Dear DCmedians,
I had the pleasure of attending the wiki society meeting last night - a very well run meeting, something you should be proud of.
I mentioned the idea of a 'librarylab' which was warmly received at the DPLA conference today, which I hope to develop with a few partners as a proposed piece of future DPLA infrastructure: something that could be set up in any city that is introducing its public and other libraries to new library and collection tools [such as might be part of a DPLA platform]. A demo of such a library lab would be developed in DC.
I asked the Wiki Society to consider being a local partner in this demo-project. while all costs will be covered by participating hosts or libraries, we need a partner group based in dc to help coordinate local meetings. The reason to have a dem site in DC is that the next large DPLA event will be hosted in DC in October, when good proposals will be showcased.
The specific proposal is below. I will elaborate on it online after getting some more initial feedback from would-be users. I will also send further notes on yesterday's meeting this weekend, since this will not be the last such meeting held in DC and ther eare many overlaps with wikimedia's mission.
Thanks to everyone who came out to dinner; it was lovely. [and brainstorming about wikimania is always fun!]
SJ
====
We plan to define a LibraryLab, a standalone hackspace for people to work on digitization, annotation, collaborative publishing, and use of library and collection-making tools and tech for personal projects and research.
A LibLab will be a space for librarians and other community members to learn about new tools, to develop personalized workspaces, and to run classes and workshops for others. It will include physical tools such as cameras and scanners and computers, and software tools for research, classification, publication and remixing.
We will develop a prototype lab in DC, colocated with a local university or tech incubator, with testing and feedback from public and university librarians in the area.
Glad you had a good time in DC! your ideas are definitely very helpful, and we're glad to be a part of your librarylab project!
Sincerely, Nicholas Michael Bashour
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 15, 2011, at 7:24 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
Dear DCmedians,
I had the pleasure of attending the wiki society meeting last night - a very well run meeting, something you should be proud of.
I mentioned the idea of a 'librarylab' which was warmly received at the DPLA conference today, which I hope to develop with a few partners as a proposed piece of future DPLA infrastructure: something that could be set up in any city that is introducing its public and other libraries to new library and collection tools [such as might be part of a DPLA platform]. A demo of such a library lab would be developed in DC.
I asked the Wiki Society to consider being a local partner in this demo-project. while all costs will be covered by participating hosts or libraries, we need a partner group based in dc to help coordinate local meetings. The reason to have a dem site in DC is that the next large DPLA event will be hosted in DC in October, when good proposals will be showcased.
The specific proposal is below. I will elaborate on it online after getting some more initial feedback from would-be users. I will also send further notes on yesterday's meeting this weekend, since this will not be the last such meeting held in DC and ther eare many overlaps with wikimedia's mission.
Thanks to everyone who came out to dinner; it was lovely. [and brainstorming about wikimania is always fun!]
SJ
====
We plan to define a LibraryLab, a standalone hackspace for people to work on digitization, annotation, collaborative publishing, and use of library and collection-making tools and tech for personal projects and research.
A LibLab will be a space for librarians and other community members to learn about new tools, to develop personalized workspaces, and to run classes and workshops for others. It will include physical tools such as cameras and scanners and computers, and software tools for research, classification, publication and remixing.
We will develop a prototype lab in DC, colocated with a local university or tech incubator, with testing and feedback from public and university librarians in the area.
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
Hi Samuel,
On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 7:24 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
We plan to define a LibraryLab, a standalone hackspace for people to work on digitization, annotation, collaborative publishing, and use of library and collection-making tools and tech for personal projects and research.
A LibLab will be a space for librarians and other community members to learn about new tools, to develop personalized workspaces, and to run classes and workshops for others. It will include physical tools such as cameras and scanners and computers, and software tools for research, classification, publication and remixing.
We will develop a prototype lab in DC, colocated with a local university or tech incubator, with testing and feedback from public and university librarians in the area.
This sounds like a pretty ambitious venture, requiring a fair amount of investment in space and hardware, etc. Do you have any ideas on where that could come from. I'm definitely interested in the idea. So please send more details when they become available!
