Linked Data is a powerful tool for sharing bibliographic metadata. By combining the decentralization of the web with the use of globally defined metadata vocabularies, data from many sources can be treated as a single, aggregated graph. Supporting search across these distributed data sources within the same application, however, requires considerable work in vocabulary alignment and data transformation. Aggregate systems must convert data into a unified model which must (almost inevitably) be generic at the expense of the structure and granularity of the original data. This paper presents a novel solution for representing and indexing bibliographic resources that retains the data integrity and extensibility of Linked Data while supporting fast, customizable indexes in an application-friendly data format. The methodology makes use of JSON-LD to represent RDF graphs in JSON suitable for indexing with Elasticsearch. BibJSON is used as a common index format capable of handling a wide range of library resources. Since all three technologies (RDF/JSON-LD, BibJSON and Elasticsearch) share an emphasis on extensibility, it is possible to create an index of bibliographic data that is both generalized and flexible enough to handle Linked Data from multiple sources.

Distributed version control systems (DVCSs) are effective tools for managing source code and other artifacts produced by software projects with multiple contributors. This article describes DVCSs and compares them with traditional centralized version control systems, then describes extending the DVCS model to improve the exchange of library metadata.

This article is a case study describing the implementation of Islandora 2 to create a public online portal for the discovery, access, and use of archives and special collections materials at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The authors will explain how the goal of providing users with a unified point of access across diverse data (including finding aids, digital objects, and agents) led to the selection of Islandora 2 and they will discuss the benefits and challenges of using this open source software. They will describe the various steps of implementation, including custom development, migration from CONTENTdm, integration with ArchivesSpace, and developing new skills and workflows to use Islandora most effectively. As hindsight always provides additional perspective, the case study will also offer reflection on lessons learned since the launch, insights on open-source repository sustainability, and priorities for future development.

The paper presents the case for a decentralized and decoupled architecture for scholarly communication. An introduction to the Event Notifications protocol will be provided as being applied in projects such as the international COAR Notify Initiative and the NDE-Usable program by memory institutions in The Netherlands. This paper provides an implementation of Event Notifications using a Solid server. The processing of notifications can be automated using an orchestration service called Koreografeye. Koreografeye will be applied to a citation extraction and relay experiment to show all these tools fit together.

Many organizations struggle with technological change. Often, the challenges faced are due to fear of change from stakeholders within the institution. Users grow accustomed to certain user interfaces, to processes associated with a specific system, and they can be frustrated when they have to revisit how they interact with a system, especially one that they use on a daily basis. This article will discuss how to acknowledge the fears associated with technological change and will suggest communication tactics and strategies to ease transitions. Specific scenarios and examples from the author’s experiences will be included.

This article discusses how the WSLS-TV News Digitization Project at the University of Virginia Libraries was the catalyst for creating a more formalized project workflow and the eventual creation of a Project Management Office. The project revealed the need for better coordination between various groups in the library and more transparent processes. By creating well documented policies and processes, the new project workflow clarified roles, improved communication, and created greater transparency. The new processes enabled staff to understand how decisions are made and resources allocated which allowed them to work more efficiently.

Any course within a course management system is generally considered the intellectual space of the professor teaching it. Research tools and guides, such as search boxes for discovery services or links to course-specific and subject-specific guides, are created and maintained by librarians. In trying to get our tools and services closer to where students spend their time devoted to coursework, Oakland University libraries have developed a library widget – a self-serve code generator that allows professors to select what tools and services they want to bring into their course space. This approach has proven to be flexible, because it does not depend on a library presence within the course management system. It also offers persistent presence within courses since professors can archive courses, including the library widget, at the end of a semester and restore them in the system in future semesters. We are using the library widget as a pilot to inform decisions on future full integration of such functionality into Moodle.

In 2008, the Library of Virginia (LVA) selected the digital asset management system DigiTool to host a centralized collection of digital state government publications. The Virginia state digital repository targets three primary user groups: state agencies, depository libraries and the general public. DigiTool’s ability to create depositor profiles for individual agencies to submit their publications, its integration with the Aleph ILS, and product support by ExLibris were primary factors in its selection. As a smaller institution, however, LVA lacked the internal resources to take full advantage of DigiTool’s full set of features. The process of cataloging a heterogenous collection of state documents also proved to be a challenge within DigiTool. This article takes a retrospective look at what worked, what did not, and what could have been done to improve the experience.

Conference reports from the 4th Code4Lib conference, held in Providence, RI from February 23 to 26, 2009. The Code4Lib conference is a collective volunteer effort of the informal Code4Lib community of library technologists. Included are four brief reports on the conference from the recipients of conference scholarships.