gmane.culture.libraries.ngc4lib

automated response

Kathy Miller — 2008-10-04T02:54:36

I am out of the office Oct. 6 through Oct. 10.

Jangle version 1.0 draft specification now available for review and comment

Ross Singer — 2008-10-03T15:36:22

Hi everybody. Pardon the cross-posting. Jangle, an open specification to apply the Atom Publishing Protocol to library services and resources, has just released a draft version of a 1.0 release spec. http://jangle.org/drupal/1_0rev1spec The goal of Jangle is to provide a very simple and easily understandable RESTful interface to library data that can be accessed with common commodity Atom clients. The draft spec has been released to get feedback on the usefulness and clarity of the specification and to solicit ideas for how to improve Jangle for use in actual production environments. If you have any opinions, positive or negative; criticisms, constructive or otherwise, feel free to leave comments. Grammar and sentence structure could definitely use attention. For a more in-depth introduction to Jangle, there is an article in the latest issue of the Code4Lib Journal, "Unveiling Jangle: Untangling Library Resources and Exposing them through the Atom Publishing Protocol" available at: http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/109 (although the API responses have changed since this article was written, the basic architecture remains the same). To join the Jangle development process, feel free to join our Google Group at: http://groups.google.com/group/jangle-discuss or contribute to the development at: http://code.google.com/p/jangle/ Thanks! -Ross.

Esther J. Piercy Award

Betsy Simpson — 2008-10-03T13:37:54

Nominations are being accepted for the 2009 Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) awards for professional achievement The Esther J. Piercy Award, a $1,500 grant and citation donated by YBP, Inc., recognizes contributions to library collections and technical services by a librarian with no more than 10 years of professional experience who has shown outstanding promise for continuing contribution and leadership. Winners will be chosen based on accomplishments related to technical services and resources in such areas as: leadership in professional associations at local, state, regional or national level; contributions to the development, application or utilization of new or improved methods, techniques and routines; significant contribution to professional literature; and conduct of studies or research in the technical services. Send nominations, including, a statement giving the reasons for nomination, the date your nominee entered his or her first professional position and a resume or narrative career outline to: Keith Powell, Chair, Piercy Jury: kpowell< at >uci.edu uci.edu> The deadline for nominations and supporting materials is December 1, 2008. Betsy Simpson Chair, Cataloging and Metadata Department George A. Smathers Libraries University of Florida P.O. Box 117004 Gainesville, FL 32608 352-273-2730 352-392-7365 (fax) betsys< at >uflib.ufl.edu uflib.ufl.edu>

Call for presentations: ELAG 2009, 22-24 April 2009, Bratislava

Ron Davies — 2008-10-02T21:35:53

Call for presentations: "New Tools of the Trade", ELAG Conference, 22 – 24 April, 2009, Bratislava, Slovakia. Web 2.0, social networking applications, blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, facetted searching, semantic linking and digital documents are just some of the new developments that are rapidly changing the systems environment in libraries and what users expect from the systems that they use. To respond to these challenges, systems librarians and developers need to "re-tool": they need to discover and master new ways of developing and applying informatics to solve information problems. The ELAG 2009 Conference is calling for presentations on new tools including: *innovative software, applications and environments *emerging formats, protocols and standards or new ways of applying existing standards *new procedures and techniques Place: Bratislava, Slovakia Host: University Library of Bratislava, (Univerzitná knižnica v Bratislave) Dates: 22 - 24 April, 2009 Deadline for submissions: 24 November, 2008 Address for submission: ron.davies< at >ec.europa.eu or roy.gundersen< at >bibsys.no Further Information is available on the 2008 conference website at http://library.wur.nl/elag2008/ under "ELAG 2009". Information for presenters The emphasis of the ELAG conference is on new developments and practical experience with library technology rather than academic presentations but relevant user studies are welcome. Presentations at the ELAG are generally 20-25 minutes in length to allow time for discussion. The working language of the conference is English. Submissions should include a 300-word description of the project or topic, references to sites if available and a short biography of the speaker indicating background, involvement in the project or activity and public presentation experience. The Programme Committee will review all submissions. Notification regarding acceptance will be made by early January 2009. Speakers are normally expected to provide their own travel accommodation costs and the nominal registration fee. Programme Committee Ron Davies, Belgium (Co-chair) Roy Gundersen, Norway (Co-chair) Alojz Androvič, Slovakia Iris Marthaler, Switzerland Ere Majaila, Finland Martin Svoboda, Czech Republic Maja Žumer, Slovenia What is the ELAG Conference? ELAG is Europe's premier conference on the application of information technology in libraries and documentation centres. For more than twenty-five years, the ELAG (European Library Automation Group) Conference has provided library and IT professionals with the opportunity to discuss new technologies, to review on-going developments and to exchange best practices. The conference follows a unique format, where subject-specific workshops alternate with single-track plenary presentations and a variety of social activities that provide a memorable opportunity to meet and exchange views with colleagues from a wide range of European countries. The 2009 conference will be hosted by the University Library of Bratislava, (Univerzitná knižnica v Bratislave or UKB) in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia from 22 to 24 April, 2009. For information on past conferences go to http://www.elag.org.

