We are discussing the merit of adding an open API to the Online
Collection part of one of our museum client's sites, and I am wondering
if anyone can think of possible reasons to do this beyond "it just feels
right"?
Off the top of my head, systems that access an API can do various things:
- aggregate information
- provide alternative representations
- provide alternative interfaces
- syndicate information
- other (please state)
Of these, some examples I can think of are:
- aggregators: e.g. National Museums Online Learning Project[1], ArtStor
and others via OAI-PMH[2]
- other representations: e.g. mashups (which?), creating tag clouds, etc.
- alternative interfaces: e.g. more accessible versions, desktop
application versions, iphone/mobile versions
- syndicating information: blog 'widgets' (which?), ArtShare Facebook
app.[3]
However, all of these are fairly generic or fairly sparse! Can anybody
think of other concrete examples of how information is being re-purposed
from cultural institutions? Or, any ways in which an API could be used
that I have missed from the list above?
Thanks,
-Tristan.
[1] http://www.vam.ac.uk/about_va/online_learning/index.html
[2] http://www.openarchives.org/pmh/
[3] http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=7723691927&ref=pr
--
Tristan Roddis ~ Head of Web Development
Cogapp
Lees House,
21-33 Dyke Road.
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www.cogapp.com <http://www.cogapp.com>
blog.cogapp.com <http://blog.cogapp.com>/ -- "the art and science of
engagement"/
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