Hi, I'm John Jackson.
I’m a cataloging librarian who bikes, writes, codes, and tinkers. This is my portfolio and repository of personal projects. Here are a few subject headings that may describe me:
Public librarians.
Catalogers.
Cyclists.
Computer programmers.
Bloggers.
Software engineering.
These are some sundry software projects I've dabbled in over the years.
Coronate: a Swiss chess tournament manager
I created my own chess tournament manager. It's free and open source for anyone to use, but especially designed for libraries and small clubs.
Acutis template language
Acutis is a programming language that I created from scratch. This website is built with it!
Maximum weighted matching finder
This interactive webpage explains how to use maximum weighted matching theory to do things like pair chess players.
Writing.
Besides the documents on this website, here are some of my writing projects.
Blogs.
Bike Walk Life blog
As a longtime bicycle commuter, I use this blog to discuss stories and issues from the world of biking and walking. I especially focus on the Southeast U.S.
Software engineering.
The Acutis template language, or: how I over-engineered a program that just prints text
This is the story of how and why I built the Acutis template language. It explains the decisions I made, the problems I solved, and the technical details involved.
Chess Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Your Library’s First Chess Tournament: From Opening to Endgame
I've published a guide to running a library chess tournament on Programming Librarian. It covers all of the basic knowledge such as scorekeeping and pairing, plus other tips that a library worker (or anyone directing a tournament) would need to know.
How to Play Chess: a reference for novices and veterans
I ran a successful chess program from 2017 to 2020. At the time, I couldn't find any satisfactory guides to give to participants. This is one that I wrote myself which aims to cover all of the necessary knowledge without being too long or too short.
Video recording
Social distancing library videos
I produced instructional videos for Chattahoochee Valley Libraries as part of a response to the COVID-19 crisis. These videos helped extend library services to patrons while our doors were closed to the public.
Master of Science degree Library Science.
I graduated with a master of library science degree from the University of South Carolina with a focus on academic and digital libraries. These pages include samples of my work accomplished during that time.
Academic libraries.
Academic Library Student Support
Here, I walk through a hypothetical student project and explain how I, as an academic librarian, would assist throughout the process.
Open Access Presentation
These are the slides and notes from a presentation I did on the state of open access in academic libraries.
Academic Library Faculty Support
I describe several key topics affecting academic libraries and how I could assist faculty with them: data management plans, open access, and intellectual property policy.
Data Management Plan: Evolving Pronouns
In conjunction with my student support project, this is an example data management plan I created.
Technical services (Libraries).
Ex Libris OPAC Analysis
I explain the pros and cons of using the Ex Libris OPAC for an academic library.
Collection Development Policy
I worked with a team to create this original collection development policy a fictional library and critiqued three existing policies.
Selection Policy & Materials Project
I selected books with funds donated to a fictional university library. To aid selection, I compared policies from similar, real-world, institutions.
Research Library resources.
Researching the Distribution of Hispanic and Latino Children’s Books in United States Public Libraries
I worked with a team that researched the distribution of Hispanic and Latino children's books in various US libraries.
Library Twitter Text Analysis With R Presentation
These are the slides and notes from a presentation I did on using language analysis of Twitter accounts with the R programming language.
Chattahoochee Valley Environmental Analysis
I wrote this analysis of the community surrounding the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries in Columbus, GA.
Carpentry Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Sometimes I build furniture, and these are the guides I wrote for them.
Marble-top Chessboard End Table
I made a custom end-table with an old marble chessboard and some two-by-fours. This guide covers how it was done, and some tips for building your own.
Standing Desk Converter with Scrap Wood
I turned a old, regular desk into a fancy new standing desk. This covers how I did it, how you can make your own, and some general tips about standing desks.
