News

Join the OCLC Developer Network at ALA Midwinter

If you're planning to be in Boston weekend after next for the ALA Midwinter 2010 meeting, you'll want to put a couple of dates on your calendars now for developer-related events: Saturday, January 16 Reaching Consumers through Nontraditional Methods: What Can WorldCat Do for You? An interactive panel of librarians, library users and industry leaders share strategies of how WorldCat.org helps them reach consumers, researchers, developers and partner organizations through social tools, mobile apps, APIs and more. Speakers include: • Graeme Williams, a superpatron from the Waltham Public Library • Jennifer Freidman, Collections Manager and Public Services Librarian at MIT • Roy Tennant, technologist and co-founder of the OCLC Developer Network 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Westin Waterfront, Hancock Room Identity Management and Remote Authentication: an EZproxy Q&A Get answers to your toughest authentication and proxy server questions, and hear options for how identity management might evolve. You'll learn best practices for successful EZproxy implementations, and get an update on the new hosted EZproxy option. Current and prospective EZproxy users welcome. 4:00 - 5:00 p.m., Westin Waterfront, OCLC Red Suite (ask at the hotel front desk, or follow the signs) Sunday, January 17 OCLC Developer Network Luncheon Come for lunch on us in an informal setting to hear an update about the OCLC Developer Network, see the apps already built with the WorldCat Basic API, and get the chance to brainstorm with others about new ways to enrich your users' experience with additional data. 12:00 noon - 1:30 p.m., Westin Waterfront, Webster Room OCLC Blog Salon Not just for bloggers anymore! The blog salon is open and welcome for anyone interested in "Web 2.0" kinds of stuff--from blogs and tweets to APIs, mash-ups, mobile apps and more. It's your chance to rub shoulders with other technically and social-media savvy folks, and make some new friends in a relaxed, social setting. 5:30 - 8:00 p.m., Westin Waterfront, Stone Room Register now to reserve your spot at these ALA Midwinter sessions. (For everything except the Blog Salon, which doesn't need an RSVP...just come!)

Submitted by alicesneary on Tue, 01/05/2010 - 4:57pm

Conferences

WorldCat Basic API now available

Now anyone and everyone can create apps and mash-ups using library data from WorldCat, the world's largest library catalog. Because the WorldCat Basic API is here! This new API is a simplified version of the WorldCat Search API. Send it RESTful URI queries in OpenSearch, and it retrieves results in RSS or Atom.

Submitted by alicesneary on Thu, 12/10/2009 - 1:14pm

Services

Developer Network luncheon at ALA MW in Boston

Once again, the OCLC Developer Network will be hosting a luncheon at ALA. If you're planning to be in Boston, please register for the lunch (and other OCLC events) soon because space is limited:

Submitted by alicesneary on Mon, 12/07/2009 - 12:32pm

Conferences

WorldCat Mashathon in Seattle: a (long-awaited) wrap up

The OCLC Developer Network and University Libraries at the University of Washington hosted a fantastic WorldCat Mashathon earlier this month in Seattle, WA, US

Submitted by alicesneary on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 10:48am

Conferences

WorldCat Search API is number 7!

Well right now it is -- number 7 in Google Search results for 'search APIs' sharing company with some pretty famous search APIs. I wouldn't classify this as 'huge news' but fun to note. Report in with your new WorldCat API consuming applications -- keep us up to date! Don WorldCat Search API #7 in Google Search Results

3 comments

Submitted by hamparid on Fri, 11/20/2009 - 4:04pm

Services

For Those About to Mash, We Salute You

OK, so it isn't Rock 'n Roll. So sue me. But just as rockers can have fun doing what they love, so can library coders. And this Thursday and Friday, that's exactly what a bunch of us will be doing in Seattle -- having fun.

Submitted by rtennant on Tue, 11/03/2009 - 11:59pm

Mashathons

OCLC Mobile Developers at Internet Librarian 2009

If you're an information professional in Monterey, CA this week, chances are you're at Internet Librarian. And one of the great mobile-related sessions you won't want to miss this year is being hosted tomorrow by Cindy Cunningham, the Director of OCLC Partner Programs and includes a number of mobile developers. Here's the scoop: Tuesday, 27 October 1:30-2:30 pm C203 Putting Your library on a Mobile phone

Moderator: Cindy Cunningham, Director of OCLC Partner Programs
Greg Carpenter, CEO & Technical Lead, Boopsie, and WorldCat Mobile Pilot partner
Bruce Washburn, OCLC Research Engineer and iPhone WorldCat Search API Web App Creator
Jeff Sharkey, Google Android Developer, Compare Everywhere App

This demo and lively panel discussion highlights what OCLC has learned so far in reaching library users through their mobile phones. Hear from three different developers about how they approached working with WorldCat library data in the mobile format, and how each one designed the optimal user experienceit's so much more than screen size. Learn more about how to approach "going mobile" with your library, what factors to consider from the library side, and see what's possible technically.

Submitted by alicesneary on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 4:41pm

Conferences

Registration reminder for WorldCat Mashathon Seattle

If you're interested to attend the WorldCat Mashathon in Seattle next month, it's time to register! There are still plenty of spaces for developers and non-developers who simply want to learn more.

Submitted by alicesneary on Wed, 10/21/2009 - 12:48pm

Conferences

OCLC Web Services at LITA National Forum

If you're lucky enough to be in Salt Lake City today, chances are you're at the LITA National Forum 2009. I wanted to highlight a couple of sessions that might be of interest to you, as a member of the OCLC Developer Network. Our own Bruce Washburn and CIndy Cunningham will be there, along with a host of other good speakers:

Session Today Friday, Oct. 2, 4:20-5:30 pm, Alpine West, Hilton Salt Lake City Center Putting your Library on a Mobile Phone--It's More than Screen Size Cindy Cunningham (OCLC) Offering library-based information in a mobile environment is not about exporting your OPAC onto a mobile phone, and there is much more to the user experience than screen real estate. Learn about what mobile library access is really about and how to create an optimal user experience. (Note that Cindy will also be showing the WorldCat Mobile pilot, which is powered by the WorldCat Search API and the WorldCat Registry. Session Tomorrow Saturday, Oct. 3, 10:50 a.m. - noon, Alpine West, Hilton Salt Lake City Center Real Life Experiences with Library APIs Bruce Washburn (OCLC), Karen A. Coombs (University of Houston) Have you wondered just what an API is, and what it would mean to use one? Are you thinking of investing effort into building new systems that rely on APIs, or enhancing an existing service with API-provided data? Bruce Washburn will describe the APIs offered by OCLC, and how these are built to support production-level services, global availability, new markets, and web scale activity. Then, Karen Coombs of the University of Houston will discuss the evolution of the Library's use of APIs offered by OCLC in combination with other APIs and the role these currently play in extending information access for the UH community. Slides for both presentations are out on the LITA site on ALAConnect. Look forward to seeing you there!

Submitted by alicesneary on Fri, 10/02/2009 - 11:25am