In current libraries, museums and archives, touch screens provide new ways to engage users. They can for instance contextualize exhibition contents, offer visual access to collections, and provide navigational help in the institutional space. However, creating applications and content for these screens is not straightforward.
Within the Visual Navigation Project, we have gained experience with creating and utilizing touch table applications in a library setting. On the 20th of November, we organize a workshop in the University of Oslo Science Library. In this workshop, we will utilize the open-source XIMPEL framework, which allows for building interactive media applications by means of XML-based playlists. Our special guest at the workshop is Winoe Bhikharie, from the Netherlands, experienced web app developer and architect of the XIMPEL framework, based in the Netherlands.
In this hands-on workshop, we introduce ways to create touch screen applications. The first part of the workshop introduces XIMPEL, and participants will learn how to structure XIMPEL playlists and create their first application. The second part of the workshop focuses on ways to build library-specific applications using XIMPEL, and on how to deploy such applications. Finally, the workshop offers the opportunity to test out the newly created applications on a tablet, touch table, as well as on a large touch screen.
This workshop is free of charge and open to anyone interested in the use of touch screens in libraries or other cultural heritage institutions, and does not require prior technical knowledge. The workshop is now fully booked. Contact h.c.huurdeman@ub.uio.no for more information, or to be put on the waiting list
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Format: The workshop involving short tutorials, practical exercises, and work in small groups. There is no need for prior knowledge of HTML, programming and/or XML, but potential knowledge can be helpful for optional exercises.
Requirements: Participants must bring a laptop with a Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system (not a tablet, etc.) that they have administrative privileges on, and be able to use the Chrome browser. Further preparation instructions for the workshop are available here.