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Technical support needed

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

FOR DEVELOPERS TO INTEGRATE AN API WITH the LIVING ARCHIVE OF ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES WEB APPLICATION

BACKGROUND

The Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages is a digital collection of endangered literature in Australian Indigenous languages from around the Northern Territory. Around 3500 items have been digitised and stored in CDU Library’s eSpace: a Fedora repository managed by Fez software. Only records for which we have signed permission forms are visible on the site. Around 50% of the materials are not currently available for public viewing.  These we refer to as hidden items. A public discovery layer (the LAAL app) was built over the collection in PHP (Slim) by Stephen McPhillips. Solr handles the indexing. Javascript (jQuery, LeafletJS) enable  geospatial visualisations via a map interface at http://laal.cdu.edu.au/. The current LAAL app allows users to search, browse, read and download materials, using various devices and platforms without a login. To allow elders, authors and others in remote communities to login and perform specific tasks in the eSpace repository a REST API was developed by Catalyst IT.

THE TASKS

A. Preparation

Integrate API functionality throughout the LAAL app to allow authorised users to perform functions in eSpace such as initiate sessions, access all resources, and upload new ones. (A rich domain model is envisaged, as we wish to to avoid user interactions that are cumbersome and unmaintainable.)

B. Develop an interface to the API that handles two basic functions:

(1) logging in/ logging off by authorised users, and

(2) revealing hidden items (see above) in all LAAL app views, and indicating (perhaps by greying them out) that these are hidden. Once a working prototype is available, we would like to subject it to user testing for two weeks.

C.  Allow additional (moderated) user actions

(3) Create some forms to allow editing and file transfer. Their purpose would be to allow additional user actions:

  • Upload permission forms and attachments to a temporary holding
    • All items need to be accompanied by signed permission from the creators. This form needs to be available to download from the site, and to upload when signed.
  • Add new materials
    • Users will create new records and add relevant metadata by filling in information on a form before uploading files.
    • Users who have related items (sound files, e-books) will attach these to existing records with appropriate metadata.
  • Edit existing materials
    • Users may identify errors and propose corrections by editing metadata.
    • Users may also make corrections to text files.

Note concerning moderator actions:

  • All of the additional actions listed above need to be moderated by Living Archive project staff.
  • The simplest way to achieve that would be email notification with the actions then completed manually in eSpace by LAAL project staff.
  • The interface code should be written to enable automated actions via the Fez API at a later date.

Additional notes:

  • Access to source code and documentation about the Fez API and LAAL app can be made available on request.
  • Sufficient documentation is required to ensure that the system can be maintained by project technical staff.
  • Development of the interface will be an iterative process of refining the design based on user requirements.
  • The interface must comply with all legal requirements for accessibility.
  • All development must use existing technology in the LAAL app where possible.
  • CDU will retain all copyright on the product. The application may be released under an open source licence as part of the Fez project http://sourceforge.net/projects/fez/.

Preferred timeline

  • Stage one: applications submitted with mock-up of interface—due at the end June 2015
  • Stage two: the successful applicant will be given access to source code and asked to develop a prototype—due mid-August
  • Stage three: trial implementation leading to refinements to product in response to feedback from users—end of September
  • Stage four: final product to be delivered by the end of October 2015

How to get involved

PDF Version here