//Ed
On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 2:15 AM, Ed Summers ehs@pobox.com wrote:
Hi Samuel,
On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 7:24 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
We plan to define a LibraryLab, a standalone hackspace for people to work on digitization, annotation, collaborative publishing, and use of library and collection-making tools and tech for personal projects and research.
A LibLab will be a space for librarians and other community members to learn about new tools, to develop personalized workspaces, and to run classes and workshops for others. It will include physical tools such as cameras and scanners and computers, and software tools for research, classification, publication and remixing.
We will develop a prototype lab in DC, colocated with a local university or tech incubator, with testing and feedback from public and university librarians in the area.
This sounds like a pretty ambitious venture, requiring a fair amount of investment in space and hardware, etc. Do you have any ideas on where that could come from. I'm definitely interested in the idea. So please send more details when they become available!
I believe the getting of money is being handled with a partner institution. Should Samuel win the grant, we would receive custody of the money and be responsible for executing the plan. If I am not mistaken.
//Ed
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
James is right -
For the demo this summer, we find a host space at a tech incubator or coworking space or savvy library; get loaner scanners and cameras and the like to build the prototype; get interested volunteers to come host workshops and parties and exhibits and classification contests. Hopefully there's minimal direct overhead cost; though we should have some partners with a few thousand dollars here and there in their budgets for this sort of exploratory work.
The end result should be a documented process for building out this sort of lab from scratch; what permanent and consumable supplies were used; what additional gear would make sense but was too rare/expensive/balky. Leading to a "lab in a box" inventory and pricelist, and some soft costs for expected overhead, maintenance, installation.
A 'DPLA infrastructure proposal' based on this might be something like targeting 3-5 cities this fall, 1 research-lab @ a libschool to help and monitor the process and advise on how to improve it, and an early crop of a dozen roving liblab alums who help make all of this happen. Then more over the spring, aiming for at least 1 liblab in every state by next summer, and 1 in every city with >10 public? sizeable? libraries by the end of the 18 months. That could be funded by grants from a combination of the association of state Governors and the consortium supporting DPLA-phase-1 [the first 18 months; a pool of funds will be available].
I'm making the details up, but you get the idea.
The demo work isn't about winning a grant per se, so much as demonstrating a useful piece of infrastructure that someone could carry out. None of us working on the demo might want to be involved in that next stage; but there's a lot of interest in the idea, so I'm certain some group would be glad to run with that and facilitate it on a national scale, if we can articulate the basic value using the library-rich DC community as an example.
SJ
2011/6/16 James Hare jamesmhare@gmail.com:
On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 2:15 AM, Ed Summers ehs@pobox.com wrote:
Hi Samuel,
On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 7:24 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
We plan to define a LibraryLab, a standalone hackspace for people to work on digitization, annotation, collaborative publishing, and use of library and collection-making tools and tech for personal projects and research.
A LibLab will be a space for librarians and other community members to learn about new tools, to develop personalized workspaces, and to run classes and workshops for others. It will include physical tools such as cameras and scanners and computers, and software tools for research, classification, publication and remixing.
We will develop a prototype lab in DC, colocated with a local university or tech incubator, with testing and feedback from public and university librarians in the area.
This sounds like a pretty ambitious venture, requiring a fair amount of investment in space and hardware, etc. Do you have any ideas on where that could come from. I'm definitely interested in the idea. So please send more details when they become available!
I believe the getting of money is being handled with a partner institution. Should Samuel win the grant, we would receive custody of the money and be responsible for executing the plan. If I am not mistaken.
//Ed
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
Wow, this is a great idea. I'm not sure I contribute any resources other than my time. But count me in.
//Ed
On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 3:30 AM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
James is right -
For the demo this summer, we find a host space at a tech incubator or coworking space or savvy library; get loaner scanners and cameras and the like to build the prototype; get interested volunteers to come host workshops and parties and exhibits and classification contests. Hopefully there's minimal direct overhead cost; though we should have some partners with a few thousand dollars here and there in their budgets for this sort of exploratory work.
The end result should be a documented process for building out this sort of lab from scratch; what permanent and consumable supplies were used; what additional gear would make sense but was too rare/expensive/balky. Leading to a "lab in a box" inventory and pricelist, and some soft costs for expected overhead, maintenance, installation.
