Hey Owen,

Seems like the you could use the <dlf:holdings> element to hold this kind of individual library information.

The DLF-ILS documentation doesn't seem to think that you would use dlf:simpleavailability here, though, but rather MARC or ISO holdings schemas.

But if you're controlling both ends of the communication, I don't know if it really matters.

--Dave

==================
David Walker
Library Web Services Manager
California State University
http://xerxes.calstate.edu
________________________________________
From: Code for Libraries [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Owen Stephens [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [CODE4LIB] Help with DLF-ILS GetAvailability

I'm working with the University of Oxford to look at integrating some library services into their VLE/Learning Management System (Sakai). One of the services is something that will give availability for items on a reading list in the VLE (the Sakai 'Citation Helper'), and I'm looking at the DLF-ILS GetAvailability specification to achieve this.

For physical items, the availability information I was hoping to use is expressed at the level of a physical collection. For example, if several college libraries within the University I have aggregated information that tells me the availability of the item in each of the college libraries. However, I don't have item level information.

I can see how I can use simpleavailability to say over the entire institution whether (e.g.) a book is available or not. However, I'm not clear I can express this in a more granular way (say availability on a library by library basis) except by going to item level. Also although it seems you can express multiple locations in simpleavailability, and multiple availabilitymsg, there is no way I can see to link these, so although I could list each location OK, I can't attach an availabilitymsg to a specific location (unless I only express one location).

Am I missing something, or is my interpretation correct?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Owen

PS also looked at DAIA which I like, but this (as far as I can tell) only allows availabitlity to be specified at the level of items


Owen Stephens
Owen Stephens Consulting
Web: http://www.ostephens.com
Email: [log in to unmask]
Telephone: 0121 288 6936