[CODE4LIB] Formalizing Code4Lib?

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

LITA is potentially willing, but I didn't dig into details at all, figuring
I'd wait until there was a committee to talk it all over with.

Now, there kind of is. By my count, we have 4 volunteers. Chad, Tom, Galen,
and me. Anyone else?

- Coral

On Tuesday, June 14, 2016, Miles Fidelman > wrote:

> I'm rather surprised that nobody has suggested contacting:
> - the American Library Association (particularly the LITA division)
> - the Internet Archive
>
> Or... the Tides Foundation (tides.org in San Francisco) has been known to
> act as fiscal agent and "umbrella" for small non-profit projects/groups.
>
> Or... maybe even the Apache Software Foundation or FSF.
>
> --
> In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
> In practice, there is.   Yogi Berra
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Formalizing Code4Lib?

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

If we wait to start talking about it until conference 2017, that means
conference committee 2018 will have to find its own temporary fiscal agent.
Or 2018 could just not happen at all, I guess.

Even if we do all the pre-work and just wait to make the decision at the
conference, that doesn't leave much wiggle room for 2018.

Also, if we only talk about it in person, we leave out everyone who is
unable to attend conference. That's potentially a lot of interested people.
I'm not sure we want to become *that *kind of library organization; our
virtual decision-making model is one of our most attractive features, in my
opinion (speaking as someone with disabilities and an uneven budget over
the last few years).

So I would encourage anyone interested in exploring fiscal
sponsorship/becoming a nonprofit/[other solutions?] to form a group/task
force/committee/whatever and to start researching options now, with a
reasonable deadline for communicating back out to the whole community, so
that we can all take part in making an informed decision before the 2018
conference committee needs to get started (if, indeed, our community's
consensus is to do 2018).

Chad volunteered to help, and his knowledge about the 2016 process and
budgets will make him incredibly helpful. We should take him up on that. I
volunteered to help, and my previous research on starting a nonprofit
and/or finding a fiscal sponsor for a previous project will make me also
potentially helpful. Maybe we should take me up on that, or maybe the
committee should not have anyone *quite* as in favor of radical change (or
as new to the community) as I am. I defer to the group on that, once it
forms.

Does anyone else want to self-nominate, to join a group to investigate
making Code4Lib fiscally sustainable? Does someone want to *organize* that
group? (Put the group on some communications medium, make deadlines, keep
people on task -- stuff like that.) To be clear: nobody is proposing that
it be a decision-making body; it would just be a fact-finding group, who
would write up a list of the options to present to the larger community
(and maybe preside over some kind of vote? I don't know, I guess the group
will decide how to get the community to make decisions, too).

- Coral

Re: [CODE4LIB] Formalizing Code4Lib? [diy]

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

One note about what we're discussing: when we talk about just doing the
regional events (and I mean beyond 2017, which will be a special case if a
host city can't step in), we need to realize that we have a lot of members
who aren't in a Code4Lib region.

You might think I'm talking about Alaska, because that's where I lived when
I first came to a Code4Lib conference. And that's certainly one place,
along with Hawaii, that would be left out.

But even living in Pittsburgh, I'm not in a Code4Lib region, that I can
tell. Pittsburgh isn't in the midwest, and we also aren't part of the
tri-state region that Philly's in. I'm employed (part-time/remote) in the
DC/MD region, so if I can afford the drive and hotel, that's probably the
one I'd pick right now. I guess?

So, even landlocked in the continental US, it's possible not to have a
region.

More importantly, though: my understanding is that our international
members are fairly spread out -- maybe Code4Lib Japan being an exception?
-- so, even ignoring weird cases like Pittsburgh, we stand to lose some
really fantastic contributors to our community if we drop to regional-only.

Just something else to consider.
- Coral

On Thu, Jun 9, 2016 at 11:31 AM, Mark A. Matienzo 
wrote:

> On Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 6:40 AM, Eric Lease Morgan  wrote:
>
> >
> > Hosting a local/regional meeting is not difficult and relatively
> > inexpensive.
>
>
> While I find the intent to make code4lib more "distributed" through
> localized meetings, I find this statement incredibly belittling and
> disingenuous. There are a number folks in the community who have organized
> local, regional, national and international conferences. Some of the things
> that you claim are important, and perhaps easy (space, "strong wifi", etc.)
> can be quite difficult to obtain, even for small groups.
>
> Let’s forgo identifying a fiduciary for a while. What will they facilitate?
> > The funding of a large meeting space in a “fancy” hotel? Is that really
> > necessary when the same communication & sharing can be done on a smaller,
> > lesser expensive, and more intimate scale? DIY.
>
>
> Any of this organizing activity is a form of labor, and it's no wonder why
> people get exhausted and sometimes burnt out by organizing conferences. I'm
> all for DIY, but DIY is still labor and requires time, capital, and
> emotional energy.
>
> So yes, let's provide more opportunities for people to get together at a
> local level, but let's be honest about what it takes.
>
> Mark
>
> --
> Mark A. Matienzo  | http://anarchivi.st/
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Formalizing Code4Lib?

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 5:09 PM, Eric Lease Morgan  wrote:

> On Jun 7, 2016, at 10:53 PM, Mike Giarlo  wrote:
>
> >
> > Can you say more about what you expect "the emotional and bureaucratic
> expense" to be?
>
> Bureaucratic and emotional expenses include yet more committees and
> politics. Things will happen increasingly slowly. Our community will be
> less nimble and somewhat governed by outside forces. We will end up with
> presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, etc. Increasingly there will be
> “inside” and “outside”. The inside will make decisions and the outside
> won’t understand and feel left out. That is what happens when formalization
> take place.
>

So, to be clear: you think this isn't already happening? You think* as it
stands, nobody is baffled by the operations of Code4Lib, and nobody feels
like outsiders, not knowing how decisions are made?*

*Would everyone else agree with that statement? *Am I the only one here who
has felt like a baffled outsider to Code4Lib--who feels that way pretty
regularly, in fact?

If I'm alone in that, maybe I'll change my mind on the value of structure
to [potentially!] make things clearer to newcomers.


