APIs (and their Relatives) Can Expand and Unify Library Services George Leggiero Kent State University NOTSL 21 November 2016

APIs “Application Programming Interface” Some History of Library Services How do APIs work? Other related ways to expand and unify Widgets Plugins Apps When to use any of these

APIs We Have Known APIs happen all the time Pass data to another system and return results to be displayed within the same web page. Make web design a lot easier for developers Web Browsers Google, Google Maps, Weather Information Embedded Forms Searching, Credit Card Transactions Enhancements to OPAC Displays

In the Beginning Why is all this even necessary?

Circulation Discovery OPAC Catalog Acquisitions ILL Patron Database IR and Digital Collections Circulation ILL Discovery Consortium OPAC Database Authentication & Link Resolver Bulk Load Records Catalog Authority Services Bibliographic Services Acquisitions Accounting Vendors

How could an API connect to an ILS? Let’s look at several models.

Proprietary Programming and Interface Model Delivered Interfaces Reports Module Public Interface Staff Interface Core Software Core Functionality and Logic Data

Application with Database API Delivered Interfaces Public Interface Staff Interface Reports Module External Apps. Core Functionality and Logic Core Software RDMS API Data

Application API Exposed to External Applications API A Delivered Interfaces Public Interface Staff Interface Reports Module API Abstraction Layer APIs Core Software Core Functionality and Logic External Apps. RDMS API Data

So How does it all work?

Some Familiar Examples Any Web Browser Google, Google Maps Embedded Forms Suggestions Credit Card Payments

How does it work? Data source may need to authorize you to work with their APIs. ILS or other service Find the descriptions and parameters you’ll need to access the data. Work with web developer to add them to a website or app.

Some ILS Vendors Innovative Interfaces SirsiDynix LibGuides https://developer.iii.com SirsiDynix http://www.sirsidynix.com/services/developer- community LibGuides http://help.springshare.com/guidewidgets

What’s happening behind the scenes? https://example-library.edu:443/iii/sierra-api/v3/patrons/1042514/checkouts?fields=default,barcode,callNumber,numberOfRenewals Results What Operations are available List of APIs for scholarly sources (MIT)

What’s the Alphabet Soup? APIs have been around long enough to go through some changes For the most part we’d be using hypertext protocol within the web page coding Results are returned in XML or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol based on services REST Representational State Transfer AKA RESTful

Let’s not Forget

Some “Older” Technology Widgets Small applications can be added to websites to be installed and used and executed by the user. Search Boxes Plugins Third party application that adds a specific function to an existing program. Flash. QuickTime. Browser Extensions Library Toolbars….whatever happened to them? Custom Search

Some Newer Technology Let’s not forget about our mobile friends Although only about 20% of our web traffic, it’s convenient and growing Apps!

What to use? Depends on your requirements Trying to lure users to your site? Embed yourself on websites they frequent Trying to enhance user experience? APIs to make services convenient on the site.

Questions? George Leggiero leggiero@kent.edu