Calling all librarians and library technologists using Concrete5
PermalinkQuestion for the Concrete5 community -- are there any other librarians/library technologists out there using Concrete5 as the CMS for their websites? I've started development on several blocks and packages for Concrete5 related to libraries and looking to find similar individuals with which I could share code/blocks/packages, bounce ideas off, pool resources for common goals, etc. I know Joomla and Drupal have strong library communities so I'm looking to join and/or start one for the Concrete5 community. I've already sent out some inquiries on a few library related list servers but thought I'd try here as well.
Anyway, been at it about 6 months now, so if you get stuck in a corner, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. Also, if you ever are setting up some part of the page and say to youself "I wish there was a control that did X" or "I wish there was a block that handled Y", let me know. Thats the exact stuff I'm looking to compile. I'll send my info in a PM shortly.
Good luck on the site.
After looking at your profile, it seems that you might be sitting at my old desk! I am sure you are becoming intimately familiar with the Villanova site and VuFind.
I have personally thought that it would be nice to create an installation distro of Concrete for libraries. It would include a default information architecture/pages, some special blocks for libraries, and basically be easy to get up and running. It would be kind of like the PLINKIT initiative, only 1000 times better. (Palinet supports PLINKIT, so I am sure they would support something similar with development contributions from a partner institution.)
I also think that Concrete is a nice alternative to pricey packages like LibGuides. There are a few things that I think would be nice, like a link management system or even some link resolver functionality. I could go on... but if you want to pick my noodle, just shoot me an email or give me a call.
Say hi to Mr. Lacy!
--chris
Oddly enough, one of the first things I worked on here is a link management system -- our course guides switch to the C5 CMS this summer and I've put the system in place to handle the switch. Maybe its the first item I can add to the pile of C5 library packages :). The code is ready to go, we just have to wait for the semester to end....
Actually, my prompt to begin the search for fellow library compatriots was to start the process of doing exactly what you described above -- a preset C5 installation for libraries (a C5 "Library-in-a-Can", if you will), though I know I would never have the time to accomplish this on my own. Hence, hoping to gather others to start sharing tools and the like, with a long term goal of having enough backing to at least make a showing against Drupal et al. Likelyhood, small. Though a man can dream.
D
http://www.chrisbarr.net/design/falvey...
and
http://www.chrisbarr.net/design/vufind...