Mike Giarlo is a coder for libraries

[ Experience ~ Education ~ Honors ~ Memberships ~ Committees ]

Experience

Senior Software Engineer & Architect at Stanford University Libraries

September 2015 - Present

  • Accomplishments
    • TODO: fill these out
  • Focuses on the design, development, and maintenance of Stanford’s digital library, especially the Stanford Digital Repository (SDR)
  • Coordinates the agile- and community-based development of SDR and its components, working extensively with open source software and projects
  • Performs difficult or complex programming and analysis work typically involving multi-project leadership and broad responsibility
  • Contributes to all phases of a project, including systems analysis, program design, development, and implementation
  • Works on systems and programs typically covering two or more functions, large single functions, or major portions of large functions, interfacing with other complex systems and programs
  • Provides innovative programming and analysis skills

NOTE: The first ~2 years of this position were funded by a grant, during which my role was Technical Manager of the Hydra-in-a-Box project. That role had the following functions:

  • Accomplishments
    • TODO: fill these out
  • Served as the technical lead for a distributed, multi-institutional development team working to enhance, bundle and deploy a feature complete, and “turnkey”, Samvera-based digital repository solution
  • Led the agile, user-centered development practice of engineers at three formal project partners, and enlist / facilitate contributions from the greater Samvera community
  • Adjudicated overall technical design and direction on the team
  • Responsible for coordinating with the Product Manager, Project Manager and User Experience Designers on cross-functional issues

Digital Library Architect at The Pennsylvania State University

December 2009 – September 2015

  • Accomplishments
    • Conducted a systematic review of platforms used by the University Libraries to deliver digital content.
    • Co-founded CURATEcamp—a series of unconferences about the practice of digital curation—and facilitated several of these events.
    • Served as Co-Principal Investigator and technical project manager of the Databib project, a crowdsourced annotated bibliography of research data repositories.
    • Invited to serve on numerous federal grant panels and review boards.
    • Led Penn State’s effort to join the Hydra Project as an adopter and then as a partner.
    • Designed the architectures, and co-developed the code, for the prototype repository, the ScholarSphere research repository service, and other repository services and components.
    • Served as Program Chair of the 2012 Research Data Access & Preservation Summit.
    • Served as Program Co-Chair of the 2014 International Conference on Open Repositories.
    • Served on Advisory Board of the 2015 Advancing Research Communication & Scholarship conference.
    • Served on program committees of numerous conferences including the Digital Library Federation Forum, the International Conference on Open Repositories, and the Access Conference.
    • Published and presented on the above work.
  • Articulated a vision for, and led the design and development of, a technical architecture for durable access to the institution’s digital assets.
  • Mentored software developers in the development of the technical architecture.
  • Developed, published, and maintained a roadmap for service and infrastructure implementation.
  • Collaborated on and contributed to strategic and tactical planning and implementation in the area of digital stewardship and technology strategy.
  • Tracked technology trends and standards evolution, and contributed to developments in the field.
  • Engaged in national and consortial efforts in the digital library domain, and sought mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations with peer institutions.
  • Advocated and effected cultural, processual, and organizational changes in support of an institutional information strategy.
  • Liaised among IT software development, operations, and security teams, and between IT and the University Libraries/Archives to build broad support for an institutional information strategy.
  • Collaborated with stakeholders, curators, archivists, and senior IT staff to provide preservation planning and repository audit & certification.

Information Technology Specialist at The Library of Congress

October 2007 – December 2009 2.5-yr. position

  • Designed, developed, and managed the descriptive metadata mapping utility for the World Digital Library project’s cataloging application.
  • Coordinated the assembly, packaging, and transfer of digital objects between the World Digital Library cataloging application and exhibit application.
  • Developed RDF views for the WDL exhibit application for linking open data.
  • Researched identifier usage at the Library of Congress and co-chaired the repository subgroup of the NISO working group on institutional identifiers.
  • Developed software for an institution-wide effort to evaluate and remediate metadata for digital content.
  • Developed use cases, unit tests, and workflows for the National Digital Newspaper Program’s transfer subsystem.
  • Automated transport of digital content from the Library’s partners – e.g., from the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) – to archival storage, accommodating integrity checking and inventory operations.

