.ca.

Transportation to Nanaimo from the mainland is best made by ferry to Departure Bay, or by seaplane/helijet

This year were are please to offer a draw for a chance to win one of two travel bursaries [$300 each]. One for a student, one for a non-student: Enter the Bursary Draw. Bursary update: The draw is now closed. Congratulations to this year's bursary recipients: Kristen Allford and Paul Burry!

Accommodations

The Coast Bastion Hotel has reserved a block of 10 rooms per night at the government rate (Nov 28/29)

Guests can call 800-663-1144 and quote “Code4Lib” or group code CBI-GFC18933 to book under the block.

This block will be held until October 29th, any remaining rooms will be sent back to general inventory. After that, guests can still book under the block, but based on general availability.

  • Comfort Rooms – 2 beds $117.00
  • Superior Rooms – 2 Bed or 1 Queen bed $127.00
  • Premium Rooms – 1 King bed $137.00

Other accommodation options can be found here.

Schedule

Day 1

Events will be held at VIRL's Harbourfront library branch.

Parking: Recommend underground parking under library. Entrance to lot off Front St. or Museum Way.

8:30 Doors open
9:00 Welcome & Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
  • Code4libBC: What's an Unconference - Cynthia Ng
  • The Art of the Kludge - Julie Cole
  • Using LibAnswers as an e-resource management and ticketing system - Patricia Pang
  • Breaking Down the IT Silo - Jeff Narver
  • The Never-Ending Wrangle: enabling fulltext search in Supplejack - Daniel Sifton
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
  • Children's Coding Gadgets and Early Literacy Skill Development - Code-a-Pillar, Osmo, and Sphero - Caitlin Ottenbreit
  • Open to change: Migrating to Evergreen - James Fournie / Gwenda Bryan / Dan Sifton / Geoffrey Allen
  • Digitization challenges for small organizations - Christine Meutzner
  • Weeding Reports - Trevor Smith
  • Retro-computing collection at UVic Libraries - John Durno
12:00 Lunch (Provided)
1:00 Breakout Sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
  • Excel for Librarians - Trevor Smith
  • Creativity Commons: Open House - Jason/Jonathan Bigalow
4:00 Breakout Reports
5:00 Social Event at White Sails Brewery with pizza from Mambo Pizza

Day 2

Events will be held at VIU's Building 305, Room 507

A bus (with a friendly, qualified driver) will pick up attendees from the Coast Bastion on Friday morning at 8:20 am. If needed the bus will return for another load of passengers ~20 minutes later.

Parking: Closest is Lot N; some spaces in Lots F & C are short-term; VIU Parking Map


8:30 Doors open
9:00 Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
  • Patron Counters - James Fournie
  • Attack of the webforms! - Paul Burry
  • ILS cloud migration - Olga Kalachinskaya
  • Hacking devices - Calvin Mah
12:00 Lunch (Provided)
1:00 Breakout Sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
4:00 Breakout Reports
  • Library as platform - Maryann Kempthonre
  • Cries for help / Tales of fails
5:00 Meet up somewhere for drinks

Feedback

Post conference, don't forget to fill out the feedback form . . . and get a chance to win a prize!

Organizers

  • Daniel Sifton
  • Dana McFarland
  • Ben Hyman
  • Jason Kuffler
  • Charles Hogg
  • Paris Carr
  • James Fournie
  • Cynthia Ng
  • Tamarack Hockin
  • Allison Trumble
  • Geoffrey Allen

Fifth Annual Code4lib BC Unconference 2017

Save the dates!

  • Thursday, 30 November and Friday, 1 December, 2017

This year's C4LBC will be held in Nanaimo, BC, and jointly hosted by the University of Vancouver Island and Vancouver Island Regional Library. The Thursday events will be held in downtown Nanaimo at VIRL's Harbourfront Branch. Friday's activities will be held the the VIU campus. This year's organisers are trying hard to make everything as easy as possible for mainlanders travelling to the island, so stay tuned for details on transportation, accommodations, and much more.

Registration is now open!

What's it all about?

It's a 2-day unconference - a participant-driven meeting bringing together a diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology regardless of their department or background.

The event will feature lightning talks, breakout sessions, with coffee, tea and snacks provided. Lightning talks are brief presentations which are typically 10 minutes in length on topics related to library technologies. Breakout sessions are an opportunity to bring participants together in an ad hoc fashion for a short, yet sustained period of problem solving, software development and fun. If there is a neat project you're been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss, Code4Lib BC is a great opportunity to share with the community!

What's included: wifi, power, coffee/snacks, lunches, prizes, limited transportation from downtown Nanaimo to VIU campus.

What's NOT included/what to bring: a laptop, dinner, your ideas and enthusiasm.

Hashtag: #c4lbc

Code of Conduct: As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment.

Lightning Talk Proposals and Breakout Suggestions

Is there a neat project you've been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss? Submit your lightning talk/breakout suggestion

Transportation

Are you traveling from Victoria or the Lower Mainland? Are you interested in sharing transportation? Do you have any dietary restrictions? Please let us know by filling out this survey

Transportation to Nanaimo from the mainland is best made by ferry to Departure Bay, or by seaplane/helijet

Accommodations

The Coast Bastion Hotel offered a discount for early bookings. But if you're reading this after Oct 30th the discount has elapsed. Other options can be found here.

Schedule

Thursday, 30 November

Events will be held at VIRL's Harbourfront library branch.

Parking: Recommend underground parking under library. Entrance to lot off Front St. or Museum Way.

8:30 Doors open
9:00 Welcome & Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
12:00 Lunch (Provided)
1:00 Breakout Sessions
  • GODOT has left the building : the CUFTS/GODOT end of life debrief for everybody- Maryann Kempthorne
  • Show + tell IT things breakout : VIRL Creativity Commons - Geoffrey Allen / FVRL IT Things - Traci Monchamp, Lewis Vacek, Tamarack Hockin
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
  • Using Ms Access to make vendor reports or local workflows less painful (expanded) - Trevor Smith
  • Hosting Code4libBC - Geoffrey Allen, Cynthia Ng, Ben Hyman, Daniel Sifton
4:00 Breakout Reports
5:00 Social Event at White Sails Brewery with pizza from Mambo Pizza

Friday, 1 December

Events will be held at VIU's Building 305, Room 509

A bus (with a friendly, qualified driver) will pick up attendees from the Coast Bastion on Friday morning at 8:20 am. If needed the bus will return for another load of passengers ~20 minutes later.

