You'd write some javascript to query the service with every keystroke, e.g.
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/suggest/?q=Hi replies with subjects beginning
with "hi*"  It looks like covo.js supports LCSH, so you could look into
that.

Ethan


On Wed, Jun 5, 2013 at 9:13 AM, Joshua Welker <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> This would work, except I would need a way to get all the subjects rather
> than just biology. Any idea how to do that? I tried removing the
> querystring from the URL and changing "Biology" in the URL to "" with no
> success.
>
> Josh Welker
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Michael J. Giarlo
> Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2013 7:05 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LOC Subject Headings API
>
> How about id.loc.gov's OpenSearch-powered autosuggest feature?
>
> mjg@moby:~$ curl http://id.loc.gov/authorities/suggest/?q=Biology
> ["Biology",["Biology","Biology Colloquium","Biology Curators'
> Group","Biology Databook Editorial Board (U.S.)","Biology and Earth
> Sciences Teaching Institute","Biology and Management of True Fir in the
> Pacific Northwest Symposium (1981 : Seattle, Wash.)","Biology and Resource
> Management Program (Alaska Cooperative Park Studies Unit)","Biology and
> behavior series","Biology and environment (Macmillan Press)","Biology and
> management of old-growth forests"],["1 result","1 result","1 result","1
> result","1 result","1 result","1 result","1 result","1 result","1
> result"],["http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85014203","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79006962","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n90639795","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85100466","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr97041787","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85276541","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82057525","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n90605518","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr2001011448","
> http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no94028058"]]
>
> -Mike
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 7:51 PM, Joshua Welker <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > I did see that, and it will work in a pinch. But the authority file is
> > pretty massive--almost 1GB-- and would be difficult to handle in an
> > automated way and without completely killing my web app due to memory
> > constraints while searching the file. Thanks, though.
> >
> > Josh Welker
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Bryan Baldus [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2013 6:39 PM
> > To: Code for Libraries; Joshua Welker
> > Subject: RE: LOC Subject Headings API
> >
> > On Tuesday, June 04, 2013 6:31 PM, Joshua Welker [[log in to unmask]]
> > wrote:
> > >I am building an auto-suggest feature into our library's search box,
> > >and
> > I am wanting to include LOC subject headings in my suggestions list.
> > Does anyone know of any web service that allows for automated
> > harvesting of LOC Subject Headings? I am also looking for name
> authorities, for that matter.
> > Any format will be acceptable to me: RDF, XML, JSON, HTML, CSV... I
> > have spent a while Googling with no luck, but this seems like the sort
> > of general-purpose thing that a lot of people would be interested in.
> > I feel like I must be missing something. Any help is appreciated.
> >
> > Have you seen http://id.loc.gov/ with bulk downloads in various
> > formats at http://id.loc.gov/download/
> >
> > I hope this helps,
> >
> > Bryan Baldus
> > Senior Cataloger
> > Quality Books Inc.
> > The Best of America's Independent Presses
> > 1-800-323-4241x402
> > [log in to unmask]
> > [log in to unmask]
> > http://home.comcast.net/~eijabb/
> >
>