A 'DPLA infrastructure proposal' based on this might be something like targeting 3-5 cities this fall, 1 research-lab @ a libschool to help and monitor the process and advise on how to improve it, and an early crop of a dozen roving liblab alums who help make all of this happen. Then more over the spring, aiming for at least 1 liblab in every state by next summer, and 1 in every city with >10 public? sizeable? libraries by the end of the 18 months. That could be funded by grants from a combination of the association of state Governors and the consortium supporting DPLA-phase-1 [the first 18 months; a pool of funds will be available].
I'm making the details up, but you get the idea.
The demo work isn't about winning a grant per se, so much as demonstrating a useful piece of infrastructure that someone could carry out. None of us working on the demo might want to be involved in that next stage; but there's a lot of interest in the idea, so I'm certain some group would be glad to run with that and facilitate it on a national scale, if we can articulate the basic value using the library-rich DC community as an example.
SJ
2011/6/16 James Hare jamesmhare@gmail.com:
On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 2:15 AM, Ed Summers ehs@pobox.com wrote:
Hi Samuel,
On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 7:24 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
We plan to define a LibraryLab, a standalone hackspace for people to work on digitization, annotation, collaborative publishing, and use of library and collection-making tools and tech for personal projects and research.
A LibLab will be a space for librarians and other community members to learn about new tools, to develop personalized workspaces, and to run classes and workshops for others. It will include physical tools such as cameras and scanners and computers, and software tools for research, classification, publication and remixing.
We will develop a prototype lab in DC, colocated with a local university or tech incubator, with testing and feedback from public and university librarians in the area.
This sounds like a pretty ambitious venture, requiring a fair amount of investment in space and hardware, etc. Do you have any ideas on where that could come from. I'm definitely interested in the idea. So please send more details when they become available!
I believe the getting of money is being handled with a partner institution. Should Samuel win the grant, we would receive custody of the money and be responsible for executing the plan. If I am not mistaken.
//Ed
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
-- Samuel Klein identi.ca:sj w:user:sj +1 617 529 4266
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
Yes, I've been looking for something like this too! Kristin
So: some great ideas suggested so far - work with George Mason's History and New Media project (awesome for historical reasons - they funded the first Wikimedia-related grant I ever applied for, in early 2005). Q: do they have space for a lab?
- the top idea on http://www.allourideas.org/dpla/results : "work with GPO, DTIC, NARA etc to provide access to fed docs, perhaps offering assistance for digitization" Q: A liblab could definitely do this. What do those orgs currently need in the way of help? Related: how can we define a plan with the Internet Archive or other scanner-providers to get equipment soon?
Finally, I invited Nate Hill, a local librarian and eloquent writer from my public library (SJPL) who was at last week's meeting, to join this list. He has been thinking about how to set up library outposts, and can help advise on what might make a good first demonstration.
SJ
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 6:35 PM, K Anderson andersonster@gmail.com wrote:
Yes, I've been looking for something like this too! Kristin
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
Hello again all... for what it's worth, I do know Ginnie Cooper, the D.C. Public Library Director. I saw past threads about looking for folks to collaborate with in D.C. - I'd be happy to introduce anyone to her if that is helpful. -Nate
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 3:46 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
So: some great ideas suggested so far
- work with George Mason's History and New Media project (awesome for
historical reasons - they funded the first Wikimedia-related grant I ever applied for, in early 2005). Q: do they have space for a lab?
- the top idea on http://www.allourideas.org/dpla/results : "work with
GPO, DTIC, NARA etc to provide access to fed docs, perhaps offering assistance for digitization" Q: A liblab could definitely do this. What do those orgs currently need in the way of help? Related: how can we define a plan with the Internet Archive or other scanner-providers to get equipment soon?
Finally, I invited Nate Hill, a local librarian and eloquent writer from my public library (SJPL) who was at last week's meeting, to join this list. He has been thinking about how to set up library outposts, and can help advise on what might make a good first demonstration.
SJ
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 6:35 PM, K Anderson andersonster@gmail.com wrote:
Yes, I've been looking for something like this too! Kristin
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
-- Samuel Klein identi.ca:sj w:user:sj +1 617 529 4266
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
You might find out if the D.C. PL have similar thoughts and might be interested in hosting a lab.
