On Mar 7, 2008, at 8:22 AM, Emily Lynema wrote:

> Also, there was discussion about building an Open Library API (to
> enable
> some cool integration with wikipedia), and I suggested a that
> libraries
> using an API would want the search results to include information
> about
> whether the title has a digitized copy. So I would hope the service
> that
> you're envisioning is something that would be provided by an Open
> Library API (but we don't know when that might come about).


I sat in on this discussion at the Meeting. It was driven by a
consultant-type who is working for Wikipedia. His desire was to
create an API that allowed people to authoritatively and consistently
cite content from Wikipedia to Open Library. Ultimately, this API
would allow a person to:

   * search Open Library via word, phrase, or key
   * return list of hits
   * select item
   * create "citation"
   * insert citation into Wikipedia article
   * regularly check the validity of the citation

Regarding the first two items I tried to suggest the use of SRU.
Regarding the last item, I tried to suggest OAI. In both cases I was
shot down. "Too complicated", at the same time, they were outlining
API's that had the *exact* functionality of SRU and OAI. I sort of
saw his point. "Library" protocols are usually overly-complicated,
yet he was totally unaware of either protocol. I also think he was
suffering a bit from the Not Invented Here Syndrome. We also got into
a bit of a religious war regarding the definition of REST-ful Web
Services.

In the end we talked a lot about JSON and a tiny bit about ATOM.

--
Eric Lease Morgan
University Libraries of Notre Dame