Camp News

Day Zero Workshop Program now open

VALA is delighted to announce a NEW Day 0 program for Tech Camp 2017, made possible by our PD Partner, EBSCO and supported by our Tech Partner, AARNet.

Day 0 (Wednesday 12 July 2017) will feature 2 NEW Workshop opportunities for Tech Campers; cost of attendance is INCLUDED IN YOUR TECH CAMP REGISTRATION FEES. (That’s right, there is no additional cost for Tech Campers to participate in a Day 0 Workshop.)

Here’s what on offer, from EBSCO and AARNet:-

Workshop #1

EBSCO – Developer Introduction to FOLIO

This half-day Workshop (1.00-5.00pm) provides a hands-on introduction to the FOLIO library services platform.

The FOLIO project is a community collaboration to develop an open source library services platform. The project has engaged a growing community of librarians, developers and commercial entities, and design and development of the platform has progressed at a steady rate. Most importantly, the platform fundamentals have been established through a network of participants who are focused on delivering an architecture for evolution and growth.

With development well underway, this Workshop will introduce developers to FOLIO. Get down and get dirty with the FOLIO team to:-

• Work with your own Vagrant image through a series of exercises which will demonstrate how to install an app on the platform and use the data sources and design elements the platform provides.
• Gain an understanding of the FOLIO platform, from the storage layer through the business logic to the user interface in the browser.
• Learn how to build and deploy apps that interact with each one of these layers on the FOLIO platform.

Developers and testers need to efficiently discuss various topics such as issues, usage quirks, new features, and documentation improvements. Participants will also gain an understanding of the FOLIO communication spaces and how to use them, as the FOLIO project has four primary communication channels and several secondary communication channels.

Participants should have a genuine interest in creating an open future for libraries. In the workshop you will have a willingness to contribute via code, testing, and sharing functional knowledge in any area of library workflows.

Prerequisites:

1. Familiarity with vagrant and virtualbox
   
2. Able to execute commands in windows command prompt or linux terminal, e.g. curl, mvn, java
   
3. Understanding of http protocol to execute JSON based RESTful requests
   
4. IMPORTANT: Bring your own laptop and cables
   

You Must Register: attendance is free to Tech Camp delegates, but online registration is essential and numbers are strictly limited. First in, best dressed with only 25 spaces available.

What Else?

Drinks after! Yes, that’s right. The FOLIO Workshop Networking Hour, involving great company, good food and a drink or two – follows immediately after the Workshop, and is provided by the generous folk at EBSCO. Onsite at the bar, Level TBA, William Angliss Conference Centre – 5.00-6.00pm. Again, registration is essential - please indicate your attendance when you register for the workshop.

Workshop #2

AARNet - Data handling, network know-how & problem solving

AARNet is the VALA Tech Camp 2017 Tech Partner – which means nothing happens without them, including Day 0. We are chuffed that AARNet has also come on board to support our Workshop program, and will be offering some hands on for network speed testing and problem solving on data movement based on digitisation workflows.

Your Presenters: Ingrid Mason +1

Who Should Attend: those with some knowledge of or practice in digital collection management, digitisation, or research data management, and an interest in tools and techniques that support data and technology intensive workflows.

What You Must Do: before the Workshop, you’ll need to test the speed (download and upload) of the broadband connections at home, at work or on the go with a speed test tool provided locally e.g. iinet, Telstra, Optus and record the device used, e.g. laptop or desktop computer, phone or tablet. We’ll send more instructions about this nearer to the event.

You Must Register: attendance is free to Tech Camp delegates, but online registration is essential and numbers are strictly limited. First in, best dressed with only 25 spaces available.

Diversity Scholarship applications now open 

Applications are invited from across Australia for the first VALA Diversity Scholarship, generously sponsored by Linux Australia. The Scholarship will fund one individual’s attendance at VALA Tech Camp 2017, in Melbourne, between 12-14 July.

 CLICK HERE for more details about the Diversity Scholarship and to submit an application.

Sponsorship Prospectus 

The VALA Tech Camp sponsorship prospectus is now available. 

VALA is seeking tech-savvy partners and sponsors to aid in the delivery of Tech Camp 2017. This is your opportunity to position your brand alongside one of the most trusted professional library technology networks in Australia. With 40 years’ experience and 18 successful national conferences behind us, the VALA brand has both reputation and visibility with technologists in the GLAM sector.

 CLICK HERE to download the prospectus