[Evergreen-web-team] Fwd: Suggestion for the Map

[Steve Wills]

Hi all. I'm happy to chat about this. There is a Google maps module for Drupal that makes adding this data easier than editing a raw data file.

Let's try and set up a time.
Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: Lori Bowen Ayre [mailto:lori.ayre at galecia.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 01:07 PM
To: 'Evergreen Community Web Team Email List'
Cc: 'ian'
Subject: [Evergreen-web-team] Fwd: Suggestion for the Map

Hi Web Team and Ian and Jim,

We got some detailed suggestions for a way to integrate the desire to have an Evergreen Libraries Map on Google with our RSCEL Initiatives listing and it would make it much easier for libraries to get themselves on the map.


I'm thinking it would just be one way to get a library listed on the map as not everyone will necessarily want to be part of our Evergreen Directory (now known as the Initiatives Database on RSCEL).


I'd like to ask Ian and Jim and Stephen to talk about what was suggested in this message and see if we could try to implement his ideas on RSCEL. Seems like using RSCEL as a sandbox or lab is a fine idea. And if they can make something work, we can put it on the prototype Evergreen site for people to comment on.


I can fund Jim and Ian's time...Stephen are you willing to help out too? Any comments?


Lori


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Lori Bowen Ayre // 
Library Technology Consultant / The Galecia Group
Oversight Board & Communications Committee / Evergreen
(707) 763-6869 // Lori.Ayre at galecia.com
Availability: http://tungle.me/lori.ayre


Specializing in open source ILS solutions, RFID, filtering, 
workflow optimization, and materials handling 
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bob Neeper<neeperro at oplin.org>
Date: Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 6:45 AM
Subject: Suggestion for the Map
To: bshum at biblio.org, lori.ayre at galecia.com
Cc: Chauncey Montgomery <montgoc1 at oplin.org>


 Lori & Ben,

 I joined RSCEL to see what the website was running, some of the underlying code and what the data entry looked like.
 Hoped it was perl or php and mySQL or something like that, but I see it's Drupal.

 Don't know anything about Drupal, but have a suggestion anyway.

 Finding info for each library and editing the KML file is way too labor intensive.
 You need a better way, independent of single individuals.
 Get the various libraries do it for you.

 Expand and change the RSCEL Evergreen initiatives page data entry.
 It has a good start of data, it's stored in a database and somebody (anybody) else enters it.

 Add a drop down for libraries in a consortium (like the Additional RSCEL.org users: drop down)
 Then have then fill in the info for each library. See next.

 This is the info in the kml but I think it could be reduced as noted
Name: Athens-Clarke County Library
When: 2006-09-04 (Seems same as Go-live Date)
Consortium: PINES ( Already entered in the main section, so pre-populate)
System: Athens Regional Library System
Address: 2025 Baxter Street
City: Athens, GA 30606
Website:http://www.clarke.public.lib.ga.us
Go-live Date:2006-09-04
Coordinates: -83.404623,33.945000,0 (See below)

 Getting the map coordinates is a bit harder but doable.
 Add a small instruction text block (like next in bold) for finding and entering the map information
Click the link to open Google Maps in another tab.
Use Google Maps to find the library location.
 Right-click on the map balloon for a menu. Then click "What’s here?".
Click on the green arrow and copy and paste the latitude and longitude coordinates.
Ex: 40.243551, -82.863007
 The first line should open Google Maps in another tab
 The data entry box should be sized to hold the point information.
 The data should also be verified as reasonable or flagged as wrong.
 Also it may need the Long and Lat swapped and ,0 added. 

 Plug the data into a string like http://maps.google.com/maps?q=33.945000,+-83.404623
 Then display Click Here To Verify , which opens in another tab for them to look at.
 Then have the Save or Cancel options to complete this entry and loop around for the next library entry.

 This gets all the needed data into the Drupal database.

 The RSCEL.org user must be able to modify or add additional libraries for the consortium.

 Now all that needs to happen is a piece of code (php, perl, whatever) written to get the data and create a kml file.
 You'd need knowledge on the data base manipulation and how to do some checks and sorts to get the libraries in order by date.
 But putting it in the kml should be easily as it's repetitive basic lines.
 You'd need to make it handle continuously added years rather than stopping at 2015, for example.

 Use cron (or whatever)to run it every so often and upload the kml it to the right location.
 Best would probably be right after an entry is complete.
 The data remains intact and is easily updated.
 Obviously, backup the data and kml

 One other item: write a chunk of code to parse the existing kml file and pre-populate the database.
 To make the code simpler use a search & replace option in an editor (EX: UltraEdit) to first clean up the kml
 This will get it down to mainly text, which is easier search and import.

 I can do the kml cleanup if you decide to do all this.

 You'd need to push getting the libraries to enter the data in RSCEL but that should be easy.
 I think librarians are born with a gene predisposed to count everything.
 At least they do here for sure.
 So play to their "Need To Count"  :-) 

 Hope this gives you some ideas. Bob

R. W. (Bob) NeeperCommunity Library44 Burrer Dr.Sunbury, Oh 43074Tel: (740)-965-3901







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