1. think locally
code globally
code4lib JAPAN - 2013-09-01 - 南三陸町
@dchud - Daniel Chudnov - dchud @ gwu edu
* equidistant conic map w/d3 by mbostock, http://bl.ocks.org/mbostock/3734317
*

2. 英語で、
どうもすみません

3. slideshare.net / dchud
please follow along!

4. me
my employer
my community
{local
global
}

5. me • employer • community
employer • community • me
community • me • employer
me • community • employer
community • employer • me
employer • me • community

6. *自己紹介
•hacker / librarian
•jake - early link resolver
•prospero - early web
document delivery
•oss4lib.org - pro-free/
libre/open source site
* self-introduction
{yale

7. •dspace
•code4lib
•coins / unapi
•wdl.org
•chronicling america
•pb-scale content mgmt
•twitter
{lc
{mit
{yale

8. manager{gwu

9. hacking code
hacking culture
in libraries!

10. HACK
OR DIE! *
* @tzhaya, code4lib 2011

11. let’s focus
on
culture

12. code4lib - the beginning
•web4lib
•xml4lib
•perl4lib
•php4lib
•python4lib?
~2002

13. all the same people 4 lib

14. how about
just
“code4lib”?

15. 2002 - list
2003 - irc
2004 - more people
2005 - mini conference
2006 - real conference
2007 - journal
2009 - local
2010 - JAPAN
2012 - job board

16. why this success?
•we needed each other
•we removed divisions
•we welcomed new
people
•the time was right
•a good culture hack!

17. see something we need?
go do it!

18. a
“rough consensus
and
running code”
community culture

19. I made this, w/code! flickr.com/photos/dchud/4205315880/

20. members
self-identify
and
self-select

21. that’s
it
!

22. it’s rough sometimes
but it (mostly) works

23. it’s
my community
now, it’s
your community
too
ようこそ！

24. ...back to
my employer...

25. hacking culture
at
GW Libraries
in
several steps

26. we write
code for libraries
among many other things, but this is code4lib, so...

27. goal: write
meaningful code
that helps people
reliably well

28. how
?

29. we use github
extensively
github . com / gwu - libraries

31. we use a
university-approved
free software license

32. MIT-style

33. step 0 - write code
step 1 - share code
but...

34. we did not
talk with each other
enough
about our code

35. a
“rough code
and
no consensus”
local culture

36. two ways to talk about code
•review each other’s code
•read other people’s code

37. code review

38. old workflow:
make a change,
publish the change

39. new workflow:
propose a change,
someone else decides
whether to publish

40. use github culture
• create a git branch
• commit changes locally
• push branch to github
• create a pull request
• review each others’ pull
requests

41. ≥2 people see
every change
and discuss issues

42. take
a global practice
make
a local workflow

43. code read

44. code read
• once per week
• open up some code on github
• read it together
• include colleagues from other
departments
• so far: pymarc, bagit.py, bento_search
(ruby/rails), arduino, catmandu (perl)

45. why read code?
• people ask questions
• teach each other about how
code works
• no ego - somebody else’s code!

46. who’s qualified?
•everyone who comes!
•self-selected - if you want
to attend, you’re qualified
•acknowledge, temper
Imposter Syndrome *
* wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

47. code read benefits
• engages non-coder specialists in
algorithmic thinking
• engages coder in other areas of
specialization
• deepens respect for each other
• helps non-coders talk about code
• helps coders talk with each other

48. make
a local practice
share it globally

49. step 0 - write code
step 1 - share code
step 2 - talk about code

50. next:
grow the culture
include more people

51. two ways to add people
•connect local people
to global code4lib
•solve local problems
via global code4lib

52. i used to think
everyone should code

53. then i saw this

54. we code4libbers
self-select

55. new goal:
connect one local
colleague
to code4lib

56. benefits
• new person connects,
contributes to broader
community
• bridges code4lib through
their own unique experience
• brings in ideas, projects from
community i’d miss

57. risks
•might not like it at all
•might like it a lot!
•might find another job

58. i accept those risks
gladly

59. step 0 - write code
step 1 - share code
step 2 - talk about code
step 3 - add more people

60. good news:
this scales!

61. code4libconf history
• 2005 - 10 people, no real plan
• 2006 - 80+ people, planned out
• 2013 - 380 people, full agenda, and
attendees from Europe and Japan!

62. we have a good mix
but there are
more risks

63. 1.
what are the
social bottlenecks? *
* with apologies and gratitude to @i2k for the idea

64. bottlenecks to
community growth
•perception of cliques - hard for
new people
•more overhead for organizing
•sometimes hard to stick with
“rough consensus”

65. biggest bottleneck
•missing opportunities to
grow stronger together
through better
understanding of our
differences and
vulnerabilities *
* see @eosadler’s code4lib 2013 talk

66. 2.
give new people
a real chance
to help lead

67. “...growing [wikipedia]
requires making it easier and
more rewarding to contribute
occasionally.” *
* aaronsw,“Who Writes Wikipedia?”

68. 3.
fast, cheap, good
はやい、やすい、うまい
which two?
* thanks again to @i2k for inspiration

69. connect fast,
connect well
はやい、うまい！

70. like meaningful code,
meaningful relationships
take time
and are never cheap

71. summary

72. invest in these
connections
for yourself,
for your employer,
for our community

73. when you
connect globally
you improve
your work locally

74. optimize
for
participation

75. please keep in touch!
@dchud