The most central need is either an existing space that we could use for the summer - say if they had a building with rooms that already handle digitzation and could be built out - or a new somewhat unused space. Preferably run by an organization that has its own ideas along these lines, since we would want to include them as a central partner and leave the lab there once built as the first of its kind.
Bonus for them: some free hardware and expertise, and a spotlight and some new activity over the summer. Bonus for liblabs: basic plant and logistics taken care of, and an existing stream of potential users/participants coming to the building.
SJ
2011/6/20 Nate Hill nathanielhill@gmail.com:
Hello again all... for what it's worth, I do know Ginnie Cooper, the D.C. Public Library Director. I saw past threads about looking for folks to collaborate with in D.C. - I'd be happy to introduce anyone to her if that is helpful. -Nate
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 3:46 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
So: some great ideas suggested so far
- work with George Mason's History and New Media project (awesome for
historical reasons - they funded the first Wikimedia-related grant I ever applied for, in early 2005). Q: do they have space for a lab?
- the top idea on http://www.allourideas.org/dpla/results : "work with
GPO, DTIC, NARA etc to provide access to fed docs, perhaps offering assistance for digitization" Q: A liblab could definitely do this. What do those orgs currently need in the way of help? Related: how can we define a plan with the Internet Archive or other scanner-providers to get equipment soon?
Finally, I invited Nate Hill, a local librarian and eloquent writer from my public library (SJPL) who was at last week's meeting, to join this list. He has been thinking about how to set up library outposts, and can help advise on what might make a good first demonstration.
SJ
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 6:35 PM, K Anderson andersonster@gmail.com wrote:
Yes, I've been looking for something like this too! Kristin
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
-- Samuel Klein identi.ca:sj w:user:sj +1 617 529 4266
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
-- Nate Hill nathanielhill@gmail.com http://www.natehill.net
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
I reached out to Ginnie yesterday and she responded with enthusiasm! DCPL definitely sounds like a potential host/partner. I just sent an email introduction to her and SJ. Hopefully something will come of this! Nate
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 4:34 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
You might find out if the D.C. PL have similar thoughts and might be interested in hosting a lab.
The most central need is either an existing space that we could use for the summer - say if they had a building with rooms that already handle digitzation and could be built out - or a new somewhat unused space. Preferably run by an organization that has its own ideas along these lines, since we would want to include them as a central partner and leave the lab there once built as the first of its kind.
Bonus for them: some free hardware and expertise, and a spotlight and some new activity over the summer. Bonus for liblabs: basic plant and logistics taken care of, and an existing stream of potential users/participants coming to the building.
SJ
2011/6/20 Nate Hill nathanielhill@gmail.com:
Hello again all... for what it's worth, I do know Ginnie Cooper, the D.C. Public Library Director. I saw past threads about looking for folks to collaborate with in D.C. -
I'd
be happy to introduce anyone to her if that is helpful. -Nate
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 3:46 PM, Samuel Klein meta.sj@gmail.com wrote:
So: some great ideas suggested so far
- work with George Mason's History and New Media project (awesome for
historical reasons - they funded the first Wikimedia-related grant I ever applied for, in early 2005). Q: do they have space for a lab?
- the top idea on http://www.allourideas.org/dpla/results : "work with
GPO, DTIC, NARA etc to provide access to fed docs, perhaps offering assistance for digitization" Q: A liblab could definitely do this. What do those orgs currently need in the way of help? Related: how can we define a plan with the Internet Archive or other scanner-providers to get equipment soon?
Finally, I invited Nate Hill, a local librarian and eloquent writer from my public library (SJPL) who was at last week's meeting, to join this list. He has been thinking about how to set up library outposts, and can help advise on what might make a good first demonstration.
SJ
On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 6:35 PM, K Anderson andersonster@gmail.com wrote:
Yes, I've been looking for something like this too! Kristin
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
-- Samuel Klein identi.ca:sj w:user:sj +1 617
529
4266
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
-- Nate Hill nathanielhill@gmail.com http://www.natehill.net
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
-- Samuel Klein identi.ca:sj w:user:sj +1 617 529 4266
Wikimedia-DC mailing list Wikimedia-DC@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-dc
wikimedia-dc@lists.wikimedia.org