The same bus, with the same friendly, qualified driver, will deliver attendees to the Departure Bay ferry terminal at the end of the day.

Parking: Closest is Lot N; Lot D is closed due to construction, some spaces in Lots F & C are short-term; VIU Parking Map

8:30 Doors open
9:00 Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
12:00 Lunch (Provided)
1:00 Breakout Sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
  • Linking video and audio in the Hansard (Expanded/Discussion) - Mike Sinclair
  • All the DOCs: Documentation and workflows - Cynthia Ng / Tamarack Hockin
  • Wordpress nightmare - Allison Trumble
4:00 Breakout Reports
5:00 Meet up at VIU Student Pub

Feedback

Post conference, don't forget to fill out the feedback form

Organizers

  • Daniel Sifton
  • Dana McFarland
  • Ben Hyman
  • Geoffrey Allen
  • Charles Hogg
  • Paris Carr
  • James Fournie
  • Cynthia Ng
  • Tamarack Hockin
  • Allison Trumble


Comments or questions? Get in touch with us at c4lbc-organizers@googlegroups.com.




Fourth Annual Code4lib BC Unconference 2016

What's it all about?

It's a 2-day unconference - a participant-driven meeting bringing together a diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology regardless of their department or background.

The event will feature lightning talks in the mornings, breakout sessions in the afternoons, with coffee, tea and snacks provided. Lightning talks are brief presentations which are typically 10-15 minutes in length on topics related to library technologies. Breakout sessions are an opportunity to bring participants together in an ad hoc fashion for a short, yet sustained period of problem solving, software development and fun. If there is a neat project you're been working on, a cool new tool you want to show off, or an interesting development in the world of library technology that you want to discuss, Code4Lib BC is a great opportunity to share with the community - let us know about it!

What's included: wifi, power, coffee/snacks

What's NOT included/what to bring: a laptop, lunch (on-campus options here and here), your ideas and enthusiasm

Hashtag: #c4lbc

Code of Conduct: As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment. Need an ear, hand, or help? C4LBC helpers: @therealarty (she/her) @skrrrl (he/him)

Schedule

Thursday, December 1

8:30 Doors open
9:00 Welcome & Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
11:30 Lunch (On Your Own)
1:00 Breakout Sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
  • FOLIO workshop (Andrew Nagy)
  • Digital Collections (Terry Brady)
4:15 Breakout Reports
5:00 Social Event at (new) Pit Pub

Friday, December 2

8:30 Doors open
9:00 Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
11:30 Lunch (On Your Own)
1:00 Breakout Sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
  • Using Islandora for Publishing XML (Michael Joyce)
  • Awesome Excel Tips (Trevor Smith)
4:00 Breakout Reports
4:30 End of Day

Program

Alphabetical by presenter/facilitator.

Lightning Talks

Defining Projects using Gherkin Syntax, Sara Allain, Artefactual

  • The team at Artefactual has recently started using Gherkin, a human-readable syntax for defining software feature acceptance tests, in select software development projects. In this lightning talk, Sara will show how Gherkin acceptance tests are developed and how they're used by both end-users and developers.

Building Quick and Dirty Library Tools with Google Apps Script, Terry Brady, Georgetown University

  • The ubiquity of Google Drive solves many problems (file sharing, web publishing, bulk editing) that are cumbersome to build in a home-grown application. With a little bit of JavaScript magic, you can build a custom solution on top of the Google Apps your users use every day. See http://georgetown-university-libraries.github.io/#google-sheets for some examples. Google Apps Script is a server-side implementation of JavaScript supporting API calls to Google Services. This presentation will describe the various ways that your custom code can be deployed for a library audience (formula function, embedded in a document, web service, document add-on).

A Single Page Web App to Inventory 900,000 Books!, Terry Brady, Georgetown University

  • After completing a reorganization of our stacks, the Georgetown University Library needs to perform an inventory of 900,000 books within our stacks. This project needs to be completed before migrating our catalog to a new ILS (integrated library system) vendor in 2017.
  • The Georgetown University Library has developed an application that allows student workers with a barcode scanner and a Chromebook to rapidly move through the stacks and scan each item. The tool queries the ILS database to verify the item's status and location, while allowing the user to verify the Title, Call Number and Volume of each item. The tool will also highlight call number sorting errors with each scan.
  • This presentation will describe the solution that we have developed and the challenges that were overcome during the project. The code (and a video demonstration of the project) are available at https://github.com/Georgetown-University-Libraries/BarcodeInventory.

Introduction to Docker, James Fournie, VCC

  • Docker is an open-source application container engine that is taking the IT world by storm. James will introduce you to Docker -- what Docker is and isn't and how Docker might help you or your organization write or deploy software.

TechBC Memory Project metadata upgrade, Holly Hendrigan

  • Holly will provide an update to the TechBC Memory Project, her oral history project that has undergone a substantial makeover since last December's Code4Lib. She will tell the story of all the moving parts that came together when the collection migrated to SFU Library's Digital Collections.

UX Design of a Research Data Management Micro-site, Jessica Gallinger, SFU

  • The SFU Library is creating new web content to help researchers manage their data. Receive a whirlwind tour of the UX methods (personas, interviews, prototyping, user testing, etc.) applied to design an effective micro-site around the needs of the end user. A high-fidelity prototype in InVision will be demoed.

Islandora On This Day module, Mark Jordan, SFU

Makerspaces and the Maker Community in the Lower Mainland, Maryann Kempthorne

Makers Making Change, Chad Leaman, Neil Squire Society

  • Makers Making Change, a community based initiative that links makers, volunteers with technical skills, with people with disabilities with the goal of making affordable, open source assistive technolgies for those people with disabilities centered around community resources such as 3D printers in libraries and maker spaces.

ElasticSearch API: Using Aggregation Queries to Do Cool Stuff, Schuyler Lindberg, UBC

Getting Things Done: Understanding and Analyzing Workflow, Cynthia Ng

  • How does work move through your organization? Does the order make sense? How many times is it passed on? How many people is it handled by? Do all the steps still need to done in the current work environment? This presentation provides some suggestions on methods to understand and analyze workflow using technical services as an example, but which can be applied in other areas.

