Marta M. Deyrup of Seton Hall University Libraries is the recipient of the 2013 Distinguished Service Award, granted by the New Jersey Library Association’s College and University Section / Association of College and Research Libraries New Jersey chapter. This honor is awarded annually to an individual who, by his or her outstanding contributions, has directly enriched the profession of librarianship in New Jersey.

This award honors Marta’s excellent, energetic, prolific, and long-standing contributions to New Jersey librarianship both in information literacy instruction and as an international educator, editor and writer in information science.

Marta has twice received the prestigious Researcher of the Year Award at Seton Hall University Libraries. She has long been an active participant in NJLA CUS/ACRL-NJ. She was a member of the team that won the first NJLA CUS/Technology Innovation Award in 2002 for “Information Literacy in the Wired University.” She has served the VALE Committee on Information Literacy, the VALE Committee on Bibliographic Control and Metadata and is an active member of the VALE Assessment, Evaluation and Statistics Committee where she helped to create the new VALE Survey Planning Checklist.

Marta currently serves as Acquisitions Editor for LITA Guides and is on the editorial boards for the Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship as well as the Technical Services Quarterly. She has written extensively on technologies and scholarship in librarianship and has contributed to the literature for Slavic librarians.

Along with her many contributions, Marta has also served as the Co-Director of the Elizabeth Ann Seton Center for Women’s Studies at Seton Hall University. She has also served as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Library Science for the Institut Morocain d’Information Scientifique et Technique in Morocco as well as for the University of Zadar in Croatia.

Marta received her Master of Library and Information Science at Rutgers University and her PhD in Slavic Languages and Literature at Columbia University.

A formal presentation of the award will take place at the College and University Section’s luncheon at 12:30 pm on Wednesday June 5th 2013 at the NJLA Conference at Revel Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ. Please join the NJLA-CUS/ACRL-NJ Executive Board in offering Marta congratulations and appreciation for the many years she has dedicated to the academic library profession.

LITA has announced the winners of annual scholarships it sponsors jointly with three organizations: Baker & Taylor, LSSI and OCLC, Inc. These scholarships are for master’s level study, with an emphasis on library technology and/or automation, at a library school program accredited by the American Library Association.

This year’s winner of the LITA/Christian Larew Memorial Scholarship ($3,000) sponsored by Baker & Taylor is David Verbit, who will pursue his studies at The University of Alabama. The LITA/LSSI Minority Scholarship ($2,500) winner is Elizabeth Tham who will pursue her studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign. Lisa Lynn Tyler, the winner of the LITA/OCLC Minority Scholarship($3,000), will pursue her studies at the University of Washington.

Criteria for the scholarships include previous academic excellence, evidence of leadership potential and a commitment to a career in library automation and information technology. Two of the scholarships, the LITA/LSSI Minority Scholarship and

LITA/OCLC Minority Scholarship, also require U.S Citizenship and membership in one of four minority groups: American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, African-American, or Hispanic.

The Scholarship winners will be honored at the LITA Awards Ceremony, which will be on Sunday, June 30, 2013, 1:00 pm in Chicago, Ill. at the McCormick Convention Center in S105a-c.

Karen Doerksen, MLIS degree candidate at the University of Alberta School of Library and Information Studies, has been named the winner of the 2013 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award, sponsored by Ex Libris Group and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

Doerksen’s paper, titled “A Sight to Be Held: Adapting Comics and Graphic Novels for Visual Impairment,” describes the vital role of graphics and pictures in the development of early literacy and examines the challenge of adapting comics and graphic novels into assistive formats to support the achievement of graphicacy in visually impaired individuals.

“The members of the LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award Committee are pleased to acknowledge and honor with this award Karen Doerksen’s thought-provoking manuscript, which reconsiders the position that comics and graphic novels are highly unsuitable for adaptation for the visually impaired,” said Regina Koury and Heidi Hanson, co-chairs of the committee.  “Ms. Doerksen’s paper illuminates the challenges and controversies surrounding this complex topic, and explores the possibilities inherent in emergent assistive technologies.”

