This is the May 2017 edition of the Fedora Newsletter. This newsletter summarizes the most significant activities within the Fedora community over the last month.
Call for Action
Fedora is designed, built, used, and supported by the community. An easy and important way that you can contribute to the effort is by helping resolve outstanding bugs. If you have an interest in gaining a better understanding of the Fedora code base, or a specific interest in any of these bugs, please add a comment to a ticket and we can work together to move your interest forward.
Software development
Standards
Fedora API Specification
The Fedora community is working to establish a clearly defined specification for the core Fedora services. This specification details the exact services and interactions required for a server implementation to be verified as "doing Fedora".
The draft specification has been published and is looking for community comments. Following this round of input, we plan on an initial release of the specification in the spring of 2017.
Fedora API Adopters Guide
As the formalization of the Fedora API Specification matures, it will be increasingly important for existing applications and frameworks over Fedora to adjust client/server interactions to the specification. The services defined in the Fedora API Specification are the same ones that are currently provided by Fedora 4, but the interaction models in some cases are changing to be more in line with broader standards. The effort of this group is to facilitate the adjustment of client-side tooling by detailing the "deltas" between the current Fedora 4 implementation and the emerging specification.
Please stay tuned for updates and opportunities for engagement.
Community-driven Activity
Fedora Contributor Profiles
The Fedora project relies on many individuals and institutions to ensure the project's success. We are grateful for their commitment and will showcase their contributions in a series of community profiles aimed at recognizing our contributors’ achievements, and introducing them to the rest of the community. The second article in the Fedora Repository Contributor Profile series features Bethany Seeger from Amherst College Library, has been a contributor to the Fedora repository team for two years. Her focus is on MODS XML to RDF mapping as Amherst College Library migrates to Fedora 4. The full article can be found on the DuraSpace website.
Import/Export Tooling
One of the design goals of Fedora is to simplify the process of both getting your resources into and out of Fedora in a standardized way. This enables the reuse of Fedora resources in other contexts, such as exporting to a separate preservation system, as well as provides a pathway for migrating across Fedora installations. This design goal is being met by an external import/export tool that supports transacting in RDF and (optionally) BagIt bags.
We have organized another code sprint to address phase 3 requirements to take place May 15-26. If you would like to participate as developer, tester, or to write documentation, please contact Andrew Woods.
API-X
Performance and Scale
Conferences and events
In an attempt to simplify the task of keeping up with Fedora-related meetings and events, a Fedora calendar is available to the community as HTML and iCal .
Advanced Hydra Camp
Data Curation Experts is offering an Avanced Hydra Camp on May 8-10 in Minneapolis, MN. This camp is for developers with a year or more hands-on Hydra development experience who have already attended Hydra Camp or have equivalent knowledge. Please register in advance to attend.
Islandora Conference
The second Islandoracon will be held in Hamilton, Ontario from May 15 - 19, 2017. The conference schedule will take place over five days, including a day of post-conference sessions and a full-day Hackfest. Please register in advance to attend.
