Last week, Denise Bonin from Andornot consulting joined SLA@SLAIS to teach SLAISers about the ins and outs of the database software program DB/TextWorks. Some of us were there to get help using the software for the Digital Images and Collections’ project, while others just wanted another workshop to add to the ol’ CV.
Fortified with hot beverages and tasty donuts we were first introduced to the text database and its navigation. We got to take a crack at the sample databases provided to test search functions, editing and adding entries. We learned the power of different display views and while customizing our own data entry displays bought out the nascent graphic designer in some, an appreciation for later eyes lead to some more sedate choices.
With that first chunk of knowledge under our belts the post-lunch program allowed us to begin designing our own databases based on our own needs – with a few sample suggestions to start off those who hadn’t yet decided. Denise made some good points about structuring the database with a view towards later troubleshooting and away we went into the nitty gritty of DB/TextWorks. A few short hours of work and many questions later most of us had worked through quite a few options in building and displaying our textbases. At the end we could safely say we were well practiced in how to establish a data structure and design menu, search, and display forms.
Denise did a fabulous job orientating those of us new to database design, but the day could not have happened without the help our SLA@SLAIS members. Special thanks must go out to Meghan Whyte, Helen Brown, Kathryn Rowswell and Frank Sayre for organizing the event and also to Mary Jinglewski who provided the group with breakfast and a wonderful spread of meats, cheese, cookies and fruit for lunch.
Thank you all for coming out, to the SLA@SLAIS workshop committee, and a very special thank you again to Denise for coming in all the way from Nanaimo!