The award will be presented at the LITA Awards Ceremony on Sunday, June 30, 2013 during Sunday Afternoon with LITA at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

Brewster Kahle has been named the winner of the 2013 LITA/Library Hi Tech Award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology.

Emerald Group Publishing Limited and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) sponsor the award that recognizes outstanding individuals or institutions for their long-term contributions in the area of Library and Information Science technology and its application.

After graduating from MIT in 1982, Brewster Kahle developed a system for publishing, distributing and searching information on the Internet, known as the Wide Area Information Server (WAIS), which was a precursor to the World Wide Web. In 1996, he founded the Internet Archive and began archiving and indexing Web pages and other digital content, preserving it for posterity and making it freely and openly accessible. One popular feature of the Internet Archive is the Wayback Machine, which enables users to search and retrieve over 280 billion archived web pages.

Michael Witt, LITA/Hi Tech Award Committee chair, said, “When Brewster started the Internet Archive, he used the analogy of Library of Alexandria to explain what he was attempting to do, and he took the title of Digital Librarian for himself. His goal of enabling universal access to all knowledge speaks directly to the mission of libraries.”

Kahle has been an important advocate for digitization and increasing access to information electronically. He was instrumental in the creation of the Open Content Alliance and the Open Library that provides more than 1 million free e-books online. He has served on advisory boards for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the Library of Congress. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. In 2012, Kahle was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame.

The Library and Information Technology Association and Emerald, the publisher of Library Hi Tech, are pleased to present the 2013 LITA/Library Hi Tech Award to Brewster Kahle for his outstanding contributions to communication in library science and technology.  The award will be presented during Sunday Afternoon with  LITA on Sunday June 30, 2013, at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

LITA has announced Barbara Tillett as the 2013 winner of the  Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology. The award, which is jointly sponsored by OCLC, is given for research relevant to the development of information technologies, especially work that shows promise of having a positive and substantive impact on any aspect(s) of the publication, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information, or the processes by which information and data is manipulated and managed. The awardee receives $2,000, a citation and travel expenses to attend the award ceremony at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, where the award will be presented on June 30, 2013.

Dr. Barbara Tillett is recognized for her outstanding leadership in library metadata standards, technology integration and international standards in cultural heritage and information institutions. As the chief of the Cataloging Policy and Support Office in the Library of Congress, Dr. Tillett led the work of metadata standards exploration and research for 18 years.

Dr. Tillett is the current chair of the Joint Steering Committee for the Development of Resource Description and Access and is a leader internationally in the world of metadata. She obtained her PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles and her dissertation research, titled “ Bibliographic Relationships: Toward a Conceptual Structure of Bibliographic Information Used in Cataloging,” helped transform the library community’s view of bibliographic metadata and emerging models of records and relationships. This work is still resonating in the field with her leadership in RDA design and adoption.

Dr. Tillett’s long and distinguished career has included work with the Library of Congress, University of California, San Diego, The University of Hawaii and the University of California, Los Angeles.  She has been both a leading practitioner and researcher in library and cultural heritage metadata and has helped influence the profession through service with numerous IFLA and JISC organizations, including RDA and the FRBR working group.  In 1999, Dr. Tillett received the Library of Congress Distinguished service award, as well as the Library’s Meritorious Service Award in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Notified of the award, Dr. Tillett said:  “I’m especially thrilled about this award, as I have worked with LITA and OCLC since the 1970′s and have a great appreciation of the significance of this recognition by my professional colleagues. Thank you so very much.”

Members of the 2013 Frederick G.  Kilgour Award committee are: Brett Bonfield, chair; Nancy Roderer,  past chair; Rene J. Erlandson; Erik Mitchell; David King, LITA board liaison; and Roy Tennant, OCLC liaison.  The award will be presented during Sunday Afternoon with  LITA on Sunday June 30, 2013, at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

Kenning Arlitsch, co-author of the new book Improving the Visibility and Use of Digital Repositories through SEO: A LITA Guide is hosting a book signing at the ALA Store at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, Sunday, June 30, 3:00 p.m.