Librarian innovators and library organizations

B.G. Sloan — 2008-10-01T23:12:38

I thought this new Library Journal article fits in very well with our ongoing thread about libraries and innovation: Hill, Chrystie, and Meredith Farkas. What We Need: A survey of library innovators exposes pressure points in the profession—and how to relieve them. Library Journal, October 1, 2008. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6598080.html An excerpt: "Each year, Library Journal recognizes 50 or so emerging leaders in the profession as Movers & Shakers. These library professionals are passionate about the work they do and are moving the profession forward, often in creative and innovative ways...Some enjoyed and were encouraged by amazing institutional support and acknowledgement, while others received minimum internal support for their innovative work. This made us wonder how the entire cohort has been shaped, encouraged, or discouraged by our institutions. While we tend to be highly self-motivated on the whole, all of us are affected by organizational culture and management that can either spur us on or deter us. Do Movers & Shakers have supportive relationships within our institutions? What can organizations do to foster and encourage creativity and innovation in library service?" Bernie Sloan Sora Associates Bloomington, IN

English will not only do, but do better

Jan Szczepanski — 2008-10-01T14:15:53

I disagree with Alexander Johannesen and Bernhard Eversberg about the language question and just want to point to the fact that in Europe all languages are equal and I enclose an exampel: + TOWARDS MULTILINGUAL “SEARCH & RESULT” One of The European Library’s objectives is to provide information in all partners native languages; this means having the portal interface translated in all full members’ languages. It also implies a more ambitious target that is to extend the multilingual capabilities of the portal; in other words, provide a language understanding of queries and return the appropriate search results in the same language. EDLproject Work Package 2 aims at integrating the outcomes of multilingual access research into The European Library portal. The European Library language policy follows similar guidelines to Europa, the portal site of The European Union: “As far as possible, the aim is to provide the public with the information they are looking for in their own language.” This means that the language interface of the HOME and COLLECTIONS pages are translated in all Full Participants’ languages. The latest update of the portal interface involves the integration of the Russian translation provided by the Russian State Library. On the other hand, EDLProject Work Package 2 (WP2), Extending the multilingual capacity of the network, is developing the European Library network's localisation and multilingual capabilities by improving access for end-users. This is generated through multi-language interfaces and advanced search mechanisms in a standardised way. EDLProject WP2 is led by the National Library of Slovenia with the input of the Swiss National Library. Since EDLproject is coming to an end, we have asked Genevieve Clavel, in charge of National and International Cooperation for the Swiss National Library, and Maja Žumer, Associate Professor at University of Ljubljana and part-time researcher for the National Library of Slovenia, to help us understand the complexity behind multi-lingual searching. http://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/organisation/newsletter/tel_newsletter_janfeb2008.pdf From: Alexander Johannesen > Date: Mon Sep 29 2008 - 15:39:03 EST To: NGC4LIB< at >LISTSERV.ND.EDU On Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 14:45, Bernhard Eversberg biblio.tu-bs.de> wrote: I agree; don't do it. International labels is a Utopian idea that hinders adoption and extensions. Just accept that there is a Lingua Franca of the computing world (and it ain't numbers nor German nor Norwegian, for that matters) and go with it. You've got two options, really; 1. Continue to use numbers, and keep normal folks from understanding your library world 2. Use English and invite folks in on the bibliographic secret English will not only do, but do better. Is there some world format in another language with any degree of success I haven't heard of? This is not to diss the Utopian ideals, but please choose realism. :) Alex Jan