> The regional conferences are good things. I call them franchises. The
> annual meeting does not have to be a big deal, and the smaller it is, the
> less financial risk there will be. Somebody will always come forward. It
> will just happen.
>

 I was the person who coalesced the Lessons Learned wiki pages from 2013-15
into a single page in the leadup to the 2016 conference. So I can tell you,
with great confidence, that the annual meeting DOES have to be a big deal.
It is impossible for it not to be, with so many people showing up every
year, all of them with different needs that we have decided, as a
community, that we will do our best to meet. Just *feeding* that many
people for one day, without leaving anyone out (or, worse, accidentally
poisoning someone), is a HUGE undertaking. "Just" managing the hotel block
and fighting with the hotel over A/V and other fees and trying to prevent
the host organization from going broke is a HUGE job.

I've served as "just" the technology chair for a 400 person conference that
did *not* do live video streams with captioning. It was a TREMENDOUS job.
It took SO much work, even with notes from the previous tech chair and with
a really involved conference chair who went to every meeting I went to.
(And I got to be part of negotiations with the hotel, so I have some
understanding of how big a job that last line from the previous paragraph
is.)

And people who have served as our chairs are on here, *telling us*: It's a
really big job. It *already is a big deal*.

- Coral
(not Carol :))

[CODE4LIB] Formalizing Code4Lib?

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

I think this deserves its own thread--thanks for bringing it up, Christina!

I'm also interested in investigating how to formalize Code4Lib as an
entity, for all of the reasons listed earlier in the thread. I can't
volunteer to be the leader/torch-bearer/main source of energy behind the
investigation right now (sorry), but I'm happy to join any group that takes
this on. I might be willing to *co*-lead, if that is what it takes to get
the process started.

And, yes, anyone who has talked to me or read my rants about the
proliferation of library professional organizations is going to think my
volunteering for this is really funny. But I think forming a group to
gather information gives us the chance to determine, as a community,
whether Code4Lib delivers enough value and has enough of a separate
identity to be worth forming Yet Another Professional Organization (my gut
answer, today? "yes"), or whether we would do better to fold into, or
become a sub-entity of, some existing organization; or, (unlikely) should
Code4Lib stop being A Big International Thing and just do regional stuff?
Or some other option I haven't listed--I don't even know what all the
options are, right now.

One note on the "no, let's not organize" sentiment: the problem with a flat
organization, or an anarchist collective, or a complete "do-ocracy," is
that the decision-making structures aren't as obvious to newcomers, or even
long-term members who aren't already part of those structures. There is
value to formality, within reason. I mean... right now, I don't know how to
go about getting "permission" to form this exploratory group, right? Having
some kind of formal structure would help.

So... how do we do that? Can we do that? Who wants to help?

- Coral


On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 12:21 PM, Salazar, Christina <
christina.sala...@csuci.edu> wrote:

> It's probably too late for a 2017 but I really do think it's time to
> reopen the question of formalizing Code4Lib IF ONLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF
> BEING THE FIDUCIARY AGENT for the annual conference.
>
> Local (and national) politics aside, it's very difficult to stand in front
> of your boss (or worse, a total stranger) and ask them to be willing to
> cover financial liability for an unaffiliated, purely voluntary
> organization. In addition, we're no longer talking about a couple thousand
> dollars financial liability, we are now getting into a HUNDRED THOUSAND
> DOLLARS liability.
>
> I question the sustainability of this present system for the long term.
>
> PS (I know, everyone says no no no, we don't want to be organized, but my
> feeling is that we need a better way to manage the funding part of the
> conference... Or choose to go local only.)
>
>
> Christina Salazar
> Systems Librarian
> John Spoor Broome Library
> California State University, Channel Islands
> 805/437-3198
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Brian Rogers
> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 8:27 AM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: [CODE4LIB] Update Regarding C4L17 in Chattanooga
>
> Greetings from the Chattanooga C4L17 Planning Committee:
>
> This is a follow-up to Andrea Schurr’s May 18th email (
> https://goo.gl/bs2au7) regarding the survey around potential impact on
> attendance of the 2017 Code4Lib conference, given the host of
> discriminatory/concerning legislation in Tennessee.
>
> Please see the summary of results below. We thank the individuals who took
> the time to respond and provide thoughtful answers as to the issues at
> hand, as well as suggest possible solutions. We met as a group last Tuesday
> to decide how to proceed. As many pointed out, they were not easy
> questions, and so predictably, there were no easy answers.
>
> We’ve determined that given this community’s commitment to providing a
> safe and accommodating environment for all attendees, it is morally and
> fiscally irresponsible to continue the effort of hosting the annual
> conference in Chattanooga. This decision was not an easy one, and there
> were hours of discussion as to the pros and cons of proceeding, informed by
> your responses to the survey, as well as our individual opinions.
>
> This decision is additionally informed by the inability to secure a fiscal
> host for the conference. Even prior to legislative concerns, multiple
> institutions in the southeast took a pass, given the size of attendance and
> increased risk of liability. The two viable leads we pursued finally
> confirmed as a “no” last week. Those decisions were in part or wholly
> informed by the financial risk assumed by a host having to contend with an
> unpredictable timeline of withdrawn support via geographical boycott.
>
> Which leaves us with the voluminous question of, “Now what?” Threading
> together survey and committee responses, we put forth the following to the
> Code4Lib community:
>
> 1. There is a host site that has contacted the Chattanooga Planning
> Committee and informed us

Re: [CODE4LIB] Update Regarding C4L17 in Chattanooga

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

This can't have been an easy decision. Thank you, to the Chattanooga local
committee, for all of the work you've already put in -- much of which will
be, sadly, even more invisible, now that we are not holding the conference
there.

I'm not sad that we aren't holding the conference in Chattanooga--despite
wanting to see the city and experience the conference that the locals would
have planned!--because, finances aside, that legislation would have put
some of our community members in a real bind, if it passed. I'm proud to
see our community living its ideals.

