ContentDM Users Group 2015 @ Nashville Public Library

ContentDM Users Group 2015 @ Nashville Public Library
Author Name: Tracy Carroll
Library System: Western Maryland Regional Library
Date: August 6-7, 2015
Learning Event website: https://sites.google.com/site/southerncdm15/

Top 3 things learned:
1. How to Clean up data using OpenRefine http://www.openrefine.org/
2. How to make maps pinpoints using a Google and a ContentDM API https://github.com/laddmm/CONTENTdm_Map
3. How to properly save images in ContentDM. https://prezi.com/4jdcsnxcqzkw/behind-the-scenes-of-image-storage-and-retrieval-in-contentdm/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

How to implement:

1. OpenRefine can be used to clean up data that we've inherited or data that we've received and would like to use on Whilbr but we need to clean the data to store it in ContentDM.  Bad data makes it harder to search and find what you're looking for when you're searching a database.  An example of something we consistently run in to, we may have a spreadsheet and in one field there is data that is inconsistent.  It may say "Street", "St.", "street", "st", not because it's wrong but because different people entered the data and now the data is inconsistent.  OpenRefine will let us clean up all of the records so that they all say "Street" or "street" or whatever we decide all of the records will show.  Previously we would do a find and replace several times until everything is consistent.  OpenRefine groups and counts the records so it will show you that you have 100 "Street"s and 200 "St"s and you can replace all 300 records in seconds.  Win!  This is such a huge deal for us because sometimes we can spend hours or days cleaning up data.  OpenRefine where have you been all of my life?! lol. 
2. The session "Making Maps with the CONTENTdm API" used code for mapping that can be used where we'd like to provide some interaction for a collection.  On the old Whilbr website there is a flash application of the Confederate Dead buried at Antietam that is one of our most popular collections.  The collection is great, but with wider use of mobile devices, part of the collection that uses a map of the burial sites can't be viewed on devices that don't support flash.  We could take the data from this collection and use this new code to build an interface that would work on all devices.  
3.  In "Behind the Scenes of Image Storage & Retrieval in CONTENTdm" there were tips for how to save and store images in a format that displays best in ContentDM.  The presenter gave recommendations on standards for saving and storing images and showing how they are changed and modified through ContentDM.  They were good reminders for what looks best inside of ContentDM.  We currently have a great standard for saving and uploading images in our ContentDM, but this provided a good reminder.  She also went through in great detail what happens to the images inside of ContentDM based on what the original file type.

Additional learning:  While ContentDM continues to create their mobile platform for current sites, we did learn that we can keep track of what is happening with their mobile version at: http://digital.whilbr.org/digital They are still developing a few things that aren't functioning, like Compound Objects, but providing us with the link is helpful to be able to see what's happening with it.  There currently is no timeline for release but we are hopeful that it will be sometime in 2016.

Coding in Libraries Sharing at Branch Meeting

Authors' names: Tammy Gantz and Jennifer Ross
Library System: Washington County Free Library
Date of program: 08/31/2015

Description of Activities:

Jennifer Ross and I presented the Coding in Libraries box to branch employees. We gave a quick overview of the items available in the box and then presented Squishy Circuits in detail. We showed the branch members what a program with Squishy Circuits might look like. They used the LEDs, batteries, play doh and clay. They created a series circuit and a parallel circuit. We also talked about electricity safety. Hopefully branch members will offer this program at their branches.

Digi-Spaces-Coding with the Raspberry Pi

Author name: Cyndi Powell
Library System: Washington County Free Library
Date of program: 08/13/2015

Digi-Spaces-Coding with the Raspberry Pi

Description of Activities: 

At the start of the program, I explained what a Raspberry Pi is and gave examples of what it is used for and the types of things that it is capable of being turned into. For example, how security system, used by hobbyists and inventors, micro-computer...these were some of the things I talked about. I showed the teens the different plug-ins and hooked it up to a keyboard, mouse and projector screen.