Position: Web Services Librarian, Sonoma State University

Brandon Dudley — 2008-09-30T21:15:28

*apologies for cross-posting* Just 50 miles north of San Francisco in beautiful wine country, the University Library in the new Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center thrives on innovation and creativity. We are seeking a motivated, energetic, and future-oriented professional to join our team and participate in a collaborative and constantly changing information environment. The Web Services Librarian takes a leadership role in the design and management of an evolving library web presence to meet the needs of the students, faculty, and staff of the University. This is an ideal position for a librarian with vision who can explore new ideas, learn new technology, and build consensus among team members. This position requires an MLS/MLIS/MIS or equivalent degree from an accredited institution. Pending degree candidates encouraged to apply. Rank: Senior Assistant Librarian, Salary range: $57,060-$-62,096, commensurate with qualifications and experience. For a complete job description, application instructions, and more information about the University Library, http://library.sonoma.edu/about/jobs/faculty. More information for prospective library faculty members may be found on the Faculty Affairs website at: http://www.sonoma.edu/aa/fa/prospectivefac.shtml Review of applications starts Dec. 1, 2008. If needed, another review of applications may be conducted for those applications sent by Jan. 16, 2009. Sonoma State is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

Call for presentations: ELAG 2009, 22-24 April 2009, Bratislava

Ron Davies — 2008-09-29T14:19:58

Google Booksearch Data API: Another blow to library metadata

Tim Spalding — 2008-09-28T17:56:15

Recent discussions featured Alexander and I arguing—nearly alone—that closed attitudes and librarian standards, particularly metadata standards, were hurting libraries. As I stressed, library metadata was once dominant, but is now used exclusively within libraries. The ground was ceded to Amazon with its openness, commonsense format and REST interface. Library data was marginal outside of libraries and losing ground. Libraries just lost more ground, as Google has released its own book-data API. The Google API has what Amazon lacks--coverage of out-of-print books. It's blindingly fast and it return results in sensible XML, including a bit of Dublin Core. To people who need basic, high-quality, fast book data, it is a boon. It even has covers. And you don't have those nasty rules about funneling sales to Amazon. Google Booksearch Data API http://code.google.com/apis/books/docs/gdata/developers_guide_protocol.html I've got a simple tester up at LibraryThing, while we figure what to do with it: http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=46336 To those of us who promoted the use of library data outside of libraries, it is another setback. Indeed, I can tell you that I was helping one of the major swap site get on it feet with respect to MARC, so they could have more reach and be Amazon-proof; they are now dropping the MARC effort in favor of Google. The irony here is that some of the data is actually coming from OCLC. This is apparently why it's thin—so you can't use it to replace them. But Google doesn't need OCLC that much. It's getting a lot from Google Book Search partner libraries, as many of the identifiers attest. And they're now getting feeds from all the major publishes. You'll notice that "subjects" are a random mix of LCSH and BISAC. Lovely. So, it's not just Amazon, but now Google serving up high-quality book metadata to the world—data that libraries refuse to provide, except to each other and in antiquated formats. Another step down the long path to irrelevance. Tim

Frances K Rosen is out of the office.

Fran Rosen — 2008-09-26T20:02:20

I will be out of the office starting 09/26/2008 and will not return until 09/29/2008.