- Coral

On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 1:43 PM, Schurr, Andrea 
wrote:

> Not only quite difficult, but fiscally irresponsible...  We'd be asking an
> organization unaffiliated with Code4Lib to guarantee contracts for hundreds
> of thousands of dollars -- when there is a legitimate concern that
> Tennessee could pass legislation that would cause almost half of our
> community to refuse to attend (not to mention the very real possibility of
> being boycotted by entire municipalities/states).  In the end, we felt like
> we made the only reasonable choice.
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Collier, Aaron
> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 1:28 PM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Update Regarding C4L17 in Chattanooga
>
> I would guess that the swing between "current" and "if passed" makes
> securing the financial sponsor quite difficult.
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Matt Sherman
> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 10:20 AM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Update Regarding C4L17 in Chattanooga
>
> Just listening in, part of the discussion on Slack and IRC made it sound
> like the financing was the bigger issue.
>
> On Tue, Jun 7, 2016 at 1:14 PM, Matt Connolly  wrote:
> >
> > On Jun 7, 2016, at 11:26 AM, Brian Rogers  pqb...@mocs.utc.edu>> wrote:
> >
> > We’ve determined that given this community’s commitment to providing a
> safe and accommodating environment for all attendees, it is morally and
> fiscally irresponsible to continue the effort of hosting the annual
> conference in Chattanooga. This decision was not an easy one, and there
> were hours of discussion as to the pros and cons of proceeding, informed by
> your responses to the survey, as well as our individual opinions.
> >
> > The survey results clearly show that the vast majority of respondents
> were not interested in boycotting Code4Lib Chattanooga. What number would
> have inclined you to proceed, if a 75% affirmative vote wasn’t positive
> enough?
> >
> > — Matt
> >
> >
> > -
> > Matt Connolly
> > Applications developer, CUL-IT
> > 218 Olin Library
> > Cornell University
> > (607) 255-0653
>

[CODE4LIB] WordPress for Journals

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

He, C4L!

So, I notice the Code4Lib journal is run on WordPress, and there's this
sweet wiki page

about how it's put together. I have questions!

You see, some things that seem to be working just fine for C4L aren't
working for In the Library With the Lead Pipe (ITLWTLP), which is *also* an
OA journal run on WordPress. We realized fairly recently that only our
first author is showing up in DOAJ (and in the automatically-generated PDF,
but that's a separate issue). Weirder, EBSCO's indexing is showing the
author for every article as ITLWTLP, which, no.

If you'd like to see the issue, here you go (we deliberately haven't fixed
this one, yet, so we can demonstrate what's going on):

   - An article:
   
http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2015/revising-academic-library-governance-handbooks/
(multiple
   authors)
   - Its DOAJ XML export:
   
http://inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2015/revising-academic-library-governance-handbooks/feed/doaj
(only
   shows one author)
   - Its DOAJ info page:
   https://doaj.org/article/e4db2a5dbc404089a6f915560ecedab2 (only shows
   one author)
   - I can't link you to EBSCO, because I am not formally affiliated with
   any libraries that have it, but I trust you can find it, if you are.

Compare to C4L:

   - An article: *http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/10709
   * (multiple authors)
   - Its DOAJ info page:
   https://doaj.org/article/396ed606919f4b5a9269e0b7689abf70 (multiple
   authors!)
   - Same deal w/ EBSCO, but I'm told it works fine for C4L.

I notice DOAJ Export is listed on the wiki page. Does C4L still use that?
If so, how do you get it to list multiple authors? It used to, for us, but
it no longer does--maybe unsurprisingly, since it hasn't been updated in
years. (Although our theme is showing its age--we're working on that--we do
generally keep WordPress up to date. :))

Right now, we're working around the DOAJ export issue by editing the XML by
hand after exporting. It's not ideal, but it works.

EBSCO... we don't know why it's doing that. From the directions for
uploading, it looks to me like they try to read our PDF and harvest
metadata from it?

One other note: we let authors do their own posting, and we have a plugin
that allows for multiple authors to be listed on each post. I know
firsthand that C4L's approach is different. I believe ITLWTLP is open to
going with a different approach (e.g. "the editor makes the post and puts
the authors' names into the post text or a custom field") if they really
have to; but the Editorial Board likes offering a convenient link to
everything written by a particular author, as well as giving authors the
ability to respond to comments as logged-in users. So if we can solve it
while still allowing ITLWTLP to use that plugin, I think that is the
preferred solution. (I'm ITLWTLP's web person, for another couple of
months; I am not an editor.)

That said, a big redesign is coming up, so long-term solutions that look
different than previous approaches could be on the table.

Anyway, if anybody's willing to help me hammer out what's not-broken with
C4L, or alternately what IS broken with ITLWTLP, I'd be super grateful.

Thank you!

- Coral

Re: [CODE4LIB] "coders for libraries"

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

If only we had some kind of collaborative space
 where we could
brainstorm about taglines...

Question: is "log onto the wiki
" too much friction?
Would a world-editable Google doc

be enough easier that more people would participate?

I put several in there, even the joking ones. That's how brainstorming
works, right?  :)

- Coral

Re: [CODE4LIB] Standards for Library Websites

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

There was a start on a collaborative set of web standards for libraries. I
(sheepishly) admit I stopped following it, so I'm not sure of its current
status, but it might be worth a look:
https://github.com/jswelker/library-web-guidelines

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess

On Tue, May 19, 2015 at 12:37 PM, Amy Vecchione  wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have a few questions, and I've done some investigating, but am hoping to
> hear from your group wisdom on this topic.
>
> I am looking for standards that apply to the parts of library work that
> cover emerging tech, web sites, maker stuff, and/or user experience.
>
> I have looked at the ACRL standards for academic libraries, and think that
> I might just apply those, but not all of the performance indicators relate
> to my work: http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/standardslibraries
>
> I don't think this exists, but I'm wondering if maybe you all use standards
> from some other area.
>
> Other standards that relate that I'm considering as benchmarks:
> accessibility like WCAG, the user experience checklist in this book:
> http://boisestate.worldcat.org/oclc/878812623
>
> My goal in securing a set of standards is so that I can indicate what
> percentages of questions are coming up every semester or every year in an
> annual report to show how needs and interests fluctuate.
>
> Thanks in advance for considering this request, and apologies for cross
> posting,
>
> Amy
>
> Amy Vecchione, Digital Access Librarian/Associate Professor
> http://works.bepress.com/amy_vecchione/
> Albertsons Library, Boise State University, L212
> http://library.boisestate.edu
> (208) 426-1625
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Vote for Code4lib 2016 location

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Even though Code4Lib is single-track, I readily admit: I do not see all of
the presentations as they're happening. (I talk to people, I nap, I do the
introvert thing and hide with a cup of tea, or whatever.) I know I'm not
the only one. And I do go back to YouTube and watch some of the ones I
missed, but I also zoom-forward through the ones that are less interesting
to me.