His book, along with all LITA guides, will be available for purchase at 20% off at the ALA Store.

Please join us in congratulating the newly elected LITA Board members:

• Rachel Vacek, Vice-President/President-Elect
• Aaron Dobbs, Councilor
• Andromeda Yelto, Jennifer Reiswig, Directors-at-Large

Have you been working on a linked data project for your library? Or do you know someone doing great work promoting or demonstrating the benefits of linked data for libraries? If so, consider nominating yourself or that colleague for first the SemanticWeb.com “Spotlight on Library Innovation”!

Offered by SemanticWeb.com, supported by OCLC and LITA, the Spotlight will provide a selected individual with the chance to showcase his or her work with linked data and semantic web technologies at the Semantic Technology and Business Conference 2013, June 2 – 5, in San Francisco.

If you know of someone working on an interesting project, nominate him or her for the Spotlight. Note that the project can be ongoing, but significant practical work should have been accomplished prior to March 31, 2013. The Spotlight opportunity gives one selected individual space on the conference program to give a short, lightning-style talk about their work. Travel & lodging costs during the conference will be paid by OCLC, plus a full conference pass from Semantic.Web.com.

Nominations (http://bit.ly/11K9uzJ) for the Spotlight are being accepted through May 10. Self-nominations cheerfully accepted.

Even if you do not nominate anyone, the Semantic Technology and Business Conference is well worth experiencing. SemTechBiz brings together industry thought leaders and practitioners to explore the challenges and opportunities jointly impacting both business leaders and technologists. Conference sessions include technical talks and case studies that highlight semantic technology applications in action. The program includes tutorials and over 130 sessions and demonstrations as well as a hackathon, start-up competition, exhibit floor, and networking opportunities.

As supporters of the SemanticWeb.com Library Spotlight, LITA and OCLC members will get a 50% discount on a gold conference pass – use discount code LITA or OCLC when registering -

LITA members – http://semtechbizsf2013.semanticweb.com/?c=stsflita – discount code “lita” minus quotes

OCLC members – http://semtechbizsf2013.semanticweb.com/?c=stsfoclc – discount code “oclc” minus quotes

Thanks and good luck!

Will you be at ALA in a few weeks? Do you have a great new technology idea that you’d like to share? LITA Program Planning Committee is accepting proposals for Lightning Presentations at ALA.

Please complete this form by May 8 at midnight to be considered.

This program, coordinated by Katie Miller, will be held Saturday, June 29 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Presentations should be 5-7 minutes

Since its inception a decade ago, the laptop lending service at the UCLA Library has become a cornerstone of the UCLA experience for students and instructors. With a campus of nearly 40,000 students, laptop lending operates on a large scale: Last year alone, our fleet of 275 laptops were checked out over 100,000 times across 7 lending locations, with an average checkout time of 2.7 hours. Another 100 laptops were used in classrooms for a combined 20 weeks of instruction.

Our current system of managing laptops has evolved with hardware choices, staffing changes, patron requests, lending methods and the forward march of technology. We expect to continue this evolution as we address physical and virtual security, increasingly collaborative environments, software virtualization, and the growing momentum behind mobile devices.

•  Are you looking to institute a laptop or other mobile device lending program?
• Do you have an existing program that you’d like to expand?
• Want to gather ideas about what software to offer patrons while keeping the laptops secure?
• Want to see how we clone 350 laptops on a quarterly basis?

Please join us for a hands-on workshop that will help you strategize key technical, administrative and instructional considerations at the LITA Pre-Conference Workshop Creating Scalable Laptop Services in Support of Learning & ResearchFriday, June 28, 2013, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm Event Code: LIT1

The UCLA Library currently provides close to 500 dual-boot laptops for instruction and short-term loans to all UCLA students, faculty and staff. Each laptop offers the OS X and Windows operating systems with software packages in support of instruction and research. Library staff share the workflow and logistical details for preparing software, imaging the machines, tracking software licensing, processing lending through an ILS (Voyager) and maintaining the hardware and software.