LITA in Cincy

Bonnie Buzzell — 2008-09-26T19:31:57

(please excuse the cross-posting) **Online registration is still available - don't miss out on the LITA National Forum!** October 16 - 19, 2008 at the Hilton Netherland Plaza Hotel, Cincinnati, OH http://www.lita.org/forum2008 Keynote sessions will feature Tim Spalding, founder and developer of LibraryThing.com, Michael Porter of WebJunction (be sure to check out http://libraryman.com/blog/ for details on his presentation), and R. David Lankes of the Information Institute of Syracuse University. In addition to keynote sessions, there are over 30 concurrent sessions, poster sessions, and networking opportunities planned where you're sure to find practical advice, new ideas, and tested solutions to technological issues you encounter every day. **New this Year** Open Gaming Night on Saturday at the Forum! LITA's Opening Gaming Night is your chance to experience the thrills, chills, and occasional spills that are part of gaming < at > the library. If video games intrigue you, try your hand at tennis, learn to sing and dance like a rock star, or drive a high octane race car. Board games are your chance to show off your strategy skills, demonstrate your dexterity, and finally to outwit your colleagues. Visit http://www.lita.org/forum2008 for more information on sessions, preconferences, and hotel accommodations. Hope to see you in Cincinnati!

Library Technologies and Library School - one school's attempt to deal with it

B.G. Sloan — 2008-09-26T16:38:09

I thought that the following was pertinent to our "Library Technologies and Library School" thread. Bernie Sloan Sora Associates Bloomington, IN --- On Fri, 9/26/08, Bruce Fulton email.arizona.edu> wrote: From: Bruce Fulton email.arizona.edu> Subject: [lita-l] Library Students to Get 'Leading-Edge' Training Thanks to Federal Grant To: lita-l< at >ala.org Date: Friday, September 26, 2008, 11:48 AM Press Release: For immediate release - Source at http://uanews.org/node/21692 Please excuse cross-posting --- Library Students to Get 'Leading-Edge' Training Thanks to Federal Grant The grant awarded to the University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science also includes a component that will measure the effectiveness of the approach. By La Monica Everett-Haynes, University of Arizona Communications September 25, 2008 A newly funded project is expected to advance the way educators train students to become librarians and information professionals. The University of Arizona's School of Information Resources and Library Science has received a three-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services that will allow for a more hands-on approach to teaching and learning digital library technologies. The grant, totaling nearly $540,000 made the UA's school the only institution in the state of Arizona to receive an award from the federal agency's National Leadership Grants for Libraries. The grant becomes effective Oct. 1. "This is very leading-edge for the whole discipline. Eventually the majority of classes we teach at SIRLS will be affected by this," Peter Botticelli, an assistant professor of practice at the school. "It's going to have a major impact on how we educate," Botticelli added. The project, "Improving Student Learning of Advanced Digital Technologies in an Online Laboratory: A Research Approach," is meant to bring to the classroom the type of learning that students would have had to seek out in an internship. "This project as a whole is fairly unique - it's primarily because of the approach to authentic instruction and hands-on learning as a way of introducing the discipline to students," said Bruce Fulton, the school's digital project librarian. The project is an indication of the field's movement toward data management and more complex research in a data-driven world. "One of the things we have is a mandate in both our certificate and master's programs to teach students how to use digital content technology to build digital libraries and to manage them. That's the new role of libraries," said Jana Bradley, director of the school, also known as SIRLS. The UA school's partners are the UA Libraries, UA University Information and Technology Services, the Harvard University Herbaria and the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Each of the partner institutions will provide SIRLS with information that then will be recorded and catalogued, then developed into databases - with SIRLS students responsible for these tasks. So, instead of simply having Web sites that simulate the work they would be doing as professionals, the students will have the actual software and other tools to perform more complex work. SIRLS will use VMWare Lab Manager software - which is quite popular in industry - as the program's platform to build a virtual online laboratory. "This grant gives us the infrastructure we need to really let us create practical and realistic exercises for students," said Botticelli, also the co-principal investigator on the grant. "They will be mimicking the tasks they would see in a library setting," he said. "It gets beyond the theory and is merging theory and practice." The students will gain more practical knowledge, Botticelli said. Simultaneously, SIRLS will study the effectiveness of the technologies used and how well students are learning in the applied format. "One of the reasons why we're leading the field is because we're the first to put these pieces together," said Bradley, also the principal investigator on the grant. "We could have written a grant just to build the online environment, but we wanted to also research the learning environment." ### Bruce Fulton, MLS Digital Projects Librarian School of Information Resources and Library Science University of Arizona bfulton< at >email.arizona.edu