So I think we've got more self-selection happening, already, than we let on.

Aren't we still pretty committed to recording all of the talks (with
permission), whether we stay single-track or move to multi-track, or do
some hybrid?

I agree with the calls to be respectful and kind to both of the proposing
committees, who have put in a bunch of work and are both clearly willing to
put in a bunch more. The best way to express our opinions is by voting in
the poll: http://vote.code4lib.org/election/37, but the second-best way is
politely, respectfully, and with some serious thought as to how they might
sound to someone whose hard work and thinking we're potentially dismissing.
Re-read your messages from the perspective of both hosting committees
before you send them, please! (This probably requires reading both of the
proposal documents, by the way. :))

- Coral

On Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 2:36 PM, Salazar, Christina <
christina.sala...@csuci.edu> wrote:

> What Josh said:
>
> In a multi-track, you are forced to choose and never get to see what is
> going on in the areas that you've been forced to opt out of. Which I think
> would be a shame since some of the "non-technical" talks really NEED to be
> heard by those who are there purely for the "tech."
>
> I do think someone from Philly needs to answer the original question: can
> they put on a single track conference if that's what the community wants.
> It will make a difference it seems, in the vote.
>
> Then if BOTH LA and Philly can do single track (or multitrack or some
> other permutation) we can vote on each city as equals.
>
> This way we don't need to debate the merits of single or multitrack at the
> same time as we're debating the merits of LA versus Philly.
>
>
> Christina Salazar
> Systems Librarian
> John Spoor Broome Library
> California State University, Channel Islands
> 805/437-3198
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Joshua Gomez
> Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 11:31 AM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Vote for Code4lib 2016 location
>
> Allowing for "focus" via multi-track also enables echo chambers in which
> people that could probably most benefit from non-code related talks never
> see them.
>
> As a possible solution, we could have a post-conference afternoon on
> Thursday where people could meet to dig deeper into themes that occurred
> during the general session. Similar to what happened this year with the
> breakouts at the end, but with a little more emphasis and organization.
>
> -Josh
>
>
> Joshua Gomez | Sr. Software Engineer
> Getty Research Institute | Los Angeles, CA
> 310-440-7421
>
> >>> "Frumkin, Jeremy A - (frumkinj)" 
> >>> 02/23/15 11:19 AM >>>
> A couple of thoughts:
>
> 1) It takes a lot of effort to put these proposals together. Let's not
> lose sight that both proposals are good proposals, and that's why we have a
> vote. I'm sure there are various opinions on both proposals.
>
> 2) Separate from either proposal, I was struck this year by a greater
> diversity in topic areas for code4lib than I have observed in the past.
> There definitely felt like there was interest in tracks that were not as
> code-focused (such as culture / community, management, etc.). With the
> conference growing to the size it has, I personally feel it might be
> interesting to try a hybrid of single / multi-track, to allow those
> attending an opportunity to have the ability to have some additional focus
> on some theme areas. When we started code4lib, the size of the conference
> was such that a single track made a lot of sense; as the event has grown,
> both in size and maturity, I'd like to suggest that it may be worth
> exploring having both single track sessions and multi-track sessions to
> allow deeper dives by different segments of the attendees.
>
> Just my $.02
>
> -- jaf
>
> ---
> Jeremy Frumkin
> Assistant Dean / Chief Technology Strategist University of Arizona
> Libraries
>
> +1 520.626.7296
> j...@arizona.edu
> 
> "A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." - Albert
> Einstein
>
>
>
>
> On 2/23/15, 12:09 PM, "Riley Childs"  wrote:
>
> >I agree, the appeal of code4lib is the single track.
> >
> >Sent from my Windows Phone
> >
> >--
> >Riley Childs
> >Senior
> >Charlotte United Christian Academy
> >Library Services Administrator
> >IT Services Administrator
> >(704) 537-0331x101
> >(704) 497-2086
> >rileychilds.net
> >@rowdychildren

Re: [CODE4LIB] Info request - Library Hackathon for students

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Here are some tips for running women-friendly tech events, which is often a
problem for hackathons (including ones I've helped run, honestly):
http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Women-friendly_events

- Coral

On Wed, Feb 11, 2015 at 7:37 AM, Craig Boman  wrote:

> Dear Code4Lib,
>
> Has your library ever hosted a hackathon for university students? If so,
> would you do it again? Anything you wish you had known before hosting the
> hackathon?
>
> From the list archives, it looks like most of the hackathons at libraries
> have been for librarians, rather than university students. Please feel free
> to share any ideas.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Craig Boman
> Applications Support Specialist
> University of Dayton Libraries
> 300 College Park
> Dayton, OH, 4569
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] what good books did you read in 2014?

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

*Books*

It seems like most of you read more nonfiction and actual literature than I
do. And maybe fewer audiobooks. :D

I had a long drive this year (4600 miles or so), so I finally listened to The
Name of the Wind,
 at a
friend's urging. It was horrifically sexist and had more than a little
Gary-Stu  going
on, but it was funny enough and had an interesting enough plot that I
picked up the second book at the library, once I got where I was going. (I
wasn't willing to *pay* to read it, but I was willing to read it. :)) That
one was *even more* ridiculous, but I'll probably read the third when it
comes out, if for no other reason than I can't see how this story gets
wrapped up quickly enough to stick to the original three-book plan.

I also listened Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis
 trilogy, which I
really liked. It should probably come with a trigger warning, to be fair,
but it was well-written and thought-provoking. (I'm still not 100% sure
whose side Ms. Butler was on and how she defines "human.")

In terms of pure popcorn, Kim Harrison's The Hollows
 books are an urban
fantasy series set in a near-future Cincinnati, where genetic engineering
of tomatoes (why is it always tomatoes? wasn't there a thing about that at
the beginning of Jurassic Park, too?) killed off a large portion of the
human population and forced vampires, witches, werewolves, etc. to come out
of hiding. I've been listening to them for the last three years or so, and
they're pretty good, give or take a lull somewhere in the middle of the
series. The last one came out this year, so I can finally recommend it to
people without guilt. :) (I don't know about you, but I *hate* starting a
series and then realizing it isn't all written yet.)

