Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data

by Nicole C. Engard

This unique book is geared to help any library keep its website dynamically and collaboratively up-to-date, increase user participation, and provide exemplary web-based service through the power of mashups. Nicole C. Engard and 25 contributors from all over the world share definitions, tools, techniques, and real life applications. Examples range from ways to allow those without programming skills to make simple website updates, to modifying the library OPAC, to using popular sites like Flickr, Yahoo!, LibraryThing, Google Maps, and Delicious to share and combine digital content.

Genres: Nonfiction, Library Science, Librarianship, Technology

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Nicole is the Vice President of Education at ByWater Solutions. In her over ten years in libraries she has dedicated herself to educating librarians about technologies both on her site web2learning.net and in person with a focus on open source. In 2010 she authored 'Practical Open Source Software for Libraries' and regularly writes for various library outlets about open source for libraries.

Reviews

[Eric Phetteplace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately, 2009 was ages ago in terms of web services so almost every chapter in Library Mashups suffers a bit. Many links are broken, such as Microsoft's PopFly (popfly.com redirects to the Bing search for popfly, in what is one of the most asinine ways to twilight a service I've ever seen), while others have substantially changed in nature, from Delicious in its new ownership to the more minor changes between SIMILE Exhibit's version 2 & version 3.0. Nonetheless, this book was conceptually valuable as well as made me aware of many tools & APIs. I would heartily recommend it to anyone who is curious about recombining data from web services for their library. Even non-programmers can get something out of the book, since many copy-paste tools or mashup GUIs are discussed. It can function as a source of ideas if nothing else, as well as motivate libraries to support or utilize some of the amazing projects out there, from LibraryThing's great APIs to open source projects like Blacklight or SOPAC.

[Paul Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

All in all a very interesting insight into how Libraries and Librarians are trying to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by Web 2.0 services. This book was especially helpful for me as I'm new to the world of Libraries as a technology consultant. Some of the content of the book is started to feel a little outdated but such is the nature of trying to write about technology. Regardless, I remain grateful for having all this information conveniently compiled for my convenience.

I'm very much looking forward to the follow-up book that has just recently been released.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

With each chapter a separate contribution, this title has a good range of mashup difficulty, from embedding Flickr pictures on your website to modifying APIs. One drawback is that the book is now a bit dated (published 2009) BUT there is a new title just out, More Library Mashups, so combined I bet they are a great resource.
Appendix with websites and a glossary of tech terms at the end are a nice addition.

[Cal Desmond-Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geared to help any library keep its website dynamically/collaboratively up-to-date, increase user participation, provide exemplary web-based service through the power of mashups.

[Nicole Baratta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data by Nicole C. Engard (2009)

[Cat Fithian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed. Good resource to remember if working on more web-based projects, using web2.0 to delivery library services or data. Too technical for "average" reader.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadly, I had to return this before I finished. So I'll try again later.

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading this for a class I'm taking.

Learned some useful stuff for work, but few library books are thrillingly enjoyable to read.

[Tina Panik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transformative, creative thinking. This book will change the way you deliver content to your patrons.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Web based projects

[Dwight Walker]

looks fantastic!