MediaConch: A Video Format Validation Tool for Archivematica, Sarah Romkey, Artefactual

  • MediaConch is a new tool for validating preservation video files. In this presentation, Sarah will talk about how we're integrating this tool into Archivematica, an open-source digital preservation system, and how Artefactual Systems approached this development project.

Web Analytics with Piwik, Jonathan Schatz, BC Libraries Cooperative

A Coal Miner’s History: Mapping Digitized Audio Interviews, Daniel Sifton, VIU

  • Leveraging skills we developed in an earlier mapping project, we're using a rich set data from our Dspace instance to map the spoken word in the form of conversations [both audio and transcripts] about coal mines from the years 1900 – 1945 in and around the city of Nanaimo.

Provincial Digital Library Update, Daniel Sifton and Caroline Daniels

  • A brief overview of strategies, efforts, and technologies regarding the BC Provincial Digital Library.

Breakout Sessions

Intro to git/github for libraries, Sara Allain and Mark Jordan

  • A hands-on introduction to git, GitHub, and their potential uses in the library environment.

Digital Collections, Terry Brady, Georgetown University

  • A group discussion.

reSearcher (CUFTS/GODOT) and project sustainability, Jeff Davis

  • SFU has discontinued support for CUFTS/ERM, GODOT, and the CUFTS knowledgebase. This breakout will be a group discussion about what happens next.

Needling The Haystack: An Introduction to SQL and Query Languages, Alex Garnett, SFU

  • Have you ever thought to yourself, "western nations seem powerless to defend against the creeping tide of fascism, but at least I know how to search within a database real well, as if that makes anything OK?"
  • Good news -- now you can! This workshop will provide an introduction to SQL and related query languages for people who have little to no experience using modern database backends. We'll discuss the differences in difference SQL implementations, how to efficiently retrieve data from already-existing databases that you might encounter in your job, and hopefully demystify some general concepts of querying. If you've ever had a graphical database design course, so much the better; we'll be trying to supplement but not rehash those concepts. Please bring your own laptop.

Using Islandora for Publishing XML, Michael Joyce, SFU

  • Islandora is well known in the library community as a digital repository. At Simon Fraser University we have been experimenting with it as a publishing platform for XML. Instead of simply presenting an XML file in the browser, we transform it to HTML for display. In this breakout session, we will examine the code for two projects: the TechBC Memory Project, a collection of oral histories, and a text transcription of Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge.

FOLIO, Andrew Nagy, EBSCO

  • An introduction to FOLIO, a project to develop an open source Library Services Platform.

Provincial Digital Library Technologies Up Close, Daniel Sifton, VIU

  • An in depth demo of the harvesting/mapping/ingestion process in both the DPLA technology stack and in SuppleJack (from DigitalNZ) for consideration in a BC-PDL environment. Note, attendees will have an opportunity to explore the interfaces where they exist and where possible, but will not be interacting with these platforms at the command level. If you want to do this, however, this session might be a good place to get an understanding of the hidden pieces. To paraphrase Tom Vu, "Come to [this] seminar!"

Awesome Excel Tips, Trevor Smith

  • Want to wrangle your data into submission either for collection management or budgeting? Learn how to use Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, advanced queries, or even a dashboard all inside Excel.

Organizers

  • Sara Allain
  • Jeff Davis
  • James Fournie
  • Tamarack Hockin
  • Mark Jordan
  • Paul Joseph
  • Cynthia Ng

Third Annual Code4lib BC Event

When: November 26 and 27, 2015

Where: UBC Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Dodson Room

Cost: $30 for both days!

Register: https://code4libbcfall2015.eventbrite.ca

What: Digital libraries and archives are on library, archive and museum practitioner's minds these days. As cultural institutions make increased efforts to expose their special and local collections, questions of best practices, digital object management and online access are ripe for discussion and collaboration. Conversations are already underway about the idea of a BC provincial digital library and the code4libBC gang thought it would be a great idea to focus this year’s unconference event on all things related to digital libraries and archives. Some of the themes we’re interested in exploring include:

  • conceptualizing what we mean by "digital libraries",
  • how to incorporate archives and museums into the concept,
  • understanding users, organizational contexts, and digitization best practices and workflows,
  • planning the development of digital libraries and archives,
  • leveraging the technologies that power them,
  • extending projects beyond single institutions, and
  • increasing their relevance by charting new directions.

Like in previous years, we’re looking for participants to join us in 2 days of lightning talks and breakout sessions related to digital libraries and archives. Some suggestions include:

  • user experience/user interfaces
  • search and discovery technologies
  • metadata creation/aggregation/reuse
  • technologies and infrastructure
  • organizational issues
  • case and innovation studies highlighting specific services
  • digital preservation
  • the sustainability of digital libraries.

Who: A diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology.Anyone from the library community who is interested in library technologies are welcome to join and participate, regardless of their department or background: systems and IT, public services, circulation, cataloguing and technical services, archives, digitization and preservation. All are welcome to help set the agenda, define the outcomes and develop the deliverables!

Why: Why not? code4libBC is a group of dynamic library technology practitioners throughout the province who want to build new relationships as much as develop new software solutions to problems.

Hashtag: #c4lbc

Code of Conduct: As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment. Please see the Code of Conduct for further details.

Sponsorship: We will be relying on the support of sponsors to subsidize the unconference and to help keep the registration costs affordable. Sponsors will enjoy many benefits, including full recognition in promotional materials and wide exposure among code4libBC attendees. This year's conference offers ... levels of sponsorship:

  • coming soon

Our third annual code4libBC event could not have been made possible without the generous financial support of:

  • interested in sponsoring us? let us know!

And special thanks to the BC Libraries Cooperative for assisting the organizing group with administrative duties.

Organizers: Also thanks to all our organizers

  • Paul Joseph (Chair)
  • Caroline Daniels
  • Cynthia Ng
  • Gordon Coleman
  • Jeff Davis
  • Mark Jordan
  • Shirley Lew
  • Tamarack Hockin

Feel free to email Paul Joseph at paul.joseph@ubc.ca with questions or comments.

