[Koha] Koha Maps

[Marshall Breeding]

The data in the libraries.org registry available to use through the site without cost, but not for download in bulk.  More information my approach to the data is here:
  https://librarytechnology.org/web/breeding/terms-of-service/

As noted, the data within Library Technology Guides is not offered via an open data license, but I do provide extensive data services to anyone interested without cost.  

I do not expect financial compensation from the Koha community for making use of the map visualization or other tools provided through Library Technology Guides.  I would be delighted for the Koha Community to make use of these resources in its efforts to promote Koha.  

-marshall


Marshall Breeding
Editor, Library Technology Guides
www.librarytechnology.org
Marshall.breeding at librarytechnology.org
twitter.com/mbreeding


-----Original Message-----
From: Koha [mailto:koha-bounces at lists.katipo.co.nz] On Behalf Of Nathan Curulla
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2016 3:32 PM
To: Koha
Subject: Re: [Koha] Koha Maps

Thank you Marshall,

I agree with many of the points listed in this message. Chris, what is your biggest concern other than the fact that this data is not free to download?  Marshall, would you be looking for some form of compensation for us to list this on the KC website?  How can we reach a middle ground here? It would be extremely unfortunate to pass up on this fantastic tool because of our inability to work together in a way that benefits both of us. Maybe this is a topic we can discuss and vote on during the next general meeting, and I would love to hear other’s opinions. My role as the Community Marketer (or whatever the role is called) is to effectively promote Koha to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, with zero budget. I see this map hitting all of those points.

All the best,

-Nate

* Marshall Breeding (marshall.breeding at librarytechnology.org <mailto:marshall.breeding at librarytechnology.org>) wrote:
>  I have been following the discussion about how the Koha community can  
> better market itself, including using a map display to emphasize its  
> global impact.
> 
> 
> 
>  Naturally, I would be happy to have the map generated from Library  
> Technology Guides to be used.  Doing so would help me  ensure that my  
> registry of libraries using Koha is more complete since libraries might
>   be more motivated to be included.  Regardless of whether the Koha  
> community decides to rely more on my mapping tool, I will continue to 
> try  to obtain data on the many libraries using Koha that are not yet  
> registered  on my site or any other database.  I continue to think 
> that  Koha is most likely the most implemented ILS, but I do not yet 
> have the  data to validate that assertion.
> 
> 
> 
>  The purity of working only with open source software and open access 
> data  seems to me like an impossible goal.  Richard Stallman, who I 
> heard speak  last year, takes this concept to its logical conclusion, 
> and ends up with  quite a limited realm of software or data which meet his tests for purity.
>   Is the Koha community comfortable using the Google Map API, for 
> example,  since it is based on a closed and proprietary information 
> infrastructure  and underlying software components that may or may not 
> be open source? Or  does it plan to invent its own global mapping ecosystem?
> 
> 
>  I have looked at the Hea tool and I have a hard time imagining it 
> gaining  the functionality of a global mapping visual and becoming 
> well populated  by the mechanisms provided.  Since it is generated 
> mechanically through  each instance of Koha, it will be difficult to 
> translate this data to  represent the libraries that are actually 
> using Koha in production. Many  of the entries shown now (http://hea.koha-community.org/libraries <http://hea.koha-community.org/libraries>) seem to
>  be duplicates or test implementations.   Its single entry for the NExpress
>  Shared Catalog is represented by 53 libraries on my maps. I don’t see 
> hea  as having the structure has the ability to represent the branches  
> associated with a library system or consortia and many other aspects 
> of  tracking the libraries which use any given automation system.  I 
> think  that many, if not the majority, of Koha implementations 
> globally are based  on older or forked versions of Koha, making it 
> difficult or impossible for  them to automatically contribute their data to Hea.
> 
> 
> 
>  I also wonder why the Koha development community would divert 
> resources  into re-creating such a tool from other efforts to develop 
> and promote  Koha.  Having maintained a registry of libraries for 
> almost two decades,  my experience tells me that it is much more 
> difficult to create and  maintain a well-organized list than others might imagine.
> 
> 
> 
>  I have also just re-written the map tool on Library Technology Guides 
> to  generate the display more quickly when there are a very large 
> number of  libraries.  Although it depends on how quickly the Google 
> API responds, it  now builds the maps in a few seconds, compared to 
> almost a minute  previously.  I have also added some basic search 
> selection tools at the  bottom of the page:
> 
>  https://librarytechnology.org/libraries/map.pl?ILS=Koha 
> <https://librarytechnology.org/libraries/map.pl?ILS=Koha>
> 
> 
> 
>  I’ll be interested to hear further discussion on the topic.
> 


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