Job Posting: Systems Librarian - Wake Forest University

Mitchell, Erik T. — 2008-09-24T20:43:03

Apologies for cross posting . . SYSTEMS LIBRARIAN zsr.wfu.edu Wake Forest University seeks a collaborative, innovative and service-oriented Librarian with strong programming skills to serve as the Systems Librarian for the Z. Smith Reynolds Library. This position will be central in the development and implementation of next generation information systems to accomplish the library's goal of migrating to open source environments. The Systems Librarian will design, implement, and manage software to extend and integrate commercial, open source, and locally developed software; perform system analysis and application development to facilitate the use of technology in the library; manage the Integrated Library System and consult and collaborate with faculty and staff on library information technology initiatives. This Librarian will also provide support to faculty, staff and students on library-related systems, software, and hardware; provide user instruction for the students, faculty, and University community and serve as the library liaison and subject specialist for departments as needed. The Z. Smith Reynolds Library, with a collection of over 1.9 million volumes, materials expenditures of $3.5 million, and operating budget over $7 million, serves over 4,000 students in the undergraduate College, the Calloway School of Business and Accountancy, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the Divinity School of Wake Forest University. Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational institution dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts, graduate and professional education. Founded in 1834, the University is ranked among the top thirty national universities. Wake Forest is a collegiate university offering a vibrant intellectual community with a rich cultural life, an impressive array of facilities and an active athletics community. From its founding, the university adopted the motto "pro humanitate" which is exemplified by a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world. For quick facts about the University, go to www.wfu.edu/visitors/quickfacts.html Qualifications: Master's degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited program plus, two years of progressively responsible experience in an academic library, managing and providing library services. Significant software development experience using advanced techniques. Experience with database design, reporting, and management including SQL, Oracle, & client reporting applications required. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted. Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. Review of applicants will begin September 29th and continue until filled. For full position description and application instructions, visit www.wfu.edu/hr/careers Wake Forest University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status. Wake Forest University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Changing the library environment - BiblioCommons

B.G. Sloan — 2008-09-24T20:03:15

Speaking of changing the library environment, anyone know much about BiblioCommons? The product sounds interesting, but they have to be a candidate for most frustrating .com web site...apparently just a home page, with links to three dated testimonials. There's just enough info out there to tantalize, e.g.: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6585865.html http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com/archives/2008/07/23/bibliocommons-goes-live.html Bernie Sloan Sora Associates Bloomington, IN

so let's change the library environment: OLE Project Public Webcast

Tim McGeary — 2008-09-24T18:52:10

I think what Alex Johannesen just said in the "Library Technologies and Library School (was Commercial Vendors and Open Source Software)" is a great segue to inviting you all to join our public webcast for the Open Library Environment (OLE) Project. OLE Project participants will host a webcast to share information about the project and invite comments and questions. The webcast will be held Wednesday, October 1, 2008, 3pm-5pm EST. This webcast is free or charge and open to anyone. Please register in advance at: http://survey.oit.duke.edu/ViewsFlash/servlet/viewsflash?cmd=showform&pollid=CIT!OLEWebcast A more detailed agenda and information about logging into the webcast will be posted within the next week.[1] As Alex said: This is very much the type of thinking and discussions we had in North Carolina a couple weeks ago to kick off this design project. We discussed what is in and out of scope for this project, started training on Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), and began writing vision and scope documents to share with you all and the rest of the library community to comment on. I hope that you can join us in this webcast and continue to participate over the next year as we move forward on design the Open Library Environment. Cheers, Tim [1]http://oleproject.org/2008/09/18/join-us-for-ole-project-update-via-webcast/