Lightning Talk Proposals and Breakout Suggestions: https://goo.gl/A9IkSf

Feedback: to come when event completes

Schedule

DRAFT! Schedule is currently a placeholder.

Thursday

9:00 Welcome & Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
  • Open Collections Overview, Paul Joseph, UBC
  • Open Collections Architecture, Stefan Khan-Kernahan, UBC
  • Open Mic: What do you want from this event?
11:30 Lunch (On Your Own) Suggestions More Suggestions
1:00 Breakout Sessions
  • Using the Open Collections API to Build Cool Things, Stefan Khan-Kernahan, UBC
  • Batch Data Loads(, Trevor Smith, Douglas College
  • Islandora
  • Archives group
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
4:00 Breakout Reports
5:00 Social at Pit Pub

Friday

9:00 Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
  • XML Databases and Document Stores, Michael Joyce, SFU
  • Demo of MIK (the Move to Islandora Kit), Mark Jordan, SFU
  • Making moves: Migrating from CONTENTdm to Islandora, Hillary Webb, ECUAD
  • Open Collections Future - Linked Data APIs, Stefan Khan-Kernahan, UBC
  • PDL Report, Caroline Daniels, KPU
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
  • Speeding up Digital Preservation with a Graphics Card, Alex Garnett, SFU
  • Scripting Named Entity Recognition (NER) to pluck names, organizations and locations from text, Peter Tyrrell, Andornot
  • PCDM: A Data Model and a Community Model, Justin Simpson
  • Built to grow: scalability factors to consider before commencing your next digital library software project, Marcus Barnes, SFU
12:00 Lunch (On Your Own) Suggestions More Suggestions
1:00 Breakout Sessions
2:30 Break
2:45 Breakout Sessions, cont'd
4:00 Breakout Reports
4:30 End of Day

2015 Code4lib BC Spring Workshops

General Info

When: Friday, May 1, 2015

What: SFU Harbour Centre, 515 W. Hastings St., Vancouver Google map link

Cost: $20 + taxes/fees per workshop, register now! (note: lunch is not included)

What: Four half-day workshops

Who: A diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology. Anyone from the library community who is interested in library technologies are welcome to join and participate, regardless of their department or background: systems and IT, public services, circulation, cataloguing and technical services, archives, digitization and preservation.

As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment. Please see the Code of Conduct for further details.

Schedule

9am-noon Room 1 Get your hands dirty with Data Management Plans with Eugene BarskyCANCELLED
Room 2 User Experience Fundamentals with Haig Armen
Lunch Break On Your Own
1-4pm Room 1 Intro to Shell Scripting: The Terminal Does Not Hate You with Alex Garnett
Room 2 If you build it, will they come? Best practices for managing an institutional repository with Lisa Goddard, Don Taylor, Tara Stephens-Kyte

Session Descriptions & Speaker Bios

Friday May 1, 9am-12pm

Room: 1

  • Workshop: Get your hands dirty with Data Management PlansCANCELLED
  • Speaker: Eugene Barsky

Description: In this 3 hour session, we will start with a general overview of data management plans (DMPs) and best practices for research data management. We will introduce DMP Builder – the collaborative Canadian national tool to create DMPs and integrate them into grant and ethics applications. After reviewing the DMP basics, our attendees will work in small groups on an assigned research data scenario (example - http://goo.gl/Vut6dE). The groups will be creating a real data management plan and using online DMP Builder software to prepare the case for funding submission. At the end of the session, we will reconvene to share experiences and learn from each other.

Bio: Eugene Barsky is the Research Data Librarian at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He is interested in engineering information, data management in the physical sciences and has published extensively in the library literature.


Room: 2

  • Workshop: User Experience Fundamentals
  • Speaker: Haig Armen

Description: Whether you are creating a website, an interactive book, game, mobile app, networked device, installation or responsive space, the most important differentiators always ends up being the user experience. The UX Fundamentals course is a balance of theoretical principles and practical methodology designed to give participants a basic introduction to the field of Interaction Design. Participants in the course will be asked to solve hypothetical design problems within a design studio culture.

Bio: Haig Armen is an Assistant Professor of Design and Dynamic Media at Emily Carr University of Art + Design and a designer living in Vancouver, Canada. For a number of years Haig has been exploring the intersection of art and programming, focusing on the areas of data visualization, gestural interfaces and wearable technology. His research centres around designing Meta Products – network-enabled objects and design-led entrepreneurship. As a producer of CBC Radio 3′s groundbreaking online magazine during 2001-2005, Haig created editorial and design strategies that have earned CBC international accolades. Haig has had the honour of winning a variety of awards throughout his design career, including three Webby Awards, two Prix Italia for Web Arts and Drama and a Gold Medal from the Art Director’s Club of New York to name only a few.

Friday May 1, 1-4pm

Room: 1

  • Workshop: Intro to Shell Scripting: The Terminal Does Not Hate You
  • Speaker: Alex Garnett

Description: Have you ever had to use a command line interface before? Was it to do one specific thing that you needed and didn't understand particularly well? Did you enjoy the experience? Did you nervously make a joke about DOS? Does reading the word "DOS" right now make you nervous? Are you a nervous person? This workshop will teach some of the particularities of working in a modern bash shell, connecting to external servers, using some helpful command line programs you probably don't know about, and generally making the entire terminal experience much more pleasant for you than it probably is right now. Highly recommended for amateur programmers who have started learning a language or two but still hate hate hate not being able to use their mouse and a nice GUI for certain things. The gun* is good. The mouse is evil. (The gun is a bash shell in this analogy.)

Bio: Alex is a Data Curation and Digital Preservation Specialist at SFU Library. He is extremely verbose in real life, but not when programming, which is why he loves shell scripting, since it lets him type little nonsense invocations like $ ps aux | sed -e $(echo "s/.*/man paps/g") which better programmers would tell you are both useless and unintelligible. He believes that the world is full of suffering and that everyone should learn regular expressions.


Room: 2

  • Workshop: If you build it, will they come? Best practices for managing an institutional repository
  • Speakers: Lisa Goddard, Don Taylor, Tara Stephens-Kyte

Description: Many BC institutions have just heard the news that an institutional repository (IR) is imminent for them. Others already have an established IR but feel that it’s time for a spring polish. In either situation, you will benefit from hearing 3 experts speak about their experiences managing an IR. Presenters will touch on variety of topics during the 3 hours including policy development, content recruitment, metadata, staffing, and copyright. This workshop will offer a chance to hear what worked, and what didn’t work, at three university libraries. It will also be a great chance to share concerns and best practices with others in the province who are dealing with the challenges of establishing an IR.