*Boardgames/Card games*

I might technically have learned this game last year, but I'll list it
anyway: Hanabi . It's sort
of like playing cooperative Solitaire with a group of people, only you
can't see your own cards, just everyone else's, and you have to play
everything in order with only other players' hints to go on. It's possible
to win, but it's hard.

:)

- Coral

Re: [CODE4LIB] Update on Code4Lib 2015 registration info

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

I'm not on the committee, but I can help with #5:
http://vote.code4lib.org/election/results/33

(Also here are the keynotes: http://vote.code4lib.org/election/results/31)

- Coral

On Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 4:50 PM, Emily Lynema  wrote:

> I suspect that it is time to start planning travel requests for Code4Lib
> 2015. Can the organizing committee provide some more info than what is
> currently available at http://code4lib.org/conference/2015/ such as:
>
> 1. Hotel price
> 2. Estimated registration (I know you don't know for sure yet!)
> 3. Travel info (are there buses, shuttles, public transit, etc.)
> 4. Date registration will open (again, just an idea of the timeline will
> help us plan for travel requests)
> 5. An easy link to the proposals that were submitted / results of voting.
>
> This would be immensely helpful.
>
> Thanks!!
>
>
>
> --
> Emily Lynema
> Associate Department Head
> Information Technology, NCSU Libraries
> 919-513-8031
> emily_lyn...@ncsu.edu
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Metadata T-Shirt

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Any chance of a Metadata sticker? I want to put one on my laptop! :)

- Coral

On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 1:45 PM, Riley Childs  wrote:

> Doubt it, it exists on CafePress and the c4l wiki, no where else.
> In other news:
> -I am about to add a Metadata Hat, Metadata Santa's Hat, Apron, Bath Towel,
> and other awesome products
> -If you have tshirt logos for previous years (in a SVG, EPS, or Ai format)
> it would be great if you could send them to me!
> -Please notify me (so I can take it off the store) AND spreadshirt (for a
> refund) if the logo on the product is messed up in any way
> Thanks
> //Riley
>
> Riley Childs
> Senior
> Asst. IT Services Director
> Library Guru
> Charlotte United Christian Academy
> Library Tech Cast (http://LibraryTechCast.com)
> ri...@tfsgeo.com
> http://RileyChilds.net
> @RowdyChildren
>
> *Please Think before Hitting Reply All*
>
> *I Do Web Development, Contact Me at http://RileyChilds.net/work
> *
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 12:15 PM, Pikas, Christina K. <
> christina.pi...@jhuapl.edu> wrote:
>
> > Any chance it's being taken off as (incorrectly) being identified as
> > infringing?
> > Christina
> >
> > -Original Message-
> > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of
> > Goben, Abigail
> > Sent: Friday, November 14, 2014 12:07 PM
> > To: CODE4LIB@listserv.nd.edu
> > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Metadata T-Shirt
> >
> > Things are back! Thank you! (Running off to tell all the people who
> wanted
> > one)
> >
> >
> > On 11/14/2014 10:00 AM, Riley Childs wrote:
> > > I added them back, let me know if they disappear again:
> > > http://code4lib.spreadshirt.com/metadata-I1001665722
> > >
> > > Riley Childs
> > > Senior
> > > Asst. IT Services Director
> > > Library Guru
> > > Charlotte United Christian Academy
> > > Library Tech Cast (http://LibraryTechCast.com)
> > > ri...@tfsgeo.com
> > > http://RileyChilds.net
> > > @RowdyChildren
> > >
> > > *Please Think before Hitting Reply All*
> > >
> > > *I Do Web Development, Contact Me at http://RileyChilds.net/work
> > > *
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 10:48 AM, Tania Fersenheim <
> tan...@brandeis.edu>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > >> I ordered a little while ago and now the link has stopped working.
> > >>
> > >> On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 10:45 AM, Riley Childs 
> > wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> Huh! Several people have ordered the shirt, I can't find it either, I
> > >>> contact spreadshirt and investigate!
> > >>>
> > >>> Riley Childs
> > >>> Senior
> > >>> Asst. IT Services Director
> > >>> Library Guru
> > >>> Charlotte United Christian Academy
> > >>> Library Tech Cast (http://LibraryTechCast.com)
> > >>> ri...@tfsgeo.com
> > >>> http://RileyChilds.net
> > >>> @RowdyChildren
> > >>>
> > >>> *Please Think before Hitting Reply All*
> > >>>
> > >>> *I Do Web Development, Contact Me at http://RileyChilds.net/work
> > >>> *
> > >>>
> > >>>
> > >>> On Fri, Nov 14, 2014 at 10:41 AM, Goben, Abigail 
> > wrote:
> > >>>
> >  Hi Riley!
> > 
> >  I can't get the t-shirt link to work? Help?
> > 
> >  Abigail
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >  On 11/13/2014 1:31 PM, Riley Childs wrote:
> > 
> > > At long last the Metadata T-Shirt is available from the code4lib
> > > Spreadshirt store. More Metadata products to follow!
> > >
> > > Get it at
> > > http://code4lib.spreadshirt.com/metadata-I1001657864
> > >
> > >
> > > Don't forget to indicate your interest in code4lib stickers:
> > > https://docs.google.com/a/tfsgeo.com/forms/d/1k-bQVSduKyOVMkXpJ_
> > > xOwk9SDjjEoX7QnQ4JTyp2BqI/viewform
> > > Details to follow regarding stickers and more store stuff!
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > > //Riley
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Riley Childs
> > > Senior
> > > IT Admin
> > > Charlotte United Christian Academy
> > > office: +1 (704) 537-0331 x101
> > > mobile: +1 (704) 497-2086
> > > web: rileychilds.net
> > > twitter: @RowdyChildren
> > > Checkout our new Online Library Catalog: catalog.cucawarriors.com
> > >
> > >
> >  --
> >  Abigail Goben, MLS
> >  Assistant Information Services Librarian and Assistant Professor
> >  Library of the Health Sciences
> >  University of Illinois at Chicago
> >  1750 W. Polk (MC 763)
> >  Chicago, IL 60612
> >  ago...@uic.edu
> > 
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> --
> > >>
> > >> Tania Fersenheim
> > >> Manager of Library Systems
> > >>
> > >> Brandeis University
> > >> Library and Technology Services
> > >>
> > >> 415 South Street, (MS 017/P.O. Box 549110)
> > >> Waltham, MA 02454-9110
> > >> Phone: 781.736.4698
> > >> Fax: 781.736.4577
> > >> email: tan...@brandeis.edu
> > >>
> >
> > --
> > Abigail Goben, MLS
> > Assistant Information Services Librarian and Assistant Professor
> > Library of the Health Sciences
> > University of Illinois at Chicago
> > 175