Most of the program was an introduction to coding with the program Python, which is already pre-loaded on the Raspberry Pi. I followed an activity found in the book called "Raspberry Pi Projects" by Andrew Robinson from Chapter 2 called "Generating an Insult". I found this to be a good introductory project because the coding language was simple and it was a short series of commands. I led them through the project, typing in the code, showing them how the program worked, talking about the different commands, the different screens and how the program can easily be modified.

Then I gave them a project to follow that I found in a book called "Help your kids with computer coding : a unique step-by-step visual guide, from binary code to building games" by Carol Vorderman. We followed Program #4 "Ghost Game". I let the teens follow the instructions for writing the code. We ran their program and played the game. Then we looked further through the second book at the explanations of what it is we did when we wrote the coding. This book is a great resource and explains everything in a clear, user friendly language and it's a visual guide which is great too!

The last 10-15 minutes of the program, the teens were experimenting and modifying the Ghost Game
program. Adding more doors, ghosts and commands. It was great to see them apply the knowledge they had learned from the exercises we did and start to explore the different
possibilities in coding!

OverDrive Digitpalooza 2015

Author Name: Christopher McGee
Library System: Allegany County Library Systems
Learning Event website: http://digipalooza.com/

Top 3 things learned:

1. Libraries must realize "books are not the product. Reading is the product." (Andrew Richard
Albanese - Publishers Weekly.) This was a major theme for the event. Libraries should support and encourage reading. eBooks are not a challenge to our traditional services. Rather, they are a tool for
promoting those services by making reading convenient and accessible for some audiences.

2. eBooks offer libraries the chance to reach new audiences, like professional men ages 30-60. Libraries have to challenge themselves to develop promotional tools to reach this audience. One library used "Digital Bookshelf" posters in prominent public spaces. Another created digital library cards that could be signed up for online. (Verification of address, etc. was achieved by mailing a registration number to the patron's home address. The patron has to return the number to the library via e-mail to keep the account from expiring.) In various ways, library staff worked to curate and promote their eBook and eAudiobooks just as they would their print materials, not as a collection itself but as specific items in their collection.

3. OverDrive will be launch a new web interface this fall that will be cleaner and nicer, but more importantly, it will have behind-the-scenes features that make browsing and searching much, much faster. How to implement: Library staff can not think of eBooks and other digital content as "technology" that can be relegated to staff members who identify or have been identified as the techies at their branch or in their system. eBooks and eAudiobooks are BOOKS. The technology is getting easier and isn't really the focus anymore. The content is the focus now. Print books,
eBooks, apps, browsers, etc. are merely the delivery tools for the content. Staff need to remember to offer customer service by staying abreast of what's available, what a particular patron's reading interests are, and how patron can get desired material in the format that's best and most convenient for them. We need to encourage library staff to see electronic content in this way.

Google Guides: Gmail, Drive, and Calendar

Allegany County Library System recently requested that I create a few quick guides to help their staff orient themselves to the world of Google Apps and I thought I would share the finished products here in case anyone else is interested in getting started with Google or learning more about what Google can do for you. Click below to view and download the PDFs. 


Gmail Quick-Guide. 

Google Calendar Quick-Guide.

Google Drive Quick-Guide. 

ALA Annual Conference 2015

Author Name: Elizabeth Hulett
Library System: Western Maryland Regional Library

Top 3 things learned:

I attended several different sessions at the ALA Conference in June 2015 including once called No Sugarcoating Allowed: Four Honest Perspectives on Change Management. From this session I learned that there are several stages that people go through during change and one of them is grieving. Many people feel they are losing something when things change and those feelings need to be acknowledged and respected. It is also crucial to keep people well informed during the change process so they feel included and feel that their opinions are being heard. Also, expect problems and setbacks and be prepared for them. Those managing the change should also not take everything on themselves. Delegation of tasks will not only lead to buy-in from the staff, but will also relieve some
of the stress brought on by the changes.

How to implement: 

If a major change were to take place in my organization I would make sure to keep all staff informed about the reason for the change, what the steps are going to be to achieve the change and what is the
envisioned result.

Gmail on iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPads

If you don't want to download the Gmail app and would prefer to just use the default mail app that comes with iOS devices, here's a video that shows you how to do just that: