Systems

Connecting discovery to location with a service layer

Lorcan Dempsey 1 min read

I have just done an entry talking about how discovery of library materials may be carried out in a different environment to the library system (in Google Scholar, WorldCat, or a local discovery system like the NCSU catalog, for example).
One issue that arises in this context is how to connect the ‘discovery’ experience with location or availability information for materials in the library or elsewhere. I have suggested that we would benefit from an ILS service layer which provides a consistent way for this type of machine to machine interaction to occur between discovery systems and the library system.
Here is an example of the type of service one would find in such a layer, the Catalog availability service from NCSU:

The Catalog Availability Service returns current item availability information for a given ISBN in the NCSU Libraries catalog. If the ISBN is unknown, or is not currently available for checkout or use, the service uses OCLC’s xISBN service to look for a related catalog item that is currently available.

This service is designed to be consumed by global catalogs such as WorldCat.org, as a catalog localization service to help NC State users locate available copies of library resources of interest. The model we propose here could be adopted and deployed at other institutions capable of implementing a similar lightweight web services interface to their library catalog.[Description: Catalog Availability Web Service: NCSU Libraries]

Of course, as we begin to compose services in this way it may be possible to add value by incorporating other services also to enhance functionality. NCSU uses xISBN as described here; another example is the use of our audience level web service by John Blyberg in PatREST.
Related entries:

Share
Comments
More from LorcanDempsey.net
The technology career ladder
Institutions

The technology career ladder

Library leaders should be drawn from across the organization. Any idea that technology leaders are overly specialised or too distant from general library work is outmoded and counter-productive.
Lorcan Dempsey 7 min read
icon

Lorcan Dempsey dot net

Deep dives and quick takes: libraries, society, culture and technology

Great! You’ve successfully signed up.

Welcome back! You've successfully signed in.

You've successfully subscribed to LorcanDempsey.net.

Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in.

Success! Your billing info has been updated.

Your billing was not updated.