[CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries
I'm considering taking on online course for programming using Python. But not sure if it would be useful in my work at an academic library. My question is: If you are using Python, what applications have you developed for your institution? TIA j0e Joseph Umhauer Assistant Library Director for Technical Services Niagara University Library 716-286-8015 jumha...@niagara.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries
Python is a wonderful language in many respects. We use it instead of Ruby in a number of projects, most notably in workflow for Digital Preservation. I do know of a number of enterprise developers using it in a web stack -- with Flask, with Werkzeug, with Twisted, with stuff I'm not aware of, depends on scale and whom you ask -- or else Django. We do not do so at this time. Ruby may be more broadly applicable in the present library context, or, not. Unclear. Python has a fairly strict diction and the present split existence between 2 and 3 can be annoying. But it's a useful language, increasingly used for hosting other languages, and increasingly, fast despite all odds. Good for toying with functional approaches. -- Al Matthews Software Developer, Digital Services Unit Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library email: amatth...@auctr.edu; office: 1 404 978 2057 On 10/18/13 9:14 AM, Joseph Umhauer jumha...@niagara.edu wrote: I'm considering taking on online course for programming using Python. But not sure if it would be useful in my work at an academic library. My question is: If you are using Python, what applications have you developed for your institution? TIA j0e Joseph Umhauer Assistant Library Director for Technical Services Niagara University Library 716-286-8015 jumha...@niagara.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries
Hi Joe, as a cataloger, I've used Python for working with raw MARC records - using the PyMarc library - as well as MARCXML and EADXML records. It allows me to analyze and modify large files of MARC records in batch. cheers, heidi Heidi Frank Electronic Resources Special Formats Cataloger New York University Libraries Knowledge Access Resources Management Services 20 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10003 212-998-2499 (office) 212-995-4366 (fax) h...@nyu.edu Skype: hfrank71 On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 9:22 AM, Al Matthews amatth...@auctr.edu wrote: Python is a wonderful language in many respects. We use it instead of Ruby in a number of projects, most notably in workflow for Digital Preservation. I do know of a number of enterprise developers using it in a web stack -- with Flask, with Werkzeug, with Twisted, with stuff I'm not aware of, depends on scale and whom you ask -- or else Django. We do not do so at this time. Ruby may be more broadly applicable in the present library context, or, not. Unclear. Python has a fairly strict diction and the present split existence between 2 and 3 can be annoying. But it's a useful language, increasingly used for hosting other languages, and increasingly, fast despite all odds. Good for toying with functional approaches. -- Al Matthews Software Developer, Digital Services Unit Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library email: amatth...@auctr.edu; office: 1 404 978 2057 On 10/18/13 9:14 AM, Joseph Umhauer jumha...@niagara.edu wrote: I'm considering taking on online course for programming using Python. But not sure if it would be useful in my work at an academic library. My question is: If you are using Python, what applications have you developed for your institution? TIA j0e Joseph Umhauer Assistant Library Director for Technical Services Niagara University Library 716-286-8015 jumha...@niagara.edu
Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries
Python, Python, Python. Sigh. Theoretically, programming language should be neutral, right?. Any languages could do the job if OS allows. I used to work in a small academic library. Learning programming languages was purely self-motivated and taught. By chance, the path I have treaded on is Perl - PHP - ASP - ASP.NET. Starting with Perl made sense when I was in the library school in 1994, as it was almost a de facto Web language. Then, PHP was almost a natural extension of Perl. Then, .NET fever hit the world in the early 2000's. What in the earth was Python at that time? Being so popular in the library world, I wish I knew it earlier so that I could learn it instead of other languages. The same as Ruby. I am jealous. With heavy load of work every day, do I have time to learn a new language? Kelly -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Heidi P Frank Sent: 2013年10月18日 8:32 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries Hi Joe, as a cataloger, I've used Python for working with raw MARC records - using the PyMarc library - as well as MARCXML and EADXML records. It allows me to analyze and modify large files of MARC records in batch. cheers, heidi Heidi Frank Electronic Resources Special Formats Cataloger New York University Libraries Knowledge Access Resources Management Services 20 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10003 212-998-2499 (office) 212-995-4366 (fax) h...@nyu.edu Skype: hfrank71 On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 9:22 AM, Al Matthews amatth...@auctr.edu wrote: Python is a wonderful language in many respects. We use it instead of Ruby in a number of projects, most notably in workflow for Digital Preservation. I do know of a number of enterprise developers using it in a web stack -- with Flask, with Werkzeug, with Twisted, with stuff I'm not aware of, depends on scale and whom you ask -- or else Django. We do not do so at this time. Ruby may be more broadly applicable in the present library context, or, not. Unclear. Python has a fairly strict diction and the present split existence between 2 and 3 can be annoying. But it's a useful language, increasingly used for hosting other languages, and increasingly, fast despite all odds. Good for toying with functional approaches. -- Al Matthews Software Developer, Digital Services Unit Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library email: amatth...@auctr.edu; office: 1 404 978 2057 On 10/18/13 9:14 AM, Joseph Umhauer jumha...@niagara.edu wrote: I'm considering taking on online course for programming using Python. But not sure if it would be useful in my work at an academic library. My question is: If you are using Python, what applications have you developed for your institution? TIA j0e Joseph Umhauer Assistant Library Director for Technical Services Niagara University Library 716-286-8015 jumha...@niagara.edu **Bronze+Blue=Green** The University of Central Oklahoma is Bronze, Blue, and Green! Please print this e-mail only if absolutely necessary! **CONFIDENTIALITY** This e-mail (including any attachments) may contain confidential, proprietary and privileged information. Any unauthorized disclosure or use of this information is prohibited.
Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries
There's nothing wrong with Perl. Also cf this perhaps https://wiki.python.org/moin/PerlPhrasebook . http://www.python.org/getit/windows/ , and http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/ is a kind provision -- Al Matthews Software Developer, Digital Services Unit Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library email: amatth...@auctr.edu; office: 1 404 978 2057 On 10/18/13 10:00 AM, Kaile Zhu kz...@uco.edu wrote: Python, Python, Python. Sigh. Theoretically, programming language should be neutral, right?. Any languages could do the job if OS allows. I used to work in a small academic library. Learning programming languages was purely self-motivated and taught. By chance, the path I have treaded on is Perl - PHP - ASP - ASP.NET. Starting with Perl made sense when I was in the library school in 1994, as it was almost a de facto Web language. Then, PHP was almost a natural extension of Perl. Then, .NET fever hit the world in the early 2000's. What in the earth was Python at that time? Being so popular in the library world, I wish I knew it earlier so that I could learn it instead of other languages. The same as Ruby. I am jealous. With heavy load of work every day, do I have time to learn a new language? Kelly -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Heidi P Frank Sent: 2013年10月18日 8:32 To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries Hi Joe, as a cataloger, I've used Python for working with raw MARC records - using the PyMarc library - as well as MARCXML and EADXML records. It allows me to analyze and modify large files of MARC records in batch. cheers, heidi Heidi Frank Electronic Resources Special Formats Cataloger New York University Libraries Knowledge Access Resources Management Services 20 Cooper Square, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10003 212-998-2499 (office) 212-995-4366 (fax) h...@nyu.edu Skype: hfrank71 On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 9:22 AM, Al Matthews amatth...@auctr.edu wrote: Python is a wonderful language in many respects. We use it instead of Ruby in a number of projects, most notably in workflow for Digital Preservation. I do know of a number of enterprise developers using it in a web stack -- with Flask, with Werkzeug, with Twisted, with stuff I'm not aware of, depends on scale and whom you ask -- or else Django. We do not do so at this time. Ruby may be more broadly applicable in the present library context, or, not. Unclear. Python has a fairly strict diction and the present split existence between 2 and 3 can be annoying. But it's a useful language, increasingly used for hosting other languages, and increasingly, fast despite all odds. Good for toying with functional approaches. -- Al Matthews Software Developer, Digital Services Unit Atlanta University Center, Robert W. Woodruff Library email: amatth...@auctr.edu; office: 1 404 978 2057 On 10/18/13 9:14 AM, Joseph Umhauer jumha...@niagara.edu wrote: I'm considering taking on online course for programming using Python. But not sure if it would be useful in my work at an academic library. My question is: If you are using Python, what applications have you developed for your institution? TIA j0e Joseph Umhauer Assistant Library Director for Technical Services Niagara University Library 716-286-8015 jumha...@niagara.edu **Bronze+Blue=Green** The University of Central Oklahoma is Bronze, Blue, and Green! Please print this e-mail only if absolutely necessary! **CONFIDENTIALITY** This e-mail (including any attachments) may contain confidential, proprietary and privileged information. Any unauthorized disclosure or use of this information is prohibited.
Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries
Granted, much or all of this could have been done in Perl or other languages but I had begun working with Python shortly before I graduated in Computer Science mainly because it was one of the first or the first object oriented scripting languages, that is, it is written from the bottom up to be an object oriented language and supported by the popular OSs and free for all OSs. It was originally written for the Amoeba OS. And the syntax forces readability, mainly through indention instead of semicolons and such so it has to be formatted correctly. This syntax allows one to more easily comprehend someone else's script. And at one Python conference there was a contest to write a limerick and one attendee took this literally that the code had to be a limerick and he did it. http://nedbatchelder.com/blog/200503/python_limericks.html A good site for tutorials on several languages is showmedo.com some are free and some are not, and you can upload your own tutorials but included are Python, JAVA, C++, C, Ruby, Perl, Javascript, Assembly, Django, Rubyonrails, turbo gears, firefox, open office, scribes, virtual box, openstreetmap, gimp, inkscape, blender, eclipse, vim, die, linux, ubuntu, wxpython, pyopengl, pygame, python, pydev, boa_constructor, and probably others, it originated as just a python tutorial site. This was started by Ian and Kyran and they will respond to your emails, a couple of good guys. My very first WEB application, except for some Perl pages I did for Programming Languages class, was a python script that emailed a form on a Netscape WEB server but I can't remember but it seems that it did something more than just email. I think the netscape server was built from the original code for the Mosaic server, I bet its been years since some of you heard that name and then there maybe some of you that say what server? ;-) As far as applications, and most all of these are in Zope using python scripts and PostgreSQL database, we are now using Drupal for most everything but some of these are still running from Zope: Room booking using google calendars using the gdata google library: when a form is submitted the script first checks to see if there is a conflict or the request is within the hours available for that room. If the room is not available the user is returned to the form with the conflict shown and other reservations for that day allowing the user to change the time and or date. this continues until there is not a conflict, some of these booking check multiple calendars such as our holiday calendar and open hours calendar also. Once a free spot is found the request becomes a record in a PostgeSQL database table and emails are sent out to our booking agent to use a web interface to approve or not approve the event. Approval emails go to the requestor and our setup staff, also if training on equipment was request by a check box on the form an email goes to that tech person, also the event gets posted to the Google Calendar for that room, all scripted. If there is a cancelation, emails go out so the setup people will know they don't have to do any room changes. This is the short version ;-) html to pdf - script that would create a pdf file from an html file just by adding /html2pdf on the end of a url, of course now that is available from the print command on OSX and printtopdf for windows. Proxy URLs - show direct URLs to local users and proxy URLs to off campus users. you can read more on that in a recent post on WEB4LIB concerning proxy and WAM The library is now using Drupal but using Zope we had our first AskALibrarian that used Zope forms, database, and emails(Zope server is written in python). This was Co-published simultaneously in Internet Reference Services Quarterly(The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc) Vol. 7, No. 1/2, 2002,pp 89-98; and: Database-Driven Web Sites(ed: Kristin Antleman)The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.,2002,pp. 89-98 which will give you a detail of that project. Library Tutorial - did quiz, grading, and email with Zope, database, and python scripts. Forms for creating QR Codes using python scripting Assignment calculator - a Zope rewrite of the University of Minnesota php Assignment Calculator. The Assignment Calculator calculates the number of days between the start date and the end date. Next, each step of the 12 steps is a weighted value of the total by percent. This could be incorporated even into Project steps for a timeline. Random number to image sorta like Captcha but you could read the number on a graphic file. Python scripts to create xls reports from the Trac database, the sqlite version Python scripts to read library employee data and write to an els file for people to print the building directory WEB Form to backup PostgreSQL databases, or run any command line for that matter. Python
Re: [CODE4LIB] Python applications for libraries
On Fri, Oct 18, 2013 at 9:14 AM, Joseph Umhauer jumha...@niagara.eduwrote: I'm considering taking on online course for programming using Python. But not sure if it would be useful in my work at an academic library. So hey! If it's the one I'm teaching, I'm building it around things that are as real-worldy as I can get -- I'm thinking a PyMARC and a CSV application. I want there to be as short a runway as possible from we investigate stuff in class to we can actually do real things at work. I'm happy to see this thread, though, because I may yet tweak the examples :) And want real-world projects to point people at for future learning. Andromeda Yelton LITA Board of Directors, Director-at-Large, 2013-2016 http://andromedayelton.com @ThatAndromeda