I’m pleased to announce the publication of the March issue of Information Technology and Libraries.

Issue contents are listed below. To receive automatic notifications of future issues, please subscribe to ITAL.

Suggestions and feedback are always welcome, please send to:

Bob Gerrity
ITAL Editor
gerrityr (at) gmail.com

Information Technology and Libraries
Volume 32, Number 1 (March 2013)
CONTENTS

Editorials

Bob Gerrity

Editor’s Comments

Patrick “Tod” Colegrove

Editorial Board Thoughts: Libraries as Makerspace?

Articles

Danielle Becker and Lauren Yannotta

Modeling a library web site redesign process: developing a user-centered web site through usability testing 

This article presents a model for creating a strong, user-centered web presence by pairing usability testing and the design process. Four rounds of usability testing were conducted throughout the process of building a new academic library web site. Participants were asked to perform tasks using a talk-aloud protocol. Tasks were based on guiding principles of web usability that served as a framework for the new site. Results from this study show that testing throughout the design process is an effective way to build a website that not only reflects user needs and preferences, but can be easily changed as new resources and technologies emerge.

Kathleen W. Weessies, Daniel S. Dotson

Mapping for the Masses: GIS Lite & Online Mapping Tools in Academic Libraries

Customized maps depicting complex social data are much more prevalent today than in the past. Not only in formal published outlets, interactive mapping tools make it easy to create and publish custom maps in both formal and more casual outlets such as social media. This article defines GIS Lite, describes three commercial products currently licensed by institutions and discusses issues that arise from their varied functionality and license restrictions.

Vandana Singh

Experiences of Migrating to Open Source Integrated Library Systems 

Interest in migrating to open-source integrated library systems is continually growing in libraries. Along with the interest, lack of empirical research and evidence to compare the process of migration brings a lot of anxiety to the interested librarians. In this research, twenty librarians who have worked in libraries that migrated to open-source integrated library system (ILS) or are in the process of migrating were interviewed. The interviews focused on their experiences and the lessons learned in the process of migration. The results from the interviews are used to create guidelines/best practices for each stage of the adoption process of an open-source ILS. These guidelines will be helpful for librarians who want to research and adopt an open-source ILS.

Danijela Boberic Krsticev

Information Retrieval Using Middleware Approach 

This paper explores the use of a mediator/wrapper approach to enable the search of an existing library management system using different information retrieval protocols  It proposes an architecture for a software component that will act as an intermediary between the library system and search services.It provides an overview of different approaches to add Z39.50 and Search/Retrieval via URL (SRU) functionality using a middleware approach that is implemented on the BISIS library management system. That wrapper performs transformation of Contextual Query Language (CQL) into Lucene query language. The primary aim of this software component is to enable search and retrieval of bibliographic records using the SRU and Z39.50 protocols, but the proposed architecture of the software components is also suitable for inclusion of the existing library management system into a library portal. The software component provides a single interface to server-side protocols for search and retrieval of records. Additional protocols could be used. This paper provides practical demonstration of interest to developers of library management systems and those who are trying to use open-source solutions to make their local catalog accessible to other systems.

Recent OCLC surveys show that less than 2 percent of library users begin their search on a library website, which is why search engine optimization (SEO) is so crucial. And though a survey of faculty researchers at four major universities showed that most consider Google and Google Scholar amazingly effective for their research, low Google Scholar indexing ratios for library institutional repositories is widespread because it ignores common library metadata. Kenning Arlitsch and Patrick OBrien, who have presented and published widely on the topic, show how to ensure that high-value content is visible to researchers in their new book “Improving the Visibility and Use of Digital Repositories through SEO: A LITA Guide,” published by ALA TechSource. Drawing on their expertise in digital libraries and corporate marketing, they show how to mount a successful SEO strategy, including:

• Recommended dashboards for increasing participation by sharing data;
• Avoiding the four most common crawler errors that lead to low rankings;
• How to effectively utilize the Google Keyword Tool;
• The use of domain settings to generate unit-specific reports for special collections, institutional repositories and university presses.

