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UKOLN is supported by:

Library hacks Andy Powell, UKOLN, University of Bath a.powell@ukoln.ac.uk Public Library Web Managers Workshop 2004, Bath. UKOLN is supported by:. www.bath.ac.uk. www.ukoln.ac.uk. a centre of expertise in digital information management. This talk isn’t about…. …and it’s not about.

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  1. Library hacks Andy Powell, UKOLN, University of Bath a.powell@ukoln.ac.uk Public Library Web Managers Workshop 2004, Bath UKOLN is supported by: www.bath.ac.uk www.ukoln.ac.uk a centre of expertise in digital information management

  2. This talk isn’t about… Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  3. …and it’s not about Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  4. O’Reilly ‘hacks’ series “O'Reilly's Hacks Series reclaims the term hacking for the good guys—innovators who explore and experiment, unearth shortcuts, create useful tools, and come up with fun things to try on their own.” Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  5. Library hacks • encouraging public library Web sites as places to ‘hack’ and ‘be hacked’… • pulling other people’s sites and services into the library Web site • pushing the library Web site and services out into other people’s sites • interoperability • openness • standards hack public libraries now hack our libraries Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  6. Contents • searching… • Web services • …and the Google and Amazon APIs • deep linking • OpenURL • a selection of case studies as we go • impact on public library Web sites • whistle-stop tour • technical – but not too technical I hope Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  7. Z39.50 and all that… • libraries have a long tradition of creating and using ‘open’ standards • notably Z39.50 – search and retrieve search request library catalogue results end-user’s machine Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  8. Z39.50 and all that… • libraries have a long tradition of setting and using ‘open’ standards • notably Z39.50 – search and retrieve library catalogue 1 library catalogue 2 end-user’s machine library catalogue 3 Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  9. Libraries at the cutting edge? • Z39.50 offers a powerful distributed search mechanism • targets (catalogues) potentially open to use from outside the library • …not just through a Web browser but in a way that allowed people to write their own search software • academic libraries now see growing interest in ‘library portals’ that use Z39.50 (and other technologies) to cross-search many remote targets Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  10. if catalogue search fails… try a cross-search of multiple catalogues in the region Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  11. Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  12. Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  13. But… • …the rest of the world didn’t implement Z39.50 • in fact, much of the library world still doesn’t support it • too hard to develop software • too complex to configure target • focus of interest shifted to the ‘Web site’ • meanwhile, on other part of the planet • the Web world recognised that focussing on the Web browser wasn’t always enough • developed “Web services” Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  14. What are Web services? “Automated resources accessed via the Internet. Web services are software-powered resources or functional components whose capabilities can be accessed at an internet URI. Standards-based web services use XML to interact with each other…” “The term Web services describes a standardized way of integrating Web-based applications using the XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI open standardsover an Internet protocol backbone. XML is used to tag the data, SOAP is used to transfer the data, WSDL is used for describing the services available and UDDI is used for listing what services are available. Used primarily as a means for businesses to communicate with each other and with clients, Web services allow organizations to communicate data without intimate knowledge of each other's IT systems…” Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  15. Web services - summary • machine (m2m) interfaces between functional components on the Web • underpin many e-commerce activities • a whole new set of acronyms – SOAP, WSDL, UDDI, WSRP • based on HTTP and XML (i.e. mainstream Web pedigree) • support both informational (e.g. search) and transactional (e.g. billing) types of service • Google and Amazon “Web APIs”… Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  16. Google and Amazon APIs • Google and Amazon both make some of their functionality available thru APIs • API = Application Programming Interface • Web services using SOAP • to use them you must • register • agree to their terms and conditions • be prepared to program dynamic Web pages (using Java, ASP, Perl, etc.) http://www.google.com/apis/ http://www.amazon.com/apis/ Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  17. What do the APIs offer? • Google • perform searches and get back results (XML) • get cached-copy of page • spell-check (“did you mean?”) • Amazon • title searches (all products, not just books) • ISBN searches • author searches • transaction creation (shopping carts) • transaction monitoring • (note: book results include metadata with cover image) Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  18. Example: RDN/Google spell Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  19. Libraries, Google & Amazon • new cross-searching possibilities… • mixing SOAP (Web services) and Z39.50 Google SOAP Z39.50 library catalogue end-user Amazon SOAP Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  20. Libraries, Google & Amazon • new cross-searching