Margaret Mann Citation nominations sought

Margaret Brown — 2008-09-24T15:43:53

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2009 Margaret Mann Citation, presented by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), a division of the American Library Association. This award is presented to a cataloger or classifier for outstanding professional achievement in the areas of cataloging or classification through publication, participation in professional cataloging associations, or valuable contributions to practice in individual libraries. The Cataloging and Classification Section administers the award, a citation and $2,000 to the library school of the winner's choice, which is donated by OCLC, Inc. The Mann Citation committee bases its selection on nominations made by members or friends of the profession. Anyone with a worthy candidate is urged to nominate that person. Achievements to be considered include: notable publications, such as an article, pamphlet, or book; outstanding contribution to the activities of professional cataloging associations; outstanding contribution to the technical improvement of cataloging and classification and/or the introduction of a new technique of recognized importance; and outstanding contribution in the area of teaching cataloging and classification. The deadline for nominations and supporting materials is December 1, 2008. Additional information on the Margaret Mann Citation is available on the ALCTS Web site at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alcts/awards/profrecognition/margaretmann.cfm Send nominations to: Margaret Dyer Brown, Chair, Margaret Mann Citation Jury, Williamson County Public Library, 1314 Columbia Avenue, Franklin, TN 37064; phone: 615-595-1242, ext. 2; email: mbrown< at >williamson-tn.org; fax: 615-595-1203. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Margaret Dyer Brown, M.S. Cataloger Williamson County Public Library 1314 Columbia Avenue Franklin, TN 37064 615-595-1242 ext. 2 mbrown< at >williamson-tn.org <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

New Google Book Search feature

B.G. Sloan — 2008-09-23T15:18:58

From the Google Book Search Blog: "Today, we're taking a big step towards bringing more books, across more sites, to more people online. We're launching a set of free tools that allow retailers, publishers, and anyone with a web site to embed books from the Google Book Search index. We are also providing new ways for these sites to display full-text search results from Book Search, and even integrate with social features such as ratings, reviews, and readers' book collections." http://booksearch.blogspot.com/2008/09/book-search-everywhere-with-new.html You can get more details on the APIs here: http://code.google.com/apis/books/ Bernie Sloan Sora Associates Bloomington, IN

Christine Holmes is out of the office.

Christine Holmes — 2008-09-23T05:02:34

I will be out of the office starting 09/22/2008 and will not return until 09/29/2008. SFX Get Text problem? I will respond to your message upon my return. In the meantime, check the SJSU eJournals webpage in case the full text article is available through this site. See: http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm Other electronic access issues will be handled upon my return. If you feel that you must speak with someone, please contact Steve Higaki at (408) 808-2436.

