VRA LA 2019: Spotlight on Friday Workshops

Dear colleagues,

Continuing on the theme of last week’s email, I’m writing again to give you some details on the workshops available to you on Friday at the VRA 2019 Annual Conference in Los Angeles. The final day of the conference features three technology-focused workshops designed to teach you new skills that you can take home and apply to your work. Again, participation in these workshops is limited, so don’t wait to register and take advantage of the great opportunities listed below.

• Advanced Embedded Metadata Export-Import in Adobe Bridge
  This workshop will introduce attendees to advanced use of the VRA Bridge export-import tool and Excel to streamline embedded metadata workflows. The export-import tool has several user controlled options including the ability to create custom field mappings. Combining these with strategies for text manipulation in Excel, users can reduce the time it takes to move metadata between media files and local databases. Topics covered:
  -Bridge Export-import tool options and custom field mapping
  -Preparing metadata for import in Excel (converting to and from text formats, batch transformations)
  -Troubleshooting Bridge export-import errors
  -User’s tips and tricks – tell us how you use it
  
  
• Mapping an Archive: Data, Data, Data
  As more faculty and students turn to visual representations and presentations of their research, whether it be for a class or a larger research project, we are tasked with interpreting and setting forth a path to help them carry their vision to reality. We are often left feeling overwhelmed and asking “How do I start such a large digital humanities project?” This workshop endeavors to present a case study in which a patron presents you with an archive of documents they would like to visualize on a map to answer one or more research questions. You will be guided through questions you should ask, best practices for setting up your data collection, models for employing student labor, and various mapping products that can display your data to a variety of ends (including pure visualization and narrative). Attendees will be expected to bring a laptop. We will focus on platform neutral online mapping programs, but will also discuss open source and desktop client software that is available. Although many tools are available, we will focus on selecting the right one for the project at hand, which includes budget, license, and skill level
  .
• Practical Coding for Visual Resources: Python & Version Control
  Learn to code in Python! Building off the excitement of last year’s Python workshop, we’re hosting another. Basic program design, version control, data management and task automation with tutorials and live coding exercises. This hands-on live coding workshop will help data managers learn Python and version control. Participants are required to bring their own laptop with a Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system (not a tablet, Chromebook, etc.) that they are able to install software on. Instructions for setup will be sent to registrants prior to the workshop.
  This workshop will take place from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including a one hour break for lunch.

I’m looking forward to seeing many of you in a couple of months! As always, please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Contributor:
Jacob Esselstrom
Vice President for Conference Program, VRA Executive Board