So as I mentioned I’m working on linking blogging and digital reference, and trying to figure out how to pass messages between the two without doing a major re-work on QABuilder. Then it hit me (I’m slow sometimes)…this is what we built NISO AZ to do, and why we integrated it into QABuilder. It should be a simple matter to get questions and answers into QABuilder using NISO AZ.
Continue reading “NISO Rises from the Ashes”
Linking Blogging and Digital Reference
We’re busy working with WordPress to link it to QABuilder, our digital reference research package we developed for the NSF’s National Science Digital Library. It is looking quite promising. In particular we’re looking at using WordPress plugins. I also think XML-RPC has some promise to do this as well.
Continue reading “Linking Blogging and Digital Reference”
Chronicle Careers: 07/08/2005
Chronicle Careers: 07/08/2005:
OK, I can’t help but chime in on this chronicle of higher education piece about the potential downfalls of academic blogging. Truth be told, it could be about any industry (there are examples of folks losing their jobs because of blogging). However, I feel it has two object lessons for folks in academia.
Continue reading “Chronicle Careers: 07/08/2005”
IST 759 Summer 2005
The syllabus for my summer course is now available at:
https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/tiki-download_file.php?fileId=111
I’m looking forward to this class. I only have 8 students registered, but have invited some other colleagues and local librarians to come and play too.
I’m envisioning a week of playing with digital library open source software.
Welcome to my Blog
When I moved from my old static home page to my new dynamic site over a year ago, I collapsed my blog into the main site. I reasoned then, that since the whole was basically what I was doing and thinking, there was no need for a separate interface to blogs.
After getting some recent feedback on my site (and attempting to simplify it), and playing around with blogging software, I’ve rethought this. There is a use for a light and quick interface to the blog. Also, blog software has advanced to the point where it is easier to post quick links and thoughts here (in WordPress in case you are wondering) than in my main site.
I’ve kept the same categories, and the same rules apply. You can follow this blog (and RSS feed) and see everything that is happening here or on my “main site.” I’ll just use the larger site as more an archive and general front door, and this blog for more informal thoughts and announcements. I’ve also tried to make this blog a sort of interface light to all my information in the blog and outside of it.
Please let me know what you think. That’s another reason I’m breaking my blog out. TikiWiki, the software for my whole site, has great interactive features, but it was hammered by comment spam. I’m hoping the comment function here can be used for feedback and won’t get too overwhelmed with spam. WordPress seems to have some good spam blocking features, but we’ll see.
DREW: Digital Reference Electronic Warehouse
Nicholson, S., and Lankes, R. D. (2005, 7-11 July). DREW: Digital Reference Electronic Warehouse. Poster presented at the Joint Conference on Digital Libraries, Denver, CO.
Building DREW
“Building DREW,” Reference Research Roundtable, ALA Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. Presentation on the Digital Reference Electronic Warehouse.
Abstract: The goals of the DREW project are to: create a schema useful in archiving components of a reference transaction in a standardized manner; work with services to turn their archives into the DREW format; collect, clean, and remove personally identifiable information; create an exploration space for library scientists to create new models, measures, reports, and generalizations about the reference process; and create the infrastructure to allow services to directly benefit from the models the researchers create. Both librarians and researchers will learn how they can participate in the collaborative DREW project.
Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2005/LankesRoundtable.pdf
“Building DREW,” Reference Research Roundtable, ALA Annual Conference
The goals of the DREW project are to: create a schema useful in archiving components of a reference transaction in a standardized manner; work with services to turn their archives into the DREW format; collect, clean, and remove personally identifiable information; create an exploration space for library scientists to create new models, measures, reports, and generalizations about the reference process; and create the infrastructure to allow services to directly benefit from the models the researchers create. Both librarians and researchers will learn how they can participate in the collaborative DREW project.
Virtual Reference
“Virtual Reference,” NYSLAA Annual Conference, Geneva, NY. Discussion on how virtual reference can impact library assistants.
Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2005/NYSLAA.pdf
NYSLAA Presentation
Slides from my presentation to NYSLAA now online. Call it digital reference or call it virtual reference. Libraries are taking reference to the web and library assistants are taking an increasing role in this transformation. This workshop will cover the basics of virtual reference, virtual reference tools, current trends, and a little crystal ball gazing into the virtual reference future. Audio available on my podcast.