Bios:

Lisa Goddard is the Associate University Librarian for Digital Scholarship and Strategy at University of Victoria Libraries. She holds degrees from Queen's, McGill, and Memorial University, and is currently completing an MA in Humanities Computing at the University of Alberta. Lisa's research interests include open access publishing, semantic web technologies, digital publishing & preservation, and digital humanities. Lisa was previously the Scholarly Communications Librarian at Memorial University where she implemented and managed the Eprints research repository.

Donald Taylor is the Simon Fraser University Copyright Officer and also coordinates Summit, the SFU digital research repository at the Simon Fraser University Library and oversees Interlibrary Loans. Although copyright is his main focus, he still maintains a deep interest in Open Access and the use of IRs as grey literature repositories.

Tara Stephens-Kyte is the Digital Repository Librarian responsible for managing cIRcle, UBC’s digital repository at the University of British Columbia. She considers this to be a pioneering role that draws on diverse areas of interest, including open access publishing, workflow design, and metadata interoperability and standardization, among others.

Second Annual Code4lib BC Event

When: November 27 and 28, 2014

Where: SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouver, BC map

Cost: $20

Register: here

What: It’s a 2 day unconference! A participant-driven meeting featuring lightning talks in the mornings, breakout sessions in the afternoons, with coffee, tea and snacks provided. Lightning talks are brief presentations which are typically 5-10 minutes in length (15 minutes is the maximum) on topics related to library technologies: current projects, tips and tricks, or hacks in the works. Breakout sessions is an opportunity to bring participants together in an ad hoc fashion for a short, yet sustained period of problem solving, software development and fun. In advance of the event, we will gather project ideas in a form available through our wiki and registration pages. Each afternoon the code4libBC participants will review and discuss the proposals, break into groups, and work on some of the projects.

Who: A diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology.Anyone from the library community who is interested in library technologies are welcome to join and participate, regardless of their department or background: systems and IT, public services, circulation, cataloguing and technical services, archives, digitization and preservation. All are welcome to help set the agenda, define the outcomes and develop the deliverables!

Why: Why not? code4libBC is a group of dynamic library technology practitioners throughout the province who want to build new relationships as much as develop new software solutions to problems.

Hashtag: #c4lbc

If you’re ready to get your hands dirty with library technology practitioners, join us!

Code of Conduct: As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment. Please see the Code of Conduct for further details.

Sponsorship: We will be relying on the support of sponsors to rent space in Harbour Centre, subsidize the cost of wireless and to help keep the registration costs affordable. Sponsors will enjoy many benefits, including full recognition in promotional materials and wide exposure among code4libBC attendees. This year's conference offers three levels of sponsorship:

  • Room sponsorship
  • Wireless sponsorship
  • Coffee break sponsorship

Our second annual code4libBC event could not have been made possible without the generous financial support of:

  • BCCATS (The Cataloguing and Technical Services Interest Group of BCLA)
  • BC Libraries Coop
  • Kwantlen Polytechnic University Library
  • Simon Fraser University Library
  • Surrey Public Library
  • University of British Columbia Library
  • University of Victoria Library

And special thanks to the BC Libraries Cooperative for assisting the organizing group with administrative duties.

Thank you to the following companies for donating amazing door prizes:

Organizers: Also thanks to all our organizers

  • Paul Joseph (Chair)
  • Caroline Daniels
  • Cynthia Ng
  • Gordon Coleman
  • Jeff Davis
  • Mark Jordan
  • Shirley Lew
  • Trish Mau
  • Tara Robertson
  • Tamarack Hockin

Feel free to email Paul Joseph at paul.joseph@ubc.ca with questions or comments.

Lightning Talk Proposals and Breakout Suggestions: Submit proposals and suggestions.

Feedback: If you attended this event, please fill out the feedback form to let us know what you thought!

Schedule

Thursday

9:00 Welcome & Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
  • Dan Gillean - AtoM's XML-to-XSLT conversion feature for creating user-friendly PDF finding aids
  • Mark Jordan - Web scraping for fun and profit
  • Dethe Elza - Hive learning community in Vancouver
11:30 Lunch (On Your Own) Suggestions
1:00 Breakout Sessions

Breakout proposals are still coming in & will be accepted until the start of the sessions on each day of the event.

Virtualization/Evergreen install - Room 1500 - This breakout will introduce participants to different kinds of virtualization, step them through a simplified Evergreen install and result in a virtual machine image that can be easily loaded. Facilitated by Scott Leslie of the BC Libraries Co-op. Participants should bring a laptop to this session.

Place-based access to First Nations-related information in BC libraries - Room 1510 - Participants will be invited to explore the possibilities for an indigenous mapping project using user-defined coordinates. Targets might include maps, images, digitized material or surrogates. Facilitated by Dana McFarland of Vancouver Island University. Resources Dana collected before the session Google doc of notes from session

AtoM sandbox - Room 1420 - AtoM is an open source, web-based, multilingual archival description software developed by Artefactual Systems. It was originally commissioned by the International Council on Archives to make it easy for archival institutions to put their archival holdings online. Artefactual systems will be on hand to answer questions while participants work in the sandbox. Participants should bring a laptop to this session.

Islandora sandbox - Room 1420 - This breakout is for code4libbers interested in getting some hands-on experience with Islandora, an open source general-purpose repository platform. The facilitator (Mark Jordan, SFU) will be on hand to provide an overview of Islandora's capabilities and to answer questions. Participants should bring a laptop to this session.

Web scraping - Room 1420 - Maryann

3:15 Break
3:30 Breakout Reports
5:00 Social at Malone's the first drink is on us, and Thursday nights they have karaoke!

Friday

9:00 Announcements
9:15 Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Lightning Talks, cont'd
11:30 Lunch (On Your Own) Suggestions
1:00 Breakout Sessions

Breakout proposals are still coming in & will be accepted until the start of the sessions on each day of the event.

Demystifying APIs - Alex Garnett, Data and Preservation Librarian at SFU, will provide a brief, hands-on overview of interacting with various APIs using a command-line terminal. No prior knowledge of programming is required, only a willingness to learn about fun things like shell scripts and HTTP methods and POSIX environments.

Format Policy Registry - Actionable Preservation Planning (with Archivematica sandbox) - Artefactual systems has developed a Format Policy Registry (FPR) for Archivematica users to track and update file format policies within the Archivematica dashboard. Developer Justin Simpson will discuss the potential for integration of the FPR into other digital preservation and digital access tools, using examples from Hydra, Islandora, and Dataverse. The vision of coordinating digital preservation tasks within an institution and crowdsourcing solutions to digital preservation problems across multiple institutions will be discussed. An Archivematica sandbox will be available throughout the breakout session. Sarah Romkey (Artefactual Systems) will be available to answer questions while participants work in a live Archivematica instance. Participants should bring a laptop to this session.

Is Evergreen Ready for Academic Showtime? - An informal discussion about what academic libraries need in an integrated library system, and about how (if at all) the open source Evergreen ILS meets those needs. Folks who are knowledgeable about Evergreen will be on-hand to explain features and answer questions.

DIY Low-Cost Open Source Hardware Solutions for Libraries - With the availability of open source hardware platforms such as Arduino, it is now possible to create DIY low-cost hardware-software solutions that help improve the functioning of libraries while also improving the experience of both staff and patrons. In this breakout, participants will gather to make a wish-list of different DIY hardware solutions, then subdivide into smaller groups to paper prototype given hardware solutions to further expand the details.

DH in the Library - This breakout session is for anyone excited by the potential for libraries offered by the emergence of Digital Humanities. Participants are invited to explore how the activities libraries already do really well could be re-imagined to support, engage in and do digital humanities work. Expected outcomes would also be to identify opportunities for future DH-related library services.

3:15 Break
3:30 Breakout Reports
4:00 End of Day

Lightning Talk Proposals and Breakout Suggestions

Submit them using this Google form. This time around we're trying an additional format, something we call "From Pitch to Prototype to Program". See form for more details.


2014 Code4lib BC Spring Workshops

General Info

When: Friday, May 2, 2014

Cost: $15 + taxes/fees per workshop (note: lunch is not included)

What: Four half-day workshops are being offered at two different venues in Downtown Vancouver. See below for further details.

Who: A diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology. Anyone from the library community who is interested in library technologies are welcome to join and participate, regardless of their department or background: systems and IT, public services, circulation, cataloguing and technical services, archives, digitization and preservation.

As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment. Please see the Code of Conduct for further details.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2014-code4lib-bc-spring-workshops-tickets-11107666329

Special thanks to Vancouver Public Library, Simon Fraser University, and the BC Libraries Cooperative for their support in making these workshops possible.

Locations and Schedule

At VPL Central (Peter Kaye Room)

9:00am-12:00pm Web/Usability Testing on a budget! / Cynthia Ng
12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch Break
1:00pm-4:00pm Introduction to Designing for the Web Today: HTML5, CSS3, and JQuery / Schuyler Lindberg

At SFU Harbour Centre (Room 1500)

9:00am-12:00pm Intro to Python / Alex Garnett
12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch Break
1:00pm-4:00pm Intro to Archivematica / Mark Jordan

Workshop Descriptions

Web/Usability Testing on a budget!

With Cynthia Ng

  • If you take care of even a small part of the website, you want to have some kind of feedback from your users. However, you're just one person, and you have a budget of $100. What do you do? This session will give you some hands on practice using a few methods to help you do some usability testing on a low budget.
  • Please bring a laptop, multiple sheets of paper, and at least one pen.

Cynthia Ng is currently on contract as an Accessibility Librarian at the Centre for Accessible Post-secondary Education Resources BC (CAPER-BC) housed at Langara College. She takes a holistic approach with focus on users to improve library websites. She also frequently volunteers as a mentor at technology events.

Introduction to Designing for the Web Today: HTML5, CSS3, and JQuery

With Schuyler Lindberg

  • A practical introduction to HTML5, CSS3, & JQuery, this workshop will cover the fundamentals of modern front-end web design. Not your typical "hello world!" code-from-scratch approach, it will demonstrate how to 'stand on the shoulders of giants' and take advantage of open source tools and templates to very quickly construct a fully-functional, responsive, HTML5 web site.
  • Bring a laptop and your favorite text editor (I recommend Sublime Text). No prior experience necessary.

Schuyler Lindberg completed his MLIS at SLAIS in 2012, and after a stint as a Digital Asset Management Consultant at BC Hydro, began his current role as Interaction Designer for Digital Projects at UBC Library Systems & Information Technology where he tests, designs, and develops user interfaces for library web applications. He is currently building a unified portal for the library's digital collections

Intro to Python

With Alex Garnett

  • This 3 hour workshop will introduce the fundamentals of Python as a first (or second) programming language. It will provide an overview of syntax, best practices, and how to get from A to B in simple, purposeful tasks, taking string parsing as an example. This will include a brief review of (relatively) sane approaches to doing iterative development on your own, including how to solve errors on a case-by-case basis, without having to read coding manuals from cover to cover.
  • Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their own machines (Windows, Mac, or Linux okay) so that they can walk away from the workshop with a workflow that works for them.

Alex Garnett works on Data Curation and Digital Preservation at SFU Library. Most of his coding is self-taught, which is a good thing when it isn't a bad thing. He doesn't always like it when he hears people start evangelizing about how everyone should learn to code, but he's caught himself talking about how some people really ought to learn really useful and fun things like string functions on occasion. He has strong feelings and a bad back.

Intro to Archivematica

With Mark Jordan

  • This 3 hour workshop will introduce Archivematica as a comprehensive, ready-to-deploy digital preservation platform. We will also cover basic preservation planning and long-term management of preserved content. Participants will have the opportunity to run Archivematica on their own laptops.
  • Preparation for the workshop: Please come with a Mac, Windows, or Linux laptop that has the most recent version of VirtualBox installed. (Note that virtual machines will run slowly on computers with less 4 GB of RAM.) A virtual machine image running Archivematica will be distributed at the workshop. Participants who cannot bring a laptop will be partnered with someone who has one.

Mark Jordan is Head of Library Systems at Simon Fraser University. His current obsession is automating digital preservation processes but he is also interested in a lot of other things.

First Annual Code4lib BC Event

When: November 28 and 29, 2013

Where: SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouver, BC map

Cost: $20

Accommodations: Info coming soon.

Register here: https://code4libbc2013.eventbrite.ca/ 2013-11-21: We are full at 80 people but the waitlist is open.

What: It’s a 2 day unconference! A participant-driven meeting featuring lightning talks in the mornings, hackfest in the afternoons, with coffee, tea and snacks provided. Lightning talks are brief presentations which are typically 5-10 minutes in length (15 minutes is the maximum) on topics related to library technologies: current projects, tips and tricks, or hacks in the works. Hackfest is an opportunity to bring participants together in an ad hoc fashion for a short, yet sustained period of problem solving, software development and fun. In advance of the event, we will gather project ideas in a form available through our wiki and registration pages. Each afternoon the code4libBC participants will review and discuss the proposals, break into groups, and work on some of the projects.

Who: A diverse and open community of library developers and non-developers engaging in effective, collaborative problem-solving through technology.Anyone from the library community who is interested in library technologies are welcome to join and participate, regardless of their department or background: systems and IT, public services, circulation, cataloguing and technical services, archives, digitization and preservation. All are welcome to help set the agenda, define the outcomes and develop the deliverables!

Why: Why not? code4libBC is a group of dynamic library technology practitioners throughout the province who want to build new relationships as much as develop new software solutions to problems.

Tag d'hash: #c4lbc

If you’re ready to get your hands dirty with library technology practitioners, join us!

As a Code4Lib event, we adhere to the Code4Lib Code of Conduct, which seeks to provide a welcoming, harassment-free environment. Please see the Code of Conduct for further details.

Our first annual code4libBC event could not have been made possible without the generous financial support of:

  • BCCATS (British Columbia Cataloguing and Technical Services Interest Group)
  • BC Electronic Library Network
  • BC Libraries Cooperative
  • Kwantlen Polytechnic University
  • Simon Fraser University
  • University of Victoria

And special thanks to the BC Libraries Cooperative for assisting the organizing group with administrative duties.

Also thanks to all our organizers

  • Paul Joseph (Chair)
  • Calvin Mah
  • Caroline Daniels
  • Cynthia Ng
  • Gordon Coleman
  • Jeff Davis
  • John Durno
  • Mark Jordan
  • May Chan
  • Shirley Lew

Feel free to email Paul Joseph at paul.joseph@ubc.ca with questions or comments.

Lightning Talk Proposals and Hackfest/Breakout Suggestions: Submit them here.

Schedule

Thursday

9:00 Welcome & Announcements
Lightning Talks
10:30 Coffee break
10:45 Schedule Jam
11:00 Breakout Sessions
1 Hour Lunch (On Your Own) Suggestions
3:15 Break
3:30 Breakout Reports
5:00 Social

Friday

9:00 Announcements
Lightning Talks
  • Mark Jordan - DOCR/SMD Source code
  • Peter Tyrrell - Parsing PDF into Various Formats, Powershell scripts
  • John Durno - Uploading to Internet Archive via API
  • Colleen Bell - Integrating ERM & Libguides Content
  • James MacGregor - PKP Article Level Metrics with OJS and OMP
  • Jonathan Schatz - The Story of BC Libraries' IT Environments
  • Sarah Sutherland - RFP Evaluation Process
  • Paul Joseph - UBC Digital Library Framework
  • Calvin Mah / Todd Holbrook - SFU Library - Hours Database
10:30 Coffee break
11:00 Breakout Sessions
  • New bibliographic environment with May and Mark
  • Engaging digital asset viewer
  • library hours tool & api
  • UBC IT Reorg by Paul
  • Learn more about Archivematica with Misty and Courtney
  • Library Hours Tools & API
  • Hacking ILS's - Google doc
1 Hour Lunch (On Your Own) Suggestions
3:15 Break
3:30 Breakout Reports
4:00 End of Day

Lightning Talk Proposals

John Durno, University of Victoria

  • Filling up the Internet Archive using their S3-like API. UVic recently uploaded 750G of old newspapers and metadata (over 15,000 issues) to the IA via their API, based on Amazon's S3, by way of a simple python script making use of the boto library and a wrapper supplied by one of the IA developers. The API proved surprisingly robust, and I'd like to spread the word.


Peter Tyrrell, Andornot

  • Setting up Apache Solr to index and search over multiple source types: database and fielded data, Excel/CSV, scanned mags and newspapers, PDFs, word processor documents, websites, geolocations, etc. Focus will be on schema and DataImportHandler considerations, plus amusing anecdotes as time allows.
  • Another option would be: scripts that parse a PDF into a TIF, JPG, TXT, and positional XML per page via djvulibre and imagemagick libraries. Make 'em ready for indexing and flexible display.
  • I could maybe go over how to (and how NOT to) represent and display hierarchical (cough, archival) data in an Apache Solr index. Mostly this would be a juicy rant about how just how ruddy difficult I found it.


Stefan Khan-Kernahan, The University of British Columbia

  • UBC is launching an in-house product for managing course reserves that helps streamline workflows between faculty & library, within library staff (e.g copyright control etc.), and library & student, which I'd like to present on, the content of which would be on completed modules to date and learning lessons for others


Marcus Emmanuel Barnes, Simon Fraser University

  • Normalizing existing digitized content into standardized packages for robust long-term management. A report on SFU Library's METS-Bagger tool, with a discussion of the benefits, design principles used for the packaging specification, and potential next steps.


Colleen Bell, University of the Fraser Valley

  • I've been using PHP, JSON, and Libguides widgets to integrate Libguides content into our ERM and ERM content into our Libguides. This is particularly useful for libraries using SFU's researcher suite, but could provide ideas for anyone, since the code generated by the PHP can be displayed in any web page.


Mark Jordan, Simon Fraser University

  • Libraries are realizing the potential for both exposing their locally managed content as Linked Data and for consuming Linked Data. One of the types of local data that offers a lot of promise for leveraging Linked Data's capabilities is the controlled subject terms applied to local digital collections. I would like to demonstrate how I've enriched SFU's Editorial Cartoons Collection's descriptive metadata with URIs from http://id.loc.gov, paying particular attention to those from the Thesaurus for Graphic Material.
  • Explanation and demo of docr/smd, a distributed Optical Character Recognition platform designed to use smartphones and tablets to do the OCR.