Arlitsch is the dean of the library at Montana State University. Prior to his current position he was the associate dean for information technology services at the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library. He is the founder of the Mountain West Digital Library and the Utah Digital Newspapers program, as well as co-founder of the Western Waters Digital Library and the Western Soundscape Archive.

OBrien is the Semantic Web research director at the Montana State University Library. Prior to his current position he was the SEO research manager at the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library. He is an expert in Semantic Web technologies and their application for improving data integration quality, discovering new relationships, and turning diverse data stores into conceptual knowledge. OBrien has more than 15 years’ experience implementing data-driven marketing and risk management strategy within various industries.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. Contact us at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing (at) ala.org.

Social Web technologies present an often confusing array of options for answering library users’ reference questions. In “Implementing Virtual Reference Services: A LITA Guide,” published by ALA TechSource, editor Beth C. Thomsett-Scott applies 20 years’ experience as a reference librarian to sort through the clutter of tools and technologies in the industry. Contributors from across the field lay out how libraries are using vendor services such as LibraryH3lp, LibAnswers and Text a Librarian, as well as free tools like Twitter and Google Voice, for their reference needs. Practitioners offer details on virtual reference services such as Twitter Search, instant messaging (IM) services such as Google Voice and Chat and collaborative services such as My Info Quest.

Thomsett-Scott is currently the engineering librarian at the University of North Texas Libraries. In her previous role as reference unit manager, she assisted with establishing the libraries’ Meebo service, as well as their chat and text messaging services. She has served in various positions in professional associations, including ALA, the Special Library Association and the Texas Library Association. She has published in a variety of journals and presented conference sessions on the topics of website usability, mentoring and training reference staff and students and technology.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. Contact us at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing (at) ala.org.

Cory Doctorow will present “More than a book-lined Internet Cafe: LITA President’s Program” from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 20th in Chicago. 

Zoe Stewart-Marshall, LITA President, welcomes Cory Doctorow to present the LITA President’s program.  Doctorow is a digital rights activist, science fiction writer, and, Boing Boing co-editor.    Stewart-Marshall said “More than a book-lined Internet Café” promises to be a lively, thought-provoking talk on how libraries can and do stand on the front lines of the debate over the role of free information, and free information technology in ensuring the healthy maintenance of a free society.  And yes, he will talk about DRM.”

Cory Doctorow (craphound.com) is a science fiction author, activist, journalist and blogger — the co-editor of Boing Boing (boingboing.net) and the author of young adult novels like PIRATE CINEMA and LITTLE BROTHER and novels for adults like RAPTURE OF THE NERDS and MAKERS. He is the former European director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. Born in Toronto, Canada, he now lives in London.

The LITA President’s program is part of “Sunday Afternoon with LITA” at the ALA Annual Conference.   “Sunday Afternoon with LITA” begins with the LITA awards presentations, followed by the popular Top Technology Trends panel discussion, and, culminates with the LITA President’s Program.  

Details on all LITA Annual Conference programs and events are available at http://www.ala.org/lita/conferences/annual/2013.

New vacancy listings are posted weekly on Wednesday at approximately 12 noon Central Time. They appear under New This Week and under the appropriate regional listing. Postings remain on the LITA Job Site for a minimum of four weeks.

Executive Director/System Administrator, Montgomery County Library & Information Network Consortium, Conshohocken, PA

Check out the newest episode of Circulating Ideas, for short interviews with most of the candidates for LITA offices in the upcoming election (I was unfortunately not able to get ahold of all candidates). I encourage everyone in LITA, and throughout ALA, to learn more about the candidates running for office. We don’t have mud-slinging smear campaigns in the library world, but the candidates do all have their own strengths and interests and will take their divisions in different directions. Other March episodes of the podcast will deal with other ALA offices / divisions, so stay tuned.

