Sunday, October 26, 2008

Library 2.0 Gang 05/08: ILS API

Originally posted on 6th May 2008 on the Talis Library 2.0 Gang Podcast.

Those reading library technology blogs, or attending conferences over the last couple of years, can not have failed to be aware of the pressure for Library System developers and vendors to open up those systems and provide API access.

Against this background, the Digital Library Federation (DLF) launched a working group to analyze the issues involved in integrating “integrated library systems” and discovery systems, and create a technical proposal for how such integration should be accomplished.

Following a survey of libraries, the working group produced a draft recommendation which was discussed at a meeting in Berkeley, California on March 6th attended by representatives of the DLF , academic libraries, and major library application vendors. Subsequent to this meeting participants agreed to the ‘Berkeley Accord’ supporting a set of essential functions for an API.

John Mark Ockerbloom Chair of the DLF Working Group is our guest this month. In conversation with the Gang members Talin Bingham, Oren Beit-Arie, Marshall Breeding, Andrew Nagy, and Dan Mullineux.

During the conversation we reference: