Conferences: October 2009 Archives
If you're an information professional in Monterey, CA this week, chances are you're at Internet Librarian. And one of the great mobile-related sessions you won't want to miss this year is being hosted tomorrow by Cindy Cunningham, the Director of OCLC Partner Programs and includes a number of mobile developers. Here's the scoop:
Tuesday, 27 October
1:30-2:30 pm
C203 Putting Your library on a Mobile phone
- Moderator: Cindy Cunningham, Director of OCLC Partner Programs
- Greg Carpenter, CEO & Technical Lead, Boopsie, and WorldCat Mobile Pilot partner
- Bruce Washburn, OCLC Research Engineer and iPhone WorldCat Search API Web App Creator
- Jeff Sharkey, Google Android Developer, Compare Everywhere App
This demo and lively panel discussion highlights what OCLC has learned so far in reaching library users through their mobile phones. Hear from three different developers about how they approached working with WorldCat library data in the mobile format, and how each one designed the optimal user experienceit's so much more than screen size. Learn more about how to approach "going mobile" with your library, what factors to consider from the library side, and see what's possible technically.
If you're interested to attend the WorldCat Mashathon in Seattle next month, it's time to register! There are still plenty of spaces for developers and non-developers who simply want to learn more. In other words, if you're curious about Web Services, APIs or how to create a mash-up, this is a great opportunity for fun, learning and collaboration. Here's a quick run-down of the details:
WorldCat Mashathon Seattle
Sponsored by the OCLC Developer Network and the University Libraries of the University of Washington.
Thursday-Friday, Nov. 5-6, 2009
Odegaard Undergraduate Library, University of Washington campus
Register now
You bring your laptop and ideas, and we'll take care of everything else.
There's a US$ 30 registration fee, but we don't want this fee or your institution's shrinking travel budget to keep you from attending. Please let us know if you're in this situation. We may be able to connect you with other attendees for ridesharing or something similar.
If you're lucky enough to be in Salt Lake City today, chances are you're at the LITA National Forum 2009. I wanted to highlight a couple of sessions that might be of interest to you, as a member of the OCLC Developer Network. Our own Bruce Washburn and CIndy Cunningham will be there, along with a host of other good speakers:
Session Today
Friday, Oct. 2, 4:20-5:30 pm, Alpine West, Hilton Salt Lake City Center
Putting your Library on a Mobile Phone--It's More than Screen Size
Cindy Cunningham (OCLC)
Offering library-based information in a mobile environment is not about exporting your OPAC onto a mobile phone, and there is much more to the user experience than screen real estate. Learn about what mobile library access is really about and how to create an optimal user experience. (Note that Cindy will also be showing the WorldCat Mobile pilot, which is powered by the WorldCat Search API and the WorldCat Registry.
Session Tomorrow
Saturday, Oct. 3, 10:50 a.m. - noon, Alpine West, Hilton Salt Lake City Center
Real Life Experiences with Library APIs
Bruce Washburn (OCLC), Karen A. Coombs (University of Houston)
Have you wondered just what an API is, and what it would mean to use one? Are you thinking of investing effort into building new systems that rely on APIs, or enhancing an existing service with API-provided data? Bruce Washburn will describe the APIs offered by OCLC, and how these are built to support production-level services, global availability, new markets, and web scale activity. Then, Karen Coombs of the University of Houston will discuss the evolution of the Library's use of APIs offered by OCLC in combination with other APIs and the role these currently play in extending information access for the UH community.
Slides for both presentations are out on the LITA site on ALAConnect.
Look forward to seeing you there!