[CODE4LIB] Vote for Grand Challenges in Research Data

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

There are lots of Fun Data Problems. Elsevier's having a competition to
propose solutions for some of them, and there's a chance to vote on which
challenges people tackle!

(The rest of this message was posted by William Gunn from Mendeley on the
Open Science Framework mailing list)

Elsevier are doing a Grand Challenges in Research Data competition. Here's
how they describe it:
"The goal is to pick one or more open problems and, then, invite research
and industry teams out of there to compete and provide solutions that
improve a given baseline. Those kind of competitions are common in the
industry (e.g. Netflix ) and are not new to
Elsevier  either."

Vote for the problem you'd like to see focus on here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/75PY2QT

- Coral <-- OK, he didn't write that part

Re: [CODE4LIB] New look for Planet Code4Lib: with Dublin Core metadata!

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

On Sat, Oct 4, 2014 at 2:59 PM, William Denton  wrote:

> By the way, I just noticed you can put rights information in feeds, and
> I'm displaying it in this theme.  Most sources have no information, so it's
> blank, but if you're on the Planet, have a look and make sure that
> information is in your feed.


Is there a generally agreed upon best way to do this for WordPress feeds?

Thanks!

- Coral

Re: [CODE4LIB] Informal survey regarding library website liberty

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

I was lucky to work for an academic library that served two universities,
so we ran our own servers and got to pick our own look.

BUT, the municipal library down the street was stuck in a bad CMS, with
municipal IT that didn't want to spend time helping them. (I'm
over-simplifying, a little, to make a point.)

So they bought LibGuides, and they're slowly moving their whole site into
that. I think they're on 1.0, but LibGuides 2.0 is flexible enough to allow
for a "real website" look. That was actually my backup plan, if the bigger
of our two universities ever got unreasonable, or if our server broke (or
our building burned down or or or).

- Coral

Re: [CODE4LIB] c4l Stickers

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

+1 - I mean, I'm PROBABLY up for a sticker purchase, but not if it's
hideous orange or too big for my laptop or whatever. (So... not the bumper
sticker.)

- coral


On Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 1:28 PM, Tom Keays  wrote:

> I might be interested, but I need to see it first. Any chance you could
> upload a sample image somewhere -- e.g., Google Drive -- so we could see
> what you are proposing?
>
> Tom
>
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Community anti-harassment policy

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

I was under the impression that we had a code of conduct/anti-harassment
policy in place for IRC and the mailing lists. Was this an incorrect
impression?

I am definitely in favor of adopting one, if there isn't one in place!

Logistically, Geek Feminism is also not a formal organization--they were
recently described as an anarchist collective--so I think we could follow
their lead pretty easily. We could make a mail alias that goes to a
ROTATING team/committee (this is very important; people burn out, dealing
with these things for too long), for reporting purposes. IRC aliases are a
thing, too, right?

-coral

Re: [CODE4LIB] College Question!

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Riley,

Whatever you do, don't major in library science as an undergrad. Maybe
minor in it, along with some other major, if you want, but it's not useful
by itself as an undergraduate degree--most libraries want librarians to
have the MLIS. And what if you change your mind after a few years and don't
want to get the masters? Do something you could get a career in--or work
in, part time, to afford the MLIS.

If you want to be a systems librarian, why not get a degree in systems
engineering or IT? (Seriously, there are degrees in
IT<http://www.ccsu.edu/page.cfm?p=332>now, what a world!) Computer
science wouldn't hurt, if you don't mind
theory, and you can get some good foundational stuff that will help with
the information science part of "libraries and information science."

The school where I got my MLIS had an "Information Science" department that
was mostly IT, too. So, that's a possibility.

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi


On Wed, May 28, 2014 at 7:17 PM, Riley Childs wrote:

> I was curious about the type of degrees people had. I am heading off to
> college next year (class of 2015) and am trying to figure out what to major
> in. I want to be a systems librarian, but I can't tell what to major in! I
> wanted to hear about what paths people took and how they ended up where
> they are now.
>
> BTW Y'All at NC State need a better tour bus driver (not the c4l tour, the
> admissions tour) ;) the bus ride was like a rickety roller coaster...   🎢
>
> Also, if you know of any scholarships please let me know ;) you would be
> my BFF :P
>
>
> Riley Childs
> Student
> Asst. Head of IT Services
> Charlotte United Christian Academy
> (704) 497-2086
> RileyChilds.net
> Sent from my Windows Phone, please excuse mistakes
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] jobs digest for 2014-05-16

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 6:18 AM, Francis Kayiwa  wrote:

> I do want that t-shirt!


+1

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi

Re: [CODE4LIB] separate list for Jobs

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

I have another, maybe minor, point to add to this: I've posted a job to
Code4Lib, and I did it wrong. I have no idea how I'm supposed to make a job
show up correctly, and now that I have realized I've done it wrong, I
probably won't send another job to this list. (Or maybe I'll look it up in
... where? the wiki?)

A second list would make this a lot clearer, I think.

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi

Re: [CODE4LIB] Job Interview : A Libcoder's Helpful Advices

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Yeah, making a page for this would be great! Even just a wiki page, to
start.