Issue 4 of Code4Lib Journal Now Available

Ken Varnum — 2008-09-22T20:35:59

The fourth issue of the Code4Lib Journal is now available at http://journal.code4lib.org/ . Editorial Introduction -- Issue 4 Ken Varnum http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/363 Auto-Populating an ILL form with the Serial Solutions Link Resolver API Daniel Talsky http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/363 In this article we'll take a tour of the OpenURL protocol; discover how to use it to get an XML API response from the Serial Solutions link resolver; and see how to receive and process that XML data using PHP to create an Interlibrary Loan webform. Finally, we'll see a few examples of how to handle form processing. This article will be of interest to beginner programmers interested in examples of programming with OpenURL and XML in PHP, and to more experienced programmers interested in taking a look at the Serial Solutions 360 Link API. Mining Data from ISI Web of Science Reports Alfred Kraemer http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/110 Journal citation data is valuable as a selection tool for adding new journals as well as for discontinuing subscriptions that are no longer cost-effective. This article presents and discusses an example of data extraction from a typical ISI Web of Science report. The strategy was developed following a review of the data relationships and embedded data output format. While Perl was used in the example, the method described can be implemented with most programming/scripting languages. The example demonstrates also that citation-based studies and reports can be based on large sets of extracted data rather than the typical, small samples. The value of the data is discussed using a actual decision-making scenario. Unveiling Jangle: Untangling Library Resources and Exposing them through the Atom Publishing Protocol Ross Singer and James Farrugia http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/109 The Jangle project intends to expose the data hidden in library systems by using the Atom Publishing Protocol to provide simple, consistent access to content and resources. The lack of uniform access to the underlying data in library systems is a major impediment to library development. The Jangle project has the potential to enable new development opportunities by leveraging simple to use and easy to understand processes. This article discusses the benefits of the Atom Publishing Protocol and how Jangle utilizes it, including a description of the current JangleR reference implementation and case studies of the simplicity of developing within the framework. LibraryH3lp: A New Flexible Chat Reference System Pam Sessoms and Eric Sessoms http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/107 LibraryH3lp is an integrated IM and web chat system designed specifically for Virtual Reference services in libraries. The software was designed for, and is currently used by, a night-time chat reference collaboration between several large academic libraries. LibraryH3lp is designed for the workflow of chat reference, supporting multiple simultaneous operators and routing to queues of operators in a particular service area. It also supports web page embeddable chat 'widgets', as well as simultaneous gateways to multiple IM protocols. This article discusses the motivation for the development of the software, and provides an overview of LibraryH3lp's features and technical architecture. Parts of LibraryH3lp are available as open source. The complete application is available as a low-cost hosted service, and will eventually be available to be licensed for local hosting. OpenBook WordPress Plugin: Open Source Access to Bibliographic Data John Miedema http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/105 OpenBook is a WordPress PHP plugin that implements the Open Library APIs to insert book covers, titles, authors and publishers into web pages. The motive behind the development was to provide an easy alterative to the common practice of linking to Amazon. Open Library was selected as a data source because it is both open source and open data. The plugin is useful for book reviewers, library webmasters, anyone who wants to put book covers and data on their WordPress blog or website. The plugin also allows users to add links to publisher websites, a feature that was considered significant to independent publishers. The Library Search Engine: A Smart Solution for Integrating Resources Beyond Library Holdings Karin Herm and Sibylle Volz http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/142 The Cooperative Library Network Berlin-Brandenburg (KOBV), Germany addresses the problem of how to integrate resources found outside the library and library holdings into a single discovery tool. It presents a solution that uses open source technology to develop a next-generation catalog interface called the Library Search Engine. This pilot project was launched in 2007 with the library of Albert Einstein Science Park, Potsdam. The idea was to design and develop a fast and convenient search tool, integrating local holdings (books, journals, journal articles) as well as relevant scientific subject information such as open access publications and bibliographies. BOOK REVIEW: Two Books about FRBR, Compared Christine Schwartz http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/138 This article reviews 2 books on FRBR published in the past year. Although both books aim to be introductions to FRBR, their approaches are very different. One is sort of a FRBR study guide with commentary, the other a collection of essays. Robert Maxwell's book, FRBR: A Guide for the Perplexed, takes the study guide approach. Arlene Taylor edited Understanding FRBR: What It Is and How It Will Affect Our Retrieval Tools, a book of essays about FRBR and FRAD, written by cataloging experts, aimed at a broader audience, not just the cataloging specialist. The first seven chapters lay out the basics: introductions to FRBR and FRAD, FRBR research, FRBR and the history of cataloging, FRBR and RDA. These chapters provide an excellent introduction for those new to FRBR. The last seven chapters each look at different types of resources in relation to FRBR.

Looking for 'founders of metadata' resources

Robb Mullins — 2008-09-21T01:51:58

Hi, I'm looking for resources that explain who developed different types of metadata and why. Individuals and organizations. For example, XML -- Where did it come from? Why? Why was it needed? Who developed it? Is there anything about that development that a librarian needs to be aware of today? Basic stuff. For a beginning librarian. I'm looking for any resources. Online, books, etc. Simple is good though. This is beginner level material so it doesn't need to be the elaborate history. A page of text is probably more than I need. What types of metadata? Any. All. The most used, most known. AACR2, MARC, html, XML, Dublin Core, etc, etc, etc. Brief, simple, but wide for types of metadata. Any ideas? I'm just beginning to search. A scholarly "Intro to Metadata for Dummies," one book that covers each type of metadata in a simple format... I'm hoping to find a book or website like that. But schoarly of course. An expert in metadata who wrote one book for beginners would be great. Viele Danke. :)

Position announcement: IT Administrator sought for University of Tennessee

Mike Rogers — 2008-09-17T15:07:51

**Please excuse any cross-postings** http://www.lib.utk.edu/lss/lpp/employ/exempt/itadmindli.html Position: IT Administrator II Appointment Rank: Exempt Salary: $40,000 minimum Available: November 1, 2008 The University of Tennessee Library seeks an innovative individual to join Digital Library Initiatives to develop open-source and proprietary library information systems in support of digital collections and services. This is an exciting opportunity to join a rapidly developing program of the University of Tennessee Libraries. The position will report to the Project Leader of Digital Library Initiatives (DLI), working closely with other DLI staff, the Catalog and Metadata Librarian, the Library Technology Services staff, and the Special Collections Library staff. The IT Administrator II will interact with a wide variety of individuals in the library and university, working in Linux and Windows environments, providing software analysis, metadata transformation, and support for digital library applications. Experience with XSLT is a primary need for this position. This position will interact with counterparts at peer institutions developing similar systems. Current systems in use are DLXS, XTF and a variety of locally developed systems. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field. Professional experience in systems analysis and design plus several years of programming experience, such as Java EE, XSLT, XML, SQL; demonstrated familiarity with Unix and networking; experience with web servers and web technologies; ability to interact professionally with faculty, librarians and technical staff as well as good customer service and communication skills. Preferred Qualifications: Graduate degree in computer science or closely related field. Experience with digital libraries; working knowledge of scripting languages such as PERL, PHP, and Javascript; web development experience; working knowledge of at least one metadata standard, such as EAD, TEI, MODS or DC; and experience with metadata transformation. Environment: The University of Tennessee is the state’s flagship institution of higher education, offering comprehensive programs of undergraduate, graduate, and professional education; research; and public service throughout the state. The University of Tennessee Libraries, with an annual budget of more than $16 million, employs over three hundred persons, including 40 librarians. UT Libraries is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, SOLINET, and the Center for Research Libraries. Benefits: Excellent benefits include 24 annual leave days and 12 sick leave days; choice of state retirement plan or ORP (AIG Retirement, ING, TIAA-CREF) with nonrefundable contributions paid for the employee by the University; optional group health and life insurance plans. Tuition remission is available for all university employees; partial undergraduate tuition remission is available to dependent children and spouses of UT employees. Review of applications will begin September 22, 2008 and will continue until the position is filled. Send cover letter addressing the above qualifications, a current resume, and the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three recent references to: Elizabeth Greene, Library Personnel & Procurement, 1015 Volunteer Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37996-1000. Application materials may be sent via email attachment to ejgreene< at >utk.edu. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, or covered veteran status. Eligibility and other terms and conditions of employment benefits at The University of Tennessee are governed by laws and regulations of the State of Tennessee, and this non-discrimination statement is intended to be consistent with those laws and regulations. In accordance with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The University of Tennessee affirmatively states that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or disability in its education programs and activities, and this policy extends to employment by the University. Inquiries and charges of violation of Title VI (race, color, national origin), Title IX (sex), Section 504 (disability), A.D.A. (disability), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (age), sexual orientation, or veteran status should be directed to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 1840 Melrose Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-3560, telephone (865) 974-2498 (V/TTY available) or 974-2440. Requests for accommodation of a disability should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the Office of Equity and Diversity.