Plans for new WorldCat Basic API announced

The WorldCat Search API has been enhanced, so that now library developers can build apps that show only their library's results. I know from talking with the product manager and being at the Hackathon and Mashathon that LOTS of people have been eager to see this feature go in. Read all about it over on the Developer Network blog.

The BIG news is that there is a new WorldCat API coming, called the WorldCat Basic API. One awesome thing about it, is that it will be accessible and available to anyone and everyone for noncommercial use.

Did you read that right?
Everyone will have the chance to include library results in their apps? Anyone? Even me?
Yes, I am pleased to report that WorldCat API access is becoming more like the Hard Rock Cafe: Love all, Serve all.

I'll let you know when the WorldCat Basic API is available. For now, if they haven't already requested it, have your developers request a WorldCat Search API key if you're a qualifying library.

Introducing...the 2010 Jordan IFLA/OCLC Fellows

Drum roll, please...

It's my pleasure to introduce the incoming class of Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellows. (Long title, great program.)

The 2010 Class includes:

· Miss Sasekea Harris, Librarian, University of the West Indies, St. Andrew, Jamaica
· Mr. Mahmoud Khalifa, Cataloger Librarian, Library of Congress, Cairo Office, Cairo, Egypt
· Mr. Elchin Mammadov, Senior Information Specialist, Baku American Center, Baku, Azerbaijan
· Ms. Catherine Muriuki, University Librarian, Pan Africa Christian University, Nairobi, Kenya
· Miss Sidra Shan, Assistant Librarian, International Islamic University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
· Miss Shao Yan, Group Leader, National Library of China, Beijing, China

This class will bring to 50 the total number of Fellows we've hosted in the past 10 years.

The information and application for the 2011 class are already in place. The deadline is February 28, 2010.

SXSW panel picker

Matt posted about this already, but I wanted to point out to you RSS/text-only readers that we have a snazzy SXSW Panel Picker icon now, for a limited time only.

The proposed panel title is "Discovery, Identity and Rights: Three Deep Web Problems," but Matt needs you to go in and approve the proposal so SXSW knows what a great presentation and discussion this panel would be. The proposal page has more details--but for anyone who's ever been frustrated with awesome content your library has, that no one seems to find or know about (because of licensing restrictions, no share policies, etc.), this session is for you.

And especially even if you're not going to SXSW yourself, you are STILL encouraged to make your voice heard. SXSW encourages it. So let's make our collective library voice heard to this very Web-savvy audience. Go to http://bit.ly/vuPu5 and pick the thumbs-up sign. You'll be asked to register, but it's a very simple process.

The selection process closes on Friday, Sept. 4, so take action now to help raise the visibility of online library content to a wider audience.

Are you doing something "cutting edge?"

For Immediate Release

June 29, 2009

The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) is soliciting nominations for best library practices using cutting-edge technology.

“We want to showcase libraries that are serving their communities with novel and innovative methods and provide the library community with some successful models for delivering quality library service in new ways,” said Vivian Pisano, Chair of OITP’s America’s Libraries for the 21st Century Subcommittee.

If you wish to submit a nomination, please complete this form and send it to the American Library Association, Office for Information Technology Policy, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, 1st Floor, Washington, D.C. 20009 or by e-mail to ainouye@alawash.org by September 1, 2009. Further details about the nomination process may be found here.

The America’s Libraries for the 21st Century Subcommittee will review all nominations and conduct selected interviews or site visits to identify those libraries that are truly offering a best practice or most innovative service. Libraries or library service areas selected will be publicized via the OITP Web site, highlighted through ALA publications, and featured in a program at the ALA Annual Conference in 2010.

---

E-mail submissions to ainouye@alawash.org.

For questions, contact:

Vivian Pisano, Chief of Information Technology
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415/557-4340
vpisano@sfpl.org

South by South West Conference panels

For those of you thinking of attending the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference this coming March you may be interested in a panel proposal I have submitted for the conference. Our intent is to delve into the issues surrounding authentication and access to deep Web content and sustainable business models for this problem. If the panel sounds interesting you have the chance to vote for its inclusion in the conference. It does require you to create an account to vote so they can avoid old adage “vote early and vote often.”

There is also another interesting proposal put forth by Cecily Walker of Vancouver Public library titled “Can I Reserve This Book With My iPhone?”

