TRLN Shared Code Task Group

About the Committee
Chair: Jill Sexton
Members
Committee Charge

 

Tools
Wiki
Listserv

Next Meetings:
scheduling in process

TRLN Staff Contact
Derek Rodriguez, Program Officer

The Shared Code Task Group will provide updates and reports to the Technology Council.

Charge: to study and report on the implications of sharing a common codebase for Endeca user interface development across the consortium. The goals of sharing a common codebase would be to speed the deployment of new Endeca features across the consortium and to reduce duplicate software development effort.

The NCCU Endeca catalog and Search TRLN are now derived from a common codebase. The shared code supports parameter driven customization, limiting the amount of duplicate effort needed to maintain and enhance Search TRLN and the NCCU catalog in the future. The shared code also supports user "self-identification" with a specific TRLN institution to enable delivery of customized services and preferences based on a user's campus affiliation.

Responsibilities

  1. Examine the shared code used for the NCCU catalog and Search TRLN as a model for a consortium-wide code base.

  2. Inventory the divergence of features within Search TRLN and the institutions' local Endeca-based catalogs.

  3. Recommend a set of "shared code features" from among this inventory that a shared code base should support.

  4. Review the current set of configuration parameters and settings used to support customization of the NCCU and Search TRLN interfaces. Specify additional configuration parameters and settings needed to support recommended "shared code features."

  5. Design a flexible staging and release schedule that supports each institution's software development needs.

  6. Investigate methods within the TRLN Endeca applications to detect a TRLN patron's affiliation, including Shibboleth and IP address detection. Recommend best practices for preserving application preferences across sessions.

  7. Provide a written report to the Technology Council detailing recommended "shared code features," configuration parameters and settings, the staging and release schedule, methods for detecting patron affiliations, and methods for preserving application preferences.

Timeline: May - June 2010
A face-to-face kickoff meeting will be held to initiate this project. TRLN will provide wiki space and a project listserv to support communications among task group members. Conference calls and face-to-face meetings may be arranged as needed. Task group members have the responsibility to communicate with systems staff on each campus, and the Endeca Operations Committee as needed.

Members:

Emily Lynema, NCSU
Ken Mitchell, Duke
 

 

Jill Sexton, UNC (Technology Council member)
Yan Wang, NCCU

Staff to the Committee: Derek Rodriguez
 

Triangle Research Libraries Network  CB#3940 Wilson Library, Suite 712 Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
Phone: (919) 962-8022  Fax: (919) 962-4452

comments to: patti.pittman@unc.edu
last modified: July 22, 2010