Hydra Repository Now 3-Lock Data Compliant

The underlying storage infrastructure in use by Yale University Library’s Hydra repository is now 3-Lock data compliant.  Data and information at Yale is classified into three different tiers to categorize data security (more here).  3-Lock data can include things like Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, trade secrets, medical records, tax records, grades for assignments and courses, passport numbers, Veterans Administration data, and bank account numbers.  This upgrade is intended to meet the needs of units across the Library depositing material, and in particular units that are interested in the storage of digital personal papers that may contain sensitive content.  Thanks to Steve DeGroat and John Coleman of the Design & Quality Assurance team within Yale ITS Infrastructure Services.

Library IT Reorganization, Enterprise Systems and Services

I am pleased to announce a reorganization of the two units within Library IT that currently report to me, and the addition of two new staff members to the department. Effective immediately, Enterprise Systems and Programming Services, and Systems Infrastructure and Integration Services will be combined into a single unit within Library IT. The new group is known as Enterprise Systems and Services. In addition, I am delighted to announce that Cindy Greenspun and Lauren King will transition from Access Services and join Enterprise Systems and Services.

These changes are intended to enhance and broaden services provided to the Library, address various staffing changes that have occurred over the last six months, and increase internal efficiencies. A brief overview of the staff and their areas of responsibility follow in an effort to clarify who you should reach out to if you have questions or need assistance. Updates to the Library and departmental organizational charts are forthcoming.

 

Cindy Greenspun, Business Systems Analyst

Cindy is a direct report and will be responsible for current and future integrated library systems with a focus on circulation subsystems, access management systems that provide physical and virtual access to the Library and its resources, and the development of technical solutions to automate and improve workflows and processes.

 

Lauren King, Technical Assistant

Lauren will report to Cindy Greenspun and continue to work with Yale ITG in support of the iPad Loan Program in Bass Library, provide assistance updating web content for Access Services, and assist with the work of the unit.

 

Yue Ji, Senior Programmer Analyst

Yue is a direct report and will continue to be responsible for the development, implementation, and support of software solutions that both enhance enterprise systems such as ORBIS and ArchivesSpace and improve workflows and processes.

 

Robert Rice, Technical Lead

Bob is a direct report and will have a broad set of responsibilities to support the entire lifecycle of core systems and storage infrastructure for the Library and explore opportunities to transition services to providers such as Yale ITS, library vendors, and cloud infrastructure providers such as Amazon Web Services.

 

Steve DiSorbo, Senior Systems Programmer

Steve will report to Bob Rice and provide Unix, Linux, Windows Server, and VMware systems administration, systems programming, storage, and database support for Yale University Library’s local and hosted infrastructure.

 

Steelsen Smith, Business Systems Analyst

Steelsen is a direct report and will provide a leadership role in supporting current and future fulfillment systems and their respective user communities. This includes systems such as Aeon, Ares, ILLiad, consortial programs and associated systems, and GFA LAS.

 

Melissa Wisner, Senior Systems Librarian

Melissa is a direct report and will provide a leadership role in supporting current and future collections management systems and their respective user communities. This includes systems such as Voyager, ArchivesSpace, and Aeon.

 

I would like to thank Bernadette Cioffi, Michael Dula, Russell Epstein, Brad Warren, and the institutional union representative Kevin Pacelli for their assistance throughout the transition. I would like to also thank the staff in Enterprise Systems and Services for their patience, feedback, and high level of engagement throughout this reorganization.

ILLiad Successfully Migrated to Managed Yale ITS Infrastructure

"Library building details" by Anne is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Library building details” by Anne is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

ILLiad, the library’s interlibrary loan and scan and deliver management platform, has been successfully migrated to VMware infrastructure hosted by Yale ITS. The system is used to receive, track, and manage patron borrowing requests including physical delivery of items from libraries worldwide, scanned book chapters, and scanned articles from Yale University Library’s collections.  Yale ITS will now provide systems and database administrative support for the service. The Enterprise Systems group within Library IT will continue to act as the owner and primary point of contact for the service and Atlas Systems will continue to provide application support. ITS staff, including Robert Wolfe from the Windows systems administration team, Kathryn Dobbins from the database team, and John Lee from the information security group all worked closely with the library systems group and were instrumental in completing the transition on schedule.

 

FindIt, QuickSearch Security Design Review Completed

"data.path Ryoji.Ikeda - 4" by r2hox is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
data.path Ryoji.Ikeda – 4” by r2hox is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Yale University Library FindIt and QuickSearch services have completed a Security Design Review (SDR) by the Information Security Office of Yale ITS.  These systems use the Hydra repository solution as the underlying technology stack.  The SDR process is used to provide recommendations for building, improving, or reengineering services to meet University policies, industry best practices, laws, and regulation requirements.  Thanks to Bob Rice for evaluating and implementing the recommendations and Tom Castiello and Marcus Aden from the Information Security Office for their insight and participation.

Library IT Completes Work for Beinecke Videotape Digitization Initiative

"Video tape archive" by Drs Kulturarvsprojekt is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Video tape archive” by Drs Kulturarvsprojekt is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Staff within the Enterprise Systems and Architecture group have completed several areas of work that will allow the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library to move forward with their renewed video digitization effort starting in November 2014.  The Beinecke aims to digitize approximately 1,600 videotapes to both rescue at-risk material and provide greater access to these collections materials through the Beinecke Digital Library.  Special thanks to Steve DiSorbo, Systems Programmer and Yue Ji, Senior Programmer Analyst for all of their work on this project.

Library IT has completed the following in support of this initiative:

  • Expanded the tape repository that serves as the preservation end-point to accommodate the estimate 180TB of digital master video files that are anticipated to be created through digitization
  • Developed a general purpose Quality Control tool used to validate the successful capture of newly created digital surrogates.  This tool can be used going forward for other video digitization projects across Yale University Library
  • Developed various automation and integration functionality to move content from the SAMMA video capture stations to the tape repository, and capture technical and descriptive metadata throughout the process
  • And finally, expanded the Kaltura Video Platform, the video delivery service  used by the Beinecke Digital Library to stream content to patrons worldwide

Farewell Yufind: LibraryIT to retire beta service in October

The Enterprise Systems & Architecture group would like to announce that LibraryIT is retiring YuFind, the Yale University Library VuFind beta service. The link http://yufind.library.yale.edu/ will no longer be available after October 31st, 2014. Patron use was discontinued of some time ago and support for the service ceased in 2013.

Yufind was the one of the Library’s first forays into using an interface with facets and run off of a Solr index, and the lessons learned from this beta project have also informed the development of the Blacklight-powered Quicksearch beta, which also uses a central Solr index. 

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please contact raymond dot frohlich at yale dot edu.