Thanks for listening and I hope everyone takes the time to vote, starting March 19!

Are you ready to start coding? Have you made your ALA Annual travel plans yet?

The Library Code Year Interest Group (a joint ALCTS and LITA Interest Group) will be offering a full-day pre-conference workshop on Python before this year’s ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Attendees will learn the basics of the Python programming language with ample opportunities for hands-on, project-based practice. Using a curriculum based on the one developed by the Boston Python Workshop, we will teach attendees the syntax and key features of Python while providing them with an opportunity to work through practice exercises. During the second half of the day, attendees will have the opportunity to complete a short project in Python to use the skills they have learned. Experienced teaching staff will be on hand to provide support and feedback throughout the workshop.

While we’ll cover a lot of ground, this workshop does not assume any prior programming experience. We will provide a supportive environment and explain everything you need to know through a mix of lecture, self-paced hands-on exercises, and projects. By the end of the day, attendees will be ready to tackle new projects and will have ideas about how they can integrate Python into their work going forward. Whether you have never written a program in your life or you already have experience in other languages and want to add Python to your repertoire, this workshop will be perfect for you! Come to learn a new skills and to meet like-minded individuals in a fun, welcoming setting. While Division members get a discount, you need not be a Division member to attend; we’d love to see all kinds of library staff represented! If you have any questions about the workshop, please feel free to contact Carli Spina (cspina@law.harvard.edu) for additional information. Registration and Cost Information

Please note: Attendees will be asked to bring a laptop with them to the workshop and will need to set up a Python development environment on that computer in advance. The teaching staff will offer support throughout this process, including step-by-step instructions and virtual office hours. Depending on your experience level, this may take anywhere from half an hour to a few hours.

Can’t make it to Chicago for ALA this summer? Want to start learning today? Find out other library coding projects and educational opportunities in the Library Journal Digital Shift’s post Cracking the Code: Librarians Acquiring Essential Coding Skills

New vacancy listings are posted weekly on Wednesday at approximately 12 noon Central Time. They appear under New This Week and under the appropriate regional listing. Postings remain on the LITA Job Site for a minimum of four weeks.

Dean of Libraries, Stony Brook University , Stony Brook, NY

 Head of Library Technology, McConnell Library, Radford, VI

Librarian,  Missouri College, Trenton, MO

Metadata Librarian, Georgetown University Library, Washington,  DC

Open Source System Administrator/Programmer, Amigos Library Services, Dallas, TX

Programmer I,  Kansas State University Libraries, Manhattan, KS

Building Web Applications with HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript: An Introduction to HTML5, presented by Jason Clark of Montana State University Library, is now available for registration.

Geolocation, native video, offline storage, semantic markup elements, responsive Web design, canvas elements, voice input, drag and drop, opacity, gradients… HTML5 (a generic term which includes new HTML tags, enhanced CSSstyles/behaviors, and new Javascript APIs) has been released and is changing the way Web developers work. With wide support in mobile browsers and the latest browser releases from Google and Firefox, HTML5 is poised to be the technology that will help build the next version of the Web.

Building Web Applications with HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript: An Introduction to HTML5 will consist of four live lectures held from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. CST on March 4, 6, 8, and 11,  with additional self-paced modules in Moodle; lectures will also be recorded and posted to the course Moodle site. Participants will examine the trends and enhancements that HTML5,  CSS3 and the new Javascript APIs enable, talk through the specifics of implementation and work through building a prototype HTML5 application. Visit the LITA web site for registration and additional information.

The LITA Board invites you to join this meeting online on Friday, February 15, 2013 at 3:15 – 4:00 pm EST.

Join the meeting by clicking the following link: http://ala.adobeconnect.com/r5ox8uqzi5w/

View the meeting agenda: http://connect.ala.org/node/200509

Please note: the meeting begins with a closed Executive Session. The Board anticipates opening the meeting to all at approximately 3:15 pm EST.

If you have any questions, recommendations, or wish to discuss any of this, please leave a comment or contact the LITA office, lita (at) ala.org.