Archive for the ‘Drupal’ Category

Steve Petersen at Brick by Brick outlines 10 Drupal Fundamentals for readers just getting started with the content management system. If you’re not sure what the difference is between a node and a module you’ll want to check out this helpful post which will get you started. Here are the concepts discussed:

1. Node
2. Content Type
3. Views
4. Taxonomy
5. Block
6. Webform
7. User Role
8. Module
9. Themes
10. Input Formats

The latest issue of the Code4Lib journal has an excellent article by Nina McHale, Assistant Systems Administrator at the Arapahoe Library District, on the topic of Open Access Publishing with Drupal. If you’re considering moving to an open access model for your journal, you’ll want to check out this article which discusses the pros and cons of using the open source content management system Drupal as a solution.

“In January 2009, the Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) suspended publication of its print quarterly journal, Colorado Libraries, as a cost-saving measure in a time of fiscal uncertainty. Printing and mailing the journal to its 1300 members cost CAL more than $26,000 per year. Publication of the journal was placed on an indefinite hiatus until the editorial staff proposed an online, open access format a year later. The benefits to migrating to open access included: significantly lower costs; a green platform; instant availability of content; a greater level of access to users with disabilities; and a higher level of visibility of the journal and the association. The editorial staff chose Drupal, including the E-journal module, and while Drupal is notorious for its steep learning curve—which exacerbated delays to content that had been created before the publishing hiatus—the fourth electronic issue was published recently at coloradolibrariesjournal.org. This article will discuss both the benefits and challenges of transitioning to an open access model and the choice Drupal as a platform over other more established journal software options.”

Eric H. Lewis at the Bivings Report writes about 5 Things To Teach Yourself In Drupal. If you or your library uses this powerful content management system you’ll want to check out this post which provides “five public-facing edits that can be made easily by anyone with the most basic of computer skills.” Here are the topics discussed:

1. Changing the Navigation of Your Website
2. Creating a New Page
3. Changing the recipient of a webform
4. Creating An Unpublished Page
5. Adding A New User Profile

Danielle Rosenthal and Mario Bernardo write about Creating a Library Database Search using Drupal in the most recent issue of the Code4Lib Journal. If your library is one of the many which have adopted the Drupal content management system, you’ll want to give this article a look.

“When Florida Gulf Coast University Library was faced with having to replace its database locator, they needed to find a low-cost, non-staff intensive replacement for their 350 plus databases search tool. This article details the development of a library database locator, based on the methods described in Leo Klein’s “Creating a Library Database Page using Drupal” online presentation. The article describes how the library used Drupal along with several modules, such as CCK, Views, and FCKeditor. It also discusses various Drupal search modules that were evaluated during the process.”