Time for a New Mindset

One of my favorite ways to start a presentation is with the Beloit College Mindset List, which "provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college," according to the web site.

The list for the incoming class of 2013 (!) has just been published.

Read. Enjoy. Feel old...

Community Trumps Technology

I’m just back from the 2009 Information Delivery Services (IDS, Tweets on conference) Conference in Oswego, NY and as always came away with a great deal to think about. This group started with the SUNY 4 year colleges with leadership from SUNY Geneseo to improve resource sharing workflows and turn-around times. This year’s conference showed the group has grown both in membership and in scope of building collaboration between libraries in the project.

During the keynote by Genie Powell from Atlas systems, she made a statement that I had to write down to mull over, “community trumps technology.” Most interesting -- the examples Genie used were from outside the library space and in the social space. The point she eloquently drove home was that technology is not what binds people together but rather commitment to a common cause and desired outcomes.

So much of my time is spent working on products, services and technology it was a refreshing point of view to be reminded that these are simply tools to allow libraries to achieve their individual and collective goals. The real success of libraries depends on groups like IDS where libraries form a trusted community, agree to break down barriers to cooperation and take mutual risks to achieve a stronger service to their constituencies.

I look forward to more opportunities like this one to share the cool things that are happening in libraries today.

Welcome to IAG, Matt Goldner

It's my pleasure to welcome Matt Goldner as the newest member of the It's All Good team. In his new role as Product and Technology Advocate for OCLC, Matt will be on the road quite a bit visiting libraries to see what things are happening in the community. His most recent venture took him to New York to a resource sharing group, but I'll let him tell his story himself, in the next post.

Applications for 2010 OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship

Call for Applications for the 2010 OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship Program

Application deadline: September 8, 2009

OCLC has announced the expansion and increased support of the OCLC Minority Librarian Fellowship program designed to provide a unique opportunity for aspiring library professionals from historically under-represented groups.

OCLC’s Minority Librarian Fellowship offers an opportunity unlike any other. As the world’s leading library cooperative, OCLC offers global exposure through its enterprise-wide product portfolios and operations. OCLC Minority Librarian Fellows will spend time in an assigned host unit, such as Metadata Contract Services or Question Point, working on content-specific projects such as cataloging or cooperative reference services. In addition, the Minority Librarian Fellows will spend time in the Global and Regional Councils division, with an orientation to OCLC and the OCLC member community, participation in OCLC governance meetings, and opportunities for shared learning experiences with many library and information professionals. Each Fellow will have a unique and specifically tailored experience.

More information is available online here.

Webinars on how to get stimulus funds

This crossed my desk this morning, and I thought I'd share it with IAG readers.

ARRA Federal Grant Application Information at www.Grants.Gov

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a new feature at www.Grants.Gov to help users find and apply for Stimulus Bill (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [ARRA]) funding opportunities. The website contains information about finding and applying for all federal grant programs. The launch of this Recovery Act feature on the homepage of Grants.Gov will direct users to ARRA opportunities, other ARRA resources, upcoming webinars and links to www.whitehouse.gov/recovery and www.recovery.gov.

According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, “Grants.Gov is the single government-wide source for information about grant programs across the federal government, and many agencies and departments across government are working together to bring this information to the public. Now we are making it easier for individuals to find critical and time sensitive Recovery Act grants from all over government on the Grants.Gov page with new technical improvements to the site and an aggressive outreach campaign to the public.”

HHS will host on a webinar series targeted towards potential grant applicants on the following dates: Thursday, Aug. 13; Tuesday, Aug. 18; and Thursday, Aug. 20. Webinar topics include “Introduction to Grants.Gov and the Recovery Act,” “Finding Recovery Act Opportunities” and “Registration to Submit Recovery Act Opportunities.” Each session will include time for questions and answers. The webinars will be recorded and made available on Grants.Gov. To register, go to the Recovery Act feature on the homepage of Grants.Gov.

The website is a cross-agency site and has information about more than 1,000 available grant programs involving all 26 federal grant-making agencies, and HHS is the managing partner of website. All these agencies together award more than $500 billion in grant funds annually.

For more information, visit www.grants.gov, www.whitehouse.gov/recovery and www.recovery.gov.