minimal computing for image collections:

the case of wax

alex gil (@elotroalex) + marii nyrop (@mariinyrop)

columbia university libraries

what do we really need?

equalizers

  • control

  • energy

  • bandwidth + data

  • the internet

  • the maintainers

  • the learners

  • the editors

  • preservation

wax is a workflow comprised of a few ruby gems, some customizable ui components, and documentation for creating, deploying, and maintaining digital exhibitions.

one ruby gem, wax_tasks, focuses on a few key tasks for data processing, including:

+ generating markdown pages from csv, json, or yaml files

+ generating iiif image derivatives for deep-zooming viewers and interoperable image content from source images

+ generating a json search index

jekyll (which is another ruby gem) then converts these files to static html pages with the help of wax-specific layouts and components that users can customize.

next steps

+ page load benchmarking + optimization

+ ‘micro’ wax: wax w/ flat image files that can run off a thumb drive

+ more documentation and stability

+ incorporating user feedback

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