Software Engineering Consultant for Project Conifer

May 2008 – August 2008 Freelance

  • Developed components of acquisitions and serials modules for the open-source integrated library system Evergreen for Knowledge Ontario’s Project Conifer.
  • Worked on a Ruby client for the OpenSRF messaging back-end.
  • Researched how to handle EDI for vendor transactions, e.g., exchange of purchase orders.

Web Development Consultant for Western New York Library Resources Council

February 2007 – June 2008 Freelance

Designed and developed websites including:

  • Graphic design
  • PHP programming
  • Theme and plugin editing
  • Working with WordPress, bbPress, and MediaWiki software

Web Development Consultant for Designing Better Libraries

January 2007 – Present Freelance

  • Designed and developed the WordPress-based Designing Better Libraries blog. Continuing to manage, upgrade, and modify the blog as needs arise.

Digital Library Applications Programmer at Princeton University Library

October 2006 – October 2007 1 yr. position

  • Developed software and metadata (METS, MODS, EAD, MPEG-21) for digital collections.
  • Led in selection, design, and development of a digital collections repository.
  • Created a web application for management, creation, and validation of persistent identifiers for digital collection objects, catalog records, and the university repository.
  • Implemented an XQuery/XML-based metadata harvesting interface for digital collections.
  • Released all source code via an open-source MIT/X11 license.
  • Managed source code repositories and project management sites.

Senior Computer Specialist at Information Technology Services, University of Washington Libraries

November 2005 – September 2006

  • Designed and developed an interface between campus course management system and library resources.
  • Contributed technical expertise, analysis, troubleshooting, and operational support to the Libraries’ Windows- and Linux-based systems.
  • Participated in the design, development, implementation, and management of computing and networking services to Libraries’ staff and users.
  • Provided technical support to system users.
  • Served as an information assistant at the Suzzallo and Allen Library Information Desks.
  • Prepares and maintains procedural and architectural documentation of software and systems, and end-user documentation.

Network/Systems Administrator at Scholarly Communication Center, Rutgers University Libraries

July 2000 – September 2005

  • Technical Project Coordinator of New Jersey Digital Highway
    • Served as release manager for the New Jersey Digital Highway project.
    • Scheduled, scoped, and coordinated software releases
    • Wrote documentation pertaining to software code quality and to release procedures
    • Managed project milestones and deadlines
    • Worked with developers, systems administrators, managers, and other stakeholders
  • Focused primarily on digital library research and development.
  • Designed and implemented infrastructure of the University’s institutional repository and the New Jersey Digital Highway project, a statewide digital initiative to discover and provide access to cultural heritage materials.
  • Served on search committees for various student and library staff positions, such as Unit Computing Specialist and Application Programmer positions within the department.
  • Managed a mix of systems/network work, application development, user support, liaisonship, information architecture, project management, electronic text processing, digital library research, and staff coordination.
  • Planned and administered microcomputer equipment, software, servers, and local area network.
  • Acted as technical advisor to library faculty and staff in developing electronic resources.
  • Supervised a small systems staff comprised of undergraduate students who were responsible for assisting with systems and network administration tasks in addition to end-user technical support.

Systems Programmer/Analyst at Library of Science and Medicine, Rutgers University Libraries

January 1999 – July 2000

  • Researched and deployed numerous methods of publishing databases to the web
  • Designed and implemented computer programs and documentation in support of library instruction and information services.
  • Evaluated and recommended microcomputer and telecommunications hardware and software for use with multimedia workstations and network accessibility.
  • Set up and maintained electronic resources based in the Science Libraries.
  • Supported electronic information services programs for all of the University Libraries
  • Provided computer application software support to science libraries staff.
  • Provided computer application software training to library-wide staff

Technologist at Waystation Networking

June 1996 – June 1999

  • Maintained BSD/OS UNIX system & fulfilled UNIX sysadmin duties.
  • Monitored system resources, user quotas, & device integrity.
  • Drafted and enforced company policy for responsible Internet use.
  • Managed Windows-based domain servers.
  • Designed a technical support process and integrated it with software to simplify and expedite support calls.
  • Configured and maintained DNS server
  • Provided technical and sales support to patrons.

Education

May 2006
[Professional Master of Arts in Computational Linguistics](http://compling.washington.edu/) [_Did not complete coursework -- took leave of absence_], College of Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, US
January 2006
Master of Library and Information Science, [School of Communication, Information and Library Studies](http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, US
January 1998
Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Philosophy, _Magna Cum Laude_ with Departmental Honors, [Henry Rutgers Scholar](http://hrthesis.rutgers.edu/) in Linguistics, Rutgers College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, US
May 1995
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Middlesex County College, Edison, NJ, US

Honors and Awards

August 2012
["Academic Architect" Interview](http://stream.it.psu.edu/story4/v2/i1), Penn State IT Stream Magazine
May 2005
Outstanding Student in Technical Services/Information Systems Award, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Master of Library and Information Science program
April 2005
[Technology Innovation Award](http://www.njla.org/njacrl/techinnov.html) (Honorable mention), New Jersey Library Association, [College and University Section](http://www.njla.org/njacrl/)
March 2005
Interview, New Jersey Special Libraries Association, [Bulletin](http://units.sla.org/chapter/cnj/Bulletin/current_issue_files/NJSLA3-2005.pdf)
May 2004
[Merit Award for Creative Use of Electronic Resources](http://units.sla.org/chapter/cuny/news.html#SARC),Upstate New York Special Libraries Association, Student and Academic Relations Committee
April 2004
Technology Innovation Award, New Jersey Library Association, College and University Section
December 1997
[Henry Rutgers Scholarship](http://hrthesis.rutgers.edu/), Rutgers College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
January 1997
[Phi Beta Kappa](http://pbk.org/), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
January 1995
[Phi Theta Kappa](http://ptk.org/), Middlesex County College

Professional Memberships

2009 – Present
Member, [Information Technology Architects in Academia](http://www.itana.org/) (ITANA)
2006 – Present
Member & Volunteer, [Code4Lib](http://code4lib.org/) (code for libraries)
2006 – 2007
Member, Library and Information Technology Association
2005 – 2007
Member, International Association for Social Science Information Service & Technology
2004 – 2007
Member, American Library Association
2004 – 2007
Member, New Jersey Library Association [Sections: Information Technologies]
2004 – 2007
Member, American Society for Information Science and Technology [SIGs: Digital Libraries, Library Technologies]
2005 – 2006
Member, Association for Computational Linguistics
2004 – 2006
Member & Webmaster, [Rutgers University Special Libraries Association](http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~rusla/)
1999 – 2007
Member & Presenter, VALE-NJ Technology Awareness Group

Committees & Working Groups

2010 – Present
_Associate Member_, Penn State University Library Faculty Organization
2010 – Present
Penn State Content Stewardship Council
2007 – Present
Code4Lib Conference Planning Group
2011 – 2012
Penn State University Data Curation Services Working Group
2011 – 2013
Penn State University Architectural Review Board
2010 – 2012
Penn State University Libraries Research Data Management Services Team
2010 – 2012
MetaArchive Cooperative Preservation Committee
2010 – 2012
National Digital Stewardship Alliance, Infrastructure Working Group
2010 – 2011
Penn State University Libraries Next-Generation Discovery Interface RFP Planning & Evaluation Committees
2008 – 2012
[NISO Institutional Identifiers](http://www.niso.org/workrooms/i2) Working Group, Core Group
2009
Library of Congress Repository Development Center Architecture Team
2009
Library of Congress Repository Development Center Planning Team
2009
Library of Congress [Metadata for Digital Content](http://www.loc.gov/standards/mdc/) Committee
2008 – 2009
_Co-Chair & Tech Lead_, NISO Institutional Identifiers Working Group, Institutional Repositories Scenario Group
2006 – 2007
unAPI Specification Development Team
2006 – 2007
Princeton University Library Digital Library Operations Group
2005 – 2006
University of Washington Libraries Organization Development and Communications Advisory Committee
2005 – 2006
University of Washington [Digital Futures Alliance](http://digitalfuturesalliance.org/), Technical Issues Working Group
2004 – 2007
[Dublin Core Kernel Metadata Working Group](http://dublincore.org/groups/kernel/)
2003 – 2004
Rutgers University Libraries Archival Storage Selection Team
2003 – 2005
New Jersey Digital Highway Infrastructure Workgroup
2002 – 2005
Rutgers University Libraries Repository Implementation Team
2002 – 2005
Rutgers University Libraries Digital Architecture Working Group
2001 – 2003
Rutgers University Libraries Web Content Management System Thinktank
2000 – 2001
Rutgers University Libraries Electronic Journal Development Team
1999 – 2005
Rutgers University Libraries Personal Computer Working Group

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