Library Cataloging
We began by installing an Apache Web server. Many folks are still using version 1.3 rather than 2.0. One reason is because they would loose the functionality of AxKit, an XML transformation engine.Next we examined Perl. Very common and useful language. Learning Perl was recommended as an introductory text.Z39.50. Installed Yaz, a Z39.50 client toolkit and ran some command line searches against the Library of Congress catalog. It does have a Perl interface to the API.Zebra, also from Index Data, is an indexer and server.MARC::Record is a Perl module for reading and writing MARC records. One interesting exercise was converting MARC to XHTML. This format makes the records useful to a greater number of tools.Swish-e. Indexed and searched a group of XHTML files. Swish-e handles metadata, so it is possible to provide fielded searches to users. Comes with a Perl API. Can provide spelling correction, thesaurus intervention and best bets.Xsltproc and Xmllint. Xmllint validates XML files. Not very exciting but a good tool to know about. Xsltproc is exciting. It will take an XML file and transform it on the fly (requires AxKit) to another format, SQL, XHTML, DOC (for Palms), ASCII and any other plain text format. An example of the power of this is from the Alex Catalog. The one file is available in multiple formats to suit different users needs. Xsltproc can generate metadata tags from the text which can then be indexed by Swish-e.MySQL. A database. PhpMyAdmin provides a set of PHP scripts to manage, manipulate and query the database through a Web browser window. Why don't more librarians know the SQL language? Databases are so basic to much of our work, it seems a strange lack.Thank you, Eric Lease Morgan, for an excellent workshop.
- Houston Area - Open Source Software In Libraries Workshop
Title: Open Source Software in Libraries Date: February 17, 2006 Early Bird Deadline: 1/06/2006 Location: North Harris Montgomery Community College District Libraries, The Woodlands, TX Description: According to the Open Source Initiative, "the basic...
- Mysql In A Nutshell
Much of our work, as catalogers, deals with databases. MySQL in a Nutshell is a new book from O'Reilly about the Open Source database.After introductory information on installing and formatting queries to MySQL, the book presents a reference listing...
- Open Source Workshop
I've just registered to hear Eric Lease Morgan present the workshop Open Source Software in Libraries. Looking forward to this.This workshop will provide structured opportunities for participants to experience how open source software can be used...
- Vcard
Michael Fagan points to several tools for vCard metadata.RDF Snob has vcard2foaf.pl that converts vCard files into FOAF files. Lots of e-mail programs (including Microsoft's Outlook Express) can exchange address book information in vCard format. This...
- Perl
How have I missed this, there is a Perl4Lib mail list. It is hosted by Rice University, just up the road. My subscription request has already been sent. Aside from the list archives, there are other resources availableMARC.pm is a Perl 5 module, composed...
Library Cataloging
Notes on the Workshop "Open Source Software in Libraries"
We began by installing an Apache Web server. Many folks are still using version 1.3 rather than 2.0. One reason is because they would loose the functionality of AxKit, an XML transformation engine.Next we examined Perl. Very common and useful language. Learning Perl was recommended as an introductory text.Z39.50. Installed Yaz, a Z39.50 client toolkit and ran some command line searches against the Library of Congress catalog. It does have a Perl interface to the API.Zebra, also from Index Data, is an indexer and server.MARC::Record is a Perl module for reading and writing MARC records. One interesting exercise was converting MARC to XHTML. This format makes the records useful to a greater number of tools.Swish-e. Indexed and searched a group of XHTML files. Swish-e handles metadata, so it is possible to provide fielded searches to users. Comes with a Perl API. Can provide spelling correction, thesaurus intervention and best bets.Xsltproc and Xmllint. Xmllint validates XML files. Not very exciting but a good tool to know about. Xsltproc is exciting. It will take an XML file and transform it on the fly (requires AxKit) to another format, SQL, XHTML, DOC (for Palms), ASCII and any other plain text format. An example of the power of this is from the Alex Catalog. The one file is available in multiple formats to suit different users needs. Xsltproc can generate metadata tags from the text which can then be indexed by Swish-e.MySQL. A database. PhpMyAdmin provides a set of PHP scripts to manage, manipulate and query the database through a Web browser window. Why don't more librarians know the SQL language? Databases are so basic to much of our work, it seems a strange lack.Thank you, Eric Lease Morgan, for an excellent workshop.
- Houston Area - Open Source Software In Libraries Workshop
Title: Open Source Software in Libraries Date: February 17, 2006 Early Bird Deadline: 1/06/2006 Location: North Harris Montgomery Community College District Libraries, The Woodlands, TX Description: According to the Open Source Initiative, "the basic...
- Mysql In A Nutshell
Much of our work, as catalogers, deals with databases. MySQL in a Nutshell is a new book from O'Reilly about the Open Source database.After introductory information on installing and formatting queries to MySQL, the book presents a reference listing...
- Open Source Workshop
I've just registered to hear Eric Lease Morgan present the workshop Open Source Software in Libraries. Looking forward to this.This workshop will provide structured opportunities for participants to experience how open source software can be used...
- Vcard
Michael Fagan points to several tools for vCard metadata.RDF Snob has vcard2foaf.pl that converts vCard files into FOAF files. Lots of e-mail programs (including Microsoft's Outlook Express) can exchange address book information in vCard format. This...
- Perl
How have I missed this, there is a Perl4Lib mail list. It is hosted by Rice University, just up the road. My subscription request has already been sent. Aside from the list archives, there are other resources availableMARC.pm is a Perl 5 module, composed...