May Chan, Burnaby Public Library

  • Hackfests for the Uninitiated. For all sorts of reasons, hackfests can be intimidating to first-timers and especially to those who have little or no programming ability. To encourage those new to this form of collaborative learning, my LT will relate key a-ha! moments from my first hackfest experience, especially some difficult truths learned.
  • The Code4Lib Conference Gender and Minority Scholarships. One of the ways Code4Lib supports gender and cultural diversity is to offer conference scholarships to women, transgendered persons and persons of ethnic or aboriginal descent. As a way to encourage potential BC applicants, this LT will give some nuanced background on the scholarship program and application process.


Calvin Mah / Todd Holbrook, SFU Library

  • SFU Library - Hours Database. The Library Hours Database developed by Todd Holbrook at SFU Library is a tool for managing library hours. The SFU Library hours page is generated by this database: http://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/hours


Sarah Sutherland, Canadian Legal Information Institute

  • I would like to discuss the process involved in evaluating the responses to requests for proposals for technology projects. There are often several very good submissions once the basic requirements are met, and at that point it becomes more about the style of the vendor and what kind of project it is. We recently went through this process, so I will use some anonymized examples from our process to illustrate my talk.


Cynthia Ng, CILS @ Langara College

  • Shifting Perspectives: From Disability Accommodation to Universal Design

Too often we design for the "average" user and then tack on accommodations for those with disabilities, but there is no "average" user to speak of, and we all use "assistive" technology. With this presentation, I hope to help shift the way we think about library services and their delivery.


Linda Woodcock, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

  • RDA : 10 Things. Walks through an RDA record focusing on new data elements and changes from AACR2. Will talk about benefits to user and possibilities for the future use of new data.


Jonathan Schatz, BC Libraries Cooperative

  • This summer a colleague and I toured three library federations BC as "field librarians". These treks were part of a unique project to survey the IT environments of the Co-op's member libraries. In addition to sharing the data with the libraries as actionable status reports, we are developing an app to track all this member data for our support team, allowing for a high-level snapshot of Sitka libraries. I want to tell a quick story about what sorts of configurations and solutions we saw out there, what seem to work, what to avoid and perhaps some DIY tips for technology management for libraries with fewer resources.


James MacGregor, Simon Fraser University Library

  • Public Knowledge Project has been working with PLOS to implement article level metrics within OJS and OMP. We are past the initial development stage, with a number of implementations live in production environments. We will discuss the available toolset, and future plans for it.


Misty De Meo, Artefactual Systems

  • Archivematica Format Policy Registry (FPR)

Archivematica is an open-source digital preservation platform.
Starting with version 1.0, Archivematica has made much of the standard behaviour of Archivematica configurable. The FPR provides a database of the recognized formats in Archivematica along with the rules used to control how files are identified, how metadata is extracted, and how files are normalized, all of which is customizable by users without changing the Archivematica source code. This lightning talk would go over the FPR and what it enables in Archivematica, as well as the open-source FPR administrator app.

  • FITS performance optimizations

Archivematica has begun work on performance improvements to reduce the performance overhead of the FITS file identification tool in digital preservation workflows. This lightning talk would go over the major performance bottlenecks discovered and discuss the ways in which Archivematica is working to improve them.

Hackfest/Breakout Suggestions

Requests, but facilitator needed:

  • Want to put us where the user is - discuss
  • collaboratively improve an open source project's crappy documentation
  • my website is stuck in a crappy institutional CMS. What can I do with it?

John Durno, University of Victoria

  • Develop an Omeka module that uses the Internet Archive to host video and audio content, essentially using Omeka as the front end user interface while taking advantage of the IA's media delivery/streaming capabilities. I envision two components: content and metadata would be uploaded via Omeka's admin interface. The IA's media player would be embedded in the public interface for content delivery.


Stefan Khan-Kernahan, The University of British Columbia

  • Building a more engaging digital asset viewer than what is provided by ContentDM/competitors. Details: current digital asset presentation (e.g Content DM), whilst providing all the ""necessary"" information for the user (image + metadata etc.) simply lack in user engagement. If universities are expecting to build interest in these collections among current/future students, they need to cater for a more involved experience. I am proposing an image viewer for digital assets that allows tagging/hotspot that trigger supplementary information beyond metadata (e.g. video explanations of areas on maps, how they came to be etc)


Karen J. Nelson, Capilano Unversity Library

  • Could we have a quickie: 1. FRBR explanation. 2. ditto data exchange. 3. ditto linked data. 4. bibframe. 5. WEMI language


Jonathan Jacobsen, Andornot

  • I'm working on a virtual exhibit project using Omeka right now, so I second the idea of an Omeka breakout session. Would love to connect with some other Omeka users/developers. In particular, to discuss the Solr plug-in.


Scott Leslie, BC Libraries Cooperative


May Chan, Burnaby Public Library, and Mark Jordan, Simon Fraser University

  • New bibliographic environment. This breakout session will provide opportunities for us to explore new and emerging models for bibliographic data, such as FRBR, the DCMI Abstract Model, and BIBFRAME with the context of the Resource Description Framework (RDF) and Linked Data. This breakout will take the approach of self-directed learning in a collaborative environment (i.e. there will be no expert talking heads). In the first hour, we will individually review some suggested background material. As we work through the material, we will record topics of interest and questions here. Feel free to add other suggested resources and related topics/questions at any time. Feel free to add to the Glossary. In the second hour, based on things learned and topics/questions generated in Hour 1, we will assemble into groups of 2 or 3 and develop a 10-minute 'overview' of one topic/question to explore further. We can sign up for them once we collectively finalize the topics. In the last hour, we will present our overviews to the larger group.


Janis McKenzie, Simon Fraser University

  • What do we really know about library use and what can we do with this information? The general idea of this breakout session is to connect those who made decisions about public services (and want to make more informed public service decisions) and those who have access to data on how library resources of all types are being used. The expected outcome would be to work towards identifying the types of activities that reflect how libraries are used today, with a focus on the impact of new, emerging, and future library services.
Last modified on 28 February 2024, at 18:12