[dlpdev] Distributed Library software

[Fabian Tompsett]

Hi there,
You raise some very pertinent points in your e-mail:

>1. unique identifier (I think I called these accession numbers when we >spoke in October) - it's currently using the isbn - are there plans to >change this?  where we've got a couple of copies of a core book we'd >like to know >we've got a couple of copies... 

The current software focuses on discrete commodities: i.e. the book as a uniform item from one edition rather than a text in itself.

We need to deal separately between texts (whether as a printed book of a string of ASCI code) and the bookas a commodity form, which can include separate individual texts which we may need to catalogue. (i.e. this articke first appeared in this magazine and then reprinted in such and such an anthology.

We can have a shared catalogue dealing with more abstract conecpts and then have something like wwww.mapbureau.com to physically find a book in the library. Different libraries may well adopt quite different processes in this respect.

>2. subject catagories - these are a bit clunky - are they editable?  >we would want to keyword things (or atleast be able to classify our >collection in broad strokes our collection to make it open and >accessible... and to assist users in finding stuff on the shelves... >does this go against the ethos of the anti-systemic library?

We put everything down as other and then set up our own booklists. However we could only do this within our own books which defeated the whole purpose. All this needs to be rethought. Particularly in light of what Jo walsh has been posting. Basically we are trying to work out an RDF approach. This is not particularly hard to do. It is just that no-one has done it before, so we can't copy anyone.

>There was also a query about multiple authors - did this 
>get resolved?  

This can be resolved through RDF, by establishing the relationship "is the author of"

>We've also got our csv file of our catalogue to date... I'm thinking >we might continue to add to this rather than the dlp direct and then >if it's at all possible to do a bulk upload??? (any chance?)  we've >already got bibliographies written for many of the items already >
>(rather than the amazon reviews)...

I think we need to set up something new which we can migrate data to. This is probably far easier to do once you've done it as well.

>other than that it looks like it's going well... 

>also it appears that the march meeting isn't looking over hopeful now 
>(for one reason or another)... do folks want to meet sometime in >April? 

April sounds great. lets sort it out soon though. Are Sumac still up for being involved?

>I should probably also extend an invite to all for the 1in12 gala >opening - it's a  thursday evening - but we've got a few bits and >pieces arranged for the rest of the mayday weekend....
>
>Ellie

Let's here more.

Fabian


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