possibilities… • or using ‘new’ SRW (Search and Retrieve Web service) protocol Google SOAP SRW (SOAP) library catalogue end-user Amazon SOAP Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  21. Embedded into library site? SOAP RDN Google SOAP library catalogue SOAP end-user Amazon SOAP Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  22. Linking and OpenURLs Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  23. OpenURL roots an academic library perspective? • the context • distributed information environment • multiple A&I and other discovery services • rapidly growing e-journal collection • need to interlink available resources • the problem • links controlled by external info services • links not sensitive to user’s context (appropriate copy problem) • links dependent on vendor agreements • links don’t cover complete collection Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  24. The problem an academic library perspective? • the context • distributed information environment • multiple A&I and other discovery services • rapidly growing e-journal collection • need to interlink available resources • the REAL problem • libraries have no say in linking • libraries losing core part of ‘organising information’ task • expensive collection not used optimally • users not well served Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  25. OpenURL OpenURLresolver (link server) The solution… • do NOT hardwire a link to a single service on the referenced item (e.g. a link from an A&I service to the corresponding full-text) • BUT rather • provide a link that transports metadata about the referenced item • to another service that is better placed to provide service links Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  26. link source link destination Non-OpenURL linking document delivery service A&I service . link to referenced work reference resolution of metadata into a link (typically a URL) Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  27. link link link link link destination link destination link destination link destination OpenURL link source OpenURL resolver OpenURL linking document delivery service A&I service user-specific transportation of metadata & identifiers . reference context-sensitive provision of OpenURL resolution of metadata & identifiers into services Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  28. Example 1 • journal article • from Web of Science to ingenta Journals Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  29. button indicating OpenURL ‘link’ is available Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  30. OpenURL resolver offering context-sensitive links, including link to ingenta Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  31. Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  32. also links to other services such as Google search for related information Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  33. Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  34. Example 2 • book • from University of Bath OPAC to Amazon Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  35. button indicating OpenURL ‘link’ is available Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  36. OpenURL resolver offering context-sensitive links, including link to Amazon Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  37. Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  38. also links to other services such as Google search for related information Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  39. Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  40. Summary… ingenta ISI Web of Science Google OpenURL resolver University of Bath OPAC Amazon deeplinks OpenURL Resolver OpenURL Source OpenURL Target Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  41. Is this relevant to PLs? “It's probably safe to predict that, within another year/acquisition cycle or so, *lack* of OpenURL support will be the exception for any academic library/consortium that licenses full-text resources (that is, OpenURL support will be the rule), and there will be growing penetration of OpenURL resolvers within public libraries that license full-text resources.” Walt Crawford, RLG Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  42. OpenURL & PLs Document supply services A&I services Public library catalogues OpenURL resolver University library catalogues Amazon Google Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  43. Case study 1 • Stories from the Web • a children’s book-related Web site • deep linking to public library catalogue http://www.storiesfromtheweb.org/ Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  44. potential link to book in public library catalogue (or Amazon) link to more info potential link to author search in public library catalogue (or Amazon) note: SfW subscription by library authority so some knowledge about where to link to Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  45. potential for pulling in metadata and cover art via Amazon API …and for making into link to Amazon or PL catalogue Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  46. Case study 2 • a “book group” • deep linking into library catalogues from a book group Web page Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  47. link to Amazon … potential link to book in public library catalogue Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  48. Case study 3 • LibraryLookup • deep linking into library catalogues using a browser ‘bookmarklet’ Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  49. select link to find nearest library catalogue http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/stories/2002/12/11/librarylookup.html Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

  50. drag this link to your browser toolbar Public Library Web Managers Workshop, 2004

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