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

[Ian Chan]

Hi, I'm available to chat as well - just let me when is a good time. 
Thanks, Ian

On Wed Aug 15 12:35:20 2012, Steve Wills wrote:
> 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 <mailto:Lori.Ayre at galecia.com>
>     Availability: http://tungle.me/lori.ayre <http://tungle.me/lori.ayre>
>
>     <mailto:Lori.Ayre at galecia.com>Specializing in open source ILS
>     solutions, RFID, filtering,
>     workflow optimization, and materials handling
>     =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
>
>
>     ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>     From: *Bob Neeper* <neeperro at oplin.org <mailto:neeperro at oplin.org>>
>     Date: Wed, Aug 15, 2012 at 6:45 AM
>     Subject: Suggestion for the Map
>     To: bshum at biblio.org <mailto:bshum at biblio.org>,
>     lori.ayre at galecia.com <mailto:lori.ayre at galecia.com>
>     Cc: Chauncey Montgomery <montgoc1 at oplin.org
>     <mailto: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 Cance*l 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) Neeper
>     Community Library  <http://sunbury.cool-cat.org>
>     44 Burrer Dr.
>     Sunbury, Oh 43074
>     Tel:(740)-965-3901  <#>
>
>     cool-cat.org  <http://info.cool-cat.org>
>
>
>
>