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi


On Thu, May 8, 2014 at 10:43 AM, Kevin S. Clarke  wrote:

> I'm not really answering the questions at this time, but it occurred
> to me that this might be a good thing to start a page on the wiki for
> (or, even better, incorporate it into jobs.code4lib.org in some way?)
> I imagine it's of general interest to job hunting folks and giving
> people a place to add to it after interviews (while it's still fresh
> on their minds) might be useful/interesting.
>
> Fwiw,
> Kevin
>
> On Thu, May 8, 2014 at 2:05 PM, P.G.  wrote:
> >- What interview questions were you asked?
> >- What were your answers?
> >- What  are the  best questions to ask employer during interviews?
> >- Other helpful advices?
> >
> >  Thank you.
> >
> > Peter G.
>
>
>
> --
> "There are two kinds of people in this world: those who believe there
> are two kinds of people in this world and those who know better."
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Usability resources

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Yes, Andromeda is right; I meant reasonable size tests (3 users), done
often (the gold standard is "monthly," as I understand it), but giving the
whole library the chance to view them in real time, remotely, then to
discuss solutions--and I was saying that isn't something I was convinced
would work for my library. I apologize for being unclear.

While I'm writing to the list anyway...

*Erin White took really good notes on today's UX break-out session
discussion*:
http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/2014_Breakout_II_(Wednesday)#UX

And here are the notes from yesterday, mostly about the UX problems
libraries are having, also by Erin:
http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/2014_Breakout_I_(Tuesday)#User_Experience

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi

Re: [CODE4LIB] Usability resources

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Some things that came up in the UX discussion (well, the third of it I was
in) at the breakout session, about how to get your library to be more open
to UX:

Several libraries (Duke is one) use Steve Krug <http://www.sensible.com>'s
approach to getting buy-in on usability. They get a bunch of their
coworkers into a room (donut bribes are effective) and have them watch
actual students using their actual digital services--website or whatever.
It's very effective! For more information, read Don't Make Me
Think<http://www.sensible.com/dmmt.html>and Rocket
Surgery Made Easy <http://www.sensible.com/rsme.html>. It didn't come up in
session, but here's a pretty engaging
talk<http://matthew.reidsrow.com/articles/16>,
by Matthew Reidsma, about UX and this approach.

I apologize for the self promotion, but not all libraries' cultures allow
for the "big public test" approach. Mine ... might, now, but probably
wouldn't have, a couple of years ago. So this process went (is going) a
slightly different way in my library. I used a number of approaches to gain
trust and political capital, but eventually I totally overwhelmed my
coworkers with citations in what, when they can't hear me, I call "a gentle
manifesto"--internally, we call it "the Web Plan." Slides outlining the
tools/approaches/thought process I used and the Web Plan/Manifesto are both
available on ALA Connect <http://connect.ala.org/node/213994>.

One thing our approaches have in common: Steve Krug. Seriously, if you
haven't read *Don't Make Me Think*, please do! Whether you design websites
or not! There's a new edition! It takes less time than a cross-country
plane ride to read--how convenient for those of you at conference! ;)

And there were several other good tools, but I can't brain anymore. Please,
send 'em along!

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi


On Tue, Mar 25, 2014 at 9:50 AM, Sean Hannan  wrote:

> OptimalWorkshop.com
>
> -Sean
> 
> From: Code for Libraries [CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] on behalf of Coral
> Sheldon-Hess [co...@sheldon-hess.org]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 9:48 AM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: [CODE4LIB] Usability resources
>
> Here is one Sumana mentioned:
> UserTesting.com
>
> What else is out there?
>
> - Coral
>
>
> --
> --
> Coral Sheldon-Hess
> http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
> @web_kunoichi
>

[CODE4LIB] Usability resources

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Here is one Sumana mentioned:
UserTesting.com

What else is out there?

- Coral


-- 
-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi

Re: [CODE4LIB] outside of libraryland,

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

A co-founded and co-host a learn-to-code workshop "for women and friends,"
locally. (Men are welcomed as long as they are guests of female-identified
participants.) Like Girl Develop It, but free--and we avoided the color
pink.

I'm also nominally on the planning committee for the local hackathon
(though I mostly just show up at the event itself), and I show up at Code
for Anchorage (Code for America) meetings at least once a year. :)

I'm not sure if it counts as "belonging," per se, but I'm a lurker on the
OpenHatch mailing list, and I participate in the Geek Feminism community.
Until the organizer moved away, I went to local Raspberry Pi hack nights,
every few weeks.

Anchorage is small (300k people), so there's no Python Users Group or
RailsBridge or anything like that, here. There's a Drupal Users Group, and
I'm on their Meetup; we'll see if I ever show up, though. ;) I dropped our
local Linux Users Group, because they're mostly just a mailing list for
flamewars, nowadays; I don't even think they have meetings anymore. ...
Which gets more at "lack of overlap" than "overlap," doesn't it?

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi


On Fri, Mar 14, 2014 at 4:35 PM, Nate Hill  wrote:

> what coding and technology groups do people on this list belong to and find
> valuable?
> I'm curious about how code4lib overlaps (or doesn't) with other domains.
> thanks,
> Nate
>
> --
> Nate Hill
> nathanielh...@gmail.com
> http://4thfloor.chattlibrary.org/
> http://www.natehill.net
>

Re: [CODE4LIB] Python CMSs

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Valid question, WordPress fans. :)

I've done a bunch of work with WordPress--that's what my personal site is
built in, as well as a couple of organizational sites I help manage, and we
have a multisite installation for our librarians to maintain their own
blogs/sites, here. I've even hacked on it, a little (not the WP core, just
my own installs). So I'm not considering it for this purpose in part
because I would like the opportunity to learn something else. I mean, I
*can* work in PHP, but it's not my favorite thing.

More importantly, though, I feel like some of the integration and API work
I want to do would be way harder in WordPress than it would be in MODx,
Drupal, Django, or any number of other tools. To be fair, I've never really
tried building database-driven pages in WordPress (except inasmuch as
WordPress *itself* is database-driven), but it just seems like it would be
... gross... I'm prepared to believe you that it might not be gross, but it
also wouldn't be any easier than doing the same stuff in my current CMS,
MODx. (MODx is way more flexible, actually.)

The goal, here, isn't "Stand up a CMS quickly," or obviously I'd pick
WordPress. It's "build something really flexible and extensible and,
hopefully, fairly pleasant to manage." And a sub-goal is that I'd like to
do all that in Python. :)

Does that make sense?

