Library web development problems and solutions

CHICAGO — Plenty of resources offer you snippets of code and a variety of tutorials can show you the solutions to web development problems. But it’s much more valuable (and a better investment of your time!) to learn some core problem-solving skills. “Library Web Development: Beyond Tips and Tricks,” published by ALA Editions, shares key rules and strategies that will empower you to become a confident coder and web developer, ready to think through whatever complications present themselves. Author Jason Bengtson, an expert developer, describes 11 challenges typical of a library setting and ones he has faced himself. He then walks you through his thinking, with explorations of alternate approaches, as he works toward a solution. As you follow along, you’ll gain wisdom involving scenarios such as:

• integrating a reader app with Dspace;
• tips when using a public API;
• troubleshooting a Google Analytics Event hook in a new application;
• building a database from a collection of CSV files;
• collecting information from a university’s web pages to display in the library website; and
• moving mass quantities of information to the next page of your app.

Bengtson is the head of information technology services at Kansas State University Libraries, where he currently holds the academic rank of Assistant Professor. He is a full stack web developer, and the author of numerous articles on library technology.

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