Ryan's message (I guess seeing "academia") made me think of Athens,
which made me further think "Hey, Subscription Databases are just
ITCHING for OpenID!".  I mean, come on... The methods we have for
database authentication aren't working well...

1) authenticating to a proxy and browsing the database through it:
Extra bandwidth is needed, meaning additional cost
2) HTTP_REFERER: Lots of firewalls are blocking this... not to mention
the need to click about 3+ layers of links and potentially entering a
library card number before using the resource
3) Registering a service-specific user ID in the library or remote via
method 1 or 2: Who wants another username/password?

Here's a scenario: I want to access Novelist.  So, I go to my library
web site.  I disable my firewall so that HTTP_REFERER will be passed
on.  I dig out my library card and enter the number on Ebsco's page.
I'm finally where I want to be...

Now, if Novelist implemented OpenID, I could simply go straight there
(whether or not I've ever been there), I can just go to the Novelist
web site and enter the OpenID that I've set up with my library.  1
step, 1 set of credentials.  All is good.

And, this could potentially be expanded so that if my patron is
delinquent, the database can deny him access!

Now, come on... who doesn't think OpenID would be GREAT for
subscription databases?

On 3/22/07, Ryan Eby <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I haven't seen much in library world outside of some talk/discussion.
> I did come across one academia that did implement it:
>
> http://blog.case.edu/jms18/2007/03/09/openid_server_integrated_with_cas
>
> Not sure if it's taken off much otherwise in the academic or public
> sector. I think quite a few are lucky to get any authentication
> working well.
>
> Ryan
>
> On 3/22/07, William Denton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > I hadn't been too clear on OpenID but a week or two ago I listened to a
> > recording of a talk about that explained it well.  I can't find it again,
> > unfortunately, but you can take my word for it that it was pretty good.
> >
> > Is OpenID being used in libraries?  It struck me that it could work well
> > for library systems that share resources: two systems that are part of the
> > same consortium or provincial/state system; two neighbouring public
> > systems that let people from one borrow at the other; academic libraries
> > that want to make it easy for visiting profs and grad students to get
> > temporary access to online resources; etc.
> >
> > Say I live in Lower Mowat but one day I'm in Upper Mowat, in the next
> > municipality (or county, or whatever) over, visiting my tailor.  The two
> > library systems are separate but share their resources.  I pop into the
> > library to update my Twittering friends on my inseam measurement.  I don't
> > actually have an account at the Upper Mowat Library, but I log in to one
> > of their computers using my Lower Mowat-supplied OpenID identifier, and
> > the Upper Mowat system recognizes where I'm from and gives me access to
> > everything.
> >
> > Bill
> > --
> > William Denton, Toronto : miskatonic.org : frbr.org : openfrbr.org
> >
>