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi


On Thu, Feb 13, 2014 at 4:35 PM, Riley Childs wrote:

> Also you just described WordPress!
>
> Riley Childs
> 704 497-2086
> Sent from my superior my Windows Phone
> 
> From: Coral Sheldon-Hess<mailto:co...@sheldon-hess.org>
> Sent: 2/13/2014 7:15 PM
> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU<mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU>
> Subject: [CODE4LIB] Python CMSs
>
> Hi, everyone!
>
> I've gotten clearance to totally rewrite my library's website in the
> framework/CMS of my choice (pretty much :)). As I have said on numerous
> occasions, "If I can get paid to write Python, I want to do that!" So,
> after some discussion with my department head/sysadmin, we're leaning
> toward Django.
>
> Here's a broad question, re: Python and Django: If you've made the switch,
> what has your experience been? Has Django (or any other Python framework)
> given you something cool that was lacking in your previous
> language/framework/CMS? Has it helped you build something awesome? Have you
> found it enabling or limiting in any way? If you were going to sell people
> on (or against) using it, what would your arguments be? I'm a relative
> newbie to Python, and a total newbie to Django, so even if there was a
> tutorial you found useful, or some caveat you learned along the way, I'm
> interested. :)
>
> And then a more specific question: Given the following requirements, do you
> have a Django-based CMS you'd recommend? (Of course, I'll also do my own
> research, but I'd love to see what other libraries' experiences have been
> and what's popular, right now.)
>  * There's a chance we'll want to offer other editors access to it, at some
> point, so it would be nice if I can provide a WYSIWYG interface, which I
> also am going to want the option to *turn off*, for my own sanity.
> * We're a Springshare-heavy library with Summon and big secret API-based
> plans, so easy JavaScript (preferably jQuery) integration is a must.
> * It should play nicely with MySQL.
> * Because I probably won't be here forever, it's of the utmost importance
> that whatever we end up with is easy to maintain.
> * I'm used to MODx's page-ID model, where I can move pages around, and as
> long as I don't delete/recreate a page (thereby changing its ID), I don't
> have to change any links anywhere else in the CMS. I'd really like
> something that will work equally well, since the odds that I'll nail the
> information architecture on the first try are probably slim. :) (Maybe this
> one should go without saying, since I know WordPress and many other CMSs do
> this, but if you have to err, err on the side of being explicit, right?)
> * A nice forms-builder plugin (module?) would be a great thing to have, as
> well. We use FormIt in MODx, and now I'm spoiled.
>
> And, I mean, if there's a CMS on top of another Python framework you think
> I should be considering, feel free to throw that out as a possibility, too!
>
> Thank you!
>
> --
> Coral Sheldon-Hess
> http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
> @web_kunoichi
>

[CODE4LIB] Python CMSs

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

Hi, everyone!

I've gotten clearance to totally rewrite my library's website in the
framework/CMS of my choice (pretty much :)). As I have said on numerous
occasions, "If I can get paid to write Python, I want to do that!" So,
after some discussion with my department head/sysadmin, we're leaning
toward Django.

Here's a broad question, re: Python and Django: If you've made the switch,
what has your experience been? Has Django (or any other Python framework)
given you something cool that was lacking in your previous
language/framework/CMS? Has it helped you build something awesome? Have you
found it enabling or limiting in any way? If you were going to sell people
on (or against) using it, what would your arguments be? I'm a relative
newbie to Python, and a total newbie to Django, so even if there was a
tutorial you found useful, or some caveat you learned along the way, I'm
interested. :)

And then a more specific question: Given the following requirements, do you
have a Django-based CMS you'd recommend? (Of course, I'll also do my own
research, but I'd love to see what other libraries' experiences have been
and what's popular, right now.)
 * There's a chance we'll want to offer other editors access to it, at some
point, so it would be nice if I can provide a WYSIWYG interface, which I
also am going to want the option to *turn off*, for my own sanity.
* We're a Springshare-heavy library with Summon and big secret API-based
plans, so easy JavaScript (preferably jQuery) integration is a must.
* It should play nicely with MySQL.
* Because I probably won't be here forever, it's of the utmost importance
that whatever we end up with is easy to maintain.
* I'm used to MODx's page-ID model, where I can move pages around, and as
long as I don't delete/recreate a page (thereby changing its ID), I don't
have to change any links anywhere else in the CMS. I'd really like
something that will work equally well, since the odds that I'll nail the
information architecture on the first try are probably slim. :) (Maybe this
one should go without saying, since I know WordPress and many other CMSs do
this, but if you have to err, err on the side of being explicit, right?)
* A nice forms-builder plugin (module?) would be a great thing to have, as
well. We use FormIt in MODx, and now I'm spoiled.

And, I mean, if there's a CMS on top of another Python framework you think
I should be considering, feel free to throw that out as a possibility, too!

Thank you!

-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi

[CODE4LIB] Job Posting / Metadata Librarian / Anchorage, AK

[Coral Sheldon-Hess]

The Consortium Library at the University of Alaska Anchorage seeks an
energetic, well-organized, and service-oriented individual to provide
leadership and direction in metadata and metadata practices in cooperation
with varied stakeholders. The successful candidate will serve as a primary
resource for UAA's portion of ScholarWorks @ UA, University of Alaska's
DSpace Institutional Repository (IR), and will describe, manage, expose,
and share with users the library's growing local digital collections. The
position engages in authority control processes to provide intellectual
control over the application of personal names, place names, and subject
headings as a component of the metadata process. The librarian should enjoy
working collaboratively as part of a team while at the same time be able to
work efficiently and effectively as an individual. This is a year-round
tenure-track, faculty position with a 9 plus 3 month contract. This
position reports to the Head of Technical Services.

Salary and benefits: Minimum salary of $65,000 annually. Attractive
benefits including retirement program, insurance, tuition remission,
vacation, and holidays.

Review of applications will begin January 6, 2014 and will continue until
position is filled.

For more information and to apply, go to
https://www.uakjobs.com/applicants/Central?quickFind=82903


(I work in this library and have lived in Anchorage for 4 years; also, I am
*not* on the hiring committee. So please feel free to ask me any questions
you might have about the job, the library, or life in Anchorage!)
-- 
Coral Sheldon-Hess
http://sheldon-hess.org/coral
@web_kunoichi